The Goodbye Process

The Goodbye Process

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Published July 30, 2024

A USA Today Bestseller! 

A Library Journal Best Book of 2024!

A Most Exciting Debut Short Story Collection of 2024 by Electric Literature

What happens when you are forced to let go of the things you love the most? What are you left with?  

In her stunning debut short story collection, The Goodbye Process, Mary Jones uses her distinctive voice to examine the painful and sometimes surreal ways we say goodbye.

The stories—which range from tender and heartbreaking to unsettling and darkly funny—will push you out of your comfort zone and ignite intense emotions surrounding love and loss. A woman camps out on the porch of an ex-lover who has barricaded himself inside the house; a preteen girl caught shoplifting finds herself in grave danger; a Los Angeles real estate agent falls for a woman who helps him detach from years of dramatic plastic surgery; a man hires a professional mourner to ensure his wife’s funeral is a success. Again and again, Jones’s characters find themselves facing the ends of things: relationships, health, and innocence.

Arresting, original, and beautifully rendered, this story collection packs a punch, just the way grief does―knocking us off our feet.

Buy Audiobook

Published July 30, 2024

A USA Today Bestseller! 

A Library Journal Best Book of 2024!

A Most Exciting Debut Short Story Collection of 2024 by Electric Literature

What happens when you are forced to let go of the things you love the most? What are you left with?  

In her stunning debut short story collection, The Goodbye Process, Mary Jones uses her distinctive voice to examine the painful and sometimes surreal ways we say goodbye.

The stories—which range from tender and heartbreaking to unsettling and darkly funny—will push you out of your comfort zone and ignite intense emotions surrounding love and loss. A woman camps out on the porch of an ex-lover who has barricaded himself inside the house; a preteen girl caught shoplifting finds herself in grave danger; a Los Angeles real estate agent falls for a woman who helps him detach from years of dramatic plastic surgery; a man hires a professional mourner to ensure his wife’s funeral is a success. Again and again, Jones’s characters find themselves facing the ends of things: relationships, health, and innocence.

Arresting, original, and beautifully rendered, this story collection packs a punch, just the way grief does―knocking us off our feet.

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The cumulative effect of these stories is intense, and the contrast between the understated writing and the shocking events works exceedingly well every time. Powerful, well-crafted short stories that sneak up on the reader to deliver a jolt.
With 28 stories, some just a paragraph long, readers can stay engaged through the entirety of the collection or find their favorites to reread over and over.
Jones’ debut short story collection introduces a new, captivating voice…The Goodbye Process is not only about loss and grief, but also love and healing. It’s deeply human—and a remarkable read.
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What people are saying...

“Mary Jones builds enormous depth in direct clear sentences—over and over again, I found myself moved and wowed by how much she packed into a moment, how swiftly she could conjure a person. And she pulls us in, too—her words have these subtle magnets in them, drawing a reader close. Thrilling abundance here.”

Aimee Bender

author of The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake

"In these exquisite and emotionally distilled stories, Jones illuminates the mysterious corners of grief and grace with poignancy and spiky humor. While wholly original, Jones’s prose shares literary DNA with Mary Gaitskill, Aimee Bender, and Amy Hempel. Her explorations of sex, sorrow, and wonder are transfixing and brilliant. This is a must-read collection."

Mary Otis

author of Yes, Yes, Cherries and Burst

"Keenly felt and observed, always humane, the stories in Jones’s debut begin where all the best stories do: the end of one thing, the start of the next. The Goodbye Process introduces an arresting new voice."

Taylor Koekkoek

author of Thrillville, USA

“The stories of The Goodbye Process are startling, haunting, and original. Mary Jones captures the eerie light that transfuses those often-forgotten and overlooked corners of the heart. These stories shape shift and beguile, offering up their remarkable insights with wit and genuine style. A brilliant book of stories.”

Brandon Taylor

author of The Late Americans

“Mary Jones’s delightful story collection, The Goodbye Process, is full of surprises—sometimes funny, often heartbreaking, always memorable.”

Jill McCorkle

author of Old Crimes: and Other Stories

Why Zibby Loves It

Mary’s voice is singular, dark, fresh, and direct in this collection of stories that traverse the world of grief. Arresting prose and scenes that sometimes stop your breath, Mary’s stories make the reader feel which is ultimately the highest praise!