This is a very dramatic story about families relocated to the U.S.A. after the Taliban take over Afghanistan. Very emotional at times and occasionally amusing but basically terrifying. It certainly kept me on my toes. A great conclusion.

It’s been a month since I read and reviewed Still See You Everywhere (I absolutely loved it) and with a little breather in between I now read Frankie Elkin’s new adventure Kiss Her Goodbye. I don’t know if it’s wise to read two books by the same author in such a short time. A double dose of Frankie was not too much at all, it’s just harder not to play favorites when the other read is still so fresh. It’s also a bit unfair because each and every story told still remains an intriguing missing persons case.

You can read this novel on its own but I loved it that she referred at one point to the animals encountered in the previous novels and I could travel back in my mind. I know it should probably be the missing persons themselves but I find it easy to link the animals to all the different stories and they’re always great additions.

In Kiss Her Goodbye Frankie finds herself petsitting in Tuscon and let me tell you these out-of-the-ordinary pets (one of them likes watching The Simpsons) even play their part in the action! I wasn’t into them at first but this enormous iguana Petunia certainly grew on me and I liked learning more about their feeding. But onto the mystery which was once again a baffling one! Frankie Elkin is actually trying to find an Afghan refugee called Sabhera while her husband hasn’t even reported her missing. Frankie gets help from an ex-con limo driver Daryl, a transgender cook Ginee and social worker Aliah and they are a dream team who I’ll love forever.

The stakes are very high and it took a long time before I had an idea why Sabhera was being chased and by whom. If I’m honest then I have to say I wasn’t a big fan of her seeing ghosts of her past, her cousin, her daughter’s father, her brother. Real or not real is a continuous dilemma that I wished would become clearer sooner rather than later. I’m sure I’m in the minority here but I prefer stories to be entirely what you see is what you get so don’t let this stop you from picking this one up.

Kiss Her Goodbye was really well written and I loved so many things about it but it’s not my favourite one of the series. I believe this story’s particular background setting with its roots in the Afghan and Taliban situation felt just a little heavier than her other stories. Compared to the novel I read a month ago this one’s more serious and very timely and that’s quite okay but it didn’t make it a happy read if you know what I mean. Thankfully awesome characters and some great twists provided counterbalance and Frankie definitely gets some chilling action again. I can’t wait to see where her next adventure brings her!

Having read earlier books in this series I expected to enjoy this more.
But for some reason this just felt different.
The writing style felt off.
I struggled to get through this.

One of this year's highly anticipated books for me! I adore Frankie Elkin - she is strong, sassy and has a great sense of humour. Great qualities to have when you search for missing people. But there is more to Frankie than meets the eye...

Packed full of suspense from the beginning, along with plenty of action, this book totally engrossed me in over only a few days - work and life in general really got in the way!
The storyline was fabulous, and really gave me pause, and the acknowledgements (which I don't usually read - I know, I should!) were very informative and heartfelt.
I highly recommend Kiss Her Goodbye. It can be read as a stand-alone but I do advise reading the first three Frankie Elkin books in the series - because they are just so good!

Thanks to NetGalley and Random House UK for an ARC of this beauty! Expected publication date is 14/8/25.

a trickle of excitement runs down my spine when a Lisa book enters my eyesight. i know its going to be good. its just a simple case of how good. Lisa and her books feel like they are known to me. a comfort. old friends. they have been in my life for such a while and met all parts of it. i cherish her as an author now. so when this book came up, when i started, i was overjoyed to think "she is back!"
this time Frankie has to travel to Tucson to find Sabera who's an Afghan refugee gone missing. why doesn't her husband seem worried? and why is her friend so insistent then that Sabera wouldn't go missing, not without her daughter.
as Frankie delves into this one she is finding herself thinking one thing, that there is ways more to this family then she could've thought and it goes way deeper than expected.
we are then given the story ourselves of Sabera past leading up to where we are now. and all the while we are still given the usual brilliance of Lisa
and her writing. the layers she pulls you into, the story she draws out for you and the characters she seamlessly weave throughout her books is just wonderful. you feel lucky to read Lisa's books. and of course we have Frankie, oh Frankie the very human Frankie lol. i love being back with her. she adds a bonus set of emotions and depth to these books. and Frankie has a special dry, sarcastic and fantastic place in my heart.

