WHEN TEENAGE GIRLS VANISH in what was once considered a safe, Louisiana bayou town, the lives of four desperate young locals take unexpected turns, begging the crucial question: Do you every truly know those closest to you? SYNOPSISWhen nineteen-year-old Tiffany Perron vanishes from rural Grand Trespass, Louisiana, best friend HALEY LANDRY's relationship with her boyfriend becomes increasingly strained. To make ma cvvctters worse, her impressionable younger sister BECKY has begun idolizing an impetuous, seductive 15 year old who's encouraging her to do dangerous things. Meanwhile, ERICA DUVALL, a reclusive 19-year-old aspiring writer, befriends Haley. Ten years earlier, Erica's mother abandoned her, leaving her with the womanizing used car salesman father she loathes. She's decided to write a novel based on Tiffany's disappearance; a novel that she hopes will lead to a reunion with her estranged novelist mother. RACHEL ANDERSON, a 36-year-old mother of two, is having trouble coming to terms with her husband, TOM's, affair with the missing girl--a relationship that supposedly ended shortly before Tiffany's disappearance. What's more, she comes to the blood curdling realization that someone is watching her through the large back windows of her house. A DISTURBED MAN also lives in the area. Ever since his mother's murder four years earlier, he's been raising his insolent teenage sister, ALLIE, who sleeps with truck drivers for money. He considers women to be dangerous--and his world revolves around his fear and hatred for them. He's terrified of his sister, knowing she's intent on pushing him over the edge. PRAISE FOR "NEVER SMILE AT STRANGERS""Jennifer Minar-Jaynes' debut novel Never Smile at Strangers is a gritty, atmospheric Southern thriller that keeps the heat and the tension cranked high right to the end. Small town secrets, fully-realized characters, and a truly twisted killer keep you turning the pages. Minar-Jaynes has an unerring instinct for the perfect detail that draws you in and won't turn you loose." -- J.D. Rhoades, Shamus nominee & author of The Devil's Right Hand, Good Day in Hell, and Safe and Sound "Never Smile at Strangers is an irresistible debut packed with surprises. Her set-up is riveting, the plot loaded with twists and turns that leads into an effective and logical conclusion. Add this to prose that is fresh, interesting, and innovative, and you have one of the best debut novels that's sure to please readers for years to come." -- Michael Laimo, author of Dead Souls and Deep In The Darkness "Solid, effective throughout. Dark emotions ranging from grief and loneliness to insanity are vividly brought to life with entirely believable insight... immediately sucks us in, sustains the suspense and keepers the reader involved." -- Reader/Reviewer from Atchity Entertainment International "Combines the best elements of mystery and suspense--intriguing characters, compulsive plotting, first-rate storytelling. A terrifically impressive debut."--David Angsten, author of Dark Gold and Night of the Furies "Jennifer Minar-Jaynes is a welcome addition to the family of thriller writers." --Robert S. Levinson, bestselling author of Where the Lies Begin, Ask A Dead Man, Hot Paint