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5th out of 675 books
—
606 voters
Never Smile at Strangers
by
Jennifer Minar-Jaynes (Goodreads Author)
WHEN TEENAGE GIRLS VANISH in what was once considered a safe, Louisiana bayou town, the lives of four desperate young locals take unexpected turns, begging the crucial question: Do you every truly know those closest to you?
When nineteen-year-old Tiffany Perron vanishes from rural Grand Trespass, Louisiana, best friend HALEY LANDRY's relationship with her boyfriend becomes...more
When nineteen-year-old Tiffany Perron vanishes from rural Grand Trespass, Louisiana, best friend HALEY LANDRY's relationship with her boyfriend becomes...more
Paperback, 328 pages
Published
November 16th 2011
by Inkbug Media
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I won my copy of this book from the one of the giveaways here on Goodreads. I'm definitely happy I entered to win--I was rewarded with a well written, captivating story!
Both engaging and chilling, this novel pulled me in right away and never let go. I couldn't put it down, but if I absolutely had to, I wanted to get back to it right away! I absolutely had to find out what would happen next, and there were many times where the end of certain chapters had mini cliff-hangers. These uncertainties a...more
Both engaging and chilling, this novel pulled me in right away and never let go. I couldn't put it down, but if I absolutely had to, I wanted to get back to it right away! I absolutely had to find out what would happen next, and there were many times where the end of certain chapters had mini cliff-hangers. These uncertainties a...more
Dec 20, 2011
Roo Roo Jenkins
rated it
5 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
A definite recommend for anyone who likes a good dark thriller.
Recommended to Roo Roo by:
My niece
It's not often that I take a chance on a new writer and actually LIKE the book. However, this book truly floored me.
My niece gave it to me (which is the only reason I read it) and the killer's viewpoint actually gave me chills.
I loved the characters, the pacing and was, like I am with any good book, very sad to read the last page.
I'd give it 4.5 stars if I could. A definite recommend for anyone who likes a good dark thriller.
Never Smile at Strangers
My niece gave it to me (which is the only reason I read it) and the killer's viewpoint actually gave me chills.
I loved the characters, the pacing and was, like I am with any good book, very sad to read the last page.
I'd give it 4.5 stars if I could. A definite recommend for anyone who likes a good dark thriller.
Never Smile at Strangers
This is a fantastic thriller. I have to admit, it started slow for me. Sleepy southern small town. Not much happening. But I kept with it. Jennifer's prose kept the journey through these lives interesting. Then it got good. Then it got fantastic. And it became my favorite kind of book, the one you can't put down. The killer's motivation or impetus for killing is so incredibly real, it gave me chills.
Bravo, Jennifer. This one is bound to make it to the big screen.
Bravo, Jennifer. This one is bound to make it to the big screen.
The main reaction I had to this novel is that it was dusty. The characters were dusty and parched. The land was dusty, parched and uncared for. The context was a mournful, dusty and parched town and, along with many of the town's residents, I couldn't wait to leave it either. I didn't get it really, because it was supposed to be the Louisiana bayou. The characters were all losers, the story a bit clichéed, but I stayed until the end to find out which misdirection was the correct misdirection. I...more
Excellent Plot and Sub-Plots
It is correct that this novel may have characters who were mentally ill and vicious with most of the weaknesses that humans are capable of, but this is life and the manner in which the author worked these characters into the story, especially without revealing who the murderer was, and then having the ending seem to indicate that the author of this story was also the writer in the story, I think is excellent writing. I worked for a Prosecuting Attorney and there are i...more
It is correct that this novel may have characters who were mentally ill and vicious with most of the weaknesses that humans are capable of, but this is life and the manner in which the author worked these characters into the story, especially without revealing who the murderer was, and then having the ending seem to indicate that the author of this story was also the writer in the story, I think is excellent writing. I worked for a Prosecuting Attorney and there are i...more
This was definitely the best mystery I've came across in so long. The title was what attracted me to it, and I'm really glad it did. "Thrilling" is what perfectly describes it.
I loved the fact that through the whole story I felt like I actually knew what was happening, and all what I thought I was doing was watching the characters connect the dots, to reach my conclusion. That somehow bored me midway because of how slow the events were going at a certain point, but as the book reached its end, I...more
I loved the fact that through the whole story I felt like I actually knew what was happening, and all what I thought I was doing was watching the characters connect the dots, to reach my conclusion. That somehow bored me midway because of how slow the events were going at a certain point, but as the book reached its end, I...more
Book Review: 3 Treasure Boxes
How is a young abused boy and a missing, wild and reckless young women related? “Never Smile at Strangers” shows the reaction of a small town when a young woman disappears and outlines the derailment of an abused boy as he grows into manhood.
