Frankie Elkin cannot stay too long in any one place - something just tells her
to move along . Her purpose in life is to bring to resolution to cold cases ........
families , loved ones all want to know 'what happened' .
Having moved to Tucson , Arizona she finds a live , missing person case -an
Afgan woman , a woman who would never leave her child behind .
Frankie's search begins with finding a place to stay , a place she finds disparate
souls (don't forget the baby pythons ) , the food is superb ,
the car service outstanding .
Her search for the missing woman takes her into a world she could have no perception
of ....... a world where women have no say in their lives , a world ruled by misogynistic
despots , the only thing they can hold onto is perhaps the chance to escape - but to what !!
This book is a glimpse of a world where women were given a glimpse of what freedom
could look like only to have it snatched away by the Taliban . A world of refugee camps full
of despair and betrayal . Until finally they escape to the Land of the Free , but they are not free
for secrets have been kept , secrets that others will kill for .
The book is a real roller coaster , who to trust ?, who will betray you ?, can Frankie cope with real
life herself ?, for she has her own demons ............ an enthralling , much darker read than previous books

I look forward to reading more Frankie books in the future
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own

Excellent twisty storyline.
Keeps you guessing right to the end.
Thoroughly enjoyable.
Thanks for the opportunity to read and review

Sabera’s missing! She’s been missing for three weeks!! She is an Afghan refugee who has recently moved to America after the Taliban has taken over her country – for the second time. All of her family is dead, except for her four year old daughter and her husband by arranged marriage…Frankie Elkin has been yet again tasked with finding a missing person…

“My good sister, you should not be walking alone.”

I stare and stare and stare. Does he not know every woman in the world is alone, has always been alone, will always be alone? Does he not know, we expect it to be no other way?

After a person goes missing, the police investigation stalls, and there are no new leads – a case that’s garnered no media interest and is creeping firmly towards the back of the locals’ minds… is fast becoming a cold case! This is where Frankie Elkin comes in, she is an average, middle aged white woman who offers her investigation skills to those who despirately need it – even if they, themselves don’t realise it yet. She doesn’t accept money and isn’t interested in publicity – only solving missing person cases!

‘When everything is on the line, how far would you go to protect the ones you love? Frankie is about to find out‘


Lisa Gardner’s Kiss Her Goodbye is not just a thriller—it’s a masterclass in resilience, determination, and the power of human connection. Frankie Elkin, our scrappy, unrelenting heroine, is back, and she’s here to remind us all that even the most ordinary among us can do extraordinary things. Armed with little more than her wits, her heart, and a knack for finding the missing, Frankie dives headfirst into a case that will test her limits and yours. Buckle up, because this ride is as emotional as it is exhilarating.

The plot unfolds like a game of chess where every move is a calculated risk, and the stakes are life and death. A young woman has disappeared, and the community’s silence is as thick as molasses. Enter Frankie, a woman with no badge, no backup, and no patience for nonsense. She’s armed with little more than her relentless determination and a caffeine addiction that could rival a college student during finals week. Gardner masterfully weaves together a complex web of secrets, lies and deceit, keeping the reader on the edge of their seat. The novel is a thought-provoking exploration of the horrors of war, refugee camps, and the trauma faced by immigrants fleeing oppression.

What makes this book truly shine is Frankie herself. She’s not your typical hero—she’s flawed, she’s vulnerable, and she’s carrying enough emotional baggage to fill an airport carousel. But that’s what makes her so inspiring. Frankie’s journey is a testament to the idea that you don’t have to be perfect to make a difference. You just have to care enough to try. And boy, does she try. Her determination is infectious, her courage humbling, and her dry humor? Absolutely priceless.

Gardner doesn’t just deliver a mystery; she delivers a message. Through Frankie’s eyes, we’re reminded of the importance of empathy, the strength found in vulnerability, and the beauty of never giving up—even when the odds are stacked against you. Sure, the twists and turns might leave you breathless, but it’s the emotional depth that will leave you truly moved.

If there’s one thing to prepare for, it’s the emotional rollercoaster. One moment you’ll be laughing at Frankie’s witty comebacks, the next you’ll be clutching your chest as the weight of the story hits you. But isn’t that what makes a book unforgettable? Gardner doesn’t just write stories; she writes experiences.

