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Kiss Her Goodbye
“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
—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.
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.
404 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 6, 2007
200 people are currently reading
272 people want to read
About the author
Robert Gregory Browne
38 books126 followersRobert Gregory Browne is a bestselling author, Nicholl Fellow, Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences Gold Alumnus, and a Thriller Award nominated member of the International Thriller Writers.
He has written teleplays for Showtime, Saban, Marvel, and Fox Kids, and has published multiple novels under multiple names in multiple countries with St. Martin’s Press, Penguin Dutton, Signet, and Harlequin. His short stories have appeared in Lee Child’s Killer Year and Sandra Brown’s Love is Murder.
His novel Kiss Her Goodbye was produced for television by CBS TV/Sony Pictures. His novel The Paradise Prophecy was optioned by Temple Hill Productions for ABC Television.
He lives in California with his wife, cat, two dogs, and Jura coffee machine.
He has written teleplays for Showtime, Saban, Marvel, and Fox Kids, and has published multiple novels under multiple names in multiple countries with St. Martin’s Press, Penguin Dutton, Signet, and Harlequin. His short stories have appeared in Lee Child’s Killer Year and Sandra Brown’s Love is Murder.
His novel Kiss Her Goodbye was produced for television by CBS TV/Sony Pictures. His novel The Paradise Prophecy was optioned by Temple Hill Productions for ABC Television.
He lives in California with his wife, cat, two dogs, and Jura coffee machine.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 48 reviews
February 18, 2018
Actual rating: 3.5 stars.
I actually like and at the same time, I have problems with this book. The story itself is more than great, especially the last half when shit totally went crazy. I didn't expected the supernatural flavor that it turned out to have and it was new, interesting angle for me. I was left happy by the end of it, since it wasn't a completely happy ending (and I somehow sensed that from the middle of the book, I just didn't knew in whos body Alex will decide to pop into).
And then comes the things that I had problem with. Oh well, they are not that much, and mostly is just one major problem for me - the rude language. Now, I get it, it's a book about total psychopaths, people think that way and do this things and it's up to the author to decide if either it will make it more presentable and told with less rude words, or, like in the case, to make it as real as possible. This is something that's strictly bugging me off and overall it's not that big of a deal.
I actually like and at the same time, I have problems with this book. The story itself is more than great, especially the last half when shit totally went crazy. I didn't expected the supernatural flavor that it turned out to have and it was new, interesting angle for me. I was left happy by the end of it, since it wasn't a completely happy ending (and I somehow sensed that from the middle of the book, I just didn't knew in whos body Alex will decide to pop into).
And then comes the things that I had problem with. Oh well, they are not that much, and mostly is just one major problem for me - the rude language. Now, I get it, it's a book about total psychopaths, people think that way and do this things and it's up to the author to decide if either it will make it more presentable and told with less rude words, or, like in the case, to make it as real as possible. This is something that's strictly bugging me off and overall it's not that big of a deal.
February 25, 2020
"Пътят към рая" на Робърт Браун е свръхестествен трилър за ангели и демони. Авторът се заиграва с "Изгубеният рай" на Джон Милтън, върху който изгражда сюжета. Започва мистериозно като криминален роман, но постепенно разбираме, че е нещо повече от това. Свръхестествени сили и демони, които са сред нас и се стремят да предизвикат хаос по земята, с грандиозна битка за финал. Началото на книгата много приличаше на "Шестото клеймо" на Дан Браун, която започнах по същото време. Така ги омешах, че ми трябваше известно време да разбера кой Браун чета - Дан или Робърт 😂. Всъщност Робърт е наистина добър разказвач и изгражда интригуващ сюжет, въпреки фантастичната тематика.
