Customer Reviews

Say Goodbye (Charnwood)

5 star:		(51)
4 star:		(28)
3 star:		(14)
2 star:		(16)
1 star:		(25)

 

 

Lisa Gardner's "Say Goodbye" is a dark and unnerving tale of sadistic torture, child abuse, and murder. Shortly after the book opens, a tough-talking teenager named Ginny Jones gets in a car with a stranger. She quickly realizes her mistake when it becomes apparent that "this man was never, ever letting her go home." The villain is a deranged yet calculating individual who needs to be in control; he kidnaps boys and women and revels in the power that he has over them. He calls himself Dinchara (an acronym for arachnid), since he is obsessed with spiders. He owns a large collection of the eight-legged creatures, and tends to their every need with meticulous care. Gardner begins each chapter with a quotation that imparts more information about arachnids than most of us need to know.

The book's heroine is Kimberly Quincy, an FBI agent in the Atlanta Field Office. Kimberley, who is five months pregnant, is gorgeous, bright, and obsessed with her career. "She worked too hard, compartmentalized too little, and probably would have a nervous breakdown before the age of forty." Although she is happily anticipating the birth of her baby, she is also conflicted. How can she, in good conscience, risk her life and the welfare of her unborn child chasing down dangerous felons for a living? Still, she is reluctant to leave the profession that means so much to her. She and Michael McCormack, an agent with the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, have been married for a year. They disagree on the issue of motherhood vs. career, and the resulting quarrel puts a strain on their relationship. Kimberly does not want history to repeat itself. Her father was an FBI agent "whose workaholic ways imploded his marriage."

Kimberly teams up with GBI Special Agent Salvadore Martignetti to find the aforementioned spider fancier who has allegedly committed a whole host of crimes and is still at large. As is common in novels of this type, the author includes italicized first person passages in which the perpetrator describes how and why he became a cold-blooded monster. Abuse begets abuse; it is a vicious circle that never seems to end. Fortunately, there are some merciful people in the world, such as Rita, a woman who is approaching her ninetieth birthday. For nearly twenty years, this formidable and courageous woman fostered nearly thirty homeless children and tried to set them on the right path. She plays a small but crucial role in the narrative.

Although her writing is not particularly elegant, Gardner ratchets up the suspense nicely. She keeps the plot moving at a fast pace and provides engrossing and carefully researched details about the functioning of Georgia's various law enforcement agencies. Except for the requisite twists and turns, however, the plot offers few surprises. The dialogue is stilted, the characters are generally one-dimensional, and the plot adheres closely to the standard serial killer formula. Be warned that there are quite a few disturbing scenes of graphic violence and brutality. This nightmarish novel is by no means a light beach read.

An arrested prostitute calls FBI Special Agent Kimberly Quincy claiming to have information for her. Deliah Rose tells her that a wealthy john is taking street prostitutes and lets his poisonous spiders crawl on them and engage in other dangerous activities. She states that her friend Ginny was with him and has vanished. Delilah has found Ginny's boyfrind's school ring, that Ginny always wore on a neckless around her neck. The ring was in the john's car. She wants Agent Quincy to stop him.

Kimberly's associate, Sal Martingnetti, informs her that he's also worried that someone is picking off hookers. Twice he has had the driver's licenses of three women placed on the windshield of his car. But, no bodies have been found so it's difficult to get his superiors to permit him to mount an investigation. Even though Kim is five months, pregnant, a time when most women might begin to take things easier, she decides to work with Sal to attempt to stop the person responsible for his crimes against the prostitutes.

One night,they follow Delilah down a street where they know that Ginny's boyfriend was shot. Then, Kim realizes that Delilah is really Ginny. Ginny admits it and tells them that she calls the john Dinchara, a play on the word arachnid, because of his fetish with spiders. When Dinchara first took her, she realized that he got a kick when someone showed fear so when she didn't scream when he put a black widow spider on her, Dinchara let her live. He does make her turn tricks and once per month, he meets her and gets a pay off.

Kim and Sal must find a way to stop Dinchara and get enough evidence to arrest him. Then they find that he has a teenage boy helping him and is also grooming a younger boy. Now their mission is to stop Dinchara and rescue the boys.