I loved this book, I’ve really enjoyed the previous Frankie books, some I’ve read, others I’ve listened too and this one doesn’t disappoint, in fact it exceeds expectations for the “lost “ person storyline and the Frankie character is a great story, the added bonus of Petunia and Mabel ( I was too scared not to include Mabel) is brilliant but then it moves the story abroad and the whole aspect of asylum seekers was a learning experience that I didn’t know I needed.
Thank you for the opportunity to read and learn, now I need more Frankie , without Mabel.

A very well researched, thought provoking thriller. It starts as the Americans leave Afghanistan and paints a picture of the chaos and lack of humanity that followed and the plight of refugees and what they went through - and still do.
Augmented by diary type entries by the missing woman through the book. Frankie Elkin looks for missing people and has a gift for finding them. This time she is in Tucson Arizona; an Afghan mother, a recent refugee missing for three weeks and leaving her four year old daughter. It is also a dark thriller, but there are elements to lighten the story, a motley crew of helpers and an iguana called Petunia! Suspenseful and descriptive, I was hooked to the last page. This is a novel that lingers after reading - a definite 5*

This is a book in a series that I have not read before, however it was not difficult to pick up the characters and the back story. The subject matter is very up to date and highlights the problems migrants have in moving from war torn countries like Afghanistan. The characters are believable and the story line a good read.

I love Frankie Elkin as a character. There is just something about her, perhaps her brutal honesty about herself and her flaws, maybe her selflessness, admittedly driven by a self destructive streak, but whatever it is, she is a character I am more than happy to spend time with. And Lisa Gardner is an author I am more than happy to trust to entertain, thrill and keep me on the edge of my seat every single time. This latest book is packed with tension misdirection, threat and a tempo so pitch perfect that it kept me completely glued to the page from start to finish. And it is an added bonus that the focus of Frankie's people finding skill this time around, Sabera, is a character every bit as compelling as the person trying to find her.

There is a kind of ripped from the headlines feel to this latest story, albeit that the main event which has led to Sabera's disappearance is something that happened a few years ago now - the removal of American troops from Afghanistan. Not so long ago that the whole thing isn't still fresh in our minds though, nor that it's after effects aren't still being felt to this day, particularly by the women of the country. As ever, Frankie is drawn to Tuscon by the lure of a missing persons case, but I don't think even she could have been expecting how dark and dangerous this particular case is going to be. And this is a woman who has faced threats from guns, knives and humongous crabs. Sabera's friends are certain that she would never leave her daughter, but when her husband also disappears, and a stranger appears trying to take the little girl, it is very clear that there is far more to this case than meets the eye.

I really enjoyed how Lisa Gardner has built up this case, interspersing Sabera's story, from childhood to her peril filled travels to a refugee camp, into the main investigation led by Frankie. It allows us to gain a real perspective of Sabera as a person from her own point of view, even though it is clear even then that something is being held back. We feel all her highs and all of the trauma that she encounters, the sacrifices she has to make, and that helped me to feel a greater sense of connection with her as a victim in a way that simply hearing third party accounts would not have done. It also really highlighted the plight and the appalling conditions faced by refugees, bringing to the fore a lot of what is missing from the headlines, when all we hear these days is how is is immigration that is destroying national interests and other ill informed political rhetoric - on both side of the atlantic.

This is a book packed with tension, and so many heart in the throat moments that it really does drive the story on at quite a pace. Plenty of time is given over to establishing character, but no so much that it halts the flow of the action. Mystery feeds into the narrative seamlessly, with so many questions whirling around in my head at any given time that I needed to be answered, about not just who the shadowy and dangerous characters were that were trying to find Sabera, but also the why. And there as also a number of other puzzling circumstances that need to be resolved throughout the course of the book, including a very cryptic message that is passed on by Sabera's young daughter. A ver wise head on very small, and young, shoulders, but not one who is easily able to communicate its meaning. Frustrating yes, but also a perfect device to increase the intrigue.

