Lisa Gardner returns with another masterclass in suspense with Kiss Her Goodbye. This gripping thriller is fast-paced, emotionally charged, and full of the expertly plotted twists Gardner is known for. The lead character is fierce, complex, and utterly captivating, drawing readers into a dark world of secrets and vengeance. The narrative moves with breathless momentum, delivering jaw-dropping reveals and deep emotional resonance. Gardner’s skill at blending psychological depth with edge-of-your-seat thrills is on full display. Kiss Her Goodbye is a riveting page-turner that keeps you guessing until the final line. A must-read for thriller fans.

AN ACTION-PACKED SEARCH FOR A MISSING WOMAN

SUMMARY
Frankie Elkins has dedicated her life to finding missing people. Now she has accepted a case in Tucson, Arizona. Sabera Ahmadi, a recent Afghan refugee, was last seen leaving the hotel where she worked three weeks ago, but she hasn’t been seen since. Her husband, Isaad, a brilliant mathematician, doesn’t seem to care. The police don’t believe Sabera is missing and refuse to open a case. It is Sabera’s neighbor and friend who convinces Frankie to take the case. She knows that Sabera would never leave her three-year-old daughter, Zahra, behind.

Shortly after Frankie arrives, Sabera is seen leaving a warehouse where two men have been murdered. Then her husband, Isaad, disappears, and an attempt is made on Zahra’s life. Frankie knows that time is of the essence in this case, and she must work fast to find Sabera and to protect Sabera’s daughter Zahra as well.


REVIEW
Kiss Her Goodbye is an intriguing and riveting story of the search for a missing woman. The story is action-packed, and it highlights the many struggles faced by immigrants in the United States. The story starts with Sabera as a young girl in Kabul. Parts of the story shift back and forth in time, painting a distressing portrait of the fall of Kabul and the refugee camps.

Frankie Elkin’s character is the best. She brings the book to life and propels the narrative. She is gutsy, persistent, and real. She has fears as we all do, and I could relate to her fear of snakes. I have read all three of the previous novels featuring Frankie and love them all. Can’t wait for more. Next book…no snakes please! Lisa Gardner's writing weaves an interesting tale of two generations of a mother’s love and their hope for the future.

Thank you to NetGalley for an advance reading copy of this book. All opinions expressed here are my own.

Frankie's case of finding a missing Afghan refugee and mother brings her to Tucson. Aliah is worried about her friend and Frankie agrees that it is strange that Sabera's husband Isaad does not seem worried. The more Frankie looks into finding Sabera, the more the case becomes "a riddle, wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma." Just when you think you know what's going on, a new piece of information is discovered which turns things around. Frankie has help in her investigation from Daryl, the driver, and Genni, the chef and housekeeper, of the estate they work on. Frankie has taken on caring for an iguana and snakes in exchange for lodging at the estate. The interactions between them add a bit of humor to the complex story line. There are a lot of characters but each has a role in the story that come out as you read. The past comes through in bits and pieces as the story plays out. Sabera's past was not easy and she has secrets that passed from her mother to her and now to her daughter. The secrets are ones people are willing to kill over. It will take Frankie and a village to find a solution to save Sabera and her daughter Zahra. While this is part of a series, it can easily be read as a stand alone.

I was happy to get an ARC for Lisa Gardner as every book I've read by this woman has been amazing. I will always read whatever she writes! I love the character Frankie, she's very broken and always looking to find and speak for the people that have been forgotten. This was slightly different for me than the previous Frankie books but nonetheless amazing. The story started off a little slower than I'm used to but once it picked up, I did not want to put it down. The story is engaging and you always want to continue reading until the mystery is solved.

She heads to Tuscan to find Sarbera, an Afghan refugee who has gone missing, leaving her daughter behind which to Frankie, seems unlikely. There are chapters from Sabera's POV from her past that share her story of coming to the states and things that have led to her disappearance.

I love the other characters, Daryl was my favourite, he was Frankie's support and for me the hero of the story!

As always, Lisa Gardner's books are a must read!