The author knows suspense and has provided a story that will keep her readers turning the pages with anticipation. The characters are well described and the antagonist was truly evil, not only doing terrible things to people but training young children to help in his crimes. This well done novel will keep Gardner's fans coming back for more.

I agree with another one of the reviews already posted...this book was a decent mystery/thriller but so disturbing with regards to child abuse that I could not enjoy it, nor would I ever recommend it. I was a fan of Gardner's but hated this book. I am still bothered by many of the scenes. If you have kids, skip this one, seriously.

*I am not giving this book a low rating because Gardner wrote such vivid abuse scenes (I agree that they were not gratuitous and she probably did want to raise the profile of child abuse for a greater good). I am giving "Say Goodbye" a low rating because those same vivid scenes made it impossible for me to enjoy or like this book.

I can't give a fair complete review of this book, because I didn't finish reading it. I got to chapter 13 (p. 94) and decided to stop. Pretty much because chapter 12 was one of the most disturbing, upsetting things I have ever read. I couldn't stop crying. And let me tell you I'm an AVID reader and have read many horror/thrillers. (This author's other books included.) Some -okay, many- of those have made me cry also, but never have I actually wished I could erase them from my memory. The sexual child abuse scene that I just read was horrible, the details put me right there. Does this make Lisa Gardner an amazing author for being able to bring out such emotion in me? Maybe. But I for one can do without that detailed kind of grief/stress/horror in my mind. Thank GOODNESS I didn't take it to work with me to read on my lunch break! If you have a tougher skin than I do, this might be a good book. Although, to be honest, I didn't find the main character -Kimberly- to be very likable, and the plot seemed to jump around a lot. I just didn't care for it...or at least what I read of it. Just wanted to give fair warning to other sensitive parents, or anyone who loves children...this book is really rough.

It seems that all or most of the negative reviews on here have little to do with the strength of the writing or storyline, but rather people simply having trouble with the actual content of the book. The plot and characters are extremely disturbing, yes, primarily because they are so realistic. Are the nay-sayers afraid to acknowledge that such horrible things DO in fact happen in this world? I understand that Gardner did not base this story on any one true event, but much of the plot is highly reminiscent of the famous abduction cases of Steven Stayner and later Shawn Hornbeck. The narrative didn't seem cold to me at all; it was a horrifying psychological study of the effects of long term child rape and mental abuse, and was presented as such to make people face the facts.

About halfway through reading it, "Say Goodbye" became one of my favorite books. I have immense respect for Gardner for not only tackling a highly controversial subject matter, but for doing it in such raw, brutal and devastating fashion that rips your heart out at every turn. If you can handle the harrowing events enough to keep reading, it is one mind blowing novel. But if a shockingly vivid account of child abduction (including graphic sexual abuse and murder) is something that you simply can't stomach, then skip this one. Don't attack it for being blunt, however, because the unapologetic nature of the book is what makes it so powerful. If it's too much for you personally, that is not Gardner's problem, it's yours. Bringing sick details to light does not make it a sick book - it makes it upsetting and real, and is something that we as a society need to accept actually IS happening to children all over the country and across the world.

The story is told on multiple timelines from multiple points of view, which is not unusual for thrillers but is done in an especially intriguing way here. For much of the book, you aren't sure who is narrating certain chapters (which is the point, because the experiences of the young boys are so interchangeable as the cycle continues), and when things are finally made clear at the end, it is that much sadder. You despise and yet feel so much pity for a number of characters all at once.

Ongoing descriptions of the rape and murder of young children (generally from their own points of view) are absolutely gutwrenching and don't hold back at all. I broke down and started crying during one scene in particular that has stuck with me - a little boy is at a motel with his abductor, just feet away from a clerk who can help him. But he's so afraid to say anything that he just starts to cry hysterically. The abductor gives the clerk a story about being a social worker caring for traumatized children, and she essentially says "oh poor dear, take care of him" and sends them up to their room.