So, if you’re ready for a thriller that’s equal parts heart-pounding and heartwarming, Kiss Her Goodbye is your next must-read. Frankie Elkin is proof that heroes come in all shapes, sizes, and levels of caffeine dependency. And trust me, by the time you turn the last page, you’ll be cheering her on and maybe even feeling a little braver yourself.

Lets just say you’ll be second-guessing everyone on this journey, including your own theories – and Just when you think you’ve cracked the case, Gardner will pull the rug out from under you.

A fabulously written gripping story that was a pleasure to read. I would absolutely recommend this book, it was brilliant

The amount of research that must have gone into this book is incredible. This is a real step up for Lisa Gardner, her best book yet, so descriptive I could almost have felt myself there. So shocking but also uplifting, it drew on every emotion and should be a compulsory book in the education system to show the other side of the life of a refugee, you cannot help being appalled at what they go through.

I found this an incredible read. The author had clearly done her research with both the settings and the emotion (or lack of in parts). A delve into the dark side of having to move yourself from your birth country in a rush and in danger. This is easily a five star read.

LISA GARDNER – KISS HER GOODBYE ****
I thought I knew Lisa Gardner as an author as I have read so many of her books. I was wrong.
Frankie Elkin finds missing people. That’s what she does, when the police give up. She’s one tough cookie; better to have her on your side than against you. Usually, she investigates cold cases. This one isn’t. In fact, it’s decidedly warm. The person Frankie is looking for has only been missing for three weeks. But what makes this story so different are the characters involved.
This is about the not-so-great underbelly of America, where people are not billionaires, but live hand to mouth. This is set in Tucson, a sprawling city, full of homeless people, often illegal. The family of the missing person are Afghan refugees, one of thousands in the neighbourhood. This brings a whole different flavour - literally through the food that is described - a different culture, different names, different expectations. Any half decent person will be appalled by what the refugees have to put up with.
The air of authenticity comes from the fact that the author spent months in research, speaking to Afghan people, their leaders, the agencies who help look after them, listening to their often-heartbreaking stories and immersing herself into their lives. Although this story is fiction, it is embedded in fact. This is what gives it its special flavour.

Another great read from Lisa Gardner. Frankie is back doing what she does best in helping to find missing people.
Great read and kept me engrossed from start to finish.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin for my copy of Kiss Her Goodbye by Lisa Gardner.
I have read all of the Frankie Elkin books and this is definitely the best so far.
Sent in Tuscon, Arizona Frankie agrees to help find a missing mother. An Afghan refugee who has only been in the city a few weeks.
Along the way we meet some fabulous characters and some unscrupulous ones.
A very emotive theme runs through the book and highlights some of the perils facing refugees especially women.
There are some lighter moments along the way, and it is a very good read even though it is distressing in parts.
This book will stay with me for a long time.

I Love the Frankie Elkin series and I can say this being number 4 is my favourite so far (No3 my least, sorry). This is the story of a missing mum and Frankie doing what she does best by trying to find her whilst meeting some very colourful characters on the way. I loved Daryl and Genni and had even warmed to Petunia and the snakes in the end. A great captivating story which touches on a few issues. I’m so looking forward to the next Frankie instalment now and also what happens with “that” phone call. Thanks very much to NetGalley and the publisher for this early copy.

This is the second of Lisa Gardner's books featuring Frankie Elkin that I've read and again I very much enjoyed this novel. Set in Tuscon, Arizona, Frankie is asked to find Sabera Ahmadi, an Afghan refugee who has gone missing. She finds lodgings for free, with Bart, a computer whiz, who needs someone to care for his snakes and iguana while he is away at a conference. Frankie finds that Sabera's husband is not too concerned with her disappearance but her friend, who contacts Frankie, is adamant that Sabera would not leave without taking her daughter.
As the plot unfolds it is interspersed with details of Sabera's life in Kabul and then her time fleeing and life in refugee camps when the Taliban take control. Some of the detail is quite distressing, but it makes you realise the journey that Sabera had. However, the Taliban are not done with her and send people to America to chase her down as she has secrets they want to know.
This is a fast paced read, with several twists, but the character of Frankie stands out, as with all her faults she remains honest and true to what she has promised to do. This is a book packed with strong women in different guises, and some thought provoking stories of their previous lives, but it is not without a little humour too to lighten the load.
All in all a very enjoyable read.
With thanks to Netgalley and Penguin Random House for an arc copy in return for an honest review.

