If this is what Holly Goddard Jones does for a debut novel, I can’t wait for what comes next!

Set in a small southern town, the Next Time You See Me has a cast of realistic characters who have their lives changed when a woman disappears. One of the most interesting aspects of the book is how the ripples affect all segments of society from the outcast 8th grader to the prominent lawyer. Scenes play out everywhere from the middle school to the factory to the honkytonk.

This is a novel that allows you to feel exactly how the characters are feeling and with very few exceptions, you can be sympathetic to every one of them. While it could be considered a mystery, the mystery is secondary to the exploration of how the disappearance and subsequent discovery of a body in the woods changes the lives of those involved. This story makes you feel life in a small town as if you lived there yourself.

There is some strong language and definitely some adult situations and violence.

I received this book through Goodreads giveaways and I appreciated the chance to read and review this book.