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.

I'm a reader/listener. While I'm reading a book I also listen to books on tape as I drive. Most of the material is from the library, researched through Amazon. I chose to listen to "Say Goodbye". I really liked the readers. There are two. Ann Marie Lee read most while Lincoln Hoppe read the part of the killer. It is disturbing but not awfully graphic.

This is a very disturbing book, but it's well written and hard to put down. More disturbing is the similarities to crimes that have been reported on in the media.

I hate to say avoid this book but I must. I was very intrigued when starting this novel. The story line seemed very interesting and I had read the many comments here about the child abuse aspect and knew I would be alright with it as long as it was handled well. I was looking forward to a mature, intelligent read. Seemed like Lisa Gardner might have been trying to step it up to another level.

Boy, was I disappointed. Lisa Gardner is totally out of her league here. She does attempt a character driven psychological suspense thriller and instead produces a disjointed lackluster poorly written old school try. The story is told from many different character's point of view and travels over different story lines. If done well, this can be very exciting and only add to the intrigue for the reader. Instead you have to remember what the cjharacter was last doing when they were last in the story and it gets confusing as to what is past and present. The child abuse aspect did not bother me but it was out of place with the rest of the novel. Those scenes belonged in a deeper, much more detailed novel.

I also had a problem with our main character Kimberly Quincy. She is pregnant here and her relationship with her husband is a big part of the book but the way they interact doesn't always make sense. The book does wrap itself up adequately but I did not enjoy the journey to get there. For a much more intelligent, psychological thriller I recommend Lisa Unger's Black Out.

I LOVE Lisa Gardner, have read every single one of her books, and will continue to read them. I gave this book four stars instead of five for two reasons. First of all, no book of Lisa's will compare to The Perfect Husband for me. I felt this book kept me on edge, had a good story line, and the "bad guy" is absolutely terrifying.

The second reason I gave it only four stars is because this book is DEFINITELY not for the faint hearted, nor is it (to me) for anyone who has children. Since I do not, it was not AS disturbing to me as it would've been had I had them. It was, however, extremely disturbing and very realistic. The details are extremely vivid, so if stories about mistreated (to say the least) children disturb you, do NOT read this one.

Say Goodbye is possibly one of the best books I have read by Lisa Gardner, other than The Next Accident, which introduced me to the author's world of serial killers, police procedurals and crimes so horrendous that there is no possible way they will ever find the killer. Lisa can sure write some great twists and turns and will not leave you disappointed, because like most of those police shows we watch on television, the good guys always get their man.

FBI Special Agent Kimberly Quincy is married to another FBI Agent and happens to be four months pregnant. Being pregnant does not slow her down and she is still hard at work solving murders and bringing those killers of the innocent to justice. Her husband Mac wants her to cut back for the good of their unborn child, which Kimberly is seriously thinking about doing, when a young prostitute by the name of Delilah Rose asks for her help. There is a new serial killer on the loose who calls himself Dinchara. He is murdering prostitutes, and before he murders them, he tortures them with his special collection of spiders. Just use your imagination when it comes to his special pets. *shudder* Delilah is afraid she will be another one of his victims and only remains alive because he has made her a pawn in his twisted games. Delilah also happens to be pregnant and will only tell Kimberly what she knows to track this elusive killer. Kimberly knows Delilah is not placing all her cards on the table, but since she is sympathetic, mainly because of Delilah's pregnancy, Kimberly will take on this case even though she is placing herself in a lot of danger, not counting the health risks to her unborn child.

Dinchara likes to play games and he specifically picks Kimberly to play along with him. Not only is this monster a killer, but he is also a pedophile. Through flashbacks, we see how he was kidnapped by a man who stole him from his bedroom and sexually tortured him for years. He in turn continues the cycle of violence and kidnaps another young boy and abuses him, hoping to mold him into a killer, like himself. The boy he stole, along with Delilah, are very much his victims, but at least he keeps them alive. They are like the spiders he takes care of. There is only one way they can escape him and no longer be his unwilling pupils to his crimes. And to accomplish this, they must give the FBI and Kimberly a run for their money. The final outcome could possibly be Kimberly's death.

