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

I just finished reading "Kiss Her Goodbye" by Lisa Gardner, and I must say, it is a heart-pounding thriller that captivates from beginning to end. Gardner expertly weaves a narrative filled with gripping twists and turns that keep readers on the edge of their seats. The intricate plots and well-developed characters make it nearly impossible to put the book down; each page compels you to turn to the next. The depth of emotion portrayed throughout the story adds layers of complexity that resonate long after you've finished reading. If you appreciate thrillers that are not only suspenseful but also rich in character development, I highly recommend this novel.

Mystery, intrigue, thriller with great writing and pacing. Could read alone but I think it reads better having read the previous books, as they are referred back to. Thank you to NetGalley for the review copy.

Dark and twisted and wonderful this is a book you won’t be able to put down. Lisa Gardner is one of my favourite authors and this did not disappoint everything she writes. I cannot wait to read her writing transports me and keeps me gripped from beginning to end.

I just adore the Frankie Elkin series. She is stubborn and yet annoying brilliant and solving cold cases.

I much preferred this book to her last. The former, I felt spent too long inside her head. This book however, feels a bit more aligned with the initial 3 in the series.

Now, word of warning… this is a highly complex storyline. So you need to pay attention. I think perhaps because this plot is so detailed and twisty a lot of early reviewers found it hard to follow. I would agree with them on that point but luckily at the end we are given a neatly summarised epilogue.

Like all of Frankie’s endeavours this book places her in an unusual yet unique position to help those who are missing. During her investigation she meets a whole host of colourful characters, whilst humorous at times I think this was a detail too far with such a complicated plot.

Even so, this is a brilliantly written book that can be read (and enjoyed) as a standalone novel. It’s fast paced, complex (so take notes!) and really engaging.

Thanks to NetGalley for my advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

Thanks to Netgalley and Penguin Random House for the ARC of this book.
When I read the first chapter I thought I might have to pass on this book as it was overwhelming, however, after that the "Frankie " effect kicked in and I was captivated by the story as uusual. Daryl, Genni and the animal family were a welcome addition and lightened the story somewhat as the overall feel was one of disaster.
So glad that Frankie got her call in the end as she deserves a bit of happiness too.
Can't wait for next installment.

Kiss her Goodbye by Lisa Gardner

The woman she is looking for, Sabera Ahmadi, is a wife and young mother, haunted by war, scarred by her past.
The police and Sabera’s husband seem indifferent to her disappearance.
But Frankie knows trauma. She knows it can fuel or destroy you.
And when she sees the distress in Sabera’s daughter’s eyes, she makes a decision she soon regrets: find Sabera.
Another great read by the author in her Frankie series .
I love that Frankie is flawed and that she knows it but is willing to put her heart and soul into finding the people and what happened to them for them to be where they are .
Loved the plot , although at times the descriptions of the situations make it a hard read.

Another fabulous novel by Lisa Gardner.
Frankie Elgin takes on another missing person case, this time an Afghan refugee.
The story reveals a little about life in Afghanistan, how difficult it is for women in that culture and why so many risk everything for a better life in another country.
A thoroughly engrossing story I highly recommend.

4* Not sure that I expected the tale that I got, but it was pretty un-put-down-able.

This book took me somewhere the blurb didn't tell me about, into the fall of Afghanistan and the arrival of the Taliban, lives shattered; lives lived with surprising freedoms and incredible strengths; people with courage and conviction; greed and betrayals; and then America where it all seemingly goes wrong. But does it?

Honestly, I was on my toes with the skilful weaving of past and present, not knowing who was good and who wasn't, and if Sabhera was hallucinating or mentally ill or actually seeing who she thought she was seeing. Then add in Frankie herself, whose courage and determination to try and get justice for others, is, I think, a way of righting her own shortcomings - as she perceives them - and stopping herself from looking back too much and having regrets and 'whatifs'. And then there's Genni. And Daryl, Roberta and Marc and the brothers - all have hidden parts to them. But all were prepared to do what it took to save Sabhera and her daughter, Zahra, or, as it seemed to be, only Zahra.

The ending, the reveals, the subterfuge and the chances presented meant that some people got helped, some got lied to, some got hurt - physically and emotionally - and some lost a little of themselves.

Whilst it wasn't the book I thought I'd be reading, it was a flipping good introduction to this author, and one I found myself coming back to every chance I got. I'd like to read more of Frankie, because she deserves to forgive herself, move on and maybe take a chance on someone from her past, who just might be worth a trip down part of memory lane.

ARC courtesy of NetGalley and Century, Penguin Random House, for my reading pleasure.

I was delighted to receive an advance copy of Lisa Gardner's new book before publication as I really enjoyed her previous book (Still See You Everywhere). It did not disappoint!
Frankie Elgin has taken on another missing person case and it leads her into all sorts of trouble again. The descriptions of the troubles in Afghanistan and the horror people went through to get to safety in the US were really amazing to the extent that I could see it all in my imagination. The characters were really vividly described as well.
Be prepared to be surprised, horrified, excited, sad and amused in equal amounts.

Great read and very twisty - I literally lost the plot at one point. It was also a very interesting setting and highlighted the plight of refuges trying to escape to something ‘better’. Lisa Gardners books never disappoint. I love the house sitting situation she ends up in, it’s a very nice touch and needed light relief to the narrative.

I’ve loved the previous Frankie Elkin books however I found this harder going although very eye opening about life as a refugee, I personally preferred the cold case investigations however this does have plenty of action and a genuine feeling of threat. I loved Frankie’s accommodation and the responsibilities that came with it although it was a crazy situation to find herself in and the staff were fabulous. There’s some great detail about life in Afghanistan and the process refugees have to endure but I did feel it detracted from the overall story for me as I wanted more escapism but I can’t deny it was informative. It will be interesting to see what direction Frankie takes next though.

I really like Frankie Elkin as a character, she is a damaged personality with tenacity and grit, and manages to bring closure to cases that have been given up on.

The cases she undertakes are always moving and usually not quite as have been reported to her, as is the case with this one. This involves a culture that is unfamiliar to most of the world, with women treated as second class citizens, having barely any rights of their own, and them moving to another country that has little interest in what becomes of them once they get there. Fortunately Frankie cares.

Another intriguing and thought provoking read from Lisa Gardner, with lots of twists and turns, unusual situations and a strangely satisfying ending.


Thanks to NetGalley, the author and the publishers for the opportunity to read and review this book.