I was pretty captivated by this story, but there were a handful of unnecessary detours, and lots and lots of redundancy.

Alex is the sole survivor after her family is murdered in the night. She's initially accused of the murder and though she eventually clears her name, there are still those who doubt her innocence.

Alex is taken in and looked after by the officer who arrived first to her home that night, and the officer's husband, the attorney who supported her in court. Alex never stops searching for the person who murdered her family.

The side story of the politicians, the campus rapes, etc, all helped bring the story full circle, but felt much slower paced.

Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Books for providing an ARC of this novel in exchange for my honest review.

Charlie Donlea is one of those authors that not a lot of readers know about, but he really should be talked about more. I was introduced to Charlie Donlea by a fellow librarian who swore by his books and when she tried to read Some Choose Darkness but couldn't get through the opening bit because according to her it was "too graphic", I knew I had to give it a try. I read that book in a day. I didn't enjoy it because it was too graphic, because it was far from it. Charlie Donlea takes an idea and runs with it when he writes. He writes about unsolved cases that seem to be unsolvable but with a twist and those twists and turns are what draw in a reader.

Alex Armstrong is not what she seems on the outside. Just by looking at her, you wouldn't be able to tell that her mother, father, and brother were murdered in the dead of the night and that she was blamed for it, with the media calling her Empty Eyes, because of her empty stare Ten years after their murders, Alex is now legal investigator working to keep others from falling prey to the legal system, for a crime they did not commit, while also digging into the murders of her family. Will Alex find the person who killed her family or will she end up just like them? Read Those Empty Eyes by Charlie Donlea.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the free copy of Those Empty Eyes by Charlie Donlea in exchange for my honest review.

Wow. It’s rare that a book really surprises me anymore, but this one sure did! From the great core mystery, to the subplots that dot the periphery, it’s just a bonanza of detail and intrigue that kept me hooked and guessing.

It has a complex plot with many facets and, which all tied together nicely. Alex Armstrong is fighting for justice not only for her family, but when she takes on a job as an investigator with a criminal defense firm, she starts fighting for her clients, and along the way, she finds herself embroiled in cases where she feels she needs to dig further into cases to make sure she knows what she’s actually fighting for. It’s interesting to see how she operates as she works through cases and connects all the pieces of each puzzle together and ultimately connects the pieces of the largest puzzle of her life.

And wow, the ending! It really knocked me for a loop there! It’s clever and fits in with everything the author has been setting up from the very beginning. I loved it.

Fans of great, complex and exciting mystery/thrillers will love this one, where the action starts right at the beginning and ends at the very, very end. It’s an amassing ride that incorporates so much detail and depth, I can’t recommend it enough!

I haven't read a Charlie Donlea book I haven't liked. This is no exception. I am such a fan of his writing! He does such a good job of capturing the reader’s attention and weaving so many storylines together. This book started out with a bang and had so many interesting characters. As I got into the story, it was hard to keep track of the multiple characters and storylines going on. The beginning felt like it was going to be a different book than it turned out to be. Donlea did a great job of weaving them all together, but it got confusing for a while and it was a lot to process. I like that this book had some characters from his previous books. There were definitely trigger warnings in this book. There was a lot going on, but it kept my interest the whole time.

This was a good story, easy to read, though I found the jumps in time a tad confusing to follow at times. Alex Quinlan was the sole survivor of a home invasion when she was 17, her mom, dad and brother were all shot and pictures were scattered over her dad's body. Alex was found sitting on the floor in her parent's bedroom with the gun they killed them on her lap, she was arrested and charged with their murder, a photo of her in handcuffs leaving the scene made some think she had empty eyes, which became her nickname. Alex was eventually cleared but the stigma and the thought that she had done the deed never did. She successfully sued and received millions as a settlement (still did not lose the stigma). She spent a bit of time in England but when she was caught up in an extortion attempt that required assistance from her American lawyer to get her out of, she returned to the States and began to earnestly pursue who killed her family, she also became an investigator for her American lawyer who owned a law firm. Ten years into her pursuit of justice, Alex gave up and worked on her job, she was tasked with investigating a young student who was charged with the killing of another young female student who was about to drop a podcast of a story involving rape at the University they attended. There are jumps back in time to a youth camp where one counsellor is doing bad things to the youngest kids. All of this eventually ties together nicely, but it does take a bit. Overall I would recommend. Thanks to #Netgalley and #Kensington Books for the ARC.

I was excited for this and listened to the audiobook as well. I was bored a good majority of the time and I kept waiting for it to be over. The narrator was ok this audiobook wasn’t for me.

Thank you netgalley and the publisher for this arc in exchange for my honest review

I've read a few of Charlie Donlea's books and I always enjoy them - Those Empty Eyes is another good read!

Those Empty Eyes is a complex mystery told using several timelines and through multiple points of view. There are plenty of twists and turns that kept me guessing until the end!