Say Goodbye really tugged at my heart, including such feelings of anger because of Dinchara, a horrible man who enjoys raping little boys, killing prostitutes and using spiders in inhumane ways. It has been a long time since I have read such a villain who sent chills down my spine, and Lisa has done it here with her latest killer. Lisa has written another stellar story with Say Goodbye. I was hooked from beginning to end, waiting for Kimberly to figure out all the clues so she can save lives, even including those of Delilah and the young abused boy who must do Kimberly harm just so they can escape the man who has so much power over them. But, Kimberly is not alone since she has many to back her up, which includes her father Pierce, and step-mother Rainie, who come to help her. It is always a treat to see these two and to finally see them so happy after many years of living under very harsh and unhappy circumstances.

Lisa keeps raising the bar for herself with this on-going series about the Quincy clan. This is not your typical run of the mill serial killer crime. What was really unique, is instead of Gardner just focusing on Kimberly, the main protagonist, the reader sees many points of views that include the serial killer, Dinchara himself and how he became what he is. Also included is the young boy he molested for years and even that of a new victim he has kidnapped. Getting into each of these characters minds brings out some heavy emotions and your heart will really tear up for all of them. You may even feel a bit of pity for Dinchara himself because he is just as much as a victim as those he stalks.

If you have an intense fear of spiders, Say Goodbye may not be the book for you. But for those are a bit stronger and don't mind those creatures and their master who uses them to create havoc and death, I urge you to try Say Goodbye and the world of Lisa Gardner. You will have some chills and thrills you will not soon forget.

Katiebabs

I've always enjoyed Lisa Gardner's books ---some more than others. I almost passed on this one as I heard it was very creepy and that it involved child abuse, but I wanted to decide for myself. I am so glad that I did; Say Goodbye is one of Lisa Gardner's very best books.

In this story there is a serial killer at work who has a thing for spiders, and for prostitutes who will let his spiders crawl all over them. The prostitutes later go missing and eventually turn up dead. There are a lot of twists and turns and about midway through everything falls into place.

I don't want to give away any details so I will just say I LOVED this book. BEWARE, is not for the faint of heart, there is plenty of torture, creepy crawlers, and terrifying mind games. There were parts when I wanted to shut the book closed for the night, but instead I found myself turning page after page to see how it ended.

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.

Say Goodbye
I loved the book!!! A real page turner and kept me glued to the book til the end. Certainly not for the faint of heart but it kept my attention, waiting for the next step or misstep. Mystery fans should really enjoy this one.

Amazon is the best - there was a problem with my shipment but, Amazon made it right - thank you!

I truly enjoyed Alone. I thought it was cool to finally see a woman writer write a main male character so well and how she got all of the nuances down great. Say Goodbye on the other hand, was pretty awful. Without getting into a lot of particulars (and ruining any plot points), what bothered me the most was how truly unbelievable parts of the story were. I also got to the end of the book and I remember how I really didn't care much about the outcome. When that happens, you know the book you just read wasn't very good. I know that it's difficult to come up with fresh story lines, but at least Gardner should have tried and kept it believable. Don't bother with this one.

Lisa Garndiner's newest novel centers around child abuse and arachnids. Considering the disturbing aspect of one, and the unpleasant aspect of the other, I didn't really expect to enjoy the novel as much as I did. It was rather graphic at times, and rather sad, but I don't believe in sugar-coating subject matter. I'm sure abuse that happen as described. As for the spiders, I learned more than I probably wanted. *g*

The story itself had a few problems outside of the disturbing subject matter. There were so many characters which was a bit confusing. Also it was hard to tell where we were in the timeline at times or which character was actally narrating at the time. I often felt lost. The plot draggeda bit in the middle.

On the plus side, I liked the protagonists and their story which felt believable--dealing with a career that can be dangerous and being pregnant was interesting. The book kept me reading especially after the slow middle of the story and there was a twist at the end that I didn't see coming.

I wouldn't say this is one of my favorite of Lisa Gardiner's books, in fact, it may be least favorite, but I usually love her books, and it was still a good read overall.

