Holly Goddard Jones debut novel THE NEXT TIME YOU SEE ME was released last month to critical praise.
In small town Kentucky, three seemingly unrelated stories intertwine into a moving novel, more drama than mystery. Emily is a bullied thirteen year old who takes solace in long walks in the woods and the depths of her imagination. One of Emilys’ walks will set events into motion that will ripple through town. Meanwhile, Susanna, a local teacher will struggle with a strained marriage and a troublesome sister. And finally, a lonely factory worker experiences the best and worst moments of his life in a single night.
At is core, THE NEXT TIME YOU SEE ME is a mystery but it doesn’t provide a lot of twists. Jones is most successful in telling Emily’s story, writing scenes that will make you cringe at pre-teens’ capacity for cruelty. In fact, Jones writes the saddest figures in the story with great empathy and the reader can feel the despair. As a debut novel, the reader can glimpse the author’s depth of emotion. This reader will keep an eye for Holly Goddard Jone’s sophomore novel, and hopes that the story will play to her strong suite. In the meantime, check out the potential in THE NEXT TIME YOU SEE ME.
