Quiz Not Quite Dead Yet Holly Jackson

Not Quite Dead Yet Quiz: How Well Do You Know the Story?

Are you ready to prove your knowledge of Holly Jackson's Not Quite Dead Yet? This quiz spans the entire book, from Jet's fatal attack in the Woodstock Halloween Fair to the devastating revelations about her family. Mixing multiple-choice and short-answer formats, the questions test plot recall, character motivation, thematic insight, and your ability to synthesise clues.

Take the quiz, then check your answers below. For deeper dives, visit the book overview, the questions and answers page, or read the ending explained.

Quiz Questions

Part 1: Plot / Sequence (8 Questions)

1. (Multiple choice) What medical condition weakens Jet's arterial walls and makes an aneurysm certain after her skull fracture?
A. Polycystic kidney disease
B. Lupus
C. Ehlers-Danlos syndrome
D. Marfan syndrome

2. (Short answer) At what time did Jet's Apple Watch show the attack occurred?

3. (Multiple choice) Where did Jet and Billy find her smashed iPhone and the murder weapon?
A. Inside the Mason Construction office safe
B. Under the concrete foundation of a new house on North Street
C. In the back of Andrew Smith’s truck
D. Buried in the cemetery next to Emily's grave

4. (Multiple choice) What evidence first leads the police to arrest JJ Lim?
A. His fingerprints on the hammer
B. A red synthetic wig hair found under Jet's blood
C. A recorded confession on his phone
D. The stolen loan money in his bank account

5. (Short answer) Who set the fire at Mason Construction and later framed Jet for arson?

6. (Multiple choice) Why does Jet choose not to have the life-saving surgery?
A. She cannot afford the hospital bill
B. The surgery has less than 10% survival rate
C. She wants to die on her own terms and solve her murder
D. Both B and C

7. (Short answer) What is the name of the song Billy performs at his gig, written for Jet?

8. (Multiple choice) Who kills Billy's father at the end of the book?
A. Billy
B. Luke
C. Jet
D. Dianne Mason

Part 2: Character Motivation (5 Questions)

9. (Multiple choice) Why does Sophia poison Scott Mason's blood pressure pills with salt?
A. To inherit his money
B. To force his early retirement so Luke can take over the company
C. To get revenge for Emily’s death
D. To make herself look like a hero when she saves him

10. (Short answer) What is Jet's primary motivation for investigating her own murder despite her fatal condition?

11. (Multiple choice) Why does Billy lie to the police and give Jet a false alibi for the arson?
A. He believes Jet is innocent and wants to protect her
B. He is the actual killer and wants to divert suspicion
C. He hopes Jet will reward him with her truck
D. He is afraid of his father

12. (Short answer) What secret is Nina Smith trying to expose when Dianne Mason gets her fired?

13. (Multiple choice) Why does Luke drown his sister Emily?
A. He was jealous of her popularity
B. She told him he wasn't a real Mason
C. He wanted the family inheritance
D. It was an accident during a swimming race

Part 3: Theme / Symbol (4 Questions)

14. (Multiple choice) What does the concrete foundation on North Street symbolically represent in the investigation?
A. The strength of family bonds
B. Hidden truths and buried evidence
C. The permanence of death
D. Jet's stubbornness

15. (Short answer) The “cat filter” on the village trustee meeting video is a clue pointing to which character?

16. (Multiple choice) What does Jet's decision to eat a sandwich her father makes (after the crime scene is cleaned) suggest about her attitude toward death?
A. She is in denial
B. She chooses small pleasures and living fully in her final days
C. She is trying to regain strength for revenge
D. She wants to appear normal for her family

17. (Short answer) Name one object or piece of technology that symbolises the theme of surveillance and hidden evidence in the novel.

Part 4: Synthesis (3 Questions)

18. (Multiple choice) How does the novel challenge the idea of a “perfect victim”?
A. Jet is unlikable and has made many mistakes, but she is still deserving of justice
B. The killer is portrayed as sympathetic
C. Jet’s family is entirely innocent
D. The police solve the case without Jet’s help

19. (Short answer) Explain how the motif of “time” functions on both a plot and thematic level, using two specific examples from the book.

20. (Multiple choice) Which of the following best describes the role of Billy Finney in the story?
A. A red herring who is eventually revealed as the killer
B. Jet’s loyal ally who provides emotional support and helps uncover the truth
C. A minor character who only appears in the final chapters
D. The detective who arrests Luke

Answer Key

Part 1: Plot / Sequence

1. A. Polycystic kidney disease – Jet’s PKD weakens her arterial walls, making the aneurysm fatal. (Chapter 2 outline)

2. 10:46 p.m. – Jet and Detective Ecker deduce this from the Apple Watch heart-rate data. (Chapter 5 outline and evidence)

3. B. Under the concrete foundation of a new house on North Street – Jet and Billy smash the garage foundation to find her phone and the hammer. (Chapter 13 outline)

4. B. A red synthetic wig hair found under Jet's blood – The hair is the key piece of evidence that leads to JJ’s arrest. (Chapter 9 outline; also in Chapter 17 outline)

5. Luke – Luke sets the fire to destroy records and later tells police he saw Jet's truck at the scene, framing her. (Chapter 30 outline)

6. D. Both B and C – The surgery has less than 10% survival rate, and Jet wants to use her final week to solve her murder. (Chapter 3 outline and evidence)

7. "For Her" – Billy performs this original song. (Chapter 14 outline; also the final chapter title)

8. B. Luke – Luke shoots Billy’s father after hearing his confession. (Chapter 33 outline and evidence)

Part 2: Character Motivation

9. B. To force his early retirement so Luke can take over the company – Sophia admits this in Chapter 20.

10. To prove she can do something important and not die a “half-asser” – Jet states she wants to achieve something great and see it through. (Chapter 3 outline and evidence)

11. A. He believes Jet is innocent and wants to protect her – Billy provides the alibi out of loyalty. (Chapter 31 outline)

12. That Luke was not a real Mason (or that Luke drowned Emily) – Nina discovered the family secret about Luke’s parentage and Emily’s murder. (Chapters 25–26 outlines)

13. B. She told him he wasn't a real Mason – Luke confesses this to Jet in Chapter 31.

Part 3: Theme / Symbol

14. B. Hidden truths and buried evidence – The concrete hides the phone and hammer, symbolising secrets the family tries to bury. (Chapter 13 outline)

15. Nina Smith – Jet identifies the cat-filtered participant as Nina from the bedroom background. (Chapter 25 outline)

16. B. She chooses small pleasures and living fully in her final days – Eating the “good cheese” sandwich shows she is savouring moments. (Chapter 5 evidence)

17. Accept any one: Apple Watch, Ring doorbell camera, Find My Phone, drone footage – All play roles in uncovering evidence. (Chapters 5, 6, 24 outlines)

Part 4: Synthesis

18. A. Jet is unlikable and has made many mistakes, but she is still deserving of justice – The novel subverts the idea of a perfect victim by giving Jet flaws yet still centering her fight for truth.

19. Acceptable answer examples:

  • Plot: Jet’s countdown (seven days, then hours) creates urgency; the timeline of the attack (10:46 p.m.) is central to solving the crime.
  • Theme: Jet’s past habit of saying “I’ll do it later” contrasts with her final week, where she must act now. Time becomes both a resource and a constraint.

20. B. Jet’s loyal ally who provides emotional support and helps uncover the truth – Billy accompanies Jet on her investigation, offers comfort, and ultimately helps expose his father.