It's been ten years since Alex Armstrong's family was brutally killed and she was falsely accused of the crime. She's got her life together as a professional investigator, but continues to quietly pursue the unsolved murders of her family. Alex is flawed but an easy character to root for as she searches for answers and justice. This multi-layered story starts out slow and steadily builds as puzzle pieces fall into place for both Alex and the reader.

I listened to the audiobook, and at times it was a little difficult to keep track of everything going on with the changing timelines and points of view throughout. I was glad to also have a copy of the ebook to pick up and clarify pieces along the way. I think maybe due to the multiple timelines, different narrators might have helped? It's a tough problem because you don't want to give anything away due to the narration choices either!

Pick up Those Empty Eyes if you're looking for a complex, multi-layered mystery that will keep you guessing!

This new thriller suspense novel was a quick entertaining read/listen. Alexandra is trying to move past a horrific family tragedy that happened ten years ago. When her parents and brother were brutally shot in their home Alex is initially accused of the murder. Even after clearing her name,true crime fanatics and reporters are still fascinated by the unsolved case. Alex works as a legal investigator while still trying to piece together what happened to her family. Eventually several different cases of sexual assault lead her to the answers she’s looking for. This had some good twists but it wasn’t as clever as some other thrillers I’ve enjoyed. Moderate language, violence right at the first when the family’s murder is described, references to sexual assault but nothing graphic.

Thank you to @netgalley and @kensingtonbooks for the advance ebook in exchange for my review!

this book was so good !! I loved the way the author alternated between the actual crime and the trial... and I also really loved how he tied together the past to the present. very very tricky... the twist I did not see coming at all !!!
I am excited to read more of his books !!

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review. Alex was just a teenager when she lost both her parents and her brother in a horrible home invasion while she slept across the hall. Not only did she have to live through this horrible night for the rest of her life but she was also accused of being the murderer. Thankfully she was represented by one of the best lawyers in town who happened to be married to the police officer in charge of the murder scene that night. Once she realised what was happening, she contacted her husband for help. Alex continued to look for the real murder who changed her life forever. I really liked this book and I can't believe I kept putting off reading this one. Enjoy!!!

The description for Those Empty Eyes had me moving this book to the top of my to read pile.

This book opens with a triple murder. Seventeen-year-old, Alexandra Quinlan’s mother, father, and brother are shot to death. Alex survives but is then accused of the horrific crimes.

“If it bleeds it leads”

The crimes result in a media circus. Alex is even given a nickname by the media. They call her “Empty Eyes”. Eventually Alex is proven innocent and in turn brings a defamation case against the state of Virginia who had botched the investigation into her family’s murder, ruining her life in the process. The trial and the defamation case are highly publicized.

Many years pass. A decade later, Alex hasn’t stopped investigating the deaths of her parents and brother. She has changed her last name and appearance to avoid being harassed by those who still believe she killed her family.

Will she finally find the answers she craves?

“Those Empty Eyes” was an intriguing story with an interesting plot. Most of the story was told from Alex’s perspective. However, there were quite a few chapters told from other minor characters points of view. There were quite a few characters to keep track of and I found that I did have to go back and re-read a few pages now and then. There were times when the plot seemed a bit all over the place, heading one way then going a whole different way. I definitely didn’t see or guess everything coming.

Overall I still enjoyed this novel. Once again I was lucky enough to have both the e-book and audiobook to review. The narrators were very good. However with the many characters and their different perspectives, it was easier to follow along with the actual book.



I'd like to thank the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this novel. All opinions are my own.

This suspenseful thriller is definitely binge-worthy. I love a book that pulls me in from the beginning and this one definitely accomplished that.

Those Empty Eyes is the story of an infamous 17 year old girl who is accused of killing her entire family. The author did a fantastic job portraying the characters and creating an incredibly layered story.

This was my first Charlie Donlea novel but definitely not my last! A special thank you to @netgalley and @kensingtonbooks for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

THOSE EMPTY EYES by Charlie Donlea is a complex and gripping thriller featuring the notorious sole survivor of the murder of her family and her ten-year search for their killer. I have read several of Mr. Donlea’s books and he never fails to keep me turning the pages in anticipation of the inevitable unexpected twists to come.

Alex Quinlan not only survived the horrific murder of her parents and brother but is accused of the crime and dubbed “Empty Eyes” by the insatiable media. When the state’s case falls apart, Alex with the help of her attorney sues the state for defamation and while she wins the case, the media still has doubts of her innocence.

Ten years later and Alex is now Alex Armstrong and working as an investigator for her attorney’s law firm. When she is sent to investigate the disappearance of a college student, Alex discovers unexpected connections to the murder of her family and soon realizes that those she is closest to may not be who they seem.