Another amazing page turner from Lisa Gardner! Frankie Elkin heads to Tucson to take on another missing persons case this time searching for a missing Afghan woman who disappears leaving behind her 3 year old daughter, with lots characters good and bad and plenty of suspense and twists and turns you never know what’s coming next.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for an advanced digital copy in exchange for an honest review.

Frankie is back with a bang! I have read all the previous books in the series. Loved her new adventure with Petunia and the others. The book was fast paced and adventurous with daggers, snakes and the hint of a hidden treasure. Lots of twists and turns, so I thoroughly enjoyed reading it and would definitely recommend it. Thank you to the publishers Random House UK for an advanced copy of this ebook and giving me a chance to review this book!

Thank you to the author, publishers Penguin and NetGalley UK for access to this as an advance reader’s ebook. This is an honest and voluntary review.

Frankie Elkin, finder of missing people the system doesn’t have time to care about, is on the trail of a missing Afghan mother. The woman fled the rise of the Taliban government with her intelligent but austere husband and young daughter, and having left her daughter with a babysitter she’s disappeared and no one, apart from Frankie, is looking for her.

This is one of those stories where I wish the author’s note had come at the beginning. A book that deals with a culture and a life experience (of a refugee) that I don’t know, and more importantly that the author hasn’t experienced, made me slightly uncomfortable. While most of the story is told from Frankie’s perspective - which allows the genuineness of an American just learning about the reality of a refugee’s life - there are also inserts from the perspective of the missing woman, Sabera, that I would have felt freer to read in the flow of the story if I’d known up front how the author researched the book. Suffice it to say if you’re worried about cultural misrepresentation read the author’s note first and judge based on that.

Beyond that it’s a compelling thriller as always. Perhaps stretching the bounds of believability more than I normally expect from this author’s work - characters with almost supernatural skills and layers of conspiracy that come very, very close to pulling me out of the world of the book, but it all holds together to an ending which feels true to the main character of Frankie as we’ve got to know her over these three books. And for that reason I’d suggest starting with an earlier instalment rather than making this your first introduction to Frankie.

I really enjoy the Frankie Elkin series andd this was another great example! Full of mystery and intrigue trying to work out what is going on, this will keep you hooked right in.

Lisa Gardner continues to prove she’s at the top of the thriller genre with Kiss Her Goodbye, the fourth instalment in the Frankie Elkin series—and honestly, I think it’s one of the strongest yet.
This time, Frankie takes on the case of Sabera Ahmadi, an Afghan refugee and young mother who vanishes without a trace. As always, Frankie isn’t the kind of investigator who flashes a badge or plays by the rules. She’s fuelled by empathy, instinct, and a deep sense of justice for those who don’t usually get it. And in Sabera’s case, the lack of urgency from the authorities makes the story even more urgent and compelling.
What I loved most about this book is how emotionally layered it is. Gardner doesn't just hand us a mystery to solve—she gives us a broken family, cultural complexity, the aftermath of war, and characters who are both deeply flawed and immensely strong. Sabera is more than a victim; she’s a woman haunted by the past but determined to survive for her child. And little Zahra, with her photographic memory, is a unique and haunting presence that ties everything together in a truly chilling way.
The plot is razor-sharp and full of twists, but it’s the human element that keeps you turning the pages. Frankie’s voice remains raw, honest, and real. She makes mistakes. She questions herself. But her heart never wavers—and that’s what makes her such a compelling protagonist.
Kiss Her Goodbye is tense, timely, and thought-provoking. It highlights the resilience of women, the trauma of displacement, and the dangerous shadows that can follow even when you try to start over. If you’re already a fan of the Frankie Elkin series, you won’t be disappointed. If you’re new to it, this is a great place to dive in.
An unputdownable thriller with soul—highly recommended.

