Kiss Her Goodbye [Hardcover]

Robert Gregory Browne (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 6, 2007

"Kiss Her Goodbye is a smashing good read. It moves at such a breakneck pace that you'll scarcely have time to take a breath."
--Tess Gerritsen, New York Times bestselling author of The Mephisto Club

 

In a gripping thriller that matches one cop's love for his only daughter against the diabolical cunning of a charismatic madman, debut novelist Robert Gregory Browne announces his presence in territory long ruled by the likes of Dean Koontz and John Sandford

 

ATF Agent Jack Donovan has two ambitions: take down cult leader Alex Gunderson after years of violent mayhem, and reconnect with his daughter Jessie, who has somehow managed to slip from his life. But, none of Jack's experience as a stellar cop or an absent father has prepared him for the unthinkable way these two parts of his life are about to collide.
 
In a desperate act of revenge, Gunderson kidnaps Jessie and buries her alive. But just as Jack's team is closing in, fate intervenes in the form of a bullet and the secret to Jessie's location is lost. With only a few precious hours of oxygen to sustain her, and with not a single clue pointing in her direction, Jessie is sure to die--unless Jack can somehow find her. Jack would trade anything in the world for just one shot to save his little girl--even his own life.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Provocative violence, a colorful Chicago background and a dollop of the supernatural lift Browne's debut thriller. ATF agent Jack Donovan almost captures his nemesis, ruthless gangster Alex Gunderson, during a bank robbery. Gunderson's amoral pregnant wife, Sara, is shot in the ensuing chase, leaving her in a coma. Gunderson seeks revenge by kidnapping Donovan's teenage daughter, Jessica, and burying her in a coffin with enough air for three days. As the tension builds, a vainglorious Chicago cop shoots the kidnapper, who dies without revealing Jessica's whereabouts. Browne's experience as a screenwriter shows as he shorthands the parallels between the anarchic Gunderson and straight-arrow Donovan, both of whom are single-minded and personally loyal. Elements of the supernatural, including out-of-body experiences, provide humorous relief from the breathtaking pace. (Feb.)
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Review

“A smashing good read. It moves at such a breakneck pace that you’ll scarcely have time to take a breath.”—Tess Gerritsen, New York Times bestselling author of The Bone Garden

“Get ready for one hell of a ride.”— New York Times bestselling author Kay Hooper

“An adrenaline pumping thriller”—Midwest Book Review

 “[A] provocative…breathtaking debut.”
—Publishers Weekly

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 304 pages
• Publisher: St. Martin's Press (February 6, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0312358393
• ISBN-13: 978-0312358396
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.2 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (23 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,464,628 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Trip...to the Other Side and Back, November 17, 2007

By 

Elle R. Lothlorien "Elle Lothlorien" (Denver, CO) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Kiss Her Goodbye (Hardcover)

Kiss Her Goodbye is a great read and a top-notch thriller. The characters are real. That is, Gunderson (the bad guy) IS bad, but you also feel pity for him and realize that he can also love, although in a twisted, psychopathic way. Donovan (the good guy) IS good, but not so good at the beginning that we trust him implicitly. This a great set-up because the reader's sympathies could be nudged either way as the story evolves.

That literary deconstruction aside, don't worry--plenty of stuff blows up! For the adrenaline junkie: There are chases and bombs and gunfire, as Donovan races to locate his daughter (a girl Gunderson has girl buried alive with only three days of oxygen--but not just for the reasons you think). For those with spiritual leanings, there's a few jaunts through the afterlife, although you should probably banish warm fuzzy thoughts of a white light and your dog Buster waiting for you at the Pearly Gates.

My hands-down favorite character in the book is the young Chinese guy who Donovan and Co. turn to for help when he needs to temporarily die to gain access to the afterlife in order to solve part of the mystery. At first my eyes nearly rolled when Browne went the Ancient Chinese Secret route (as if Asian people sit around all day making mystical fortune cookies and pruning bonsai trees), but this guy turns out to the anti-Grasshopper. Yeah, he can stop your ticker and give you a round-trip ticket to the Afterlife, but he'd much rather be smoking pot or chunking Fall Out Boy tunes on his guitar.

Browne saves the best for last with a clever, delicious twist at the end involving Donovan's daughter that will forever taint the words: "Give us a little kiss."

A great trip in more ways than one.

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Breathless, heartstopping--thriller with a twist, February 18, 2007

By 

Kathryn Mackel "avid writer/reader" (Boston) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Kiss Her Goodbye (Hardcover)

Robert Gregory Browne is a vibrant new voice in a great genre. He brings us spectacular writing, a compelling story, and wow--takes us into untapped territory for thrillers. His characters come alive (and then some), his action zings, his plot intrigues. This is a page-turner with breakneck action but there's heart, too. If I have any complaint is that I couldn't put this book down, and when it was over, I didn't have the next book from Robert Gregory Browne to jump into. But I hear it's coming...

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fast-paced thriller begs the reader to stay to the end, August 21, 2008

By 

Cynthia Borris "author NO MORE BOBS" (CA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Kiss Her Goodbye (Mass Market Paperback)

NO MORE BOBS

Robert Gregory Browne is a rare find. I stumbled on this author at the Romance Writers of America conference in SF. I'm so glad I did. Browne hooks you with the opening sentence and doesn't let go until the end. A hard cookie to crack, I was drawn into the thriller immediately with his realistic dialogue, quick-pace and believable characters. He has a wonderful talent to capture the male characters to perfection. Browne maintains the action and suspense and delivers a top-rate paranormal thriller.

I give two thumbs up to this author and highly recommend Kiss Her Goodbye. If you're like me, you'll be back for more.