This is the first novel Jennifer Minar-Jaynes has published and it is a thriller/suspense. The story is primarily told in a third person narrative from the point of view of a number of the characters.
The story was captivating fro...more
How is a young abused boy and a missing, wild and reckless young women related? “Never Smile at Strangers” shows the reaction of a small town when a young woman disappears and outlines the derailment of an abused boy as he grows into manhood.
This is the first novel Jennifer Minar-Jaynes has published and it is a thriller/suspense. The story is primarily told in a third person narrative from the point of view of a number of the characters.
The story was captivating fro...more
I've been reading a lot of mysteries lately and this one has been one of the best. The story is detailed and interesting. A lot of the mysteries I've read lately have been good, but fairly transparent - you can easily figure out whodunit, you're simply waiting on the main characters to prove it. That is NOT the case with this novel. Ms. Minar-Jaynes throws in sufficient details in the lives of her characters that provide motives for them to be the bad guy all the while never truly letting the re...more
Orginally I was contacted by this author to read this book as it was along the lines of some other books that I have read in the past and liked. I will admit that I was pleasantly surprised and really did enjoy this book. For a first book, it was really good and I am looking forward to reading more books from this author.
Set in Grand Trespass, Louisiana. A girl, Tiffany has gone missing. As the story progress, some other people go missing and you are left trying to figure out who is the person w...more
Set in Grand Trespass, Louisiana. A girl, Tiffany has gone missing. As the story progress, some other people go missing and you are left trying to figure out who is the person w...more
“Never Smile at Strangers,” by Jennifer Minar-Jaynes is a story where teenagers begin to disappear in a small southern town. There are various suspects as the author manages to show the bad qualities of each of her many characters. I found myself suddenly suspecting one character after the other but I also managed to explain to myself why each was innocent. The true criminal was not one I had questioned until toward the end of the book, but there was even more of a surprise ending, which I had n...more
Dec 25, 2011
Ryder Islington
rated it
4 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
all readers of books set in the South, and mystery readers
With well rounded characters and a strong plot, Jennifer Minar-Jaynes has created a mystery full of Southern charm and the horrid consequences of lives steeped in secrets. The mystery itself was enough to keep me reading, but along the way I felt such compassion for the characters, even the terribly scarred ones, that I needed to learn the truth about what was happening to the young women of Grand Trespass, Louisiana.
This book is a keeper, to be read over and over, and shared with family and fr...more
This book is a keeper, to be read over and over, and shared with family and fr...more
OMG, I could NOT put this book down. Excellent small-town mystery.
Super suspenseful, excellent writing and an ultra-fast read. Had me hooked from the very first sentence.
I found myself sad to have finished it. :(
I HIGHLY recommend!
Never Smile at Strangers
Here's a Summary of it:
WHEN TEENAGE GIRLS VANISH in what was once considered a safe, Louisiana bayou town, the lives of four desperate young locals take unexpected turns, begging the crucial question: Do you every truly know those closest to you...more
Super suspenseful, excellent writing and an ultra-fast read. Had me hooked from the very first sentence.
I found myself sad to have finished it. :(
I HIGHLY recommend!
Never Smile at Strangers
Here's a Summary of it:
WHEN TEENAGE GIRLS VANISH in what was once considered a safe, Louisiana bayou town, the lives of four desperate young locals take unexpected turns, begging the crucial question: Do you every truly know those closest to you...more
Teenaged girls are starting to vanish in Louisiana......this affects a lot of the residents in the tiny town they all live in, whether they be co-workers, employers, friends or family and we get to meet them all in this book. You'd think it would be confusing as there is a large cast of characters but I didn't lose track with them as they were all so different so I had my picture in my mind of each in my head. And for a change we're meeting all these chracters as opposed to the police and FBI wh...more
I really enjoyed this book. It pulled me in right from the very beginning, and I read it start to finish in just three sittings. I didn't want to put it down.
I liked how the author only used the pronoun when describing the killer and yet was able to fully develop the character throughout the story. I found him to be very creepy and felt sorry for him as I learned more and more about his childhood as I moved throughout the story.
