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Lisa Gardner’s Kiss Her Goodbye takes Frankie Elkin to Tucson, Arizona, where the desert heat is matched only by the chaos surrounding a missing Afghan refugee. Sabera Ahmadi vanished three weeks ago, leaving behind her young daughter and a husband who seems oddly unbothered. When Frankie starts digging, the case quickly turns into a tangled web of murder, espionage, and family secrets. Gardner’s trademark pacing and grit are here in full force, and parts of the story are as sharp and entertaining as ever.
But the book also has its share of head-scratchers. Frankie’s hallucinations were overdone and distracting, pulling me out of the action rather than deepening her character. The addition of a transgender character felt shoehorned in—like checking a box rather than adding meaning. On the plus side, there’s clever dialogue, quirky side characters (including a boa constrictor!), and enough twists to keep most readers engaged. Frankie even reminded me of Janet Evanovich’s Stephanie Plum—a messy but likable heroine who just can’t stay out of trouble.
The audiobook was nicely narrated by Hillary Huber, who captured Frankie’s world-weariness and dry humor perfectly.
Thanks to Grand Central Publishing and Hachette Audio for the complimentary copies. Opinions are my own.