In the fourth installment of the Frankie Elkin series, an Afghan Refugee named Sabera Ahmadi, goes missing without a trace. It is up to Frankie to unravel the mystery of the Ahmadi Family, and bring this mother back home. As always, this was a very well written and descriptive mystery, with some historical fiction sprinkled in, that keeps you guessing at every turn.

When Afghan refugee Sabera comes to America she thinks things might finally be different than her war torn country. But quickly that is not the case and she disappears. The police open a case but no one is sure where she is or what happened to her but one thing is evident: secrets are being kept. Frankie comes in as a private investigator and realizes there is way more to this family. As the search for Sabera is progressing danger is becoming more and more immanent for everyone involved.

This was a good book and very full of action and drama. It had some hard things to deal with due to the nature of the topic involving being a refugee, war, assault and more. I thought it was well written and gave a true ish perspective on the crisis refugees do have to face. This book was thrilling and kept me on the edge of my seat!

Lisa Gardner has done it again! This was a great fast paced thriller that will be on my favorite shelf! This is the 4th book but I enjoyed reading it as a stand alone.

Frankie Elkins is a heroine to root for and this book shows more of her vulnerabilities. She's leading the search for a missing Tuscon woman named Sabera, mother to a three year old, whose husband doesn't seem too upset about her absence. During the course of the book we make a lot of discoveries about Sabera's family, her life and her past. Some of the book was hard to read as it echoes much of our current political climate. It's well researched, beautifully written, and a cultural lesson. This is well worth your time.

I am a big fan of the Frankie Elkin series and this 4th installment delivered.
This time Frankie is tasked with looking for a missing Afghan refugee, so this story gets deep and dark. However the characters in the background are so unexpected and colorful that they help bring comfort and normalcy to Frankie’s heartbreaking investigation.
Written in dual timeline, this story will pull hard at your heartstrings while giving you hope, thanks to the big hearted people Frankie surrounds herself with.
Thank you to NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Kiss Her Goodbye is the fourth book in Lisa Gardner’s Frankie Elkin series and I think it’s probably the best. We see Frankie has taken to heart her time in Hawaii and has grown but still is the same old Frankie with her need to move and find. She heads to Tuscan to search for a missing Afghan refugee that no one seems all that concerned about expect one individual. While searching, Frankie finds herself house sitting for reptiles and becomes associates with the misfits her temporary employer hires. Together they form an unconventional group that steps up for a little girl with an amazing gift and they try to locate the answers needed to figure out what all has happened.

Can’t wait to see where Frankie’s adventures take her in the next book.



Thank you @grandcentralpub and @netgalley for this eARC in exchange for my honest feedback

I love Lisa Gardner, but this wasn’t an absolute favorite of mine. This is the next in the Frankie Elkin series, which up until the point I’ve enjoyed a lot. It was very very hard for me to follow and the subject matter was deep.

Sabera has known nothing but warfare for most of her life. Her family being killed in front of her leads to her status as an Afghan refugee in the United States. Her husband, Isaad, is a seemingly strict leader and runs a tight ship.

One day, she disappears. Her husband seems overall unconcerned, but Frankie is brought in to solve the case. When Isasad also appears dead, you know there is a problem.

Who will solve this mystery?

I have never been more excited to receive an ARC in my life. I literally screamed when I got this one—Kiss Her Goodbye by Lisa Gardner. This wasn’t just any book for me. Lisa Gardner is the reason I fell in love with reading, and especially with thrillers. I’ve been devouring her books since I was a kid, and I’ve read every single one she’s written.

The Frankie Elkins series holds such a special place in my heart, and this latest installment completely blew me away. Lisa has this incredible way of writing suspense that grips you, while also shining a light on real, heartbreaking issues happening in the world. The focus on Afghani refugees in this book was powerful—heart-wrenching, eye-opening, and handled with such care and humanity. It wasn’t just a thriller. It was beautiful.

Frankie continues to be one of my favorite characters. Flawed, fierce, and always driven by the need to do the right thing—even when it’s hard. I couldn’t stop turning the pages. I’m just so grateful I got to read this early. It reminded me exactly why I fell in love with this genre in the first place.