Taking place during the summer in a small Louisiana town, I could fe...more
I liked how the author only used the pronoun when describing the killer and yet was able to fully develop the character throughout the story. I found him to be very creepy and felt sorry for him as I learned more and more about his childhood as I moved throughout the story.
Taking place during the summer in a small Louisiana town, I could fe...more
I couldn't shut my eyes! There was no way to put Never Smile At Strangers down once I'd begun reading. The characters are all so alive and believable that I was instantly drawn into the plot. I felt like a modern-day Sherlock trying to sift through the bad guys, with each character dancing through the magnifying glass of my mind. There were enough "bad guys" that the scenes pointed more to real life than not. I would often lose myself in the story (which I like doing) and one question kept poppi...more
Haley’s father was killed in an accident almost a year ago. With her mother is still grieving, Haley was left to be responsible for her younger sister, Becky. One night, her best friend, Tiffany convinces her to go out for a while. Tiffany’s secret boyfriend, Chris, shows up and starts an argument with her in the parking lot. Haley walks home. The next day, Tiffany’s mom calls because she never made it home. The local authorities and small town gossip is stating that she is just another run-away...more
Never Smile At Strangers is about two girls in a small
town named Grand Trespass, Louisiana. It involves a girl
named Haley Landry and her best friend Tiffany. Tiffany
disappears but no one in the town gives it much thought
because she was a little loose with her favors to all the
guys in the town and everyone thought that she was just with
someone. Haley knows all of this and she also knows that
her friend would not disappear without telling her where
she has gone. Over the summer more and more people...more
town named Grand Trespass, Louisiana. It involves a girl
named Haley Landry and her best friend Tiffany. Tiffany
disappears but no one in the town gives it much thought
because she was a little loose with her favors to all the
guys in the town and everyone thought that she was just with
someone. Haley knows all of this and she also knows that
her friend would not disappear without telling her where
she has gone. Over the summer more and more people...more
This book started out very slowly for me. Maybe it's the setting - Louisiana. Maybe it's the small town atmosphere. Maybe it was the heat. Either way, to me it felt slow and I almost gave up. However, I am glad that I stuck with it, as the end was truly worth it.
The story focuses on the small town of Grand Trespass, from where Tiffany has disappeared. Tiffany, who is white, was dating Charles, who is black. Tiffany had also had an affair with a local professor. There are probably a few people wh...more
The story focuses on the small town of Grand Trespass, from where Tiffany has disappeared. Tiffany, who is white, was dating Charles, who is black. Tiffany had also had an affair with a local professor. There are probably a few people wh...more
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.
Never Smile at Strangers is not just an excellent debut novel. No, it is an excellent novel regardless. Jennifer Minar-Jaynes has a way of telling a story the draws the reader in and makes it difficult to put her book down.
In the story of a small Louisiana town rocked by the disappearance of a 19 year old, the reader follows the story of how this affected the lives of 4 different people; her best friend whose father had been killed in a car accident months earlier, one of her co-workers who has...more
In the story of a small Louisiana town rocked by the disappearance of a 19 year old, the reader follows the story of how this affected the lives of 4 different people; her best friend whose father had been killed in a car accident months earlier, one of her co-workers who has...more
A friend had recommended this book to me a little while ago and I am glad that they did! I thought that this book was wonderful, it was full of suspense and very well written. At first I thought there were a lot of characters to keep track of due to the style that the author used to introduce them all (switching from the character's points of view every time the chapters switched). By the end of the book all of the characters came together very easily though.
It is interesting to read about the...more
It is interesting to read about the...more
I thought this book was very well written. I also thought the Louisiana references were very well done...except for one. There is one scene where someone is pushed down some basement stairs. Normally this is not an issue, but Louisiana homes don't have basements. Most of them don't, anyway. It takes quite a bit of money to handle the basement issue in LA, and this house in the book was basically described as a shack out in the bayou. It definitely wouldn't have one. Like I said, though, that was...more
I would consider this book to be worthy of a 3.5 star review but rounded down to 3. The story line was well developed and the novel itself was well written. I did find it to be very verbose at times. In my opinion, there were far too many characters therefore, it did not allow the main characters to be well enough developed. The introduction of unneeded characters that were inconsequential to the story was tiresome.