It's very hard to read those types of scenes but it is also fantastic. If more people were exposed to such horrific details (which are, unfortunately, all too true to life), perhaps there would be more of a public outcry for the death penalty in these cases. Just thinking that the man who put Steven Stayner and little Timmy White through a near identical ordeal only received FIVE YEARS in prison makes me feel incredibly ill. Granted, that was over 20 years ago but even today, there is simply not enough pressure on the "bad buys." People - including parents - need to read this book and they need to face up to what can happen (and what DOES happen) to children everywhere instead of constantly shying away from it. Maybe then we can put a stop to pampering these creeps with jail time and put them down like the sick animals they are.

In summary, "Say Goodbye" is far from an easy read and many people will struggle with it or flat out hate and criticize it for its ruthless depiction of real-life horror. But for those of us who appreciate a raw approach, disturbing and depressing though it may be, this is one hell of a masterpiece and a truly riveting read that is not to be missed.

I am a Lisa Gardner fan, and have liked all of her books, but I agree with the other reviewers on this one. The scenes of violent, graphic, sexual child abuse were too disturbing to make this a worthwhile read. There is no doubt that it was suspenseful and well written, but it was not entertaining, and the child rape and murder scenes were so brutal that they were seared into my brain. I would not recommend this book to anyone.

"Say Goodbye" by Lisa Gardner was easy to say goodbye to. Frankly, I can't understand the great reviews this book is getting. I was excited about the book because I like mysteries, detective novels, and strong female leads, but this book was a letdown.

THE GOOD (and the reason the book gets two stars instead of one)

The plot, for the most part, was well thought out, and was definitely a good book idea, but it needed a little tweaking to make the various parts flow.

Kimberly's character was fairly well-developed, although the intrusive references to her backstory just didn't fit with the flow of the novel. Perhaps this was an homage to her previous work, Hide, which I believe featured Kimberly's father. However, for those of us who haven't read Hide, it just didn't make sense that these facts were thrown in there. Also, the constant references to her pregnancy were unnecessary; yes, we know she's pregnant so we're supposed to feel more empathy with her. Empathy, check.

The facts about spiders were pretty interesting and I enjoyed those. They weren't necessary, per say, but were fun to read. If you're not a spider lover, this won't endear you to the little critters at all. '

The backstories of the antagonists were told as flashbacks that you're supposed to eventually tie back to the individual characters, and are revealed via little snippets throughout the book. It was an interesting way to develop the backgrounds of the characters and reveal their motivations for what they are doing, but it felt confusing. I found myself wishing all this background had been a chapter at the beginning of the book, because it would have given you more of a feel for the actions of the antagonist. Especially confusing were the bits with Rita, because I was under the impression that these were past events, not current, so was forever trying to figure out who the boy was supposed to be. However, these snippets were, in my opinion, the best parts of the book. They were interesting, the characters were compelling, and you could really feel their anger and frustration, unlike the MAIN characters.

THE BAD:

Writing. Pure and simple, the writing is bad. It's amateurish. It feels like she has an entire plotline and characters in her head, but we're receiving it through the voice of someone who's never written anything before. It makes me wonder how good the writing was in Hide that it warranted another book by this author. Facts were stated, then contradicted. Some details didn't make sense. For instance, at the beginning of the book, it talks about her meeting her husband for the first time at the FBI Academy. The author writes that the first time they saw each other was when she'd gone after him with a knife and he responded by trying to steal a kiss. In FBI training? Huh? And then, on the very next page, she contradicts by saying that they'd met over a crime scene. Another instance, there was no air of any sexual tension between this married, 5-months pregnant investigator and Sal, another investigator, yet all of a sudden, she's sitting next to him outside a hotel room wondering what it would be like to kiss him and run her hands all over him. Then she accidentally calls him Mac, her husband's name. It was revolting and didn't make any sense.

Dialogue. Another bad. It was terribly unrealistic. Example (and I'll block out the character's name her to not give anything away): "[character] leapt to his feet, shouting, 'Well, look at that!' Then a rifle boomed from the trees and red bloomed across [character]'s shoulder and he exclaimed a second time, 'Well, look at that!' [Character] fell to the ground." The guy gets shot and exclaims "Well, look at that!"? Sure. And these are just the tip of the iceberg. Most of the dialogue just doesn't seem real and therefore doesn't allow the reader to be immersed in the action.