In Kiss Her Goodbye, Lisa Gardner presents a richly layered thriller that blends social relevance, intense mystery, and emotional depth. Frankie Elkin's quest to find Sabera Ahmadi uncovers trauma, racial tension, and hidden risks, while reflecting Gardner's detailed realism about the refugee experience.

Whether you're already engaged with Frankie's story or new to the series, this book stands out—timely and captivating enough to stay with you long after you finish. Make sure to get your copy on August 12th!

I'm a huge fan of Lisa Gardner and Frankie Elkin. Kiss Her Goodbye didn't disappoint!

Frankie Elkin finds missing people. It’s not a paying gig, but it’s what she does: hunt for the missing and lost when the police have stopped looking, but loved ones cling to hope.

Sabera Ahma is missing, and the police have more important cases to focus on than a missing Afghan refugee who may have decided to walk away from their life without a backward glance. Sabera’s friend and fellow refugee knows that there’s more to the disappearance and reaches out to Frankie for help locating her before Sabera’s found dead.

Sabera flees Afghanistan with her husband, child, and secrets that she must keep out of the wrong people’s hands. With the loss of her childhood and innocence, she no longer dreams of a happy ever after but must instead show strength, cunning, and resilience to protect her family and homeland.

When I was a girl, I dreamed. When I became a woman, I woke up.

During her hunt for Sabera, Frankie befriends many people, including a group of misfits at her latest job. Pet-sitting in exchange for meals and lodging sounds like the perfect gig, but the pets include a large iguana named Petunia and a room full of snakes, which makes Frankie want to “nope” right out of there, but Bart, tech whiz extraordinaire, won’t take no for an answer. Petunia and snakes provide comic relief amid such a heavy plot.

While Sabera’s story is intriguing with lots of twists and turns, it also dives deeply into the horrors refugees face. It’s eye-opening and disheartening. Families forced to flee their homeland lose their livelihood, belongings, sense of self, family members and friends, and so much more.

I’m not sure if part of Lisa Gardner’s intent was to get her readers thinking about refugee life and how they would survive similar circumstances, but I sure did.

Thank you Grand Central Publishing and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review an eARC of this book.

The fourth in the Frankie Elkin series, this is very readable as a standalone. You get introduced to Frankie quickly with some history of her being in AA, just having left a relationship after taking a break from finding people and having a somewhat nomadic lifestyle as she travels helping with largely cold cases.

This has quite the cast of characters between Frankie who is flawed but trying to do right, a ballroom dancing parole officer and her ballroom partner who was once her parolee and now a driver, a trans cook/housekeeper for a rich tech guy and his many cold blooded pets. Then Sabera, her older husband and child, all academically gifted and adjusting to life in the US along with some other refugees and people in the Afghan community.

I was really enjoying this one but sadly, a review I scrolled past on socials had major spoilers for it in the image and I couldn't unsee it so went into each chapter knowing how things connected. But still a really enjoyable read despite knowing why Sabera is missing, who was after her and how it ended (seriously people, spoiler tags).

I appreciated the work that must have gone into the research behind the refugee system too. It definitely needs a content warning, because not an easy life but with so much misinformation about immigrants and the political landscape right now, it would be easy for authors to play into that side and Gardner did not. It is thoughtfully written while still having some intrigue, twists and funny moments.

I don't think my cats would appreciate it, but I kind of want an iguana to watch TV with? Thanks to Grand Central Publishing and Netgalley for the copy for review and the author who released an extra 75 copies for the long weekend after I had missed it the first time.

This was the fourth book of the Frankie Elton series. When Sabera, an Afghan refugee, vanishes leaving her husband and daughter behind, Frankie is hired to find out what happened. This was my first book of this series and I felt it was okay to jump into without reading the others however a fan of the series might enjoy this more. I found the premise to be interesting and I liked the main character. I really enjoyed the beginning of the book. However, the pace slowed down after the beginning. I felt like it went on a bit long and I started to get bored. The chapters jump from different points of views which took some time in the beginning to get used to. A lot was happening with the plot and the ending was just okay. There was definitely a lot of research that went into this book that I found to be impressive.

Kiss Her Goodbye by Lisa Gardner is a very highly recommended investigative thriller. I stayed up late to finish this excellent, un-put-downable novel. Even though it is the fourth installment of the Frankie Elkin series, Kiss Her Goodbye can also be enjoyed as a standalone novel.