The fourth book in the Frankie Elkin series, Kiss Her Goodbye, does not disappoint! I love how Lisa Gardner adds cultural aspects to her books and allows her readers to learn about new regions. This time its learning about Afghanistan while the book is set in Tucson, AZ. Highly recommend! I especially enjoyed Petunia! Thanks to NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for the ARC. All opinions are my own. Rating: 5 stars Publication Date: August 12, 2025

Kiss Her Goodbye by Lisa Gardner
Publishing date - August 12th 2025
Rating (5/5)⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you to NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for this eARC. I love the Frankie Elkin series. In the 4th installment of this series , Frankie is assigned the task of locating a young Afghan refugee woman. The plot is filled with unexpected twists and turns. Gardner obviously put in her research in when writing about the Afghan refugee experience, as the novel provides interesting and sometimes heartbreaking details about Sabera’s journey, from her life in Afghanistan to her migration into the United States. An informative and emotional read - Highly recommend when it releases this August.

Lisa Gardner delivers a tense, fast-paced thriller in Kiss Her Goodbye, a gripping story filled with suspense, psychological depth, and unexpected twists.
Lisa Gardner once again proves why she’s one of the best in the genre.

Full disclosure- thank you #netgalley and #lisagardnerbks for the ARC.

Frankie Elkin has found an intriguing new case that calls to attention real life experiences of refugees and the lengths we go to for those we love. Frankie must face ghosts and fears to decipher the puzzles and codes to find a missing woman. An excellent cast of characters- great mystery- enlightening read-

I love this series! The premise is so interesting, and I love the characters in this one I found them very endearing. This book is the perfect mix of suspense and making you think, and the immigration / war perspective was interesting

Thanks for the advanced reader copy from Netgalley! Lisa does not disappoint!! This one held my attention and was a fast read.

I am surprised at this one ending up 5 stars for me. As soon as they brought in Afghan refugee situations and wars I questioned what I was reading. I like murder mystery/thrillers . However I pushed through that and tried to focus on the current happening story. And while both sides intertwined there were some characters that trumped my dislike for that type of plot.
Frankie is obviously amazing but my gosh the reptiles, Marge and Petunia and the babies 💕💕💕💕. Such an added element.
Daryl and Bart! Awesome
And the real star goes to Genni. What a friggen amazing character to add in. Her quirky persona was just the icing on the cake.
Overall… because of the characters and the twists and turns this one gets 5 stars from me

Another entertaining Frankie Elkin book but this time I feel like I learned along the way. It is very clear that Lisa Gardner did her research regarding the Afghanistan culture with this book. It had many twists and turns that I wasn’t expecting especially at the end. I love how Frankie Elkin is so selfless throughout this series and how every missing person she tries to find is someone that we feel like we know because of how Lisa Gardner introduces them in the book. I can’t wait for the next Frankie book to come out and see where she ends up! 4.5 rounded up to 5!

Ih ave thoroughly enjoyed the Frankie Elkin series since the beginning and this is no exception. It was very well written, with a superb level of mystery and dual timelines. Some of this story made me ache for those in Kabul and the things they were going through. The descriptive back story was so detailed I felt as if I was there. This book was fast paced. exciting and always with Lisa Gardner book it was great on plot twists. Excellent character development and I absolutely fell in love with Darryl. Great book!

Thank you to NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for the review!!

I was so excited to read another Frankie Elkins novel, and this did not disappoint. I loved the plot so much. I think the author did such a good job of painting a heartbreaking background that leads into why this became her next job. All the characters were wonderful, as well.

Thank you NetGalley & Grand Central Publishing for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was another fun entry in the Frankie Elkin series. I LOVE this series, and this one was just as heartfelt and heartbreaking as the ones previous.

Caught in a whirlwind of lies, mystery and intrigue, Frankie must locate a missing Afghan refuge when no one else seems to care. Along with her usual ragtag group of helpers, she must find the truth before it's too late for them all.

The book definitely delivered on the mystery front - at every turn and new clue, I found myself thinking where the hell is this going???? That's what I love about the Frankie Elkin books; they always start in one direction, and quickly and aggressively move in another, and you never quite know what's going on until it's all wrapped up. It's a nice change of pace, as I typically guess most mysteries early on.

I would, of course, recommend this book to all fellow Franke Elkin fans, and recommend reading the series as a whole to anyone else.

As a long time reader of the Frankie Elkin series I was not disappointed by this new installment. What an unusual missing person in this refugee from Afghanistan. Great flashbacks to her time in a camp there and to years before as well. The cast of characters added a measure of levity - who doesn’t love a pet iguana. Highly recommend.! Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC.