Thank you Hachette Audio for the ALC and @NovelSuspects & Grand Central Publishing, #partner, for the advanced copy of Kiss Her Goodbye in exchange for my honest review.
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing / Hachette Audio
Published: August 12, 2025
Summary:
#1 New York Times bestselling author Lisa Gardner returns with the 4th installment in her bestselling Frankie Elkin series, in which Frankie is called to Tucson, Arizona, to find a missing Afghan refugee, whose friend suspects she is in grave danger, before it is too late.
A young mother haunted by war, determined to make a fresh start. But sometimes, the sins of the past aren’t so easy to escape.
Recent Afghan refugee Sabera Ahmadi was last seen exiting her place of work three weeks ago. The local police have yet to open a case, while her older, domineering husband seems unconcerned. Sabera’s closest friend, however, is convinced Sabera would never willingly leave her three‑year old daughter. At her insistence, missing persons expert Frankie Elkin agrees to take up the search through the broiling streets of Tucson. Just in time for a video of the young mother to surface—showing her walking away from the scene of a brutal double murder.
Frankie quickly realizes there’s much more to the Ahmadi family than meets the eye. The father Isaad is a brilliant mathematician, Sabera a gifted linguist, and their little girl Zahra—she has an uncanny ability to remember anything she sees. Which given everything that has happened during the girl’s short life, may be a terrible curse. When Isaad also disappears under mysterious circumstances and an attempt is made on Zahra’s life, Frankie realizes she must quickly crack the code of this family’s horrific past.
Someone is coming for the Ahmadis. And violence is clearly an option. When everything is on the line, how far would you go to protect the ones you love?
Frankie is about to find out.
My thoughts:
It’s no secret that I am a HUGE Lisa Gardner fan! I’ve read just about all of her books and am a big fan of the Frankie Elkin series. This is the 4th book in that series and unfortunately, it was just ok for me.
I think perhaps this was just a matter of timing – me picking this up at a time where I just wasn’t into the book. It’s not that the book isn’t good, I just couldn’t get into it and I think I might have been better off putting it aside, but I really do like this series, I love Frankie as a character and I kept thinking to myself I would get more invested as time went on and that never really happened. It could also have been the subject of the book – it was rather timely in terms of what is going on in the world and that is just another whole mess. When I pick up a book, I like to escape and this just hit a little too close to home. So, I think this was more a me problem than anything else because I have seen some really good reviews for this one…so don’t take my word for it. And I have really enjoyed the previous books in the series and will pick up the next book, if there is one…
Audio thoughts:
I was thrilled to see that Hilary Huber – one of my absolute favorite narrators – was back to narrate this one! She is so consistent with the voices from book to book and I just love the way she brings Frankie to life!
Books in this series:
- Before She Disappeared
- One Step Too Far
- Still See You Everywhere
- Kiss You Goodbye
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