September 11, 2024
Also an sich war das Buch mega catchy und ich hab die letzten 200 Seiten durchgelesen ohne es weglegen zu können lol. Mein einziges Problem war wirklich einfach dass der author legit JEDE frau in diesem Buch sexualisiert hat. Immer “die attraktive junge… im engen…” war so ekelhaft manchmal. Am Anfang vom Buch war es wesentlich schlimmer aber gegen ende ging’s mehr um die story. Es war auch ziemlich predictable aber fand das ganze Vincent stuff geil
February 10, 2016
So after having an amazingly busy week last week -with virtually no reading time - it was nice just to actually get a book finished. I was halfway through reading Flashback By Dan Simmons and I was enjoying it, but the large gaps between reading times was irking me because I really want to do a great review for it. So instead I picked up Kiss Her Goodbye and while it didn’t reinvent the wheel, or make me stop and ponder my life, it was a fun, fast paced read which I knocked over in one night.
ATF Agent Jack Donovan has been trying to catch the crazed leader of a semi-cult Alex Gunderson for years and is also trying to reconnect the relationship with his 15-year old daughter Jessie. When Gunderson does a bank job the escape goes awry when Jack Donovan manages to run their car off the road, ultimately turning Gunderson’s wife/crime partner Sara into a vegetable. Gunderson exacts revenge on Donovan by kidnapping his daughter and burying her alive. Thus the story gets underway in breakneck fashion.
The writing is good and the action scenes are really well done. Browne didn’t really delve to deep into the characters and they did feel a little cliched. But the book does have that page-turner quality when the action starts to fire on all cylinders. I thought Gunderson was a pretty good bad guy, but once again a lot of his personality seemed to be superficial. We never really get a good reason why he is the way he is, sure, we know that he is trying to take back America from the so called “New world order” style government. But even though he had been to jail as a teenager, it often felt to me that the supporting cast of criminals were more badarse then Gunderson himself.
Now onto some issues I had with the story. There is a bit of a supernatural/afterlife element to the story and I am all good with that. I thought our first exposure to the supernatural element was really well done and it did set a great tone for the following scenes, and those scenes were filled with that extra bit of tension because of said supernatural element. But then Browne went a bit WTF moment and introduced a couple of characters that really had nothing to do with the story (besides Browne mentioning one character throughout the story just so he could use this character to expand on the supernatural/afterlife theme) and I thought it just got a bit ridiculous after that point. I thought the novel was going so well with just a tiny hint of the supernatural and then it just kind of went over the top and pretty much overshadowed the action-thriller story that had been really well developed over the first 200 hundred or so pages.
It is kind of hard to criticise what I didn’t like without giving things away and I would hate to ruin someone’s experience with this novel by doing that, (and hey they might even love what I didn’t like about the novel) but I really did think things went a bit awry and wrecked the good work Browne had done throughout all of the early parts of the novel.
If you are looking for a don’t-need-to-think-to-hard, fast paced action - thriller and are not adverse to some supernatural themes I would definitely recommend you to pick this up and give it a shot. The prose flows well and the action really draws you in to the story. But just those few drawbacks kept me back from giving it a higher rating.
ATF Agent Jack Donovan has been trying to catch the crazed leader of a semi-cult Alex Gunderson for years and is also trying to reconnect the relationship with his 15-year old daughter Jessie. When Gunderson does a bank job the escape goes awry when Jack Donovan manages to run their car off the road, ultimately turning Gunderson’s wife/crime partner Sara into a vegetable. Gunderson exacts revenge on Donovan by kidnapping his daughter and burying her alive. Thus the story gets underway in breakneck fashion.
The writing is good and the action scenes are really well done. Browne didn’t really delve to deep into the characters and they did feel a little cliched. But the book does have that page-turner quality when the action starts to fire on all cylinders. I thought Gunderson was a pretty good bad guy, but once again a lot of his personality seemed to be superficial. We never really get a good reason why he is the way he is, sure, we know that he is trying to take back America from the so called “New world order” style government. But even though he had been to jail as a teenager, it often felt to me that the supporting cast of criminals were more badarse then Gunderson himself.
