Go on a Thrill Ride with These 2 Thrillers

by Donna Huber

If you are looking for a thrilling read that you can lose yourself in, then you need to pick up these two books. They are both parts of series, but you can read them as standalones. If you enjoy them as much as I did, then you will have several other books to pick up immediately.

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Kiss Her Goodbye by Lisa Gardner

August 2025; Hachette Audio; 9781668645017
audio (12h 37m), ebook, print; thriller

Kiss Her Goodbye is the fourth book in the Frankie Elkin series. I read the first book in the series, Before She Disappears, but I haven't read any of the others.

If you are a fan of the television shows Tracker and Found, then you will want to read this book. Frankie Elkin investigates cold missing person cases. She takes odd jobs to fund this "hobby" (her word - I think it is more of a passion).

In this novel, Frankie is trying to find a female Afghan refugee who has been missing for weeks. Her "odd" job is much odder than typical. She is working as a pet sitter, but her charges aren't fluffy - they're reptiles! 

Since Frankie is in a new town, there really isn't much for readers to catch up on from previous novels. We get a little bit of Frankie's background, so we understand why she does what she does. The characters in this book, though, are great, and I hated knowing that we may never see them again.

Gardner did a lot of research about the fall of Kabul and the reality of Afghan refugees who fled because they had worked with U.S. forces. I know immigration is a hot topic right now, and I'm glad that a spotlight is turned on the difficulty it is for someone seeking asylum in the U.S.

I don't usually listen to thrillers as they can be difficult to follow. But I'm glad I did. Hillary Huber did a great job with the Afghan accent and names. 

In the author's note, Gardner admits to taking a lot of creative license to make the story entertaining, but there is enough truth and accuracy in her details that you feel like it is all real.

This was definitely a thrill ride with plenty of action. But there are also a lot of twists and turns as Frankie doesn't always get the whole truth from the characters she interviews.

Buy Kiss Her Goodbye at Amazon

Gone in the Night by Joanna Schaffhausen

August 2025; Minotaur Books; 978-1250904171
audio, ebook, print (320 pages); thriller

Gone in the Night is the 5th in the Detective Annalise Vega series. I have read all the books in the series except for book 2 (I'm not sure how I missed that one). But if you are just now learning of this series, you can read this one without reading the previous books. You are provided with enough backstory to understand the characters' pasts and their relationships.

Annalise is a former Chicago police detective turned private detective. She is pretty famous for solving an infamous serial killer case. In this book, she is hired by a person in prison for a murder he didn't commit. Unfortunately, Annalise's husband was the lead detective on the case. Her proving that the guy isn't the murderer means showing all the ways her husband messed up. 

But Annalise, who previously put her brother in prison, is all about finding the truth no matter the consequences.

There are a lot of secrets in this book, which makes it difficult to know what really happened and who to believe. But it makes for a great read. 

While Annalise is on the trail of uncovering another serial killer, she is also hired to help an elderly woman find her engagement ring - a highly cherished gift from her late husband. At first glance, this side story just seems to be the light to balance out the dark of the main plot line. However, I believe both plots explore what one will do for love.

If you enjoy thrillers from Lisa Gardner and Karen Rose, then you should add Joanna Schaffhausen to your list of authors to read.

Buy Gone in the Night at Amazon

Donna Huber is an avid reader and natural encourager. She is the founder of Girl Who Reads and the author of how-to marketing book Secrets to a Successful Blog Tour.

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