The basic story line was good but the book itself, disappointing and one that was easy to put down. Gardner did a decent job of getting into the mind of both the abuser and the abused, showing the long and short term impact of the relationship. It was however told in a rather choppy manner and with a level of graphic detail that was a bit over the top. The side stories of Kimberly, Sal and Mac were not developed adequately and were more of a distraction than an asset. It felt like a rush job to meet a publishing deadline and may have benefited from additional editing.

This book really keeps you at the edge,had hard time time puting it down to do other things that need to be done. Would like to see Kimberly's father in more of them,one with the two of them on a case would be grand

I like the book. Lisa is my favorite Author.. I have to say some of the material in the book is very hard to read but stuff like this happens in the world . The story is really good if you get through the childabuse .I love the last pages of the book what the last victim does is just genius.Can't wait for her next book.

This book was very disturbing in its subject matter. A little on the "too graphic" in the details, but it grabbed your attention. The message, although subtle at first, was very powerful. The story of the "burgerman" was frightening and pathetic. But the twists and turns made you continually re-think the plot and outcome. The secondary love story was acceptable but Kimerly's attraction to Sal was ridiculous - I was pleased to see that the author restrained herself in permitting anything to happen between them. One of Gardner's better books.

Let me first say that Lisa Gardner is one of my favorite authors, and I have loved all of her other books. I could not wait for this one, and was really disappointed. The only reason it got 2 stars is because the last 80 pages or so are pretty good, and I liked the way the story was tied up. However, having to read about every spider fact known to mankind got old very quickly. I really hated this aspect of the book.

Like others, the child sexual abuse was hard to take, though I do not think that Gardner exploited it. Having recently had a child, it was difficult reading about every mother's nightmare.

I also agree with another reviewer's comments about some of the dialogue, "Look at That" ??! seeming so amateurish, in addition to the sudden desire that came on between Kimberly and Sal out of nowhere.

The book is "ok", but certainly not one that I would recommend.

This is by far one of the best books I have read. In fact, I couldn't put it down. I always have a book in tow,no matter where I go. This one I put on my "red light" list. My red light list are those books that are so good that when you get to a red light you have to pick it up and read a few lines before the light turns green. Believe me, there are plenty of good books but very few red light books.

I listened to this book, and found it utterly confusing. Without visual clues as to flashbacks, all the different "I" backstories with no name attached made it seem like characters were constantly dying and apparently coming back to life. Authors need to think of audiobook listeners and provide cues for us - many do it well.

I learned something about spiders, but the book was too dark to call enjoyable. I stayed with it throughout but never quite sorted out who was who, who was killing who, and which of the boys and men were speaking as part of the backstory.

On the plus side, it kept me awake while filing a year's worth of bills, and provided some useful warnings to parents complacent about the internet activities of their offspring.

The story begins with a plane crash which appears to be an accident until extra body parts turn up. This investigation leads the main character, FBI Special Agent Kimberly Quincy to a serial killer that might not have been discovered for years if not for the accident.

While Agent Quincy connects the dots, the story flips back and forth from the the killer's point of view to his past to the present investigation. The reader will get the inside scoop on how this killer was created. And warning folks, this psychopath has a major creep-out factor going for him. Also, the killer's voice is where this writer is at her most creative state.

Another place where Gardner exercises her creative skills was with the main character. Quincy is pregnant, but aside from the food cravings, not your typical stereotype first time mom-to-be. All she has ever known is has been put into work and she's not ready for motherhood. She puts herself and her unborn child in danger more than once and I don't know if readers will be cool with that.

When I compare SAY GOODBYE with her previous work such as HIDE or ALONE, this latest book is probably her most extraordinary piece of work. Her characters are deeper, richer than ever before. HIDE will remain my favorite, but this book exposes her incredible talent.

Say Goodbye (ARC version) is a reasonably well written suspense/thriller about a variety of intelligence agencies and police forces, (including the usual plethora of acronyms that are recognizable or not), coming together to solve the mystery of a large number of missing prostitutes. Ms. Gardner works at keeping the suspense level high and the villain(s) ambiguous. A secondary storyline about child predators and child victims is particularly gruesome and heartrending. The author does a good job of keeping the action moving with interweaving stories, creative crime scenes and sidebar information.