Now onto some issues I had with the story. There is a bit of a supernatural/afterlife element to the story and I am all good with that. I thought our first exposure to the supernatural element was really well done and it did set a great tone for the following scenes, and those scenes were filled with that extra bit of tension because of said supernatural element. But then Browne went a bit WTF moment and introduced a couple of characters that really had nothing to do with the story (besides Browne mentioning one character throughout the story just so he could use this character to expand on the supernatural/afterlife theme) and I thought it just got a bit ridiculous after that point. I thought the novel was going so well with just a tiny hint of the supernatural and then it just kind of went over the top and pretty much overshadowed the action-thriller story that had been really well developed over the first 200 hundred or so pages.
It is kind of hard to criticise what I didn’t like without giving things away and I would hate to ruin someone’s experience with this novel by doing that, (and hey they might even love what I didn’t like about the novel) but I really did think things went a bit awry and wrecked the good work Browne had done throughout all of the early parts of the novel.
If you are looking for a don’t-need-to-think-to-hard, fast paced action - thriller and are not adverse to some supernatural themes I would definitely recommend you to pick this up and give it a shot. The prose flows well and the action really draws you in to the story. But just those few drawbacks kept me back from giving it a higher rating.
July 22, 2023
I liked the use of crossword puzzles to help solve the whereabouts of the protagonist’s daughter, but I didn’t care for the afterlife and demon possession phenomenons in the book. Moreover, you can’t defibrillate a pulseless person, although this technique was used twice, once on the protagonist and once on his daughter.
June 10, 2019
Well, this novel had more potential than it lived up to, I think now. It's readable, very much so, but disturbingly vague in places and when you think about it in greater depth the major flaws prove themselves difficult to overlook. 2.5 stars.
December 19, 2020
Worst book EVER
Boring and the depressing narrative went on and on and on.
Not supernatural, just super stupid. Will definitely not proceed to the sequel. Never for one moment was I on the edge of my seat, just kept hoping it would get better. It just got worse.
Boring and the depressing narrative went on and on and on.
Not supernatural, just super stupid. Will definitely not proceed to the sequel. Never for one moment was I on the edge of my seat, just kept hoping it would get better. It just got worse.
July 30, 2023
2.5 stars - the suspense was there, the dark magic was interesting, but I think there were too many characters. I had trouble keeping track. I did like the ending. Left room for discussion for sure. Not sure if I will read anything else by this author
May 19, 2012
For those of you who like to drink your morning coffee with an extra jolt: Read this book.
October 6, 2019
** B o o k R e v i e w **
⭐⭐⭐⭐ / 5
Robert Gregory Browne - Kiss her goodbye
✍
I finished this read on the flight home from Spain this morning. While the lovely Spanish sun was shining through the plane windows, before landing in rainy miserable manchester.
✍
I enjoyed this book, I think I managed it in 4 sittings. I love it when the final chapters are that exciting you just cant put it down. I was reading while stood in the queue for the toilet on the aisle of the plane, not paying attention to what was going on around me, so barely noticed the chap in front of my faint and nearly land on me 😬 sign of a good book?
✍
There was one thing with this book, I genuinely was confused by the ending? Can anyone enlighten me? Was the bad guys spirit in Jessie I cant work it out?
.
.
#booksbooksbooks #reader #bookstagram #booksofinstagram #tbr #love #bookworm #booklife #newbook #newauthor #bookgram #booklove #lovebooks #obsessed #lovetoread #relax #bedtimereading #bookmark #alwaysreading #bibliophile #bookreview #fourstars #readbythepool #readontheplane #distractedbymybook #kisshergoodbye #robertgregorybrowne
⭐⭐⭐⭐ / 5
Robert Gregory Browne - Kiss her goodbye
✍
I finished this read on the flight home from Spain this morning. While the lovely Spanish sun was shining through the plane windows, before landing in rainy miserable manchester.
✍
I enjoyed this book, I think I managed it in 4 sittings. I love it when the final chapters are that exciting you just cant put it down. I was reading while stood in the queue for the toilet on the aisle of the plane, not paying attention to what was going on around me, so barely noticed the chap in front of my faint and nearly land on me 😬 sign of a good book?
