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Kissed a Sad Goodbye

PRAISE FOR DEBORAH CROMBIE“One of mystery fiction’s finest stylists.”—Mystery News

KISSED A SAD GOODBYE“Thanks to Crombie’s ability to bring people and places to life with a phrase, none of the seams show as the story zips along.”—Chicago Tribune

“An engaging, richly peopled, satisfying mystery.”—Houston Chronicle

“Compelling from start to finish. Another winner from a dependable and gifted pro.”—Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

“[A] beautifully executed story of murder and revenge … With each volume, Crombie grows in the understanding of her characters and hones her writing and creative skills with verve and elan.”—Booknews from The Poisoned Pen

“Gripping. Highly recommended.”—Library Journal

“Readers … who loved Deborah Crombie’s Dreaming of the Bones will not be disappointed with Kissed a Sad Goodbye.… Outstanding.”—Mystery Lovers Bookshop News

“Crombie’s plot is unpredictable, leaving a reader guessing.… Her characters are well drawn.”—Austin American-Statesman

“Kissed a Sad Goodbye is a sweeping novel that casts a spell on the reader. The story is complex, with many satisfying twists and turns.”—Romantic Times

DREAMING OF THE BONESA New York Times Notable Book of the Year

Named one of the century’s best mystery novels by the

Independent Mystery Booksellers AssociatonNominated for the Edgar and the

Agatha awards for the year’s best novel

“Fascinating … multilayered.”—The New York Times Book Review

“A definite recommendation for fans of

Elizabeth George, P. D. James, and Ruth Rendell.”—Library Journal

“Dreaming of the Bones will make you cry and catch

your breath in surprise.”—Chicago Tribune

ALSO BY DEBORAH CROMBIE

All Shall Be Well

A Share in Death

Leave the Grave Green

Mourn Not Your Dead

Dreaming of the Bones^*

A Finer End^*

AND AVAILABLE IN HARDCOVER

FROM BANTAM BOOKS:

And Justice There Is None^*

*Available from Bantam Books

This edition contains the complete text

of the original hardcover edition.

NOT ONE WORD HAS BEEN OMITTED.

KISSED A SAD GOODBYE

A Bantam Book

PUBLISHING HISTORY

Bantam hardcover edition published April 1999

DOCKLAND: AN ILLUSTRATED HISTORICAL SURVEY OF LIFE AND WORK IN EAST LONDON, North East London Polytechnic in conjunction with the Greater London Council, distributed by Thames and Hudson, Ltd. 1986.

MEMORIES OF CHILDHOOD ON THE ISLE OF DOGS, 1870-1970, edited by Eve Hostettler, published by the Island History Trust. 1993. The Island History Trust can be reached at Dockland Settlement, 197 East Ferry Rd., London E14 3BA, phone 171-987-6401.

Map by Laura Hartman Maestro.

Library of Congress Catalog Card Number: 98-50186.

No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher. For information address: Bantam Books.

eISBN: 978-0-307-78939-6

Bantam Books are published by Bantam Books, a division of Random House, Inc. Its trademark, consisting of the words “Bantam Books” and the portrayal of a rooster, is Registered in U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and in other countries. Marca Registrada. Random House, Inc., New York, New York.

v3.1

For Rick

who makes it possible

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Thanks to Kate Miciak, my editor, whose insight and encouragement made this a much better book; to Nancy Yost, my agent, for her support; to Gina Wachtel, for her heroic juggling of schedules; to Tom Cherwin, for his copyediting expertise; to Honi Werner, for capturing the mood of the story so well with her evocative jacket art; to Kathryn Skoyles, whose hospitality allowed me to experience the Island firsthand; to Karen Ross, M.D., of the Dallas County Medical Examiner’s Office, for her medical advice; to those who read the manuscript and contributed suggestions: Carol Chase, Terry Mayeux, Barbara Shapiro, and the members of the EOTNWG; and special thanks, as always, to Rick and Katie for putting up with me in the midst of a book.

Contents

Cover

Other Books by This Author

Title Page

Dedication

Acknowledgments

Map

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5