Now, elements of this book are harrowing, as you might expect when looking into the refugee situation and the inevitable series of deaths, both natural and otherwise, that litter the story. But it's not all doom and gloom. As ever, Frankie's transient lifestyle make settling and finding digs a challenge. Image Reacher with an XX DNA profile, only chattier. And shorter. And perhaps a touch less skilled in arm to arm combat ... But you get the picture. She finds herself a home, a pet sitting gig in fact, but one with a difference and one that brought a real smile to my face. And the gig comes with a driver, Daryl - handy - and a housekeeper, Genni - bonus - and a whole host of access to other resources, and new friends, that will be vital in Frankie coming good in the end. And I really loved this strange group of friends. They're the kind you hope you might see again, although I reckon Daryl deserves a bit of R and R first.

This really is a brilliant addition to the series and I think fans will love it, especially that small element of hope that comes in the closing pages. Packed with subterfuge, mystery and action packed intrigue, as well a genuine warmth and humour, it is everything I love about the series and most definitely recommended.

Frankie Elkin is back, and wow what a read it is! The setting and goings on in this book are based around Afghanistan and the Taliban which brings a layer of reality to the fictional characters. I did think it started a bit slow but wow it definitely picked up!

Wow what a book!! I really loved Kiss her Goodbye by Lisa Gardner which is the forth in the series starring Frankie Elkin.

A really interesting, unputdownable and thought provoking rollercoaster of a ride.

Frankie's job is to search for missing people when no-one else can find them and you never know where her job is going to take her. all three in the series have been very different but all equally as good, if not better than the last.

This time she's in Tucson, USA looking for a missing Afghan refugee who's gone missing not long after being in the country. It's so interesting learning about the life of this refugee and everything she's gone through to get here, but this refugee is holding onto a secret!!

Lots of background amazing characters who help out Frankie and I really hope to see this as a tv series as would be brilliant as long as they stick to the author's work. I cant wait to find out where Frankie will turn up next!!

This is the fifth book I've read by Lisa Gardner and will definitely be on the look out for more and catch up on previous books, which although are part of a series can easily be read as a standalone.

A really clever plot and very well written and researched.

A big thanks to Netgalley and Random House UK, Cornerstone | Century for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Frankie Elkin finds missing persons, as a hobby not for a living, taking cases on word of mouth requests, not for organisations, not for money. Three weeks ago, Afghan refugee, Sabera Ahmadi left her cleaning job and disappeared. Her husband does seem worried, but her friend and mentor, Aliah, believes that she would not abandon her four year old daughter, Zahra, and fears the worst. The departure of UK and US forces from Afghanistan was followed immediately by the Taliban taking over, bloodily, especially for rich patricians, students and westernised women; and Sabera was all of these. And her background might make her a target. After traumatic times in refugee camps, and struggling through the US paper labyrinth, the family are now living in Tucson, Arizona doing menial jobs because they must. Frankie doesn’t charge for her services, her only skill is bar-worker, and Tucson is an expensive place, but she scores lucky when she gets a pet sitting job for Bart, a young multimillionaire gamer, who is off to play for a month. Pets are a free-roaming iguana, a ten foot python and a dozen baby pythons, which is the down-side since she hates reptiles, but on the up-side she gets the use of Bart’s Bentley and its driver, Daryl, a body guard sized ex-con, and Genni, the cook, a two metre tall trans gender person. Now all she has to do is find Sabera, starting with the husband – only he has also disappeared.
This is the fourth book in a series but is OK as standalone. It is a thriller and is, in some ways, a standard example of the genre. What makes it unusual is Frankie, basically a nomadic character, troubled past, alcoholic but drink free, introspective, beset by demons from her past, and a commitment-phobe. The last three characteristics loom large and I found their iterations repetitive and derailing. The plot is moderately twisted, but not very complicated. The story is told in two timelines, Sabera’s experience in Afghanistan before and after the fall of Kabul, and Frankie’s investigation. The former is very well researched and convincing. In fact I rather got the impression that the author was more concerned with this aspect and the role of the USA’s actions and bureaucracy in it. This contributes to the length of the book, which could probably have been edited down by 25%. Overall, it’s not a bad book, but I’ve struggled with the rating. I just can’t get it up to 4, so I guess it’s a 3.
I would like to thank NetGalley, the publishers and the author for providing me with a draft proof copy for the purpose of this review.