✍
There was one thing with this book, I genuinely was confused by the ending? Can anyone enlighten me? Was the bad guys spirit in Jessie I cant work it out?
.
.
#booksbooksbooks #reader #bookstagram #booksofinstagram #tbr #love #bookworm #booklife #newbook #newauthor #bookgram #booklove #lovebooks #obsessed #lovetoread #relax #bedtimereading #bookmark #alwaysreading #bibliophile #bookreview #fourstars #readbythepool #readontheplane #distractedbymybook #kisshergoodbye #robertgregorybrowne
December 1, 2024
Uh... this was gearing up to be a pretty run-of-the-mill, subpar thriller (which I was okay with). Then it got a bit weird, and I almost dropped it. But my curiosity got the best of me, and I wanted to know how it would play out.
Interesting concept, but not the best execution. It was rather chaotic: I'm all for a supernatural thriller, but the introduction of the supernatural aspects was not well presented and kind of seemed out of place. The pacing was off, and the writing style wasn't always consistent - and I noticed a few editing issues. I snorted at a few lines that were probably supposed to come across as tough guy, but really just made me think, "misogynistic loser."
I did like the idea of the supernatural concepts of the book. The latter half wasn't bad, and I did like the open-ending as well. But it was not cohesive and, at times, a bit nonsensical.
Overall, it came off as the author not knowing what genre the book would be. The outcome is a book that jumps between suspense/thriller/mystery/supernatural, but in a rather chaotic fashion.
Interesting concept, but not the best execution. It was rather chaotic: I'm all for a supernatural thriller, but the introduction of the supernatural aspects was not well presented and kind of seemed out of place. The pacing was off, and the writing style wasn't always consistent - and I noticed a few editing issues. I snorted at a few lines that were probably supposed to come across as tough guy, but really just made me think, "misogynistic loser."
I did like the idea of the supernatural concepts of the book. The latter half wasn't bad, and I did like the open-ending as well. But it was not cohesive and, at times, a bit nonsensical.
Overall, it came off as the author not knowing what genre the book would be. The outcome is a book that jumps between suspense/thriller/mystery/supernatural, but in a rather chaotic fashion.
December 10, 2024
I found this book really hard to get into at first. As I read it, it got easier (not sure why).
The supernatural stuff was kinda weird, as I wasn’t expecting a crime/thriller book to include it, but it wasn’t good or bad, it was okay.
I personally didn’t like some of the language or actions of some of the characters. I get that they’re criminals and the author obviously thought that including those things were important to understanding the characters, but I personally didn’t enjoy it. Some comments made towards women were also just gross and uncomfortable, but I think, again, it’s just a personal preference.
Also, I hoped this would be a thriller but I wasn’t really invested in any of the characters and wasn’t tense or shocked or on the edge of my seat at any point.
I also didn’t really like the style of writing, it was a weirdly written in places and half way through chapters, it jumped from one character perspective to another, making it difficult to follow who was speaking/thinking at times.
It was an okay book, kinda meh.
The supernatural stuff was kinda weird, as I wasn’t expecting a crime/thriller book to include it, but it wasn’t good or bad, it was okay.
I personally didn’t like some of the language or actions of some of the characters. I get that they’re criminals and the author obviously thought that including those things were important to understanding the characters, but I personally didn’t enjoy it. Some comments made towards women were also just gross and uncomfortable, but I think, again, it’s just a personal preference.
Also, I hoped this would be a thriller but I wasn’t really invested in any of the characters and wasn’t tense or shocked or on the edge of my seat at any point.
I also didn’t really like the style of writing, it was a weirdly written in places and half way through chapters, it jumped from one character perspective to another, making it difficult to follow who was speaking/thinking at times.
It was an okay book, kinda meh.
November 6, 2017
I started out not being able to put this book down!! The beginning chapters hooked me immediately!! I couldn’t wait to read it.. (this is my first Robert Gregory Browne’s book, so I’m not sure if they are all similar with a supernaturalish feel) but then things got weird in the middle.. but I will say I did love the very ending!!
