Lisa Gardner’s Say Goodbye is a gripping psychological thriller that delves into the darkest corners of human behavior. The story follows Frankie Elkin as she investigates a disturbing case involving a missing mother. Gardner weaves a complex, layered narrative full of tension, dread, and emotional stakes.

What sets this book apart is the depth of its characters—especially Franky, who is both tough and vulnerable, shaped by her past trauma. As the investigation unfolds, Gardner keeps readers on edge with chilling twists and a relentless pace. The villain is one of the most disturbing you’ll encounter in crime fiction, and the themes of abuse, survival, and control are handled with unflinching intensity.

With razor-sharp writing and a deeply unsettling atmosphere, Kiss Her Goodbye is not just a thriller—it’s an emotional and psychological deep dive. Disturbing, addictive, and impossible to put down, this novel proves why Lisa Gardner is a master of the genre.

* I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley. Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for this book. All thoughts are my own.

The newest installment in the Frankie Elkin series is a race against time to find a missing Afghan woman in Arizona. We learn bits and pieces of her backstory as Frankie works with her friends before something happens go Sabera. I love this series and Gardner’s writing, and while this is a really good book it’s not my favorite of the series so far.

I will absolutely keep reading this series and highly recommend it!

This is my second favorite Frankie Elkin novel! I loved the variety of characters and all of them coming together. The story was fast-paced and just so good. Highly recommend!!

Frankie is back at it! Searching for a young afghan refugee. Loved the added cultural aspect of this story as well as the exploration into the different challenges these refugees face. Overall another compelling story in the series highly recommend!

By Lisa Gardner, Kiss Her Goodbye. War-torn young mother determined to start over.  It's not always easy to escape the sins of the past. When Frankie is asked to help locate an Afghan refugee in Tucson, AZ, she's hesitant to leave her new relationship. Aliah, her mentor and new friend, knows Sabera would never voluntarily leave her 4 year old daughter behind. In searching for the missing woman, Frankie discovers that this family is going through a lot.
This was a fascinating experience to learn about a culture I had never heard of before. I was captivated by the descriptions of refugee camps, camps filled with refugees, and the loss of a country. Despite her undaunted nature, Frankie enlists her cast of friends to help her in her search. There were many beautiful parts of this book, but there were also many painful parts as well. I knew nothing about refugee camps and only heard about the Taliban on the news. I'm so far removed from it all, it didn't seem real. Lisa expresses such a vivid, bleak picture of despair that I found myself feeling as though I was in the camp with these people.

You can tell that a lot of research went into the writing of this book. It was interesting, informative and entertaining. This book made me look at refugees in a different way. Also , iguanas. Solidified my opinion of snakes however.
Sometimes so much happened at one time, I would need to reread parts. Very fast moving book. Crazy characters. Lots of recent history. Fell in love with the four daughter. Gave place to legitimate mental issues. Very real. This is a very well written book.

Lisa Gardner is one of my top 5 contemporary authors. I don't take this lightly, and I'm often hesitant to start a new work from a favorite author because I'm worried it won't live up to my expectations. I had no need to worry with Gardner's latest, "Kiss Her Goodbye." I found myself devouring the book at such a pace that I actually rearranged my family's dinner plans so I could read while mindlessly stirring a pot of soup. I enjoyed seeing my beloved characters develop further, while remaining true to their original form. I can't wait for the next installment!

I love the Frankie Elkin series and was so excited to be sent book #4! Lisa Gardner is such a great storyteller and does a great job of making her characters seem real. She makes you feel like you are really in the setting of the book and I loved the random reptiles in the mansion in this one. I was a little confused by parts of this and still had some questions at the end- it was hard to tell what was real and wasn’t. Overall, I love Frankie and will always read any book in this series! I did question the title and the cover after reading because I felt like it didn’t really match the storyline at all.

Thank you Netgalley and Grand Central Publishing for the ARC!

Kiss Her Goodbye is the fourth book in the Frankie Elkin series and I have missed her. This series is like an old friend that you are being reunited with after too long. This story is set in Arizona, where Frankie, a seasoned missing persons expert, embarks on a quest to find Sabera, a young Afghan refugee who has mysteriously disappeared. As Frankie delves into Sabera's life she finds that the scars of war and her past life in Afghanistan has followed her to Arizona. Sabera and her family are in trouble and Frankie with her new team of friends are determined to figure out who has Sabera and is trying to get her family. This story has tons of twists and just when you think you have figured out who the enemy is Lisa Gardner throws a twist that will leave you stunned. I love this series and Ms. Gardner can't write them fast enough so I have to continue to reread to get my fix. If you haven't tried this series you are missing out on so much suspense, mystery and intrigue.

A twisty international intrigue that had me turning pages continuously. There were some intense scenes; all the more dramatic given its present day relevance. While there were intense scenes, there were also comical scenes to balance. I am really enjoying the Frankie Elkin series and can’t wait for her next adventure!

As someone who’s really enjoyed the Frankie Elkin series, Kiss Her Goodbye didn’t quite land the same punch as its predecessors for me. While there were definitely moments of intrigue, the present-day storyline just didn’t feel as gripping or emotionally rich as Sabera’s backstory, which ended up stealing the spotlight.