However, this novel is overly ambitious as the author attempts to speak out against a multitude of evils, including rape, child pornography, prostitution, murder, abduction, kidnapping, sodomy and other sexual depravities. She could have chosen one or two of these and still had a good story to tell. All of these crimes are equally horrific in their own way, making the use of all these evils in one storyline is a bit overwhelming. She also has numerous sub-themes that are never fully developed, including pregnancy, foster parenting, the financial problems of the elderly, marital issues surrounding mothers working outside the home, the possibility of ancestors hanging around as ghosts, internet predators, etc.

There is little relief from the horror, with the added perplexity of the italicized voice of the villain(s)/victim(s) threaded throughout the narrative. In attempting to make the reader really work to discover who the villain(s) and victim(s) are, a great deal of ambiguity is written into this part of the story, including an undefined timeline that is used to shroud the mystery further. The problem is that this device distracts the reader from the story, as the reader keeps attempting to determine if it is a flashback or the present time.

Added to the criminal horror, you also get a lot of spiders, bugs, snakes and other creepy crawlies sliming around the perimeter of the story. Although this aspect of the novel rates high on the yuch-o-meter scale and may be TMI, there are some interesting arachnid tidbits quoted as lead-ins to the chapters.

If you are a first-time reader of Lisa Gardner, beware of choosing to read this book first. Say Goodbye includes a number of characters from her prior publications (of which this reader was unaware), such that much of the lead characters' back-stories are contained in other novels. There is no indication of this anywhere in the front pages of the book or back cover blurb, so the reader is stuck out on a limb once you start the book. This novel can certainly be read as a stand-alone, but the reader's knowledge of the lead characters and their motivations is rendered incomplete, making the reading less satisfying.

In conclusion, I generally enjoyed the pace of this novel and read it in one sitting. It was a tense and suspenseful read, even though I gritted my teeth every time my concentration was invaded by the author's use of fragments instead of full sentences, her somewhat oddly written unsynchronized conversations and incorrect verb tense. I did feel it was too ambitious with the multitude of crime elements and themes; it could have been a tighter story and more suspenseful if only one or two crimes were developed. I was annoyed with the undefined timeline in both the general narrative and the italicized storyline. I felt that most of the characters were either undeveloped or that I should have read earlier books to better know the lead characters. Confusion exists at the end with regard to the villain that makes the denouement unsatisfying.

"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.

I have read all of Ms. Gardner's books and this was the best so far. I found the story to be intriguing and kept my interest the whole time. I will not rehash the plot as that has been done many times, but I have to agree with the reviewers that some of it is hard to stomach. However, it is integral to the story itself. I also agree with the reviewer who said that sometimes it's hard to follow with respect to which person is narrating. I also really enjoyed the way the book ended.

Don't hesitate to pick this one up. It's a great read by an amazing writer.

I really enjoyed this book. It was creepy and kept me guessing with all of the different points of view (some of which you're not even sure whose point of view it is). I have to agree that the vivid descriptions of child abuse left me with a sick feeling in my stomach. I understand that they were there for a reason but I still felt like I needed a shower after finishing this book!

I could wait for this book to come out and now that I have it I can't put it down. I think it is a very good book

Say Goodbye is a disturbing tale of malevolence that begins with a young girl, making out with a boy along a country road; it flashes to her arrival home to find her house locked up. When she accepts a ride from a stranger, the scene is set for tragedy...

Flash forward to Kimberly Quincy, pregnant FBI agent, and workaholic extraordinaire. She and her husband, another agent, disagree frequently about how long or whether or not she will continue on her current hard-driving path.

But then Kimberly seemingly falls into a case so twisted, so compelling, and she cannot turn it down. Someone is killing prostitutes...someone who calls himself Dinchara (an anagram for arachnid, because of his obsession with these eight-legged creatures). And nobody can discover the bodies or any physical evidence, or even any clues that go anywhere. And then they seem to catch a break. Their best clues come from a victim (witness) who comes forward, supposedly to help.

She, however, turns out to be just as twisted as Dinchara. And, of course, you come to see that the abusers were once victims, too.