Frankie Elkin is a middle-aged woman and recovering alcoholic who spends her life searching for missing people that everyone else has stopped looking for. She travels light, picks up a job, and finds a cheap place to stay. This time she travels to Tucson after being contacted by refugee resettlement volunteer Aliah to search for her Afghan refugee friend Sabera Ahmadi. Sabera has been missing for three weeks, leaving behind Zahra, her four-year-old daughter, and her husband, Isaad. The police aren't seriously looking and Aliah is sure more is going on than meets the eye. Sabera would never leave Zahra behind.

Frankie finds a pet sitting job that lasts a month and also includes accommodations. It is offered by a young, wealthy tech guy. She can have chauffeur Daryl drive her where she needs to go and housekeeper Genni provides meals. The drawback is the pets she will be caring for: a large green iguana, Petunia, a huge python, Marge, and twelve baby pythons. The pets are on a strict eating schedule and Petunia gets TV time with Frankie.

The case of Sabera's disappearance quickly becomes even more complicated and convoluted. Isaad receives a package, leaves Zahra with a neighbor, and disappears. Then a man comes to the apartment complex looking for Zahra. Two Afghan men are found dead nearby and it appears to be Sabera on the security camera footage. Frankie quickly surmises that there is a whole lot more going on than it appears. Helping her is Daryl, his ballroom dance partner and former parole officer Roberta, and Roberta's police detective brother. Genni jumps in to assist also.

The well-written narrative follows Frankie in the present day search for Sabera and includes excerpts from Sabera's letters to her daughter explaining her past. The letters follow her childhood up the fall of Kabul to the Taliban and the chaos and death that followed. Sabera's past is traumatic and horrific, especially in the refugee camps. In the present things become increasingly perplexing, dangerous, and misleading.

There are plenty of unexpected twists and discoveries in the intricate plot that add tension, depth, and trepidation along the way. The direction the plot takes is totally unpredictable, and full of intrigue and danger. There is a lot of backstory that needs to be revealed to solve the case of Sabera's disappearance. I was increasingly concerned about Frankie this time out. Lending some comedic relief to the story are the pet sitting duties and Genni's daily outfits.

Frankie continues to be a great character and it was good to see her back. She is a fully realized, complex character with both strengths and weaknesses. Her determination, intelligence, and instincts are always present at the forefront as she tackles an investigation.

Kiss Her Goodbye is an excellent choice for anyone who enjoys complex investigative thrillers. Thanks to Grand Central Publishing for providing me with an advance reader's copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.

The review will be published on Barnes & Noble and Amazon.

The latest installment in the Frankie Elkin series sees the titular character headed to Tucson, where she has been enlisted to search for missing Afghan refugee Sabera Ahmadi. Right from the beginning, Sabera’s case is a convoluted mess, with puzzles inside of puzzles and seemingly no trace of the missing wife and mother. Frankie will have to use all her wits to escape the very real danger that seems to have followed Sabera across the globe.

I have been a devoted reader of Lisa Gardner’s for many years, and consider myself a dedicated fan of all her characters. Frankie Elkin is the newest addition to the stable, but this is already the fourth book featuring her! I enjoyed learning more about Afghanistan, even if the subject matter was often grim and made me sad. I liked the book, but felt like the pacing was off, the tension didn’t really pick up until the final ⅓ of the story. There was lots of telling, instead of showing, how great Sabera was and how smart her daughter was, and how complex the puzzles were. It felt like the suspense suffered from an overwhelming amount of information. 3.25 stars. Thank you to Netgalley and Grand Central Publishing for the gifted copy. All opinions are my own.

4.5 stars
Another great installment in the Frankie Elton series. I always enjoy listening to the audiobook for the extra experience. This time, Frankie finds herself in Tucson, trying to unravel the disappearance of an Afghan refugee. I listened in one sitting, riveted to developments as they unfolded. I also liked that Frankie herself is evolving in this series, questioning past decisions and future options. I can’t wait for the next one!!

