Avery Mason is a TV host for a popular show, American Events. While looking for stories for the upcoming season, she travels to NYC where new DNA technology has allowed the New York medical examiner’s office to make its first successful ID of a 9/11 victim. She begins digging into the victim, Victoria Ford, and finds she had been accused of the murder of her married lover. When Avery meets with Victoria’s sister, she plays her a recording of Victoria’s last moments during 9/11, begging her to prove her innocence.

But the twisted puzzle of Victoria’s private life is just the beginning. Avery has no idea there are other people interested in the story, but to dig into Avery’s past. She has a history she has kept secret from everyone, but it may not be secret for long!

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

I feel like I have been ending this year with some really amazing reads, and this one was no exception!! It was such an involved read, with alternating POVs that held my attention while piecing together the characters and how they come together. As usual, I was sure I knew exactly what was going on, but the end was such a shock! The writing was superb and has me wanting to read more by Charlie Donlea in the very near future! Out today, grab your copy ASAP!

Thank you to Netgalley, Kensington Books, and Charlie Donlea for the chance to read this ARC!

WOW! This is a gripping page turner that will keep you guessing and questioning until the final page. I'm a big fan of this author but this one exceeds all expectations. The characters are complex and often flawed. The imagery that is created makes you feel you are right there which is difficult at times as 9/11 plays a large role in this book. By the end I was completely immersed and hours had flown by. This is the must read of the year.

The stories of 9/11 are quite fascinating - in addition to the distress they cause.. This book has a mix of both, but mostly it's fascinating, thrilling and interesting premise to a murder investigation.
Thanks to NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Twenty Years Later was an ok read for me! The story is very engaging and fast paced about a murder investigation that was abandoned aftermath of 9/11. I skimmed through those parts for obvious reasons, so get into this book cautiously because the vivid detailings can be a bit too much. Other than that, its a solid unsolved mystery investigative thriller! I definitely recommend this just for that jaw dropping twist at the end.

Thank you Kensington books via Netgalley for the readers copy.

I didn't want to read this book. I wasn't wanting a detective novel that involved 9/11, which is still a little too soon for me. But I love Charlie Donlea's writing, and this book has been getting good reviews, so I finally sucked it up buttercup and read it.

I am so glad I just passed not wanting to read it because this book is jaw-dropping. It centers around two crimes: one from the past that is brought back to life twenty years later because of a creepy connection to 9/11 and another that connects to a TV personality who is on the search for the truth. What you don't know is that these two stories will tie together in ways that you could never comprehend, and the twists and turns will leave you completely shocked.

I loved the flawed characters in this novel - Avery, whose father's crimes have completely shaped her life. Walt, whose heartbreak forced him to run away. Victoria, who trusted a cheater with her heart and thought together they would rule the world. This book had so many great layers, including a few locations near and dear to my heart. I just couldn't put it down and I loved every minute of it.

This book is out on the 28th, so whether you're looking for your last book of 2021 or your first book of 2022, it is a must read.

When Avery Mason, popular television host of the show American Events decides to cover an exciting story about a woman who died twenty years ago in the Twin Towers on 9/11 and because of new technology, has had her remains identified she thought it would be a piece which her loyal viewers would not only find interesting, but would appreciate. But as she begins to learn about the dead woman, Victoria Ford, she discovers that at the time of her death she had been charged with the murder of her married lover, a famous author who was found dead hanging off his balcony.

When she decides to visit Ford’s sister, Emma to find out more information on the life and last days of Victoria, she discovers Emma has kept phone recordings which were made by her sister on 9/11 while she was in the Tower that fateful day. In both calls she implores her sister to please help her prove her innocence, saying she was set up. All these years, Emma has been trying to fight this fight alone. Now, Avery Mason has agreed to look into the case.

She contacts Walt Jenkins, a retired FBI agent who was the detective overseeing the murder case all those years ago. Unbeknownst to Avery, Walt was asked by the FBI to help them in locating Avery Mason’s father who fled years ago after being accused of running a pyramid scheme and stealing millions of dollars from his clients. You see, Avery has some secrets of her own which could ruin her career.