Alternating chapters reveal the thoughts and feelings of the killer, leading the reader toward an understanding of his motivations. It soon becomes clear that he, too, was once a victim...

As the agents close in on the killer, twists and turns prevent them from finding him. Just when they think they finally have him, he eludes them once again.

The surprising connections begin to come together at the end, and the reader is blown away by the big reveal.

Compelling book...Almost too sordid and graphic, even for me, with my background in working with child abuse and abusers.

Read only if you have the stomach for it.

I wish I had read the reviews before I began this book. Usually I enjoy Gardner's books but this one maked me sick to my stomach. Perhaps because I have a child the abuse scenes make me want to cry. I actually got to the point where I completely skipped them because I was so disturbed. I would not recommend this book to anyone and I must stay that never have I ever been so repulsed by a book before. Even after finishing it, I am still nauseous from the graphic descriptions.

Yes, there ARE some disturbing elements to this story as others have noted, but you expect something along those lines when you pick up a suspense/thriller, right? I do anyway.

Extraordinarily pleased w/ this entire book.... couldn't put it down & then finished this morning what I didn't last night. AWESOME characters, plot, dialogue - loved it all around. Can't wait for more!

The heroine is an uncaring egotist. The bad guy's a weirdo freak. The ancillary characters are the only likable people in this story. I found myself rooting for the molting spider. Gardner is overboard. A waste of the purchase price.

I hate to not finish a book and I truly have loved Lisa Gardner's writings in the pst but....I just couldn't get into this one. It was confusing, disturbing and I just didn't like it. Nuf said.

Not for the squeamish, Gardner's grisly, bleak and well-paced thriller takes us deep into the world of the most horrific child abusers and serial killers.

The book opens on a Georgia lovers' lane as an opportunistic teen from the wrong side of the tracks discovers that her football star boyfriend actually wants to go steady. But Ginny Jones' bright night ends badly when returning home late and finding herself locked out by her angry mother, she accepts a lift from the wrong man.

Switch to pregnant, driven FBI agent Kimberly Quincy, who gets tangled in the case when a pregnant prostitute tells her that a girl named Ginny Jones is the latest in a string of prostitutes to be killed by a man with a fetish for spiders. Big, hairy spiders.

There's no evidence to support her story, but someone has sent a Georgia state investigator six driver's licenses belonging to missing prostitutes.

And then Quincy gets a phone call - a recording of a torture/murder in which the victim is forced to give the murderer the name of someone she loves - Ginny Jones, her daughter.

Point of view shifts among Quincy, the prostitute, the killer, and a boy who has been kidnapped, raped and enslaved - with digressions to an old woman who befriends a silent, feral adolescent.

Garner knows how to ensnare the reader with grisly clues, deadly uncertainties and danger as abuse begets abuse and murder begets murder. She heads each chapter with a (mostly poisonous) spider fact and ratchets up the suspense as the story proceeds.

The inevitable conflict between pregnant agent and agent husband is a little tiresome and the story is more than a little disturbing, but Gardner knows how to keep the pages turning.

I agree with some of the other reviewers. Because of the child abuse aspect of this book, I couldn't even finish it. It just makes this a very uncomfortable read. A little too gruesome for my tastes.

I've enjoyed Lisa Gardner's stories since she began writing, but just when I think she can't get any better, she does. It seems as if her writing has matured, and this one is impossible to put down.

Much like a fatal car accident, this book disturbed me to the core, but I couldnt help but look! The discriptions of sexual abuse was far too graphic for my taste, having witnessed the effects of such violence first hand. However, the suspence kept me reading on (often with my breath held and heart pumping) in spite of the horrible realities the book highlights. If you are not sensitive to stories about sexual abuse, this is a great story line with a satisfying ending. The plot and all its twists are very well done. If you are like me, however, and find this type of abuse far too disturbing, I would definately find a different novel of Lisa Gardner's to enjoy.

Lisa Gardner surely created this story to raise her readers' awareness of several very unpleasant topics. If the book made you uncomfortable or creeped you out, it seems that the author did her job extremely well.

I've always thoroughly enjoyed Gardner's books; she has a gift for storytelling with intriguing characters, plots, and situations. In this book she brings back Kimberly Quinn, a tough, wise-cracking FBI Agent who has her stuff together. A blast of a character, whom I'd want to marry if she wasn't already hitched to her husband Mac.

