Master storyteller Jessica Strawser returns following The Last Caretaker with CATCH YOU LATER —a riveting story of mystery and two best friends with big dreams in a small town.

One takes the chance and leaves town, never to return, leaving the other behind with an ongoing mystery of her whereabouts in this captivating and riveting suspense that will keep you glued to the pages into the wee hours of the morning!

About...

In Ohio, two best friends, Lark Nichols (pregnant) and Mikki Jensen, work the night shift at the highway travel stop. They both dream of escaping this miserable town and sticking together.

However, one impulsive decision changes the trajectory of their lives.

A stranger, Chris Redmond, pulls into the travel stop in a convertible BMW and is headed to Amelia Island, FL, for a wedding. Mikki leaves with him, thinking of a weekend trip and a chance to see the ocean. Saying, 'Catch you later.' (a fitting title)

However, things do not go as planned in Florida, and Mikki does not return with an ongoing mystery of her whereabouts.

The night Mikki left, Lark was worried and annoyed for her friend, but she had not dreamed she would never see her again. Then, nine months later, she was drowning in grief and exhaustion with a new infant.

In the meantime, Lark is left to care for a prickly grandmother, Nini, who is a complex and intriguing character who cannot care for herself. She also has a daughter, Dove, whom she is raising as a single parent and later engages in a relationship with a highway patrolman.

Then, eight years later, the stranger shows up and asks Lark about Mikki, opening up a search for her missing friend.

What happened to Mikki? Is she really missing, dead, or perhaps she does not want to be found? Dead or alive? Where is she, and why hasn't she been in touch with her best friend? The palpable suspense keeps you on the edge of your seat, eager to uncover the truth.

My thoughts...

As a massive fan of the author, having read all of her books, I found CATCH YOU LATER to be one of my favorites! From the gorgeous front cover to the perfect setup, the author cleverly draws you into the world of these two best friends.

Can you imagine working in a dead-end town, meeting so many night travelers at a travel stop, and impulsively leaving with a virtual stranger? Two lonely girls want to see the ocean and dream of a better life. The stage is set, and the mystery and intrigue follow Mikki and Lark back home.

Alternating between Lark-NOW (2024) and Mikki-THEN (2016), we see all the drama unfolding from the Florida road trip to the wedding and afterward. Readers will be dying to discover what happened to Mikki in this exciting adventure of love and loss.

Mikki is torn between leaving her best friend and having the time of her life in a once-in-a-lifetime shot with a stranger named Chris Redmond as his plus-one at his sister's wedding in Amelia Island.

How far will she go to protect the ones she loves?

Powerful, twisty, gripping!

Atmospheric and emotional, CATCH YOU LATER is cleverly told, and Strawser keeps you on the edge of your seat in this heartbreaking domestic suspense of friendship, regrets, desires, mystery, adventure, a road trip, and intrigue with thriller vibes. The atmospheric storytelling will immerse you in the characters' worlds, making their experiences feel real and intense.

Recs...

CATCH YOU LATER is for fans of the author and those who enjoy a well-written mystery—and those who enjoy books by: Mary Kubica, Heather Gudenkauf, Christina McDonald, Susan Redfearn, and Susan Walter.

Thanks to Lake Union Publishing for an ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

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My Rating: 5 Stars
Pub Date: Oct 22, 2024
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I absolutely love Strawser's writing and her imagination. Catch You Later was surprising and truly a great mystery. I really had zero idea what was going on or where the story was taking me. I buckled up and went along for the ride!

The dual timeline was really well done with this novel. Lark in the present day is grappling with her best friend's disappearance. When Chris - the last person to see Mikki - suddenly reappears in Lark's life, old wounds are reopened and more questions than answers seem to crop up. Mikki's timeline focuses on eight years ago, in the days leading up to her disappearance. When she spontaneously decides to join stranger Chris on a road trip to his sister's wedding, no one can imagine that is the last they will ever see or hear from her.

Chris seemed like such a great guy. During Mikki's timeline, I felt like I was reading a romance novel and waiting for the two strangers to fall madly in love. Flash to forward and we know that doesn't happen and in fact, Mikki has all but completely disappeared and while Chris has re-emerged, no one seems to know where Mikki went or what may have happened to her. I went back and forth constantly on whether or not I could trust Chris and even as the story started unfolding in front of my eyes, I had a hard time understanding or believing what I was reading. Strawser really does weave a good mystery that keeps her readers guessing until the very last moment.

