The Last Kiss Goodbye by Karen Robards

Author: Karen Robards
Publisher: Ballantine
Date of publication: August 2013

Dr. Charlotte “Charlie” Stone has dedicated her career as a psychiatrist to exploring the darkest territory of all: the hearts and minds of serial killers. It’s a job she’s uniquely suited for, thanks to the secret talent that gives her an uncanny edge—Charlie can see dead people, whose tormented spirits cry out to her for the justice only she can provide. This blessing—or curse—gives Charlie the power to hunt down and catch madmen and murderers. It’s also turned her love life upside down by drawing her into a hopelessly passionate relationship with the lingering ghost of charismatic bad boy Michael Garland.

Let me start by saying that I loved the first book, The Last Victim.  I was eager to read the sequel and had high hopes.  I'm sad to say that the book didn't live up to my expectations. I liked it, I just didn't love it.  If the book was a straight mystery/thriller, I would give the book high scores.  I loved the hunt for the Gingerbread Man. I also thought the way he kills people was interesting and ingenious.  That part of the story-line definitely kept me guessing and when the serial killer was revealed, I was genuinely surprised.

The part of the book that I didn't like was the romance.  Charlie is in love with a ghost.  The attraction was kind of cool in the first book, but I'm not so sure it worked for me in this one.  What got tiring was the many times that Charlie tells us that she can't love a ghost, that it will never work and that she should just move on. I also got tired of hearing how hot and sexy Michael was and how it made Charlie hot and bothered.  I think by the third chapter, I got it.  I also began to not like how she was kind of toying with Tony's feelings.  He really wants to be with her and she keeps stringing him along. The whole thing is kind of a weird love triangle.  I'm hoping there is a good resolution to this in the next story.  The book ends in a kind of cliffhanger, so I do look forward to seeing what happens next.