I have read a lot of Lisa Gardner's books and have particularly enjoyed the 2 recent ones featuring Frankie. The balance between tension, mystery and humour is well managed. The characters are well written and the subject matters is handled sensitively.
Can't wait for the next one!

4.5 rounded up
Frankie Elkin #4 - but can easily be read as a standalone

Itinerant, rootless Frankie Elkin works for the missing, seeking those that others can’t find often when the authorities have given up. She finds them and then she herself disappears too. This time, she’s in Tucson Az following a call from Aliah who is concerned about her friend and fellow Afghan refugee, Sabera Ahmadi who has only recently arrived in the country. Sabera comes from a wealthy, westernised background and now her family are all dead and she has fled Afghanistan when the Taliban arrive in Kabul again. A smart person would walk away from this one – not our Frankie. She’s on the trail and potentially entering a minefield.

I really like this series and this one grabs me from the start as it’s so different from the others. Sabera is fascinating, her story is full of heartache as you follow her track from Afghanistan eventually arriving in the USA. I’m so glad the author gives such a good focus to these refugees and their manifold problems and it’s written with genuine empathy for those ripped from their homelands through no fault of their own. We know many Afghans are left behind following the military withdrawal to face a terrible future and there’s one part of the story that refers to this which is really good. I learned a lot along the way in this one, about Afghanistan and about refugees, with the author blending this most effectively into the storyline.

The plot is a puzzle, a riddle and at times quite enigmatic. What lurks at the heart of this? I enjoy how the truth emerges a piece at a time. It’s a rollercoaster of a read. On occasions it’s like an action thriller, James Bond style, full of intrigue and characters you’re not sure you can trust. It’s also emotional with much heartache and yet also it’s incredibly tense. You are led down one path only to find that it’s a dead end, so back up, rethink and head off in another direction and I thoroughly enjoy this misdirection. At times it’s a slow burner, partly because it’s delving into peoples lives and backstories and so it’s an immersive, engaging multilayered combination of a read.

I really like Frankie and always want the best for her. She’s got a lot in her background which explains the way she is, but she’s one heck of a gutsy lady. She’s brave, intuitive, resilient and you definitely want her on your side.

Overall, this is my favourite of the series so far. It’s full of colour as well as the darkness. No spoilers here but Frankie‘s job whilst in Tucson and conducting the investigating is a cracker with colourful characters to match the exotic. All of this is cleverly utilised in the plot.

Don’t miss reading the authors afterword - it’s excellent.

With thank to NetGalley and especially to Random House U.K., Cornerstone for the much appreciated early copy in return for an honest review.

Another great read from the Frankie Elkin series. It is always nice coming back to a series and characters you are already acquainted with.

Lisa Gardner has done a marvelous job of making Elkin a likely and realistically fallible character. Whilst this particular story line felt a little less interesting to me, it delivered the usual twists and edge of the seat ride we have come to expect from the author.

I like the dual time line and felt it helped to understand out main character better, especially when trying to work out where she was. It's always sad to read what others have to endure in their countries and surrounding fighting.

I would highly recommend if you have enjoyed the rest of this series or just want a good crime/suspense novel with an unlikely lead character.

Kiss Her Goodbye by Lisa Gardner is a fascinating novel about a female refuge from Afghanistan, Sabera Ahmadi, who has disappeared and Frankie Elgin has been asked to find her.
The family Ahmadi comprises of Isaad who is a gifted mathematician and Sabera is a gifted linguist and their four year old daughter Zahra has an uncanny ability to remember everything she sees. Sabera is being hunted by person or persons unknown and then, Isaad disappears and is later found dead having been tortured. Then there is an attempt to snatch Zahra and Frankie must find out what is happening.
However she has a dream team, comprised of a recovering alcoholic, ex-con limo driver, ballroom dancing parole officer, and transgender cook. Maybe that will be all she needs.
The storyline is extremely interesting with details about Afghanistan, stories of the various refugee camps and then the refugees living arrangements when they get to an American city. What happens to these displaced people when they disappear and no one knows where they are.
Highly recommended