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The Next Time You See Me
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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 ...more
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 ...more
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Hardcover, 384 pages
Published
February 12th 2013
by Touchstone
(first published 2013)
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I really enjoyed THE NEXT TIME YOU SEE ME- and I almost passed it by because of the cover- Is that shallow???? Probably. Because so very often, I find if a book is not going to look pretty on my bookshelves- I pass it by...and this one is not goooood...(I finally bought it in e-book form where it doesn't matter quite so much).
...The moral of this story is?? Don't be shallow like me!!! This is one of those "don't judge a book by it's cover" situations. What is on the inside is much better. Reall ...more
This was recommended to me because I enjoyed Gone Girl, and all of Gillian Flynn's novels.... This book started out well, a couple good subplots that were all coming together nicely, however I feel like the author got about 3/4 of the way through and maybe just got tired of writing. The author literally TELLS you who the killer is (which I expected to change as some nice twist....so I kept reading) about 3/4 of the way through, but with no real explanation as to WHY they killed the person. The s
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Well now. The Next Time You See Me by Holly Goddard Jones is like stepping into a mansion of many rooms. Each room becomes more intricate and more detailed as you enter into this grand abode. And the corridors are like winding tributaries from one character to the next.
And this is what sets Jones' book in a whole different category. She has an uncanny talent for crystalizing the human element into her characterizations. You actually recognize flawed threads in these people that you, yourself, ma ...more
And this is what sets Jones' book in a whole different category. She has an uncanny talent for crystalizing the human element into her characterizations. You actually recognize flawed threads in these people that you, yourself, ma ...more
This is one of those books, so beautifully written that you don't need to concentrate on the writing itself, if that makes any sense. I had no need to scroll back a few paragraphs or re-read sentences to clarify what I'd just read. I just fell head long into the story and there I stayed.
The book is more character driven than plot driven, which I like, and they were all interesting, although some weren't particularly likable.
The only thing I didn't like was the ending. I got to the last page and ...more
I received this book through Goodreads First Reads (and it was the first ARC I've received as a hardcover, which I appreciate!). Although I hadn't heard of Holly Goddard Jones before, I was drawn in by the Gillian Flynn recommendation--if this book was anything like Gone Girl, I wanted to read it.
While shelved as a mystery novel, and involving the resolution of a murder, The Next Time You See Me is about as much of a mystery as a book like Stephen King's Under the Dome, which is to say, somethin ...more
While shelved as a mystery novel, and involving the resolution of a murder, The Next Time You See Me is about as much of a mystery as a book like Stephen King's Under the Dome, which is to say, somethin ...more
Had it not been for the Goodreads FirstReads program, I would likely not have been aware of this gem of a book. So first, a big thanks to Goodreads.
When did I surrender to this book? Perhaps it was when Emily, a socially awkward and unpopular middle school student with a crush on the most charismatic boy in the class, is pelted with food during a cruel cafeteria food fight…reminiscent, in certain ways, of Stephen King’s Carrie. Or maybe it was when Wyatt, an overweight and equally out-of-touch a ...more
Following several interconnected characters in a small town, The Next Time You See Me is an absolutely heart-wrenching novel about the interior lives of ordinary people. Perhaps most impressive is the compassion she shows for these small town lives. In lesser hands, some of these characters might come across as unlikeable, but Jones imbues each one with eerily familiar mannerisms and frailties that remind us of ourselves, at our best and worst. There are no protagonists and antagonists here, jus
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Have a care as to when you start reading this book because you may not want to do anything else until you finish it. My interest did not flag for a moment. You might very well run the risk of leaving chores undone, delaying errands, and ignoring email.
Character development is superior, major and minor alike, with just the right touches of detail to make them real. The connections between the characters are believable, nothing forced. The story was good and the pacing was just as it needed to be ...more
Character development is superior, major and minor alike, with just the right touches of detail to make them real. The connections between the characters are believable, nothing forced. The story was good and the pacing was just as it needed to be ...more
"Meh." That was my final thought upon reading -well, skimming- the last sentence of this book. I was expecting a suspenseful, entertaining read (a'la Mary Higgins Clark or Catherine Coulter) and in the end was extremely underwhelmed.
The characters were fairly well-written but did not particularly stand out. The character I connected most with was Emily Houchens, an odd little girl who is bullied endlessly in school, and whose behavior eventually went on to thoroughly creep me out. The other cha ...more
The characters were fairly well-written but did not particularly stand out. The character I connected most with was Emily Houchens, an odd little girl who is bullied endlessly in school, and whose behavior eventually went on to thoroughly creep me out. The other cha ...more
I must admit i wasn't sure what to expect from The Next Time You See Me. What i found was while not scary, the book delivered an intense character study of different people in the small Kentucky town of Roma. The story begin's with thirteen year old Emily Houchens who is considered a freak at her school coming across a dead body in the woods nearby. Instead of informing the authorities she keeps her discovery to herself, a decision that will come back to haunt her later on.
