KISS HER GOODBYE by Lisa Gardner

 4* Not sure that I expected the tale that I got, but it was pretty un-put-down-able.

This book took me somewhere the blurb didn't tell me about, into the fall of Afghanistan and the arrival of the Taliban, lives shattered; lives lived with surprising freedoms and incredible strengths; people with courage and conviction; greed and betrayals; and then America where it all seemingly goes wrong. But does it? 

Honestly, I was on my toes with the skilful weaving of past and present, not knowing who was good and who wasn't, and if Sabhera was hallucinating or mentally ill or actually seeing who she thought she was seeing. Then add in Frankie herself, whose courage and determination to try and get justice for others, is, I think, a way of righting her own shortcomings - as she perceives them - and stopping herself from looking back too much and having regrets and 'whatifs'. And then there's Genni. And Daryl, Roberta and Marc and the brothers - all have hidden parts to them. But all were prepared to do what it took to save Sabhera and her daughter, Zahra, or, as it seemed to be, only Zahra. 

The ending, the reveals, the subterfuge and the chances presented meant that some people got helped, some got lied to, some got hurt - physically and emotionally - and some lost a little of themselves. 

Whilst it wasn't the book I thought I'd be reading, it was a flipping good introduction to this author, and one I found myself coming back to every chance I got. I'd like to read more of Frankie, because she deserves to forgive herself, move on and maybe take a chance on someone from her past, who just might be worth a trip down part of memory lane.

ARC courtesy of NetGalley and Century, Penguin Random House, for my reading pleasure. 


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