A debut novel by award-winning author Holly Goddard Jones, about the people surprisingly connected to the discovery of a dead woman's body in a small town
Thirteen-year-old Emily Houchens doesn't have many friends. She finds more comfort playing make-believe in the woods near her house in Roma, Kentucky, than with her classmates, who find her strange and awkward. When she happens upon a dead body hidden in the woods one day, she decides not to tell anyone about her discovery—a choice that begins to haunt her.
Susanna Mitchell has always been a good girl, the dutiful daughter and wife. While her older sister Ronnie trolled bars for men and often drove home at sunrise, Susanna kept a neat house, a respectable job, and a young daughter. But when Ronnie goes missing and Susanna realizes that she's the only person in Roma who truly cares about her sister's fate, she starts to question her quiet life and its value.
The Next Time You See Me is the story of how one woman's disappearance exposes the ambitions, prejudices, and anxieties of a small southern town and its residents, who are all connected, sometimes in unexpected ways: Emily; Susanna; Tony, a failed baseball star turned detective, aspiring to be the county's first black sheriff; and Wyatt, a fifty-five-year-old factory worker tormented by a past he can't change and by a love he doesn't think he deserves. Their stories converge in a violent climax that reveals not just the mystery of what happened to Ronnie but all of their secret selves.
Download and start listening now!
"I loved everything about this book--the characters, the setting, the tone, the plot. Every single person in the novel is a fully realized human being, and yet the author articulates each personality with such concise precision that you never feel slowed down by descriptions of who they are. I felt completely immersed in the world of Roma, Kentucky, and the story of these people trying to understand the sudden disappearance of Ronnie, the fierce single woman at the center of the mystery. Having just finished the novel late last night, I feel breathless and disoriented this morning, as if part of me is still in Kentucky with these people. I guess miss them."
— Dana (5 out of 5 stars)
“The lonely cast of outcasts in The Next Time You See Me has enough heartache for a whole jukebox full of country songs. Holly Goddard Jones spins a tight if heartbreaking tale, always keeping the reader leaning forward.”
— Stewart O’Nan, New York Times bestselling author“So rich in character. I loved the subtlety and complexity of Wyatt and Sarah, and of course, Susanna, the whole thing woven deftly together with a light hand. An immensely satisfying and skillful debut novel.”
— Kate Atkinson, New York Times bestselling author“The Next Time You See Me gives readers all the pleasures of the best mystery novels as well as the finest literary fiction. No matter gender, age, or social class, Jones’ boundless empathy renders characters who are vivid, complex, utterly realized. She is an exceptionally talented writer.”
— Ron Rash, New York Times bestselling author“The Next Time You See Me is an astoundingly good novel. Holly Goddard Jones writes with authority and a deep generosity about a large swath of humanity within a small town: Outsiders and insiders, middle-schoolers and the middle-aged, the violent and the violated, the lost and the found—and all those in between. The result is simply mesmerizing.”
— Gillian Flynn, New York Times bestselling author“Have you turned the last pages of Gillian Flynn’s Gone Girl and don’t know what to pick up next? Try Holly Goddard Jones’ debut novel, The Next Time You See Me, which Flynn herself has called ‘simply mesmerizing.’ In this page-turner, Jones returns to the territory of her wonderful story collection, Girl Trouble. Like Flynn, she not only creates young women with troubles, she also vividly depicts a part of the country often obscured from view…Jones builds suspense as she creates problematic small-town America characters. She deftly avoids cliché in her depiction of the town’s outsiders—and insiders.”
— Chicago Tribune“Jones ties together the narratives effectively, cycling point of view between the three main players.”
— Publishers Weekly“Jones’ well-crafted tale captures small-town nuances while exploring the individual psychologies of her characters and their struggles.”
— Booklist“The residents of a small Kentucky town react to the disappearance of a local woman in this first novel by short-story writer Jones…[The author] builds intense tension surrounding the choices her flawed but compellingly sympathetic characters make as they fight against lonely isolation within the tight confines of small-town America.”
— Kirkus Reviews“Jones brilliantly weaves together story lines from unexpected angles. Her writing is fluid and she keeps a pace that will have readers lacing on their running shoes. And what a suspenseful, emotional, addictive run it is!”
— Library Journal (starred review)" Well written and I loved the characters. But I would have liked more closure. "
— Tara, 2/3/2014" Good writing from a new author and a quick read! "
— Jess2747, 2/1/2014" The characters in this book were so genuine, your heart ached for them. "
— Jess, 1/20/2014" I liked this book. I stayed interested in it from the beginning and to the end. The storyline is predictable and somewhat depressing but it pulls you along. "
— Ursula, 1/4/2014" I could not put this book down, dark but interesting look into some "regular" lives. "
— Annie, 12/13/2013" The novel kept me interested. The mystery portion was less about who did it and more about why. There was an interesting group of characters. The ending felt a little rushed and anti-climatic. I would probably give it 3.5 stars. "
— Vicki, 12/5/2013" The moral of this story: bullying is bad. "
— Adrienne, 11/15/2013" This book was written really well. The only thing is that I wished there was some closure in the end but the story drew me in and I could not stop reading. "
— Jade, 10/19/2013" It's not that it wasn't well-written, it's just that I didn't like any of the characters and it was unrelentingly depressing. "
— Kristen, 7/27/2013" If I could rate it zero I would. I am embarassed to read this trashy novel about a lot of ugly people. Please do not waste your time. "
— Robert, 5/24/2013" Read 100 pages and couldn't identify with the book.... disappointed! "
— Tara, 3/8/2013" A marvel. I loved it so hugely much! "
— Sarah, 2/24/2013" I hate to hate this book, but I hate this book. A lot of weak points. Horrible quality mystery. Entirely bland. Flat is the best work to describe this book. Gillian Flynn is a far better author with far better work. No comparison possible. "
— Megan, 2/10/2013" This book is an excellent example of beautiful character development. Goddard Jones reveals just enough about each character, chapter by chapter, to keep you wanting to know more. The story lines were brilliantly dovetailed and this book was a treat to unveil. Definitely recommend. "
— Maureen, 2/4/2013
Holly Goddard Jones is the author of Girl Trouble: Stories. Her fiction has appeared in Tin House, Epoch, Best American Mystery Stories, New Stories from the South, and elsewhere. A 2007 recipient of the Rona Jaffe Foundation Writers’ Award, she lives in North Carolina with her husband, Brandon, and teaches in the MFA program in creative writing at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro.
Cassandra Campbell has won multiple Audie Awards, Earphones Awards, and the prestigious Odyssey Award for narration. She was been named a “Best Voice” by AudioFile magazine and in 2018 was inducted in Audible’s inaugural Narrator Hall of Fame.