Love Frankie, always a good story and this one was quite different with the Afghanistan connections. Some great characters in this one that I wish frankie would meet again.

The first observation I’ll make is that jumping straight into this series at book four really felt quite awkward. It quickly became clear that I’d missed an awful lot of things that had already affected the primary character, many of which are referenced here. The clear answer is that these books really should be read in order.

Frankie Elkin is a loner who doesn’t work and seems to live wherever she lays her hat. She journeys around America searching for people. That is, people who are lost or misplaced – missing. She has certain criteria she uses to pick her candidates, and when they’re chosen she’s all in. The fact is, it seems she has no particular skills to offer other than a hungry curiosity and a seemingly innate ability to put herself at the centre of investigations.

The case here involves a young woman who has disappeared from her home in Tucson, Arizona – after seemingly deserting her husband and infant daughter. We’re taken back in time to 2021, a time when American troops were leaving Kabul and the world watched on in horror as the city fell to the Taliban within twenty-four hours. I recall watching scenes on BBC news programmes that were upsetting in the extreme as hordes of people streamed to the city’s airport in a desperate hope that they might become one of the lucky ones to escape.

When the dots are joined, we learn that the young woman Frankie is now searching for was in Kabul at that time and at some point had made her way to America. We are also fed a good deal of information about how people formally entering the country as a result of such chaos or tragedy are processed and ultimately found homes. I found this element interesting, slightly shocking but mostly hugely depressing. It was a real eye-opener.

I won’t delve deeper into the plotline other than to say that I found the tale to be sometimes dark and uncompromising but also, at times, somewhat twee and hard to take seriously. For me the mix didn’t quite work, and yet the human suffering element here is so well dealt with that I found it to be a book that’s stayed with me – haunted me even – ever since I turned the final page. On that basis, this is a four star offering for me.

This is the first book I have read in this series and I will be looking out for more.
What a fantastic book, totally different perspective on being a refugee in a different country. Nothing is familiar, adapting to new customs, transport, jobs and mourning everything that you left behind is only a small part of this amazing story.
Secrets, betrayal and honour follows generations and family branches over continents and supposed safety.
I was hooked from the first to the last page.

A complex plot, made incredibly thought provoking by the topic. Harrowing to watch on the news but as headlines fade it drops away from consideration. This brings the plight to reality and gives the reader a deep insight into the challenges still experienced by many. I wasn't quite expecting this depth from a Frankie Elkin novel, bravo Lisa Gardener.

Frankie Elkin is back! this is an intense rollercoaster that is a little slow to get started, but then hurtles as more and more clues are unravelled. The characters are well written, the reader is easily drawn towards the different personalities and invested in their intriguing relationships and interactions. in true Gardner style you are taken along on an emotional, thrilling journey. Sabera is missing, no one is looking for her or appears to even care. But then a friend reaches out to Frankie asking for help. this is book 4, but is just as enjoyable as a standalone.

Thank you Netgalley for this ARC.

A book which kept me gripped - why had she disappeared, what was she hiding. Why did people keep ending up dead and more importantly who were the good guys and who were the bad.

The chaotic nature of the country they left meant that nothing was clear and allowed people to reinvent themselves and do anything they could to survive.

Great book.

Wow this is one of those books that sits with you for a long time after you read the last page. A story that hit you deep in the solar plexus and stays with you. I love the protagonist in this story as she is a strong female who wants to do what’s right but is kick hard tough and won’t let anyone slow her down. It was a great story arc about Afghanistan and the atrocities that have happened there and a young family who just want a chance to start again in the US but the young woman’s past will not allow them to live in peace and when the mother goes missing it’s up to Frankie to find her. Loved it!!!!

Another fabulous ‘Frankie’ story. I love that character so much, she’s such a great female! I’m not sure how Lisa brings her to life in so many different ways. Frankie is seeking justice for those that can’t. Brilliant.