As things move on we a ...more
As things move on we a ...more
I am nearly finished recording this book for Blackstone Audio and I have to say, I am mesmerized by it. The writing is really strong, the characters so vivid and the story keeps you suspended and racing to the finish. A good one for sure!!!
There were multiple instance while reading The Next Time You See Me that I had to pause and glance at the cover again to make sure I wasn't reading the latest offering from Elizabeth George or Laura Lippman.
Like George and Lippman, Holly Goddard Jones isn't only interested in solving the crime at the core of her debut novel but she's also interested in the impact the crime has on the characters and community before and after the event occurs. In this case, the central mystery centers around the ...more
Like George and Lippman, Holly Goddard Jones isn't only interested in solving the crime at the core of her debut novel but she's also interested in the impact the crime has on the characters and community before and after the event occurs. In this case, the central mystery centers around the ...more
I enjoyed this book overall. The writing was fantastic. This story unfolded through multiple points of view and the catalyst for the story beginning was the discovery of a dead body. It was a real page turner.
It would have been a 4 or 5 star read for me except for (view spoiler)
Despite that, I would defi ...more
It would have been a 4 or 5 star read for me except for (view spoiler)
Despite that, I would defi ...more
Ugh! So this is what happens when I download a book from the bestseller list. Every six months or so I forget and I download a book that I don't know anything about and EVERY TIME its bites me in the rear!
This book is full of sex, profanity, affairs and dysfunctional people. Not to mention the bullying and altogether deplorable behavior of the high school students in the story. AND, the plot isn't that interesting! The killer is exactly who you think it is!!! ...more
This book is full of sex, profanity, affairs and dysfunctional people. Not to mention the bullying and altogether deplorable behavior of the high school students in the story. AND, the plot isn't that interesting! The killer is exactly who you think it is!!! ...more
An excellent book that I'd recommend to lovers of thrillers, suspense and just good books in general.
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So... I usually don't write reviews but today I am because I received this book through goodreads giveaway! So let me explain why I personally rated this book at four stars. I only give fives to books that completely blew me out of the water, and although The Next Time You See Me was a wonderful book with engaging characters, I feel like I must explain what its missing. First, lets go with the characters. Yes, they were well thought out except for the fact that Susanna, the 8th grade teacher in
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The Next Time You See Me is really a character study of different people in a small town whose lives cross over one another due to the disappearance of one of the female locals of dubious moral character. The reader knows immediately that she has been murdered as a 13 year old girl comes across the body half buried in the woods and decides to keep it her little secret for awhile. I wouldn't classify this as a murder mystery, however, but rather fiction/literature. It is well-constructed, and the
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Feb 17, 2013
Dustin
added it
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, author of Case Histories
Holly Goddard Jones' debut novel, The Next Time You See Me, is the recipient of rave reviews, including the above blurb, and sounds like a truly incredible narrative of her characters secrets, and the havoc they play in their lives.
Having said, I ...more
I've mentioned before (in my review of Jones' short story collection Girl Trouble) that I've got several connections to the people and places that Jones writes about: she taught at Murray State University for several years, which is where I went to college, where I live, and where my husband and I both work. I also worked with her high school, Russellville High School, for 6 years as part of my GEAR UP grant.
As a result, the people and places in Jones' new novel are more than just settings and ...more
As a result, the people and places in Jones' new novel are more than just settings and ...more
Holly Goddard Jones has written a character driven novel which centres on the disappearance of Ronnie Eastman. The search for Ronnie is what propels this story forward but the writing is what captured my attention right from the beginning.
The book starts with Emily, a slightly overweight, friendless thirteen year old girl sat in a classroom doing an English exercise. The writing immediately transported me to that classroom where the oh so cool and attractive Christopher Shelton was intent on nee ...more
The book starts with Emily, a slightly overweight, friendless thirteen year old girl sat in a classroom doing an English exercise. The writing immediately transported me to that classroom where the oh so cool and attractive Christopher Shelton was intent on nee ...more
Rating: 3.5 stars. It is obvious that Jones is a talented writer. The story-line is interesting from the start. You quickly realize who has been killed and who is the killer, which seems to be Jones's intent, but the story continues to be compelling as you find yourself learning about the events & its effects on different characters in the story, who are all connected to each other in a six-degrees-of-separation sort of way. Jones gets 4 stars for creative ideas and writing.
