As an author, Gretchen Waters knows what it takes to craft a
compelling story. Her highly popular memoir Tammyland
chronicles the lives of her favorite country stars Tammy
Wynette, Dolly Parton, and Loretta Lynn. A honky-tonk
tribute to these trailblazing women, Gretchen regales the
woes of her own divorce and personal issues as she pays
homage to these legendary figures in Southern history.
Reminiscent of her iconic heroes, Gretchen meets misfortune
when she plunges to her death at a library event promoting
her latest release. Her tragic accident is met with much
grief by her fans, family, and especially close friends such
as Jamie Madden. A college best friend, Jamie has a hard
time accepting that Gretchen is really gone. When Gretchen's
mother asks Jamie to become her literary executor, Jamie
readily accepts the challenge in order to hold on a little
longer to her departed friend.
As Jamie begins to delve into Gretchen's unfinished work,
she finds herself drawn to Emerson, NH to explore Gretchen's
roots. What starts out as a kind gesture for a cherished
friend turns into a full-blown investigation into an
author's questionable death. From taped voice recordings to
missing notebooks, Jamie can not help but dig deeper into the
mysterious life of a woman she thought she knew. As the
stakes get higher, Jamie puts her own marriage on the line
to find the truth.
MISS ME WHEN I'M GONE is the third novel by the New York
Times notable author Emily Arsenault. Her story within a
story framework captures your attention making the
plot truly unpredictable with lots of twists and turns. Her
country music vignettes intertwined within the body of the
mystery are the glue that hold glue that holds MISS ME WHEN
I'M GONE together. Well-written with accents of humor, raw
emotion, and pure joy, I certainly will miss these
characters long after they are gone
Emily Arsenault’s first two novels, Broken Teaglass (“a
beautifully written, engaging mystery” —Dorothy Allison) and
In Search of the Rose Notes, received resounding critical
acclaim. With her third, Miss Me When I’m Gone, she firmly
re-establishes her standing among Laura Lippman, Tana
French, Jennifer McMahon, Megan Abbot, and the other major
players in the literary mystery game. Arsenault enthralls
with this story of what ensues in the shocking aftermath of
the sudden, violent death of the successful author of a
“honky-tonk Eat, Pray, Love,” when an old college friend of
the murdered woman comes across an unpublished
manuscript—one which could possibly lead to the writer’s
killer. A former lexicographer, English teacher, children’s
librarian, and Peace Corps volunteer, Emily Arsenault has
found her true calling as an author of twisting,
intelligent, emotional, and exceptionally compelling mystery
fiction.