But that's indicative of part of the problems with this book.

First of all, any true artist will take risks in their work, so they can explore new ground and expand their horizons. But the drawback to risk-taking is that not all such efforts end successfully. And I'm afraid that's what's happened here.

For instance, as I was saying about Mac. After finishing the book, I can't recall one instance in which Gardner tells us Mac's last name. It's not Quinn; that's Kimberly's maiden name.

Several italicized chapters take us into the mind and actions of a perverted killer. The problem here is that it's not until much later in the book that we figure out that some of those chapters are actually flashbacks to an earlier killer, and some deal with a contemporary character.

This is very confusing, and I'm afraid it failed as a device, significantly detracting from the flow of the story. I found myself getting distracted in trying to figure out why the italicized chapters didn't conform with what I'd already read.

The identity of the killer also wasn't any big shocker; I think I'd figured that out about halfway through the book.

So... three stars for the effort, and goodwill from previous books.

As a big fan of the author's previous novels, I was exited to see Kimberly Quincy and co. back for another adventure. The work that I finished reading however left me confused and disappointed.

Two large problems prevented me from enjoying this book. 1.) The plot - the author's random use of where, who and when left me confused as to what was going on. It is extremely hard to place a voice to a character when you don't know who, where, or when it is. 2.) The author's take on Kimberly Quincy is meant to ellict sympathy but does nothing but create resentment and even hositily towards the character. The choices she makes in this novel both professionally and personally are selfish and extremely out of character from what we have come to known in the previous stories.

I do not suggest reading. Not only is the story dark and confusing, you end up rooting as much against as for the main character Kimberly Quincy.

First off, if descriptions of spiders or monstrous people who prey on children are too much for you, then is probably not the book for you. That said, I think Lisa Gardner does a good job of weaving all of this together for some entertaining reading.

I saw an ad for this book in the "New York Times" and ordered it on a whim. It actually made for good airplane/vacation reading. It moved quickly enough to hold my attention and wasn't taxing enough to take me out of vacation mode.

The story does take some interesting twists. Some people might find the different narrators confusing because you don't always know who's speaking, but I think it kept the story compelling. You keep wondering how all of this is going to come together.

As for those who complain about the depictions of prostitution and child abuse (and they are not for the faint of heart), I think Ms. Gardner does not use them gratuitously and clearly shows the devastating effects of both. In the case of child abuse and molestation, sadly, it is often today's victims who are tomorrow's predators.

If you have the stomach for some gore, scenes from the dark side, and lots of details about spiders, this is the book for you. It reads like a good movie thriller and even has the potential sequel character ready at the end.

There are so many different adjectives to be used in describing Lisa Gardner's newest novel, Say Goodbye. Scary, creepy, intense, suspenseful; choose any of them, or choose them all. Say Goodbye follows FBI agent Kimberly Quincy, 5 months pregnant as she is drawn into the web of a spider obsessed serial killer. Not your average everyday garden variety murderer, this killer has been shaped and formed since childhood in circumstances that fill the reader with fear and have you double checking your locks and closing your child's window every night.

In writing a series of novels with the same character, it is sometimes difficult to keep the readers interest. We feel sometimes as if we know the character almost too well. Lisa Gardner has made a smooth and seamless transition in her novels from featuring FBI agent Pierce Quincy as the main character. Allowing this character to step out of the spotlight and making his daughter, Kimberly the main character allows the author to change things up, but still gives frequent readers a comfort zone. We feel comfortable with both of the Quincy's, father and daughter, and can empathize with the struggles they go through in their personal lives.

Say Goodbye is a gem of a suspense novel, one of those " I'm just going to read three more pages, then I've gotta get to bed" books. Then, you look at the clock and realize an hour has passed and you wonder exactly how much sleep you really need to get through tomorrow, because you want to keep reading.