Kiss Her Goodbye by Lisa Gardner is the fourth book in the Frankie Elkin series. Frankie Elkin travels around the country solving cold cases of missing persons as a way to give closure to the families. In this installment, Frankie travels to Tucson, Arizona to search for a missing Afghan refugee woman.

This Frankie Elkin book felt a little different than some of the earlier ones. It was obvious that a lot of research had gone into the book to bring to light many of the struggles of Afghan refugees both in the United States and before arrival. I definitely felt like I learned a lot more about Afghan history and culture than I knew previously.

The queen of page-turning thrillers is back with Book 4 in the Frankie Elkin series, and I really liked this one much more than Still See You Everywhere.

Frankie is headed to Tucson this time, where she’s been asked to help find Sabera Ahmadi, a young Afghan refugee who vanished without a trace. The police aren’t doing much, her husband seems indifferent, but her sponsor knows something is seriously wrong. Then a video surfaces that shows Sabera at the scene of a double murder, and suddenly the case takes a sharp turn. As Frankie digs deeper into the family’s past, it becomes clear there’s way more going on than anyone realized and danger is coming for all of them, especially little Zahra, a child with a memory that might just be the key to everything

This one had more of that classic detective/police procedural feel that I really enjoy, and it worked well for Frankie’s character. The pace was tight, the tension steady, and the mystery unraveled in a way that kept me fully engaged. What really stood out, though, were the side characters. Bart, Daryl, Genni—I loved them. I genuinely hope we see them again in future books. They added heart, grit, and even a little humor to a pretty intense storyline. Not a fan of the reptile side creatures but I’ll let them be since they help with the plot at a point.

There is a strong refugee storyline which also gave the plot so much weight and depth. It felt timely and layered, and even though some parts of the plot were a bit far-fetched (as thrillers sometimes are!), I didn’t mind one bit. The emotional beats hit just right, and the writing was sharp throughout. If you like your thrillers with a mix of danger, heart, and strong female leads, Kiss Her Goodbye delivers. And I cannot wait for Frankie’s next case.

Kiss Her Goodbye comes out August 12, 2025 Huge thank you to Grand Central Publishing for my advanced copy in exchange for my honest opinion. If you liked this review please let me know either by commenting below or by visiting my Instagram @speakingof.books.
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Frankie Elkin is back... this time she is looking into the disappearance of an Afghan refugee in Tucson, Arizona. It's a mysterious case that leaves Frankie baffled as she learns more about the process of acclimating refugees in the US. And at the same time, she's dealing with her new job - taking care of a large iguana and many snakes. Frankie always finds friends and helpers everywhere she goes, and I loved the sub-characters in this one, including the reptiles.

Overall, it was a bit of a slow burn as Sabera's story unfolds, but it was also interesting and informative at the same time. You can tell Lisa Gardner did a lot of research while writing this one (Afghan refugee process, Afghan food, reptiles, cryptography, and more), so kudos to her.

Wow! Lisa Gardener has been a favorite author of mine for years. I’ve enjoyed every single book and looked forward to the next. She is one of the author’s that I try to get on Libby for early so that I can read her latest ASAP.

This book is different in the best way. I try to avoid spoilers but I will just say the intro is so gripping that I had to lay the book aside so that I could pay attention to little details. It took longer for me to read this one and I enjoyed every sentence.

I would say any fan of Gardener will love this book. If you haven’t been a fan you might try again with this one. I think you’ll love it. With apologies to the author, she’s matured and so has her writing. It makes this story more compelling while maintaining her enthusiasm for storytelling!

I received this book early from Net galley and this is an honest, unaltered opinion. It did take me longer to read this one so apologies for that part as I was engrossed in the book and couldn’t just zip through at my normal pace.

It is always so great to be back in Frankie’s world. She is one of my favorite characters! I appreciated Gardner’s deep research into the life of a refugee.

Lisa Gardner continues to deliver with Kiss Her Goodbye, the fourth installment in the Frankie Elkin series—and honestly, I think I’m enjoying each book more than the last. This series is best read in order, as each installment builds beautifully on Frankie’s emotional and personal journey. Gardner has done such a fantastic job developing Frankie over time, and by this point, I’m fully invested in her. She’s a fascinating, complex character, she’s flawed, determined, and endlessly compelling.