As Avery and Walt begin to look at the old murder file, they soon begin to see inconsistencies which Walt, at the time of the murder, a novice detective never picked up on. Is this perhaps why he was put on the case in the first place? Although Victoria Ford’s blood is all over the crime scene something just doesn’t make sense. But with fresh eyes, they see there were others who could possibly have benefited from the death.

With Avery and Walt working together, the past and the present begin to intersect, with the terrifying realizations of what may have actually happened twenty years ago. Not only will the characters be shocked, but the readers as well.

Charlie Donlea, author of the incredible book The Suicide House has once again written an absolutely all consuming, heart thumping story with the most incredible twistiest of twists.

Thank you #NetGalley #Kensington #CharlieDonlea #TwentyYearsLater for the advanced copy. The book will be out next week.

I so wish I could say I loved this one. But truly all I can say is, it was… ok.💁🏻‍♀️

This story plays out in two timelines.

2001. In the midst of the 911 attack, with many references to the day in vivid detail. So for some this may certainly be a difficult read.

A famous author is killed, and the primary suspect Victoria just happens to be meeting with her lawyer at the time a plane hit the first tower.

2021 Avery, a TV investigative reporter travels to New York to investigate the death of this author, as well as the woman accused of his killing. But perhaps Avery has an alternative reason for being in New York.

The transition between timelines was smooth and was able to follow easily. But with a high number of characters and subplots along the way, you’ll definitely need to pay close attention.

For me, it’s been a bit of hit and miss with Charlie Donlea’s books. I’d say I was engaged throughout but not enthralled.

I toggled between the audio and digital copies. The narrator did an amazing job with the characters and helped to keep me from putting this one aside.

Hoping I will be loving his next release!🤞🤞

A buddy read with Susanne that left both of us a bit underwhelmed.

Posted to: https://books-are-a-girls-best-friend...

Thank you to NetGalley and RB Media and Kensington Books for both a digital and audio ARC

Victoria Ford was accused of a murder. Add in some S&M features and it was a sensational story. Until she was in the World Trade Center on 9/11 and the world changed.

I had a hard time getting into this one but about halfway through I got with it. I just felt there was a lot of backstory to get through. Maybe that’s because there are characters from previous books, which I haven’t had. The synopsis sounds super juicy, and it was… it just took some time to get to. This felt like a real, true to life investigation; how Karen Slaughter’s books that I’ve read have felt to me. If you’re a fan of Slaughter, I’d give this a try!

“We’re all connected in different ways to 9/11. We all remember where we were when we watched the scene unfold on television.”

Twenty Years Later comes out 12/28.

*5 Stars*

ARC kindly received for an honest review.

This was a really interesting read and had great characters. There were a few surprises, including the ending. Would recommend.

Twenty Years Later is the type of book that's difficult to put down once you've gotten going, with many different plots that overlap and bind together by the explosive ending. There is A LOT going on in this book, and I know that's a make it-or-break it deal for some readers, but for me it worked well. I loved the complex nature of the varying degrees of ongoing investigations, and as a seasoned consumer of suspense novels, it kept from any part being obvious and doled out twists as the book progressed, rather than saving one whopping doozy for the end. However, the ending does have a big twist. 😂 If you're looking for a thriller that has murder, sexy shenanigans, a hint of romance, and twists rolling out at a breakneck speed, definitely consider picking up this one!

Please note this book deals heavily with a plot revolving around 9/11, and those with trigger warnings should be aware that it is not glossed over, but central to the story.

I really enjoyed this one and finished it in one day. The plot is kind of all over the place and it's hard to pull it all together, but I enjoyed the characters so much I was able to overlook the scattershot first half. I really enjoy Charlie Donlea and am so happy that he keeps writing thrillers that engage me. The heart of a story is the characters and I loved Walt. I always like the male leads in a book more than the women, but Avery is not very likeable at the beginning of the book and I found myself hoping Walt would accomplish his mission. By the end, I was happy with both characters, but she was hard to like, which makes it hard to get into a book. I know unlikeable characters are a trend, but it's not one I embrace. Glad the plot and Walt were enough to get me into this one because it was a great read.

