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.

Frankie Elkin is trying to track down Sabera Ahmadi, an Afghan refugee who has recently arrived in America with her husband and young child. The only person who seems concerned about her whereabouts is the friend who is helping the family settle in the area. When CCTV shows Sabera leaving the scene of a brutal murder the pressure is on Frankie to find her before others do.

I've read a lot of Lisa Gardner's books but only discovered the Frankie Elkin series last year when I read the third book in the series, Still See You Everywhere. Having enjoyed the previous book in the series, but not the coconut crabs that are part of the story, I jumped at the chance to read book 4, Kiss Her Goodbye. Both books can easily be read as standalone stories.

Frankie works on missing person cases, specialising in ones that others aren't interested in or have given up on. She has been persuaded to travel to Tucson, Arizona to help find a recent immigrant from Afghanistan. Sabera Ahmadi never returned from work one day and her friend knows that she wouldn't leave her young daughter behind. Frankie isn't convinced until the police suddenly become interested, believing Sabera is a suspect in a brutal double murder.

From this point on we have an intense story, very much a cat-and-mouse chase as Frankie tries to track down Sabera. Time is of the essence as other parties are also hunting for the missing woman. There is a deepening mystery around why other people are trying to find Sabera, alongside how she is involved in a double murder. Any evidence found simply throws up mixed messages.

There are some very memorable characters who certainly added to my enjoyment of the story. I didn't think it was possible for Lisa Gardner to increase the fear factor after the coconut crabs of the previous book but she certainly tried. If you're snake or lizard phobic you might want to give this book a wide berth (the lizard is really sweet by the end though).

Part of the reason I enjoyed the book so much was because it was also extremely informative. Focusing on Afghan refugees we are offered a stark reminder of the scenes we witnessed on TV when Kabul fell to the Taliban only four years ago. The author weaves some of those images into the storyline and builds upon them by tracing life for those who became refugees. Life in the camps was horrific; hunger, disease, overcrowding and assault were daily occurrences.

Everything builds to a thrilling climax where your heart is in your mouth wondering how Frankie, Sabera and friends can survive. And that ending! The author succeeded in fooling me, I'm sure a lot of readers will be the same.

I'm so grateful to Netgalley for this ARC!
As always, Lisa Gardner delivered plenty of suspence, complex characters and.... also a slightly unusual backdrop in comparison to her other novels. This book was food for thought on so many levels! It opened my eyes to the suffering that, I'm ashamed to admit, I didn't know existed:( Brilliant read!

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.