In this installment, Frankie is in Tucson, Arizona (a fun detail for me as an AZ native!), searching for Sabera, a missing Afghan refugee. The narrative alternates between Frankie’s present day investigation and Sabera’s own story from the past, a structure that added a lot of depth and emotional weight. One of Gardner’s greatest strengths is creating fresh, original situations for Frankie to navigate, and this one is no exception. Each book feels distinct, and that keeps the series sharp and unpredictable.

The pacing here starts off more methodical, laying the groundwork for a case that grows more intense with each chapter. The final stretch is especially gripping, it’s full of emotional revelations, clever twists, and high stakes moments. It’s smart, layered, and packed with tension. If you’re already a fan of the series, you’ll be satisfied and maybe even surprised. If you’re new, I highly recommend starting from the beginning. Frankie Elkin is one of the most memorable characters I’ve followed in recent years, and her journey is absolutely worth taking.

Kiss Her Goodbye is the fourth book in the Frankie Elkin series, written by Lisa Gardner, but it can easily be read as a standalone.

Our book starts with an idyllic childhood. A sister plays with her doting older brother, their mother and father are happy in their lives and marriage. Then the Taliban invade Kabul, the location of Sabera’s once joyous home. The peaceful, relaxed days morph in to fear, guns and roadside bombs. As an adult, Sabera finds a safe haven as a refugee in Texas, but her peace is very short lived.

I thought the writing was fabulous. There is so much going on, that it is quite a feat to weave all the characters, and individual little plots strands together so incredibly well.
I loved Genni and Daryl, the family formed by Bart. Kind, generous souls, seen by those who chose to look beyond the facade, that others may judge. Petunia was a wonderful and welcome light relief, in a heavy and dark read, I was less of a fan of Marge; something I have in common with Frankie.

Kiss Her Goodbye highlights the plight of people who have escaped hideous war torn situations, having already endured so much, who are then further marginalised when they reach a place of “safety”. At the same time, it is a story of family, of the special bond and strength between mothers and daughters.

This is a tense, action packed thriller, fraught with danger at every turn. It is complex, and extremely well plotted, there is so much going on. I know Frankie can’t stand still, but I would love to read of Bart, Daryl and Genni again, they are fabulous characters. I loved everything about the book, 5⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ from me.

This is the 4th book in the Frankie Elkin series, and my only complaint is that there aren’t already more books. I really like Frankie, she is one of the most intriguing characters I have read. Frankie is drawn to Tuscan to look for a missing Afghan woman that no one seems to be missing despite the fact that she left her 4 year old daughter behind. Frankie dives right in, and her job/temporary housing situation is wonderful and hilarious. I really liked all of the side characters in this one and while it was a little complex with spies and hidden codes it was still an excellent mystery. I listened to the audiobook and I really liked the narration a lot. I thought it brought the two main narrators to life. The book was told from Frankie’s perspective and from Sabera, the missing Afghan woman. Sabera’s perspective is a summary of her life and the traumas she has endured. I kind of hope the side characters in this one make an appearance again at some point, but I know that’s not how this series really works.

Audiobook: Narrated by Hillary Huber, the audio version of Kiss Her Goodbye pulls you straight into Frankie Elkin’s world with just the right balance of grit, heart, and subtle emotional layering. Huber captures Frankie’s weary determination perfectly, while also bringing depth to the supporting characters. Whether you’re listening or reading, this story grabs you and doesn’t let go.

This book is intense, raw, and deeply human. Gardner walks a fine line between suspense and emotional reckoning, and she does it masterfully. One minute I was chuckling over Frankie’s unexpected interactions with reptiles and her temporary housemates Genni and Daryl, and the next I was holding my breath as she uncovered layers of trauma, secrets, and survival among a displaced family in danger. The story doesn’t rely on twisty gimmicks, although there were still a few surprises, it held me in the moment, page after page, as the truth unraveled.

What really stayed with me is how emotionally stirring this was. It opened my eyes to a reality I’d never been exposed to, the pain, complexity, and hidden courage of refugee life in America. Gardner gave voice to the kind of story that too often goes untold. Powerful, heart wrenching, and unforgettable.