Review copy was received from NetGalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Kiss Her Goodbye by Lisa Gardner Narrator: Hillary Huber
Series: Frankie Elkin #4
Published by Grand Central Publishing, Hachette Audio on August 12, 2025
Genres: Mystery
Pages: 416
Length: 12 hours, 37 minutes
Format: Audiobook, eARC
Source: NetGalley
Goodreads
Amazon, Audible, Libro.fm, Barnes & Noble, Apple
The woman she is looking for, Sabera Ahmadi, is a young mother, haunted by war, scarred by the 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 find Sabera.
A few days later Frankie sees Sabera on camera walking away from the scene of a brutal double murder, and realises Sabera might not be the victim she has supposed her to be. In order to solve the mystery of Sabera’s present, Frankie must revisit her past to uncover the dark secret Sabera is still hiding.
I LOVE the Frankie Elkin series. Lisa Gardner has long been an author I have enjoyed and I am thrilled with this newer series. Here’s what I had to say in earlier reviews which gives you a foundation about Frankie:
… Frankie is a recovering alcoholic with no special skills beyond tenacity and the fortitude to uproot and reinvent her life each time she finds a new case to solve. She tackles the “unimportant” missing, mostly teenagers, who are poor or minorities or both. It reminds me of the Equalizer except Frankie doesn’t have the weapons, physical training or any kind of technical or financial resources. However, Frankie has some street smarts and she just doesn’t give up. Oddly, she’s a bit of a luddite with technology.
Frankie was taking a break after her last adventure. But she felt the need to take on a new missing person. She has some attachment to the guy who she spent her break with. She ponders it throughout the book, whether she could have any kind of actual relationship or have a home base.
The missing person is a woman, Sabera, who escaped from Kabul after it fell to the Taliban the second time. Her mother had died from cancer. Her father and brother were shot the day Kabul was overrun. Unfortunately, her vicious cousins did not die. She ended up with a math professor who was her father’s friend. She has her daughter Zahra while on the run.
Now, four years later, Sabera and her “husband” and daughter are settling in Tucson, AZ. But Sabera has gone missing. Aliah is a refugee who has been here for 25 years and works in helping newer people settle. She is the one who asks Frankie to help. Frankie starts talking to the other various aid workers to try to find out what is happening.
Frankie always has to find a place to stay and some kind of work to support herself. She answers an ad and ends up staying at a tech guy’s mansion and feeding his iguana and snakes, while he is out of town for a month. Daryl the chauffeur is available to her and helps, as does his parole officer, Roberta, and his chef, Genni.
The present day story is interspersed with the history in Afghanistan from the day Kabul fell until the present. More people around Sabera are killed or abducted. Frankie with her perseverance and intelligence gradually begins to unravel the players and motives. She has a team of allies in Daryl, Roberta and Genni, along with Aliah.
I really felt badly about what happened to the Afghan refugees when the Americans left. The consequences for many, especially women, were harsh. Gardner did some serious research and was able to give some realistic detail. It makes me sad to see people being so controlling of others for money, power, racism, and/or religion. It’s better to come together to make everyone’s life better.
Narration:
Hillary Huber is one of my favorite narrators so I have listened to this series on audio. She brings Frankie to life, with most of the story is in her point of view. I was glad to audio for help with the pronunciation of places and names. I was comfortable with all the character voices, which all felt distinct. I listened at my newer 1.75x speed.
Listen to a clip: HERE
About Hillary Huber
Hillary has recorded over 500 audiobooks spanning many genres. She is a multiple Audie Award finalist – including Best Female Narrator, multiple Earphone Award winner, Voice Arts Awards winner and one of Audiofile Magazine’s best voices. Hillary has a BA in English Literature and is a voracious reader and listener. Raised in conservative Connecticut and hippy Hawaii, she has unique perspective. She splits her time between Santa Monica and New York. Most of that time is in a 4×4 padded room. Er…booth.
About Lisa Gardner
New York Times bestselling crime novelist 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 parlayed her interest in police procedure, cutting edge forensics and twisted plots into a streak of eleven bestselling suspense novels.
Readers are invited to get in on the fun by entering the annual “Kill a Friend, Maim a Mate” Sweepstakes, where they can nominate the person of their choice to die in Lisa’s latest novel. Every year, one lucky stiff is selected for literary immortality. It’s cheaper than therapy, and you get a great book besides. For more details, simply visit Lisa’s website.
Lisa lives in the White Mountains of New Hampshire with her family, as well as two highly spoiled dogs and one extremely neurotic three-legged cat. Lisa graduated Magna Cum Laude from the University of Pennsylvania with a degree in international relations.
| Rating Breakdown | |
|---|---|
| Plot |
|
| Writing |
 |
| Characters |
|
| Narration (Audio) |
|
| Overall: | |
I read all types of books but my favorites are urban fantasy and romantic suspense.I like some romance and some action / adventure / mystery in everything.I like sex in my books but please, only between TWO people.Intimate conversation is equally important to the sex in a book.It lets me see the characters.The other thing I enjoy is humor.
Friend or follow me at Goodreads.
- 🎧 Murder in Blackfriars by Jennifer Ashley @jenniferashley.bsky.social #KymberleyCochrane @dreamscape-media.bsky.social @berkleypub.bsky.social @BerkleyPub#LoveAudiobooks #LibraryLove - August 15, 2026
- The One Who Walked Away by Karen Rose @karenrosebooks.bsky.social @berkleyromance.bsky.social @berkleypub.bsky.social @KarenRoseBooks - August 13, 2026
- 🎧 Brimstone Hollow by Archer Sullivan #ArcherSullivan #EmilyPikeStewart @macmillanaudio.bsky.social @minotaurbooks.bsky.social #LoveAudiobooks @MacmillanAudio - August 11, 2026
Reading this book contributed to these challenges:
- 25-Audio
- 25-COYER
Yet another series I’m one book behind on! Great review, Anne💜
Thank you Jonetta. It’s a great series. This one gave a thoughtful perspective on refugees. Or at least made me think about it.
Wow, just the topic of this missing person case would have me jumping into the middle of the series for this one. I’ve got a couple Lisa Gardner books on my shelf and I’m not even sure if they’re part of a series. I’ll have to check.
I found this one particularly thought-provoking with issues about the Afghan refugees. The author has a note at the end (of the audio) about how she did research and learned about this. The refugees have their past to deal with as well as integrating and creating a new life in a different community. That has to be horrible right now with the govt trying to deport everyone and maybe to places that will get them killed.
I am very behind on this series. I think I only read book one. I have the next one in audio format so I just need some time to listen to it! My heart hurts for any woman stuck in the Middle East!
These are really good and pretty fast paced. I think women are having issues in a lot of places. Is Afghanistan the Middle East? I was think it was more Asia? Or between them.
You’re right, it is in South Asia and yes, all over.
“serious research and was able to give some realistic details” I really appreciate when authors do the work!! It makes ALL the difference.
yes some aspects were chillingly realistic.
Lisa Gardner is an author I’ve been wanting to read more from. I just listened to a book by this narrator and really enjoyed it. I’ll have to look for this one.
I’ve enjoyed Lisa Gardner books for years. This series is a new one, only about 4 books, 4 years but I would always start at the beginning with a series.
Sounds like another great book from one of your favorite authors. With some timely events in it too. Great review!
This one was especially emotional with the issues for refugees.