I haven't read the previous books in this series but there is no need as this one can be read as a standalone. I enjoyed the Afghani representation as it is not a culture we are often exposed to in stories. The mystery was gripping and I thoroughly enjoyed the audiobook, which I listened to eagerly. I may just have to go back and listen to the previous books now!

thank you, Netgalley and Lisa Gardner, for the opportunity to listen to this audiobook!
Frankie works for the missing. Her only job is to find out what happened to them and bring them home to their loved ones, one way or another. But this latest missing persons case - a refugee and young mother named Sabera - definitely has a lot more to it than meets the eye.

This book took me a little bit to get into, but I thoroughly enjoyed it. With the dual POV, going between Frankie and Sabera's notes/letters from the past, you are able to get a better grasp of both what is happening now, and some background leading to this point and why. I loved the storyline around Frankie house sitting for Bart with the interesting creatures she had to feed (especially Petunia) and the friends/found family she made by staying there. With a mix of laugh out loud, action, and emotional scenes, it really does paint an interesting picture.

I’ve read all of the Frankie Elkin novels and this one did not disappoint. I love Frankie’s personality and self-deprecating, quick wit. I really enjoyed the Afghanistan immigrant information…really made me think about the world we live in.

4.5 stars.

Kiss Her Goodbye by Lisa Gardner
Frankie Elkin series #4. Mystery, suspense. Can be read as a stand-alone. Multiple timelines.
Sabera Ahmadi, a recent Afghan refugee, disappeared three weeks ago. Her closest friend is sure that Sabera would never voluntarily leave her three year old child behind although her husband and the police seem unconcerned. Frankie Elkin travels to the streets of Tucson to try to find the missing woman. The danger ramps up when the husband disappears and an attempt is made on the child. Frankie, the police and a couple of locals use every resource they can to try to find Sabera.

🎧 I listened to an audiobook version of this book narrated by Hillary Huber. It’s a stellar performance with clear and distinct voices, accents and tone changes for the various women in the story. Impressive work. A lot of the story is Frankie giving voice to her investigation, but there is enough going on that it doesn’t get boring or stale.
I did listen to this at 1.5 and slightly higher for a better match to local conversation comfort.

Frankie is good at asking questions and getting answers. In this book, she confronts a phobia which makes for a bit of levity in an otherwise serious and dangerous investigation.
While it can be read as a stand-alone, there are references to a person she’s walked away from and seems like she’s not totally confidant in the decision. It doesn’t make a difference in this particular story. It does add a bit of depth to Frankie and perhaps questions the reader may want answered.

Thrilling, and hair-raising.

I received a copy of this from publisher Hachette Audio.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC opportunity!

This was okay. I usually love Frankie’s stories but this one felt all over the place and honestly hard to follow. I spent most of the book very confused on who was who and where it was going.

Thanks to this book, I was just introduced to Frankie Elkin and I am now a fan.
What a great story! I especially liked the relevance to what is going on in the world today. Can't wait to go back and read more of Frankie's exploits.

I have come to the realization that I am not a big fan of Lisa Gardner's series that are more on the mystery side than on the thriller side, which is a shame, because I absolutely adore a lot of her work. I used to be super into this genre, but not anymore, so maybe it's time for me to move on! I have read many fantastic review about this book (and series), so this is absolutely a me thing. BUT, I do feel like the story was way too detailed for what it was, which made it very murky and hard to follow at times. A mystery needs to be much more gripping than this. I did like Frankie though!
I received an advance review copy of this book for free and I am leaving this review volutarily.

Kiss Her Goodbye was such a good read! Besides it being a great suspense novel, I felt it shed light on some really important issues and point of views. If there’s ever a book to read/listen to the author’s note, it’s this one. As I got through the story I kept wondering how the author had such detailed information on refugee experiences so the author’s note really tied that loose end for me. There was a point where I wondered why there was so much reptile talk but that ended up making sense as well. lol
I read this as a stand alone and didn’t feel that I was missing anything. The narrator did a great job as well. Overall, a great listen!

The biggest THANK YOU to Lisa Gardner and Hachette Audio for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I enjoyed this book. It kept me entertained but Lisa Gardner usually does. I highly recommend checking out any books written by this author.

Gripping action with heart stopping moments during the fall of Kabul, Pakistan. The brutality felt so real to the characters (very accurately, scary.) I loved Frankie. This is my first book about her character and am pleased to see more books have been written. I can’t wait to read more. The culminating ending with all the people in the book was climactic and a touch heartbreaking to some level. I hate goodbyes, yet I can’t wait for more. The reader on this audio did so good, especially with the different dialects. Book provided by NetGalley.

Thanks so much Net Galley for the advanced audio of Lisa Gardner's latest release KISS HER GOODBYE. This novel follows Frankie Elkin as she looks for another missing person. This is the 4th in Frankie's series though it can be read as a stand-alone. This novel focuses on Sabara Ahmadi, her husband Isaad and their three year old daughter Zahra as well as her friend Aliah who shows more concern about her missing friend than Sabara's own husband Isaad.