October 13, 2025
Wat een ontzettend goed boek! Het sleept je van begin tot eind helemaal mee in het verhaal. Ik vond het verhaal heel goed geschreven. Ik kan wel zeggen dat dit de beste thriller is die ik tot nu toe heb gelezen.
June 28, 2020
Maybe 2.5
November 3, 2020
A gripping thriller with some interesting twists.
July 3, 2021
Didn’t catch me in the beginning but after the first couple of chapters it was very interesting
July 21, 2021
Suspense and nonstop action, then a very odd twist, but still very good.
September 14, 2021
A GENUINE PAGE TURNER!!
November 5, 2021
This started out good & then the paranormal started and it got weird.
January 10, 2022
In sneltreinvaart geschreven, maar dat voodoo-gedoe is helemaal niet aan mij besteed.
March 5, 2022
Hovered between 3 and 4 stars. But interesting-enough ending to lean towards 4 stars.
May 16, 2022
Loved the plot from beginning to the end and the tension in it.
August 23, 2022
This book was an emotional roller coaster, and that last line!
March 13, 2017
Thoroughly enjoyable even if I could see several of the twists coming.
May 20, 2013
To be honest, i wouldn't actually say that i enjoyed this book.
The story is about ATF agent, Jack Donovan, who has an obsession with catching Alex Gunderson, a big time criminal in the form of a terrorist. In an attempt to bring him down, which destroys more than what Gunderson bargained for; Jack's daughter, Jessie, is kidnapped and buried alive. Jack discovers that he is indeed father first, agent second and does everything in his power - against the law or not - to find his daughter before it's too late. The story is not only about a criminal to catch and a missing person to be found, but interwoven is another element: the spirit world.
I don't have a problem with non-fantasy books having spiritual elements being involved in the story. However i found this a little bit, well, lame. It was really predictable. At first i thought this was a crime novel. I enjoy a good crime novel. Trying to figure out who the killer is etc. Sometimes i'm really on the ball, reading the clues and figuring it out. Other times i have no idea and i didn't see it coming at all. After awhile i realised that it didn't really have that. After i had finished the book i looked up what it was meant to be and found out it was meant to be a thriller. I was not 'thrilled' at all. At times i felt a bit yuck but that was because this book doesn't exactly invoke feelings of joy and happiness. And i found it didn't have any suspense, you knew everything already. The only question was, will the writer be traditional and everything will work out in the end? Or will evil triumph over good? That was really the only suspense. And even then it wasn't very exciting.
It was fast paced, which kept me going but it wasn't a 'page-turner'.
The novel was also very crude. There was a lot of swearing and also some sexual references - not romantic ones either. I don't have a problem with swearing however i wouldn't recommend this book if you do.
I wouldn't read this book again, however it's not a terrible book so i wouldn't say that if you decide to read it you're wasting you're time. In fact, i did think the twist at the end redeemed it quite a bit. If you enjoy a fast paced, action story with some spiritual elements in it, then you would probably enjoy this book.
www.readingforthemasses.wordpress.com
NOTE: I feel i was quite negative in my perspective, however i just want to point out that this wasn't a bad book. I just found it a bit lame and predictable. Not every book has to have incredible twists and turns however i think you come to expect that from a thriller.
The story is about ATF agent, Jack Donovan, who has an obsession with catching Alex Gunderson, a big time criminal in the form of a terrorist. In an attempt to bring him down, which destroys more than what Gunderson bargained for; Jack's daughter, Jessie, is kidnapped and buried alive. Jack discovers that he is indeed father first, agent second and does everything in his power - against the law or not - to find his daughter before it's too late. The story is not only about a criminal to catch and a missing person to be found, but interwoven is another element: the spirit world.