The antagonists were interesting, as their motivations were clear and understandable, but the main characters, including Kimberly's husband Mac, her father, and her father's wife were poorly developed and seemed to be there just to move the plot along. The actions and dialogue of Kimberly's father and his wife were the worst in the book. And, I didn't understand why FBI agents would lug along a civilian on investigations, even so far as taking them to a different town and staying in a hotel. Why were these people along for the ride?

All in all, it was very difficult to get through this book. Although it would seem to have all the elements that I look for in a novel, this one just didn't ring true. The characters, dialogue, and writing made it a chore to read and didn't allow for me to step into the reality of these characters. I think the same plot, in the hands of a better writer, would have made "Say Goodbye" much more interesting and a compelling read. My advice would be to read a few random pages before buying to see if you can get over the writing. As for me, I'll say goodbye to the wasted hours spent plodding through "Say Goodbye."

Final Note: There are several scenes of child abuse (verbal, physical, and sexual), so this novel is not for those who find that sort of content difficult to read. The abuse is not explicitly detailed, but contains enough information to give you a clear picture of what is going on.

After reading and enjoying every Lisa Gardner book, this was a disappointment. First: If you have a fear of bugs--especially spiders, don't' read this book. Second: The rape, kidnapping and torture of young boys is beyond my understanding why Ms. Gardner would even attempt this subject? The book is confusing with the characters due to current times and flashbacks and should have had dates. Who did the kidnapping, torturing, killing, etc.? The names became more a mystery than the book. Bodies hung in trees with spiders--UGG! Although I'm a big fan of Lisa Gardner, I recommend you "Say Goodbye" to this one.

I desperately wish that I had read the reviews before reading this book. If there was a way to give it a negative-star rating, I would.

I have read everything Lisa Gardner has ever written, and loved it all. This book, however, was one of the most horrible things I have ever seen. The writing itself was bad; incredibly out of character for this author. Beyond that, the whole story was confusing, bouncing between characters and time periods with no definitive link. Finally, the child abuse scenes were so incredibly graphic and disgusting, that I would not have been able to enjoy the book even if the writing and story-line had been better. As a parent of small children, I am still having trouble letting go of the images even after moving on to another book. While I understand that the very nature of child abuse is graphic and grotesque, I have no desire to explore the gory details of something so horrible, particularly when I am reading a book for entertainment purposes. I would advise anyone with children to stay far away from this book.

FBI Special Agent Kimberly Quincy lost her mother and her sister to a sadistic killer. Her father was one of the FBI's best profilers, and her FBI Agent husband was rapidly moving up the ranks. When Kimberly refused to step back from the harder cases due to her pregnancy, some thought she was still trying to prove herself. She wasn't. Kimberly tried to back off for the sake of her baby, but following leads and tracking killers was in her blood.

It started when a young prostitute named Delilah Rose contacted Kimberly with a story regarding Mr. Dinchara (an anagram for arachnid). He was obsessed with spiders and would have them crawl over the prostitutes, and had them do `things' while the spiders watched. Now one of the girls he frequently hired was gone. Delilah Rose was convinced that the girl was a victim of foul play. While the situation was creepy, Kimberly had no evidence of wrongdoing. She gave Delilah Rose her phone number and sent her on her way. Later when comparing notes with Special Agent Sal Martignetti, Kimberly realized something was afoot. There were several prostitutes missing and it looked like Dinchara was in the middle of it.

Kimberly teamed up with Martignetti. They didn't have a `case' but spent their free time tracking leads. When the leads started piling up, they started tracking the arachnid loving serial killer in earnest.

Say Goodbye is an incredible suspense novel. Dinchara is not your average garden variety serial killer. He's like a spider, spinning its web, drawing you in, and then leaves you dangling. It's creepy in places and downright scary in others. Reading late into the night, I had to stop and check the locks on the door more than once.

Although I thoroughly enjoyed this book, I must offer a word of caution. First off, if you're scared of spiders, forget this book. You won't get past the first chapter. Say Goodbye also covers several social issues such as kidnapping, child pornography, and rape, in graphic detail. If you have trouble reading about those topics you might want to pass on this book.