Frankie, who usually brings such a unique voice and energy, felt a little more subdued this time around. Her personality shone through mostly in her sharp, subtle exchanges with a detective who, unfortunately, wasn’t a major part of the plot. I missed the vivid atmosphere and tension that made the last two books so compelling.

That said, Lisa Gardner still knows how to craft a layered mystery, and I’ll absolutely be picking up the next one—this just wasn’t my favorite stop on Frankie’s journey.

This was a complete mind mess. I didn't know what was going on and who did what till the end. I was waiting to see if I was right about who did what but I was definitely wrong. I was on the edge of my seat for most of this book I could not believe how everything happened and ended. Frankie is such a great detective. I loved her character and how she worked the case. If you are looking for a book full of action that keeps you wondering what will happen next I highly recommend this book.

Frankie is back searching for another missing person. This time, it is a young Afghan refugee. She is a mother who disappeared and left a husband and daughter behind. Frankie hits the ground running to find the missing woman. She has her job cut out for her with many mysteries to solve and unreliable background information. The 4th book to the Frankie Elkins series is great. I love how Lisa can incorporate real issues into her novels and make them thought-provoking while keeping you entertained!

Frankie Elkin returns with a bang in Lisa Gardner’s Kiss Her Goodbye. This time, she veers from her usual cold case missing-persons investigations to search for Sabera Ahmadi, a recent refugee from Afghanistan. In Tucson, Arizona, Frankie finds herself living in unexpected luxury—in exchange for caring for Petunia, a large iguana with eclectic tastes; Marge, a five-foot-long python; and a dozen baby snakes. Along with the house come two colorful characters: Daryl, an ex-con on parole, and Genni, a quirky 6’4” cook who dresses in a different themed outfit every day, from Mary Ann of Gilligan’s Island to a 1950s housewife.
Frankie is soon drawn deep into the mystery surrounding Sabera, a highly sought after polyglot, who is caught on video at the scene of a brutal murder. Gardner doesn’t shy away from difficult topics, offering a raw, unflinching portrayal of the Afghan experience during and after the Taliban takeover. The narrative alternates between Frankie’s investigation and Sabera’s poignant letters to her precocious 4-year-old daughter, Zahra, whose photographic memory adds another layer to the mystery.
The supporting cast—Sabera’s brilliant mathematician husband, Isaad; her friend, Aliah; and others—are cloaked in their own secrets, creating a richly layered and suspenseful plot. Gardner continues to deepen Frankie’s character in this fourth installment, revealing more of her inner thoughts and emotional struggles. The result is a protagonist who feels increasingly human and relatable.
Kiss Her Goodbye is not only a gripping mystery but also a moving history lesson. The characters are well-developed, the stakes are high, and the emotional payoff is real. A satisfying, memorable read.

I had no idea this was book number four. I think I would have enjoyed this a lot more if I had read the others in the series. There were definitely some twists and turns. But nothing that really had me on the edge of my seat. The plot wasn’t my favorite and made it hard for me to keep reading.

Thank you NetGalley, Lisa and Grand Central Publishing for the eARC!

Publication Date: August 12 2025
Rating: ✨✨✨

Frankie Elkin is back and I’m here for it! Frankie is an alcoholic who lives on the fringe of society and her specialty is finding missing people. She has a heart for those marginalized and repeatedly puts her life on the line for them. I’ve read all of the other books so I was thrilled to receive this ARC!

Frankie heads to Arizona in this installment to look for an Afghan refugee! This story has a lot of moving parts so I hope you’re paying attention. Lots of mystery and intrigue and this is definitely a book where you have to be patient as the puzzle pieces are slowly put together.

I loved this one . Gardner has a way with writing books that suck you in and keep you engaged throughout Thanks till the end which is the mark of a good book .
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for letting me review this book

I am a big fan of the Frankie Elkin series so I was excited to get an ARC of Kiss Her Goodbye. This addition to the series definitely serves quintessential Frankie with her vagrant lifestyle, resourcefulness, and her willingness to jump right into the path of danger.

The supporting characters in book #4 didn’t resonate with me the same way. Gardner’s books are always page turners for me, so maybe I was reading too quickly to fully digest the details, but I didn’t feel like I had the full picture on the background of the characters to be able to understand how they ended up in the situation they were in. Not my favorite of the series, but I’m definitely sticking with Frankie for whatever comes next.

I always say this but Lisa Gardner never disappoints. I zoomed through the Detective D.D. Warren series and was elated when Frankie Elkin came on scene. Book #4 with Frankie was another great one! I read this in two days. Alll hail Lisa Gardner and her amazing storytelling.

Part of me wants to give this five stars just for the subject matter - it's that important. But the truth is that I didn't 5 star like it.

I read the author for suspense and popcorn and entertainment.

This was heavy. All the sections where we explore Sebera's life were definitely important and horrifying and completely at odds with some of the light silliness that we get from Frankie. I think some people would say that this was meant as relief from the bleakness and I get that, but it just wasn't quite for me.

That being said, I was still interested in how this would all pan out and, once we started getting a bit of clarification of events, read eagerly.

I do appreciate that the author had an important story to tell and she tells it well.

I think that most readers will appreciate this one.