I listened to this novel on audio and thought it was well done. I do prefer when books with multiple narrators use multiple actors, but overall Mallon did a good job differentiating between Lark and Mikki. There were times when her voice was a bit sing-songy for my taste, but generally, the acting was on point and the theatrics were good without being overdone.

This was a great read and a really stellar mystery. Thank you to Lake Union and Brilliance Audio for the copy. Very highly recommend.

Many thanks to NetGalley, Lake Union Publishing/Amazon Publishing for gifting me a digital ARC of the latest book by a favorite, Jessica Strawser. All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 5 stars!

Mikki and Lark have been best friends forever, both working at the same highway truck stop in Ohio. Everything changes when a stranger comes into the truck stop and asks Mikki to accompany him on a road trip to his sister's wedding in Florida - and she accepts, much to Lark's chagrin. Mike is supposed to come back after the weekend and never returns. Eight years later, Lark is in the same small town, trying to build a life without Mikki, when the stranger who Mikki left with suddenly appears back at the truck stop, asking for her.

I am a big fan of Jessica Strawser, and her books are always a 5-star read for me. In her latest novel, she once again gives us strong women characters, even when they are messy and flawed. Because aren’t we all? Mikki and Lark have been best friends in a small town where they dreamed of more. I loved that the bond continued even when Lark was conflicted about what happened to Mikki. The small town atmosphere felt real and claustrophobic to Lark as everyone had an opinion of her and Mikki. Told between Mikki’s POV beginning with that fateful road trip and Lark’s in the present, it was the perfect way to give the reader a look into how Mikki’s actions in the past affected Lark now. Mikki’s grandmother, Nini, was a hoot as well as being supportive. I couldn’t put this one down until I knew what happened to Mikki - highly recommended!

This book followed Mika en Lark, two friends who live together. One day Mika chooses to go with a stranger, as his date to a wedding.

I really liked this book. It was written in dual POV: you had the POV of Mika and this was in the past and you had the POV of Lark and this was written in the present.
I really had no clue of what was actually happening in the book, it wasn't predictable at all!
I recommend this book to people who like to read thrillers!

Catch You Later by Jessica Strawser was such a gripping suspenseful novel.
This story touches themes of friendship, loss, betrayal and twists that are unseeable.
The author did such a great job bringing the characters to life.
It's very well written. If you enjoy reading suspense stories, this one is for you.
This is a suspenseful read, one that had me unable to put the book down.

Catch You Later by Jessica Strawser was a fantastic read for me. It's another hit from her, and I found myself completely wrapped up in the story. The book dives deep into friendship and the unexpected turns life can take, keeping the suspense going in a way that hooked me from the start. I loved how she crafted the characters—they felt so real, and the small-town atmosphere added another layer of richness to it all.

One of the things that really stood out to me was how one impulsive decision can have such long-lasting effects, which made the story not only suspenseful but also really thought-provoking. The dual timeline was a clever touch, revealing the mystery of Mikki’s disappearance bit by bit, while showing how her absence continues to shape the people she left behind. It felt very genuine, especially Strawser’s take on female friendship and how we stay connected to our pasts.

Overall, Catch You Later is more than just a gripping story—it’s also an exploration of loyalty, identity, and what it means to confront the unknown. Definitely one that stays with you after you’ve finished reading.

Catch You Later
by: Jessica Strawser
Lake Union Publishing
Pub date: Oct. 22, 2024
Mystery & Thriller's, Women's Fiction

Strawser's dual-time novel is a story of two best friends, Lark and Mikki, who work at a travel stop along the interstate in Ohio. When one disappears, a twisting trail of suspense begins.

The mystery surrounding the circumstances of why Mikki went missing kept me enthralled. With her perfectly paced plot, Strawser delivers a fascinating story of a friendship and life changing decisions that is a true page turner until the end.

I received an advance reader's copy from NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing. My review is my own.

#CatchYouLater #NetGalley #JessicaStrawser
#LakeUnionPublishing

I always know that a book by Jessica Strawser is going to be good! Her books draw me in immediately! I loved the main characters and their journey. I had not figured out the twist in this one, and then BAM! What a great, truly unputdownable story!