The story's ending fe ...more
The story's ending fe ...more
Gillian Flynn called this novel 'astoundingly good' and that was enough for me! Ordered from my library today.
I listened to the audio version (I saw the narrator's comment here on Goodreads that said she was enthralled with this novel) and I was not disappointed. By the way, the narrator, Cassandra Campbell, was just terrific! The only reason I'm going to still check out the library copy I've ordered is so I can reread (and write down) some of the language that I bookmarked on the audio version ...more
I listened to the audio version (I saw the narrator's comment here on Goodreads that said she was enthralled with this novel) and I was not disappointed. By the way, the narrator, Cassandra Campbell, was just terrific! The only reason I'm going to still check out the library copy I've ordered is so I can reread (and write down) some of the language that I bookmarked on the audio version ...more
I struggled with the rating on this book. While I found Holly Goddard Jones's writing to be very good, there was something about the book as a whole that kept me from giving it four stars, a rating that writing like this should receive. I will round it up to a 3.5.
This is a dark book, with two well- fleshed-out characters who are social oddities and the objects of bullying. One is Emily, a socially awkward 13 year old, the other is Wyatt, an overweight factory worker who finds a glimmer of love ...more
This is a dark book, with two well- fleshed-out characters who are social oddities and the objects of bullying. One is Emily, a socially awkward 13 year old, the other is Wyatt, an overweight factory worker who finds a glimmer of love ...more
Although there is a murder to solve in this novel, it is more character-driven than a mystery in the traditional sense. For me, that made the story more interesting. Initially, I read it because of its comparison to Gillian Flynn’s Gone Girl. It’s similar in some ways…it’s well-written, compelling and dark. In addition, most of the main characters are not very likable…even a couple individuals that deserved sympathy because they were so unbearably bullied by their peers. Thirteen-year-old Emily,
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A really elegant portrayal of a small Kentucky town that revolves around the plot of a missing woman. The book has such a beautiful allegiance to place, such a fine understanding of the moves and gestures of small town life that I was drawn to that more than the mystery at the book's core, but important questions are raised about the way we view folks from the outside, the pasts we can't outrun and the desires that drive us and that we decide to either let live or keep inside for all our days. H
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This mystery was more a psychological study within a Kentucky town. Social psychology and individual adolescent psychology both.
I found it far more original and deeper than the usual who-dun-it. Intrigue and interest on high right off the bat too- had to keep turning those pages right now.
The placement /location /culture context too- was fab.
What a beginning! I have her down on my to read list for the next one.
It's a solid 3.5 star, but I gave it a 4 for the superb Roma connection. Placement m ...more
I found it far more original and deeper than the usual who-dun-it. Intrigue and interest on high right off the bat too- had to keep turning those pages right now.
The placement /location /culture context too- was fab.
What a beginning! I have her down on my to read list for the next one.
It's a solid 3.5 star, but I gave it a 4 for the superb Roma connection. Placement m ...more
I won this book in a First Reads giveaway. This is the debut novel by Holly Goddard Jones and man, is it good! The characters are so real and haunting. I especially loved Emily and could feel her pain and humiliation as an 8th grade student who was "not normal". This is a book that I will think about long after I have moved on to the next. Great read and will be reading her next book!
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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.
ALL the stars because I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I finished it in a week (faster than my usual turnaround time, but I took it to the pool a couple days). I loved how it jumped from main character to another main character. (And there are a LOT of them, but never to the point where you felt like it was difficult to keep track of them). And who really WAS the main character? It was interesting because there’s not necessarily one protagonist. You get character development on all the key player
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This book started out great. I was really into it then 3/4 of the way through I had to re-listen to several parts because I thought I missed something. I didn't, so when I got to the end, I re-listened the last 4 chapters and realized the author pretty much forgot to write an ending and just stopped. I needed more to love this book.
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| topics | posts | views | last activity | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Goodreads Choice ...: The Next Time You See Me - September 5, 2014 | 54 | 89 | Oct 15, 2014 10:26AM | |
| Make a book a bes...: * August 2014 Read: The Next Time You See Me | 1 | 17 | Aug 21, 2014 06:05AM | |
| 52 weeks, 52 books: Week 2014.20: The Next Time You See Me | 4 | 55 | Jun 23, 2014 03:01AM | |
| the next time you see me | 10 | 63 | Feb 21, 2014 09:05PM |
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“... [T]his is what she had been waiting for: a conclusion so terrible that it eclipsed her everyday unhappiness--so terrible that it showed her the stupidity of thinking all this time that she had to live with it.”
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