A Good Girl's Guide to Murder, #3
As Good As Dead
by Holly Jackson
Contents
Nine
Overview
During a run, Pip confronts her escalating rage through a vivid fantasy of murdering Max, then merely passes him. Near home, she discovers “DEAD GIRL WALKING” chalked on her route and documents it as evidence.
Ravi pushes her to treat this as a real threat and report it to DI Hawkins, sharpening stakes around a possible stalker and Max as a suspect.
Summary
Pip runs a long route to exhaust herself into sleep, briefly distracted by duct tape stuck to her shoe. Rounding a corner, she spots Max Hastings approaching from the other side of the road. A violent fantasy overtakes her—assaulting Max and throwing him before a lorry—before a passing car snaps her back; in reality, they simply pass each other.
Shaken by the intrusive rage and worsening panic, Pip considers whether her fear of a stalker is real or self-made. Near home, she steps over a chalk message on the pavement: “DEAD GIRL WALKING.” Believing it targets her route, she photographs it to log in her evidence spreadsheet.
Ravi arrives and, after seeing the photo, argues that this may be a genuine threat connected to the pigeons and anonymous emails. They weigh suspects—Max and, less credibly for Pip, Charlie Green—and the distinction between finding versus killing the birds.
Though reluctant to involve the police, Pip is urged by Ravi to report the incidents to DI Hawkins the next day. Hand in hand, they go to view the chalk message, as the possibility of a dangerous stalker escalates the stakes.
Who Appears
- Pip (Pippa Fitz-Amobi)Protagonist; experiences a violent fantasy about killing Max, discovers “DEAD GIRL WALKING” on her route, documents it, and debates reporting a stalker.
- Ravi SinghPip’s boyfriend; examines the chalk message, urges Pip to report a possible stalker to DI Hawkins, considers Max a suspect.
- Max HastingsAntagonistic figure encountered on Pip’s run; target of her intrusive violent fantasy; potential stalker suspect.