“Sometimes it was the people everyone assumed would forget who remembered everything exactly right”
.
This is a very character driven story about two best friends living in a small town and working at the local Travel Stop in Ohio. Mikki and Lark have been best friends since kindergarten. They have lived through good times and definitely bad times together. Their lives change drastically when a handsome stranger stops for gas and coffee. He asks Mikki if she wants to travel to Florida with him for a wedding. While Lark is giving her all the reasons not to go with a stranger, Mikki is very enticed by the offer. She will be back in three days according to Chris, the handsome stranger. Impulsively, she decides to go, but then during the weekend of the wedding she vanishes without a trace.
Eight long years and no one has heard anything from Mikki. Is she dead or alive? Lark does the best she can as a single mom to try to search for her best friend. She hires a PI with no luck. What happened to Mikki?
The story shifts from the past in 2016 while Mikki and Lark are working their night shift to 2024 when the mysterious stranger returns to the Travel Stop asking for Mikki.
Mikki’s grandmother Nini, is a treasure! While she had the beginnings of dementia, she knows more than she lets on. She is a strong support for Lark and her 8-year-old daughter Dove.
The relaxed friendship that developed between Mikki and Chris was a benefit for them both. Even in just a few short days together, Chris changed into a better person following her words of wisdom. While he is somewhat estranged from his family, he is meeting family obligations by attending his sister’s wedding.
This novel takes you on a roller coaster ride that took me completely by surprise by the ending. Lots of twists and turns. The themes of friendship, motherhood, looking for happiness and making decisions (both good and bad) run throughout the book. While this is only my second book by this author, I will definitely read more by her.
Many thanks to Lake Union Publishing and NetGalley for allowing me to read the digital ARC in exchange for an honest review. To be published on October 22, 2024.

Your best friend leaves town without telling you? Not sure about you, but I'd go to the ends of the earth to find out what really happened. So good!

Nikki and Lark are best friends and do everything together. They even work the night shift at a Travel Stop in a sleepy Ohio town together. Then one day, Mikki spontaneously catches a ride to Florida with a stranger to be his ‘plus one’ at a luxury destination wedding and disappears without a trace. Eight years later, the stranger returns to the Travel Stop looking for Mikki. Lark starts her search all over again.
This story grabs you from the beginning. What sounds like a boring life of two friends in a small town they cannot escape, quickly turns into a suspenseful mystery changing the lives of all involved. Told alternatively from Lark’s POV in the present and Mikki’s POV in the past, we slowly learn what has happened and how Lark is dealing with her life now. The writing is beautiful. This is the first book I’ve read from the author and won’t be my last. I highly recommend. This is a story about friendship, hope, opportunities, grief, second chances and love. I’m giving 4 ⭐️ only because the pace slows down in the middle but definitely picks up again in the end.
Thank you Netgalley, Lake Union Publishing and the author for the opportunity to read this Advance Copy. I sincerely enjoyed it and the above is my honest review and own opinion

This quietly compelling story of friendship and mystery was a solid read. I've enjoyed Jessica Strawser's previous books as well, and she has a real way of finding the story in "ordinary people" types of characters.

Lark and Mikki are close friends who started work at the Travel Spot right after high school and find themselves in the same dead end jobs almost ten years later. Neither woman has much of a family, in Mikki's case she only has her grandmother Nini who is starting to have memory problems and Lark has no family at all. The two young women have never left their small town in Ohio but agree on a philosophy of never saying no to an adventure. Lark is pregnant so she doesn't expect to go anywhere but one day a customer comes in for coffee and offers Mikki the chance to go to a wedding in Florida.
The stranger is a nice looking guy named Chris and he is driving a BMW convertible. He says the wedding will be at a beautiful resort in Amelia Island and he will buy Mikki clothes and whatever she needs, no strings attached. Lark thinks it is a bad idea to go off with a stranger especially since Mikki left her phone at home, but Mikki says yes and went off never to be seen again.