Frankie's work as a missing person locator and how she came to do this as well as how she goes about this job are the main focus of this novel. This books takes you through the streets of Tuscon, Arizona and gives a bit of history on Afghanistan and what's happening there and to the refugees who are now on American soil.

EXCERPT: . . . she says what I've always feared. She states the words that expose our little secret, a deathbed confession involving the one piece of our relationship I've always known is mine and mine alone. And I hate this, too. It makes what will happen next too real, the passing of the guard as secret keeper from her to me.
"You know." Her words are soft. A statement of fact. "You have seen."
I bite my lip, sullen and resentful. If I refuse to speak of the market, acknowledge everything that happens, then she will have to stay. I'm certain of it.
"Do you understand it all?" she asks me. "You've always been the cleverest girl. Watching from the sidelines. Your brother suspects, but you, janem, you peer beneath the surface, connecting what shouldn't connect, identifying a whole where others see only parts. You remind me of me, when I was a child."
"Mādar -"
"Shh, while I can still speak, this is what you must know. You cannot trust your uncles. Your father is too gentle. They will bend him to their will, and he will not understand the danger until it's too late. Never trust men who fatten their bellies off other people's pain. And never, ever believe any man knows what's best for you. Even when they come from a place of love." A pause. "Especially when they come from a place of love. You, and only you, will clean out my sewing room."
I nod helplessly.
"You will be troubled, and I'm sorry. You will feel you're too young for such a burden, but you're strong and powerful, janem. You will find your way."
Her finger squeeze mine. She raises her head to gaze at me with a fierceness I didn't know she had left.
"You will tell no one. Do you understand? Not even Farshid. You can peer into other people's souls, my sweet. But never let them see yours."
I open my mouth, I want to say no, to selfishly refuse such a giant and terrifying ask.
But it's too late. My mother's head falls back against the pillows, the exhaustion like an extra blanket weighing her down.
She slips her hand from mine, draws a thin line through the tears on my cheek. "Should the worst happen, people will want to take everything, but in the end, they will be allowed nothing. Remember this, my sweet. Remember."
I break down, sobbing, begging, demanding that she stay. She pats my back, once, twice, three times. Then she gently pushes me away.
Her grey eyes stare straight into mine. Clear. Purposeful.
She states: "Chin up."
And that's it.

ABOUT 'KISS HER GOODBYE': Frankie Elkin usually prefers her cases cold. Until she finds herself in the broiling streets of Tucson, Arizona, where an Afghan refugee has been missing for three weeks.

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.

But in order to solve the mystery of Sabera’s present, Frankie must revisit her past in order to uncover the dark secret she is hiding.

A secret so dangerous it might kill them both . . .

MY THOUGHTS: I have loved the previous three books in the Frankie Elkin series, but Kiss Her Goodbye I love most of all.

Dark and emotional, Kiss Her Goodbye is set over two timelines - Sabera's childhood and coming of age as the Taliban regain control of Afghanistan, and now when Sabera is a missing refugee in Tuscon, Arizona. Which is where Frankie Elkin comes in . . .

I love Frankie's character. She's one in a million. She is the one who goes looking for the missing minorities and vulnerable, the people the authorities have forgotten, put in the 'too hard' basket, or are simply not interested in finding. She accepts no money but lives on whatever casual work she can find while she is searching.

We have all seen war-torn Afghanistan on the news and documentaries. We see the faces, starving, frightened, wounded. We make the appropriate noises about how terrible it all is and may even donate a few dollars to the cause and then go on living our lives. Lisa Gardner has provided us a with a face, a more personal reality, a story that, although largely fictional, is drawn from the experiences of many.

Lisa Gardner does all this wrapped in a thrilling, puzzling narrative where I was unsure who to trust other than Frankie herself. Information is doled out a little piece at a time, often along with misinformation. Smoke and mirrors. The best place to hide the truth is amongst a lot of lies, and vice-versa.

There is a lot of depth to this multilayered plot. Characters in whom I placed my trust were duplicitous and I found it exceptionally hard to get a handle on Sabera herself. Her daughter, Zahara, was a bright spot in a dark, twisty and emotional read along with Danny, Genni and Petunia.

I combined reading with listening to Kiss Her Goodbye written by Lisa Gardner and superbly narrated by Hilary Huber. I loved both formats and can't choose between them.

Whichever format you select, don't miss the author's note at the end where Lisa tells how Kiss Her Goodbye came about.

Kiss Her Goodbye is easily read as a stand-alone.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

#KissHerGoodbye #NetGalley

MEET THE AUTHOR: LISA GARDNER began her career in food service, but after catching her hair on fire numerous times, she took the hint and focused on writing instead. A self-described research junkie, she has transformed her interest in police procedure and criminal minds into a streak of internationally acclaimed novels.

