The Next Time You See Me by Holly Goddard Jones

by:  Holly Goddard Jones
published by:  Touchstone
publish date:  February 12, 2013

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.

I was really anxious to read this book because it was blurbed by Gillian Flynn so I think I was expecting it to be kinda like a Flynn book.  I kept expecting a dark and twisted gotcha moment that never materialized.  The expectations I had for this book never came to fruition, but I think it was my fault for putting them there unfairly.

Ronnie is a wild woman in a small town and when she goes missing the only person that is upset about it her sister, Susanna.  The story of Ronnie's disappearance gets tangled in the life of Emily, one of Susanna's students.  Emily takes over walking Wyatt's dog after he has a heart attack, and he too, becomes a player in Ronnie's disappearance.  An old flame from Susanna's past is back and he is also caught up in her sister's missing persons case. 

The story is complex and told in a similar fashion as Flynn story.   But the gore and horror aren't there.  This book is more like a Tami Hoag book in that manner.  I like both of those writers and I liked Holly Goddard Jones too.  The book was a good solid mystery.  It was intelligently written and kept the reader guessing throughout the book.