Kiss her goodbye

Missing persons hunter Frankie Elkins' (introduced in Before She Disappeared, 2021) vagabond lifestyle leads her to Tucson, where an Afghan resettlement volunteer has raised alarms about her missing friend, Sabera Ahmadi. Aliah insists that Sabera wouldn't abandon her young daughter and voices concerns about Sabera's stern older husband, Isaad. Despite Aliah's protests, the evidence points to Sabera leaving of her own accord, but why? Frankie begins to investigate as she juggles her new gig pet-sitting for a gamer millionaire--watching over a huge iguana named Petunia and a family of pythons. Luckily, perks abound: the estate's driver, Daryl, is a softhearted lug game for playing sidekick, stately transgender cook Genni is a solid backup, and they've roped in Daryl's former parole officer, to boot. When Isaad is killed, someone tries to kidnap Sabera's daughter, and shadowy spy types show up on her tail, Frankie realizes she's ducking killers herself. Frankie's perspective is at its most humorous and action-packed here, grounded by Sabera's powerfully voiced narrative of her journey from pre-Taliban Kabul through harrowing refugee camps and resettlement. This bar-raising read sometimes stretches credulity, but Frankie's fans know what this series is really about: slightly scary pets, fascinating allies, and above all, the power of human connection.HIGH-DEMAND BACKSTORY: Gardner's latest proves what readers know: the Frankie Elkins series is as addictive as ever.

Gardner's riveting fourth Frankie Elkin novel (after Still See You Everywhere) focuses on an Afghan refugee family's fight for survival. After recovering from a traumatic case, Frankie heads to Tucson, where Sabera Ahmadi has gone missing shortly after her family's arrival in Arizona. The police have yet to open a missing person's file, believing it's a simple case of Sabera fleeing her domineering husband, but Sabera's best friend contacts Frankie because she refuses to believe Sabera would leave her three-year-old daughter behind. She's proven right when Sabera's husband vanishes soon after, and then an unseen assailant attempts to abduct the couple's daughter from their home. Frankie leaps into action, but when Sabera is caught on video surveillance running from the scene of a double homicide, it becomes clear that there's more to the story than meets the eye. Gardner punctuates the proceedings with pages from Sabera's journal detailing her life before and after leaving Afghanistan, helping readers feel her absence as acutely as the other characters do. Heartbreaking violence and masterful suspense elevate things further. This will thrill the series' existing fans, and it's a great starting point for newcomers. Agents: Meg Ruley and Rebecca Scherer, Jane Rotrosen Agency. (Aug.)