This is one of those books that you think is finished with the revelation of the killer, but it is not. A twist filled plot and another in the last pages of the book, make this a book that will be discussed long after “The End” whether you liked it or not. Alex is a character that you immediately feel sympathy for with her treatment after the murder of her family, but as the story continues, she grows into a strong and intelligent protagonist who refuses to forget the past but seeks answers from it. This thriller has intriguing characters that are fully fleshed and believable, multiple mysteries and shocking twists that never end.

I highly recommend this intriguing thriller!

The story starts off with a bang and immediately got my interest. Then I found myself a little confused, it seemed to veer off into completely different stories that didn't seem to fit together. Yet the author manages to tie the stories together beautifully leaving a well written and intriguing mystery with a nice twist at the end that I did not see coming, I love when that happens! I would recommend this book to all mystery lovers and I need to check out more books by Charlie Donlea.

10 years ago, 17 years old Alex Quinlan wakes up to gun shots in her home after an intruder killed her parents and her little brother. Accused of the killings by the local law enforcements, the shell shocked teenager is named Empty Eyes by the Media, convinced of her guilt.

Today, Alex is 27, free, and completely reimagined herself after fighting to clean her name and she now works as a legal investigator. Haunted by her past and her obsessions to find who killed her family, Alex continues to help others who also deserves justice. When one of her cases uncovers a suspicious link to her own family's case, Alex is on the hunt again but this time, the intruder will not want to leave any loose ends..

I love Charlie Donlea's writing. All the different stories that eventually leads to one conclusion is exactly what I love in a thriller and he did a fantastic job yet again!

Told in three different storylines gives a mytilayered dimension to this novel. I loved the storylines and the creativity of the writing. There is so much to uncover and put together in this book it does take some effort to piece the storylines together, but when it clicks it turns out to be an amazing narrative

I hope I do justice to Charlie Donlea with my review...

Those Empty Eyes is fantastic and breaks every point scale we have put forward.

I can not give this book 5 stars because to be quite honest, it would be an insult. Those Empty Eyes, will exceed all your expectations and leave your jaw on the floor.

I should have known just looking at the cover how much I would love this book. I mean, look at it, it's stunning.

And don't even get me started on the twist. My insides still feel the gut punch and my chest is tight from my shock.

I can go on and on but I don't want to spoil it for you, all you need to know is you truly will be missing out if you do not pick this one up.


Teaser :

Alex Armstrong has changed everything about herself—her name, her appearance, her backstory. She’s no longer the terrified teenager a rapt audience saw on television, emerging in handcuffs from the quiet suburban home the night her family was massacred. That girl, Alexandra Quinlan, nicknamed Empty Eyes by the media, was accused of the killings, fought to clear her name, and later took the stand during her highly publicized defamation lawsuit that captured the attention of the nation.

It’s been ten years since, and Alex hasn’t stopped searching for answers about the night her family was killed, even as she continues to hide her real identity from true crime fanatics and grasping reporters still desperate to locate her. As a legal investigator, she works tirelessly to secure justice for others, too. People like Matthew Claymore, who’s under suspicion in the disappearance of his girlfriend, a student journalist named Laura McAllister.

Laura was about to break a major story about rape and cover-ups on her college campus. Alex believes Matthew is innocent, and unearths stunning revelations about the university’s faculty, fraternity members, and powerful parents willing to do anything to protect their children.

Most shocking of all—as Alex digs into Laura’s disappearance, she realizes there are unexpected connections to the murder of her own family. For as different as the crimes may seem, they each hinge on one sinister truth: no one is quite who they seem to be . . .

Alex Armstrong was accused of killing her parents and brother when she was just a teenager. She was found innocent and later sued those who accused her and won a substantial amount of money. She was dubbed Empty Eyes and that name followed her throughout the trial and beyond. Since that time she has changed everything about herself, even her name. Now ten years later she is still searching for answers to what happened that night so many years ago. She is now working as an investigator for a law company and has been placed on a rape case at a local college campus. Alex believes the young man is innocent and hopes to find clues to help clear his name. She soon learns that something sinister is going on at the campus and hopes.to break the mystery wide open. Can Alex clear the young mans name? Will she ever figure out what happened to her family? Dive in and you will immediately be drawn into the plot.

The first part of this book started off strong for me .. then went down hill.
The beginning was very shocking and graphic and I definitely think there should be violence and murder trigger warnings for this book.
I was intrigued by the story and was rooting for Alex during her trial.
The second part started to lose me and by part three I was entirely uninterested in the story.

There was a lot of repetitiveness and the story seemed a little messy and all over the place. I found myself not really caring about what actually happened towards the end.

Charlie Donlea writes crime suspense so well! Those Empty Eyes is about Alex Armstrong who was accused of killing his family years ago. Taking the stand, she worked hard to clear her name and since then, she has made a promise to herself that she will find who massacred her family. As a legal investigator, she does the same for others hoping to clear their names. When an investigation seems linked to the murder of her parents, Alex realizes things aren’t as they seem.

Fast-paced, exciting, multi-layered with a searing look at the legal system!