The queen of page-turning thrillers is back with Book 4 in the Frankie Elkin series, and I really liked this one much more than Still See You Everywhere.
Frankie is headed to Tucson this time, where she’s been asked to help find Sabera Ahmadi, a young Afghan refugee who vanished without a trace. The police aren’t doing much, her husband seems indifferent, but her sponsor knows something is seriously wrong. Then a video surfaces that shows Sabera at the scene of a double murder, and suddenly the case takes a sharp turn. As Frankie digs deeper into the family’s past, it becomes clear there’s way more going on than anyone realized and danger is coming for all of them, especially little Zahra, a child with a memory that might just be the key to everything
This one had more of that classic detective/police procedural feel that I really enjoy, and it worked well for Frankie’s character. The pace was tight, the tension steady, and the mystery unraveled in a way that kept me fully engaged. What really stood out, though, were the side characters. Bart, Daryl, Genni—I loved them. I genuinely hope we see them again in future books. They added heart, grit, and even a little humor to a pretty intense storyline. Not a fan of the reptile side creatures but I’ll let them be since they help with the plot at a point.
There is a strong refugee storyline which also gave the plot so much weight and depth. It felt timely and layered, and even though some parts of the plot were a bit far-fetched (as thrillers sometimes are!), I didn’t mind one bit. The emotional beats hit just right, and the writing was sharp throughout. If you like your thrillers with a mix of danger, heart, and strong female leads, Kiss Her Goodbye delivers. And I cannot wait for Frankie’s next case.
Before She Disappeared Review | One Step Too Far Review
Still See You Everywhere review
AMAZON | GOODREADS | BOOKSHOP | ★★★★
Kiss Her Goodbye comes out August 12, 2025 Huge thank you to Grand Central Publishing for my advanced copy in exchange for my honest opinion. If you liked this review please let me know either by commenting below or by visiting my instagram @speakingof_books.
