Kiss Her Goodbye

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.

This book was impossible to put down. Definately a page turner that will keep you up at night. The ending was definately a surprize. Anyone who likes suspense should love this book.

First, a caveat: I'm a friend of Rob's. That said, his book is a breathless hard-boiled crime thriller with a paranormal slant that I really enjoyed. The action is nonstop from the first chapter, the characters are distinctive and real, and the dialogue is raw and completely believable. The villains in particular stand out. If you like edgy, mystical thrillers along the lines of Stephen King, Kiss Her Goodbye is for you.

Kiss Her Goodbye pulls you in and doesn't let go. The pacing is tight, the story compelling, and the characters unforgettable. I loved this story and can't wait for more from Mr. Browne.

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...