With that said, I did finish the novel in just a couple of days because it was a...more
With that said, I did finish the novel in just a couple of days because it was a...more
A “GoodReads” friend recommended this book to us, we believe the author’s first novel. There were things we liked: the suspenseful plot and the very well-drawn personalities, especially the four leading females. What was not as pleasant was the somewhat downcast tone of the whole tale and the terrible unhappiness of almost every character, not to mention the promiscuity of virtually every teenager in the story. There certainly were plenty of chapters, about one every three pages – but that seeme...more
I really liked this book, but not from the start. Initially, I was disinterested and bored, and almost quit reading. I am glad I continued, because it was well worth it. The characters are interesting, relatable, and in some cases very twisted. There is an element of horror to the story, and a creepiness which gets under your skin. I found after those first few chapters I had difficulty getting myself to let the book go for the night, and sleep! If you like scary thrillers mixed with who-done-it...more
“Never Smile at Strangers,” by Jennifer Minar-Jaynes is set in a small town in Lousianna. Haley Landry is having a tough time. Her father has died and her mother has withdrawn from life leaving Haley and her younger sister to take care of themselves. Then her best friend Tiffany Perron has disappeared. This book is not only about a killer and his victums it is about the lives of all the characters involved. There appears to be some sort of depravation in each character's life include the killer....more
I always enjoy a good mystery set in Louisiana where I lived for many years. While this was not a bad story, the characters and settings weren't fully developed. The author seems to have a penchant for unnecessarily creating her own compound words which was quite distracting. Mind you, these were in descriptive passages as well as dialogues so apparently not going for some kind of local jargon. What really drove me crazy was the occasional dropping of French words throughout the text supposedly...more
Do we really know the people around us?
The small Southern town of Grand Trespass Louisiana comes alive and slowly reveals its secrets when Tiffany Perron vanishes from her home in the bayou and in aftermath the lives of four desperate locals are changed for ever.
This atmospheric drama recounts how their lives are affected after Tiffany’s disappearance.
We discover:
1) Why her best friend’s relationship with her boyfriend becomes strained.
2) Why Becky, her sister, falls for a 15 year old boy with d...more
The small Southern town of Grand Trespass Louisiana comes alive and slowly reveals its secrets when Tiffany Perron vanishes from her home in the bayou and in aftermath the lives of four desperate locals are changed for ever.
This atmospheric drama recounts how their lives are affected after Tiffany’s disappearance.
We discover:
1) Why her best friend’s relationship with her boyfriend becomes strained.
2) Why Becky, her sister, falls for a 15 year old boy with d...more
Jennifer Minar-Jaynes connected with me on goodreads and recommended her book, Never Smile At Strangers, to me based on my appreciation of similar authors and novels. This book was very much so right in my literary sweet spot; admittedly I favor female authors and protagonists as well as this sort of boondocks-mysteries. For that reason, I'm naturally more partial to this novel, but at the same time my own overindulgence in this genre made some aspects of the story seem almost repetitively fam...more
Haley and her best friend Tiffany are at a bar when Tiffany disappears. Tiffany's boyfriend, with whom she argued that night, is a suspect as is a professor with whom she had an affair. Some in the small town believe Tiffany ran away.
This mystery follows several people who are impacted by Tiffany's disappearance, but as readers we know she has been killed by a young man, referred to only as "he".
While the novel is well written and fast paced, there are too many characters with little depth. Hal...more
This mystery follows several people who are impacted by Tiffany's disappearance, but as readers we know she has been killed by a young man, referred to only as "he".
While the novel is well written and fast paced, there are too many characters with little depth. Hal...more
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http://www.Facebook.com/NeverSmileatS...
I'm a writer, wife and new mommy of twin boys.
I'm also the author of "Never Smile at Strangers," a bestselling mystery/suspense novel set in Louisiana.
In my free time, I write about my experience designing a holistic/healthy lifestyle for my family at http://www.ProjectJennifer.com. I also interview bestselling writers and write service articles at my blog,...more
More about Jennifer Minar-Jaynes...
I'm a writer, wife and new mommy of twin boys.
I'm also the author of "Never Smile at Strangers," a bestselling mystery/suspense novel set in Louisiana.
In my free time, I write about my experience designing a holistic/healthy lifestyle for my family at http://www.ProjectJennifer.com. I also interview bestselling writers and write service articles at my blog,...more
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“You don't need to talk to someone to know them. All you need to do is watch. See how they carry themselves. See how they treat others.”
—
6 people liked it
“...It's better to feel the world around you. People let themselves become too desensitized. How can you write if you don't feel anything?”
—
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