My favorite Gardner book was the Perfect Husband and she still hasn't been able to top that one in my opinion.
I enjoy reading her books and this one was no exception, however it was very very disturbing with the child abuse/kidnapping she was very graphic. But I think that Gardner always gives you enough details for that graphic image and that is why I like her books even though the extreme abuse that these kids took made me cringe. I enjoyed the twists that the book did take, the ending in my opinion could've held more detail and more information on Kimberly's decision and more on Ginny and "the man" especially his demise. At first I found the spiders part strange and odd, but then it did add to the creepiness of the book. I agree with another reader the name "Burgerman" was a bit outlandish, that I feel that she could've done better.. wasn't feeling that.
I will continue to read her books, and can't wait for the next one!!

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, not could I 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.

I just finished Lisa Gardner's Say Goodbye and I can't say enough to do her justice. The book was amazing like all of her books are and her bad guy was soooo creepy like they all are however I had some (just a little) compassion for this particular killer, why, you'll have to read the book.
Lisa has a number of books that feature Quincy and ex-FBI profiler and Rainey his wife an ex-cop as partners in a private firm that help law enforcement track down bad guys and if you've read her you've also met Kimberly, Quincy's daughter and FBI agent and her husband Mac a Georgia State cop. This book features Kimberly and Mac with Quincy and Rainey making guest appearances as Kimberly tracks down a serial killer that's preying on prostitutes oh and I forgot to mention she's also 5 months pregnant. I't a great book and a must read for all of you out there who thrive on suspense.
Lisa Gardner is one of my most favorite authors and how such a mild mannered mother and wife comes up with her assailants is beyond me.

This is another well written great mytery novel by Gardner. It was difficult and sad and disturbing to read because you realize these events(child abductions etc.) do happen in real life. You may shed a tear for the villains too.

Marji

I have loved reading Lisa's books until this one. It was not scary but evil and it was evil against children so I would not recommand it. The spider thing was no fun either.

Say Goodby was a 5-star read. Loved it from beginning to end.Lisa Gardner at her best!

I waited and waited for her new book to come out and boy, was I disappointed. I never really cared for spiders so I really didnt appreciate reading half a book about them. Dont bother to waste your money unless you need to write a report or need to find out about every single spider in the universe.

Lisa Gardener's "Say Goodbye" is an awesome page turner. I couldn't put the book down. I am a huge fan of Lisa's and this book did it's job to entertain. I check the bed for spiders now and am suddenly very aware of the Brown Recluse spider and their habits. I also thought I knew how creepy the internet was but this book took me to a different dimension. Good job Lisa!! and thank you.

I have all of Lisa Gardner's books & have never been disappointed in any of them def page turners but this one is def scary the usual thriller with a serial killer but....spiders?!?!Def there were times I thought something was crawling on me lol that's how vivid it was lol & Kimberley we know she is such a strong character and we love that about her but her pregnant she has a slight vulnerability that is just adorable :)

Overall, this is another good thriller from Gardner. There are some minor inconsistencies in the story, but in general it's well written and suspenseful.

I did have a few problems with the book. One being the storyline involving Kimberly and Mac. It didn't seem plausible to me that even with Kimberly's pregnancy, Mac suddenly has a problem with Kimberly's role as an FBI agent. And then to throw in the small attraction that Kimberly develops for Sal. That was a little too cliché for me and seemed like something a lesser author would have done.

I was glad to see Quincy and Rainie make an appearance in this book, but it seemed as if they were added almost as an afterthought. For those who have not read Gardner's previous books with these characters, they have always been portrayed as bright, determined, dedicated and, to a certain extent, obsessive. In this book, I read twice were they were in bed asleep. They just didn't seem to contribute a great deal to the story.

The book does a good job in asking the question "when is a victim no longer a victim?" Gardner takes some chances with her bad guy here and I think it worked very well. I'll give this one 4 stars, but it's more like a 3 1/2 star book for me.

Are these honestly the best psychos Gardner can come up with? A man who thinks he is a spider???? Gimme a break.

This book would have been much better if the author had stuck with a more believable villian. The story just had no feasible sense of possibility to it. Spiderman has six eyes on his head....wooo, scarey! The Burgerman idea was just plain ridiculous.

The Spider 101 info at the beggining of EVERY chapter would have been great if I wanted to read a biology book about spiders.

What a huge disappointment!