The next time you see me by Holly Goddard Jones
Corvus, 2013. ISBN 9781782390831.
(Age: Older teens) When 13 year old misfit Emily Houchens finds a
body in the woods on one of her solitary walks after being bullied
at school, she decides to keep the information to herself, making
repeated visits observing the decay in the manner of a scientific
experiment. It soon becomes apparent that the body is that of the
schoolteacher Susannah's wild sister Ronnie who goes missing after a
night out and it is fairly obvious early on who might have been
responsible. The real matter of the novel is an intense scrutiny of
the lives and psychological motivation of those drawn together by
the crime in this small, depressed, southern town. All of the many
character seem to be lonely and unfulfilled, and there is a lot of
cruelty and prejudice. What is interesting from an Australian point
of view is the glimpse into this small Kentucky town, its obsession
with college sport and body image and the legacy of racism and
prohibition. This is the first novel for Holly Goddard Jones, she
previously published some short stories and this really works better
on that level, more of a documentary than a thriller. Although one
of the central characters is thirteen this is really only suitable
for older readers.
Sue Speck