Eight years later, Lark is still working at the Travel Spot and is now raising her daughter Dove and living with Mikki's grandmother. She is also engaged to a police officer named Health but her life revolves around trying to find her missing friend. One day the man who Mikki left with shows up at the store and asks to see Mikki which opens the door to Lark newly determined to find out what happened to her friend. Told in two time periods, 2024 for Lark and 2016 for Mikki, I found Mikki's sections to be much more interesting than Lark's. We find out Mikki will be going to the wedding of Chris's sister, that his family is very wealthy and that his sister and older brother want Chris to either rejoin the family business or sign over his interests. The author does a good job at showing how Mikki is a fish out of water as she meets the wealthy wedding party and guests and tries to fit in to the three day activities leading up to the wedding. In the current time, Lark is convinced Chris did something to her friend and is pushing for the police to finally do something. The ending wraps everything up but the story is slow moving and I didn't like the character of Lark who was always angry and didn't seem to care about her daughter or fiancé as much as her missing friend. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this ARC for review.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for the free e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Mikki and Lark are best friends and work the night shift at the truck stop in their small town, stuck where they are. Mikki, always dreaming of getting out of their small town, has her grandmother Nini to care for who is struggling with early dementia. Lark is 8 weeks pregnant and Mikki knows she will need her help as well. But, as a stranger with a nice BMW walks into the truck stop, he offers Mikki the chance of a lifetime to head to Florida to see the ocean for the weekend and be his plus 1 at a wedding. Fast forward 8 years and Mikki is still missing, never to be seen since the night she left. And yet, that same stranger has just entered the truck stop again, looking for her. Lark has never stopped looking and now is certain that Mikki is still out there, needing to be found.

Despite some implausibilities, I found this to be an intriguing read. The characters and relationships are authentic and its definitely a suspenseful read. The mystery held up well through out the story. I found myself asking if I would make the same choice as Mikki, which is always the sign of a good read.

4 stars!

Lark & Mikki have been best friends since they were in school together. In high school they got jobs together working the evening shift at the highway travel stop, and they continued to work there together. after they graduated Now, Lark is pregnant & unmarried, and Mikki is feeling restless and stuck. Then one day a stranger drops in, heading for Florida, and Mikki impulsively leaves with him, never to be seen again. Eight years later, Lark is finally getting her life back together for the sake of her young daughter and Mikki’s grandma, who can no longer care for herself. due to dementia. Lark is even engaged to the nicest guy on the highway patrol. But when the stranger who drove off with Mikki reappears looking for her, nobody knows what to believe. As the search reignites, Lark fights to find out whether Mikki is really missing or doesn’t want to be found. But piecing together the chain of events set into motion that fateful night could threaten everything—and everyone—Lark has left.

This book started out strong, but midway through the story started to slow down and it seemed to drag along for most of the book, up until almost the very end, when the answer to the mystery was revealed. It was an interesting premise and I was invested in finding out what happened to Mikki, so I kept reading, and I did not expect it was going to end the way it did. Overall, I would say this is a solid 4 out of 5.

What happened to Mikki? This moves between the time she got into a car with Chris -a man she'd never met before- and took off and 8 years later when her BFF Lark is trying to untangle the past because Chris has just shown up. It's all about an impulsive decision that changes multiple lives. It's also a bit implausible in spots but it did keep me turning the pages. Thanks to netgalley for the ARC. A good read.

Thanks to NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read and review this before publication. A solid 3.5 stars, and a story that will keep you guessing until quite late on.
Mikki and Lark have been friends forever. They work together and are making plans for their future. Then, one evening, Mikki takes up the offer of a passing customer to head to Florida for a wedding, hops in his car and then goes missing for years.
Lark has always wondered what happened to her friend. As she thinks she’s moving on, the man who gave Mikki a lift returns. He is surprised to hear that nobody has heard from Mikki since he left her at the wedding. Naturally, Lark is determined to try and get answers.
A rather preposterous premise. As the story progresses we start to unpick what happened, and by the end we’ve had things resolved (or at least explained).

Catch You Later is an interesting tale of friendship and family. I was intrigued by Mikki from the first page. I could imagine all the things she was feeling. I didn’t see the story unfolding how it did. It was sad and a bit slow. There isn’t a lot of character development throughout – you feel like they are stuck in the holding pattern until the end and realization hits in many ways.

I’d recommend to anyone looking for a steady paced journey to unfold. One without a lot of twists and turns.

What would you do if your lifelong best friend made an impulsive decision then you never saw her again? Mikki and Lark are stuck in dead-end jobs in a dead-end town. When Mikki has the opportunity to visit Florida and stay in a ritzy resort for a few days, she jumps at the chance. When Mikki doesn’t return, she searches for years. How long is too long to miss someone, to keep looking? A great story about love, friendship, and taking chances.

Wow - total standout read. I loved this from beginning to end. Until the tail end I honestly didn’t know what to expect and the resolution was better than anything I could have dreamed up. Great characters, I want to know what happens next in their lives!!