Kiss It Goodbye : A Novel

Rating:
Summary: Nothing impressive about this one
Review: I should have known this novel wouldn't be to my liking. After all, I did not particularly enjoy Wessel's two previous efforts. I was told that, when it comes to this author, third time's a charm -- that this novel shows some growth and improvement. What I got was the typical detective blabber that makes novels of this kind trite and, believe it or not, predictable. I'd skip this one if I were you.

Rating:
Summary: trouble
Review: if everybody who can't write wouldn't, we'd have few novels like this one

Rating:
Summary: Very well written
Review: On his wedding day to Beth Reinhardt, English Professor Charles Muller fails to show up for the ceremony. Two of the guests Harding and his lover Alison try to console Beth. Harding, an ex-con who plays sleuth without a license, begins searching for Charles because Alison wants him to do this for her friend Beth.

Harding quickly learns that the Chicago police seek to question the missing Charles on two murder investigations that seem linked. Harding concludes that there is more to this case then just a frightened groom fleeing matrimony. He thinks the tie in goes back to the days when Charles and Alison were University of Chicago undergraduates living in the Grand Terrace dorm. Now Harding worries that his beloved Alison may also be in peril.

The third Harding tale, KISS IT GOODBYE, is suggestive of the hard boiled detective stories though the lead relationship feels more romantic then the "death ecstasy" sexual edge of the previous books. The secondary cast is an eccentric ensemble who keeps the plot running wild and making life quite complex for the hero. Still with a engaging story line, a fabulous cast, and a vivid Ferris Bueller style tour of Chicago, Harding owns John Wessel's novel as he brings most of the subplots together into a cohesive taut tale.

Harriet Klausner

Rating:
Summary: THIS COULD'VE BEEN A LOT BETTER!!!
Review: Though I thoroughly enjoyed John Wessel's previous two novels in the "P.I. Harding" series (THIS FAR, NO FURTHER & PRETTY BALLERINA), his newest book, KISS IT GOODBYE left me somewhat confused at the end. In fact, I'm still scratching my head in puzzlement, trying to make some sense of who the bad guy actually was and the book's finale. KISS IT GOODBYE brings back ex-con/ex-PI Harding and his tough-as-nails girlfriend, Alison, as they try to help Detective Terry Crowley of the Chicago Police Department solve the murder of Tracy Lawrence, one of Alison's old college roommates. While this is going on, Harding and Alison are attempting to keep Beth Reinhardt and Charles Muller (two more friends from Alison's college days) from splitting up and continuing on with their wedding plans. Add to this the possibility that Dr. Henry Dahlgreen, who's friends with everyone, may have his eyes on Beth, and Logan Pollard, who knows the girls from their college days, may just have his eyes on Alison. Plus, there's Henry Dahlgreen's wife, Moira, who has slept with most of the men involved, not to mention Tracy and Alison. And, let's not forget Crystal Royce, who's been just as bad as Moira with the same gentlemen and happens to have a psychopathic brother who just got out of prison and has been hired by one of the above to do some killing on the side. Last, but not least, is the murdered victim, Tracy Lawrence. Not only did Tracy sleep with everyone, she also looked a lot like Alison, which means that Harding's girlfriend could very well be the next intended victim. This isn't even the tip of the iceberg. Harding, like the reader, has to make sense of this complex plot, along with all of the multiple sub-plots that seem to intertwine with each other. It's a task that even the best PIs in the world of fiction would find daunting. KISS IT GOODBYE isn't a bad novel-it's simply a little too confusing at times with one too many plot twists for its own good. I had a difficult time keeping track of all the characters and how they were involved with each other, plus I ended up with more questions than answers when the book reached its final few pages. What did make the novel fun for me were Harding and Alison. They remind me a lot of the "Kenzie/Gennaro" characters in the series by Dennis Lehane. I enjoy their toughness, the bantering between each other, and the fact they have everyday problems just like the rest of us, especially Harding with his drinking and his inability to commit. These two together are nearly impossible to put down. Though KISS IT GOODBYE isn't as good as John Wessel's first two books, I hope the author will continue on with the series. He has some great characters here that definitely deserve a better story line. With time and a few more novels under his belt, Mr. Wessel could eventually be giving Dennis Lehane a run for his money.