I don't have a problem with non-fantasy books having spiritual elements being involved in the story. However i found this a little bit, well, lame. It was really predictable. At first i thought this was a crime novel. I enjoy a good crime novel. Trying to figure out who the killer is etc. Sometimes i'm really on the ball, reading the clues and figuring it out. Other times i have no idea and i didn't see it coming at all. After awhile i realised that it didn't really have that. After i had finished the book i looked up what it was meant to be and found out it was meant to be a thriller. I was not 'thrilled' at all. At times i felt a bit yuck but that was because this book doesn't exactly invoke feelings of joy and happiness. And i found it didn't have any suspense, you knew everything already. The only question was, will the writer be traditional and everything will work out in the end? Or will evil triumph over good? That was really the only suspense. And even then it wasn't very exciting.
It was fast paced, which kept me going but it wasn't a 'page-turner'.
The novel was also very crude. There was a lot of swearing and also some sexual references - not romantic ones either. I don't have a problem with swearing however i wouldn't recommend this book if you do.
I wouldn't read this book again, however it's not a terrible book so i wouldn't say that if you decide to read it you're wasting you're time. In fact, i did think the twist at the end redeemed it quite a bit. If you enjoy a fast paced, action story with some spiritual elements in it, then you would probably enjoy this book.
www.readingforthemasses.wordpress.com
NOTE: I feel i was quite negative in my perspective, however i just want to point out that this wasn't a bad book. I just found it a bit lame and predictable. Not every book has to have incredible twists and turns however i think you come to expect that from a thriller.
March 25, 2015
This novel is part of the book bundle Adrenaline Rush: 7 High Octane Thrillers. This book lived up to the Bundles title.
Jack Donovan is an ATF agent. For years he has been trying to take down Alex Gunderson - a violent cult leader. Jack is also trying to reconnect with his daughter Jessie who had been living with her mom. Mom is on vacation with her new husband. In a shoot out at a bank, the love of Alex's life is hit. She's in a coma at the hospital and she lost their baby. She was also part of Alex's gang robbing the bank. Alex blames Jack rather than himself. He kidnaps Jessie from her school bus - lots of witnesses. Jack's ATF crew captures 2 of Alex's cohorts. But they don't know where Jessie is. One of them says that Alex sometimes hangs out at an abandoned train yard. That is where Jack finds him. Before he can get Alex to give him a location, a cop shoots and kills Alex. Jack is beaten up from his fight with Alex. Alex did say that Jessie was buried and she had oxygen canisters keeping her alive. When one dies the next automatically starts, but there are not a lot of canisters. Alex gave him a clue as to where he buried Jessie. Can Jack figure it out in time? Jack is also officially off the case and his injuries are such that he should be in the hospital. Will the ATF hamper his search? Will Jack's injuries, lack of sleep, overall stress, prevent him from saving his little girl that he's just starting to get to know? What will his ex-wife say and do about all this?
A real page turner. I highly recommend it.
Jack Donovan is an ATF agent. For years he has been trying to take down Alex Gunderson - a violent cult leader. Jack is also trying to reconnect with his daughter Jessie who had been living with her mom. Mom is on vacation with her new husband. In a shoot out at a bank, the love of Alex's life is hit. She's in a coma at the hospital and she lost their baby. She was also part of Alex's gang robbing the bank. Alex blames Jack rather than himself. He kidnaps Jessie from her school bus - lots of witnesses. Jack's ATF crew captures 2 of Alex's cohorts. But they don't know where Jessie is. One of them says that Alex sometimes hangs out at an abandoned train yard. That is where Jack finds him. Before he can get Alex to give him a location, a cop shoots and kills Alex. Jack is beaten up from his fight with Alex. Alex did say that Jessie was buried and she had oxygen canisters keeping her alive. When one dies the next automatically starts, but there are not a lot of canisters. Alex gave him a clue as to where he buried Jessie. Can Jack figure it out in time? Jack is also officially off the case and his injuries are such that he should be in the hospital. Will the ATF hamper his search? Will Jack's injuries, lack of sleep, overall stress, prevent him from saving his little girl that he's just starting to get to know? What will his ex-wife say and do about all this?