For a bit of fun, Lisa invites her readers to enter the annual “Kill a Friend, Maim a Buddy” Sweepstakes at LisaGardner.com. Every year, one Lucky Stiff is selected to meet a grand end in Lisa’s latest novel. Past winners have nominated spouses, best friends and even themselves.

Lisa lives in New Hampshire where she spends her time with an assortment of canine companions. When not writing, she loves to hike, garden, snowshoe and play cribbage.

DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Random House UK, Cornerstone via NetGalley for providing an e-ARC of Still See You Everywhere by Lisa Gardner for review, and to Hachette Audio, Grand Central Publishing for a copy of the audiobook narrated by Hilary Huber for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.

Released today! Frankie is back and in Arizona looking for an Afghan refugee. The Ahmadi family came here to escape war for a fresh start. Sabera is missing leaving her three year old behind. Is the past coming after the Ahmadi’s? Are they all in danger?

Great read, this book was hard to put down keeping my attention the entire time!

I’ve always loved Lisa Gardner’s writing & this series is easily one of my all time favourites & I hope it continues for a long time to come.
Frankie Elkin has to be one of my favourite characters ever; she’s such a badass yet still flawed in ways that make her even more relatable & likeable. If I were ever in trouble she’s exactly the kind of person I’d want in my corner!
I also really enjoyed the alternating POVs between Frankie & Sabera it gave the story extra depth & kept me hooked from start to finish.

I was lucky enough to receive an audio ARC. Hillary Huber’s narration was fantastic. She brought the characters to life with such distinct voices that I could instantly tell who was speaking. Her delivery kept me completely engaged throughout.

An easy ★★★★★ stars from me!

In book 4 of the Frankie Elkin series, Frankie is hired to find Recent Afghan refugee and young mother Sabera Ahmad., who was last seen three weeks ago. Her much older, domineering husband seems unconcerned, and the police have yet to open a missing persons case on her. The only one who seems concerned is Sabra's closest friend. Aliah. Frankie quickly discovers 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 has an uncanny ability to remember anything she sees. When Isaad also disappears under mysterious circumstances and an attempt is made on Zahra's life, Frankie realizes she must crack the code of this family's horrific past. Someone is coming for the Ahmadis. And violence is clearly an option.

I always thoroughly enjoy this author's books. They are a thrill ride from start to finish, and I ansolutely adore Frankie. This book really tugged on my heartstrings, with the way Afghan refugees are treated, the refugee camps, how they have degrees & good jobs & nice houses and then come over here and are forced to live in slums and work as maids and drive for things like Uber, because their degrees don't count over here. I had no idea there was even a large Aghan resettlement population in Tucson. The narrator did an excellent job bringing this book to life. I highly recommend this to anyone who loves thrillers..

Frankie Ellin is back, and her new case may prove to be a very difficult one. 💫💫💫💫💫

Frankie is in Tucson and is looking for a missing Afghan refugee named Sabera Ahmadi. No one seems to know where she may be, and no one seems to care. There is a lot of mystery around her disappearance as well as secrets, and everyone seems to be too scared to talk. Sabera and her family and her past hold a great mystery that only Frankie can help uncover.

Frankie is funny, clever, flawed but very skilled. I really enjoyed her and her interactions with Bart, his pet Petunia, and his driver.

Hilary Huber is an exquisite narrator. She is clear, and her narration brings the characters to life. I felt immersed in her narration and enjoyed her tremendously.

Thank you, Netgalley and Hachette Audio, for my audio ARC. All opinions are entirely my own.

My thoughts: You could read this without reading the first few books in the series but I suggest you read them first. I’ll also note that this has some heavy / dark content. Tons of twists and turns though and very unpredictable. I enjoyed that and enjoyed listening to this. The narration is amazing.

Lisa Gardner delivers another solid and engaging installment in the Frankie Elkin series. From the start, it’s a mystery with heart, and Frankie’s imperfect but deeply compassionate nature once again takes center stage.

The integration of refugee experiences adds a powerful and timely layer, giving the story emotional weight beyond the mystery itself. The pacing is strong, with twists, turns, and a few genuine surprises that kept me invested until the end.

While it didn’t quite hit the absolute “can’t put it down” level for me, it’s still a standout read with complex characters, emotional resonance, and a mystery that keeps you guessing.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

🪴| Overall good read. Enjoyed the writing style and audio. It was just a lot of moving parts for me. I’ll have to check out more titles earlier in the Frankie installments.

In the beginning of this book, the pacing was a bit slow, and I'm not going to lie, the reptile babysitting threw me so off guard, but I knew that it would play a bigger part in the story later on (or at least I had hoped it would). I wouldn't say that there were constant twists and turns that kept me on my toes, but there was enough happening to keep me intrigued as to what would happen next. However, the ending REALLY held onto my attention and I just couldn't put it down. It was just so far from what I expected to happen.

Thank you to Grand Central Publishing, Lisa Gardner, Hachette Audio, and NetGalley for the ARC of this book. This is my honest review.