A real page turner. I highly recommend it.
August 10, 2007
KISS HER GOODBYE (Thriller-Jack Donovan- -Cont) - Okay
Browne, Robert Gregory - 1st book
St. Martin’s Press, 2007, US Hardcover – ISBN: 9780312358396
First Sentence: It all started with the pregnant girl went crazy.
*** ATF Agent Jack Donovan is determined to capture violent bank robber Alex Gunderson. During a car chase, Gunderson’s pregnant wife is shot, loses the baby and is in a coma. In revenge, Alex kidnaps Jack’s daughter and buries her alive with only a limited amount of oxygen. Gunderson is killed without revealing where Jack’s daughter is buried and Jack is involved in an accident resulting in an out-of-body experience with unusual residual effect.
*** I really liked the first part of this book and didn’t like the second. The first part is a non-stop, fast action police procedural of hunting down the bad guys. Then we get to Jack’s accident and its aftermath. The story then took on more an element of horror than strictly paranormal, which I love, and the end was one I really disliked both for it ambiguity and it’s feeling of being a trick. The characters were interesting but flat and lacked development. The book didn’t quite work for me but I can see why fans of paranormal horror enjoy it.
Browne, Robert Gregory - 1st book
St. Martin’s Press, 2007, US Hardcover – ISBN: 9780312358396
First Sentence: It all started with the pregnant girl went crazy.
*** ATF Agent Jack Donovan is determined to capture violent bank robber Alex Gunderson. During a car chase, Gunderson’s pregnant wife is shot, loses the baby and is in a coma. In revenge, Alex kidnaps Jack’s daughter and buries her alive with only a limited amount of oxygen. Gunderson is killed without revealing where Jack’s daughter is buried and Jack is involved in an accident resulting in an out-of-body experience with unusual residual effect.
*** I really liked the first part of this book and didn’t like the second. The first part is a non-stop, fast action police procedural of hunting down the bad guys. Then we get to Jack’s accident and its aftermath. The story then took on more an element of horror than strictly paranormal, which I love, and the end was one I really disliked both for it ambiguity and it’s feeling of being a trick. The characters were interesting but flat and lacked development. The book didn’t quite work for me but I can see why fans of paranormal horror enjoy it.
June 11, 2008
Fast-Paced Thriller with a Touch of Supernatural.
I’d never read this author before, and it won’t be the last. I really liked the plot, how the story was drawn out, and the ending has a twist you wouldn’t have thought of. Fast-paced page-turner, there’s not stopping until the very end - and even then, you wonder…
However, I found the characters two-dimensional. They are not developed enough - especially the ‘bad guys’. I could understand Jack’s feelings, being a parent myself, and I wonder if I would have reacted the same way… Probably would have. But I didn’t feel a connection to any of the characters - like there was something missing.
Regardless, an excellent story with lots of action, suspense and a mystery all rolled into one with a supernatural twist. A great thriller! I could see this as a movie - but then again, Browne is a former screenwriter.
I’d never read this author before, and it won’t be the last. I really liked the plot, how the story was drawn out, and the ending has a twist you wouldn’t have thought of. Fast-paced page-turner, there’s not stopping until the very end - and even then, you wonder…
However, I found the characters two-dimensional. They are not developed enough - especially the ‘bad guys’. I could understand Jack’s feelings, being a parent myself, and I wonder if I would have reacted the same way… Probably would have. But I didn’t feel a connection to any of the characters - like there was something missing.
Regardless, an excellent story with lots of action, suspense and a mystery all rolled into one with a supernatural twist. A great thriller! I could see this as a movie - but then again, Browne is a former screenwriter.
May 12, 2008
I couldn't really get into this book. I'm not sure why. I only made it about 2 chapters and never really felt like going back to it. So I guess it was more that it didn't engage me than that I didn't actually like it. To be fair, I had several books on my shelf waiting to be read and i may have just been too excited about some of the others to give this a fair shot.
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