I am a BIG fan of this author and he never lets me down so I was so excited to get my hands on this, his latest book. And, although the bar is already set very high, it not only matched but exceeded my expectations.
So... we start in the past with a death being discovered and investigated. 20 years later we witness a DNA match in a lab examining evidence from 9/11. After many fallow years, a match has been made to one of the known victims. And what a victim... Victoria Ford who, at the time of her death in the terror attack, was accused of the murder of her married lover.
Host of a top rated TV show Avery Mason gets hold of this information and, with her contract negotiation looming, decides that it will make a good show. Especially when she hears Victoria's final words in a phone call to her sister on that fateful day, proclaiming her innocence...
But Avery has a secret of her own that she's rather keep secret, her father is a bit notorious, on the run, and she has, mostly, managed to keep that on the down low. But her past soon becomes her present and that just threatens her future...
Oh My Days! This book just grabbed me right from the start. It then proceeded to suck me in and hold me captive throughout as I tried to guess what on earth was going on in the threads that were meandering around and about each other. I would love to wax lyrical about everything that I really loved about this book but it would inevitable introduce spoilers and that's not happening.
I will say that I loved Avery and really hope to see her again in a future novel. With her job it's always a possibility and I'd love to reconnect with her, even if just as a secondary character.
Plotting is brilliant and so very well executed. You really do have to be on the ball with all the things going on and how they eventually interconnect - or not! I lost count of the times I changed my mind about something I was guessing and how far off the mark I actually was half the time. I did guess one thing a bit early but that was never a given and, once exposed, my early guess did not mar my overall enjoyment.
It's a wee bit slow initially as things are being set up but once everything is in place it does get on with itself very well indeed.
All in all, another winner from an author who just gets better and better and really deserves more exposure this side of the pond (UK). My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.

This one will pull you in and keep you reading. Avery Mason has been running from her family history for several years, but she's been hiding in plain sight. She changed her name for public use but never officially because her father bilked his clients and then took off for parts unknown. Now a hot tv journalist, she's landed on the story of Victoria Ford, who is presumed to have died on 9/11 while meeting with the attorney she hopes will defend her on murder charges. Her sister believes she's dead but not that she committed murder. Walt, who retired from the FBI after he was shot while on surveillance, is recruited by FBI to assist in tracking Avery, who some believe is going to make contact with her father. Walt, however, was the original investigating officer on the murder back before he joined FBI and he's got his own issues. There's a lot going on in this novel - perhaps too much- but I still found myself engaged even after I figured out one of the central mysteries. But not the other. Yes it seems unlikely that a meticulous journalist would set off on a quest without at least googling Victoria and having to be told by her sister about the murder. So many twists- not spoilers. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. Yes many things seem unlikely but I couldn't put this one down.

What an outstanding premise and the weaving of several characters to make this one of the top murder mysteries for this year! There were some uncomfortable situations in the horror of 9/11 and those unforgettable last calls home, but an exceptional way of building the story to make you wonder about the possibilities of that day.

July 2001 - In the Catskill Mountains, a brutal murder has taken place of an outstanding author, Cameron. He was found hanging from the balcony, bound and naked. You soon learn in the story about his ultimate affair with another author Victoria. Remnants of her presence were found throughout the room, she was charged for the crime. Two months later, she is meeting with her attorney in the North Tower on that fateful day, 9/11. Another important character is Walt Jenkins, the main investigator on this case and will play another important role twenty years later.

"But Twenty Years Later to understand the present, you need to listen to the past..."

Twenty Years Later, through outstanding DNA analysis and sifting through massive mounds of rubble from those buildings, a single tooth was found belonging to Victoria.
*Astonishing as it sounds, each piece of bone fragment is analyzed to recover those still unaccounted for to this day.*

An outstanding anchor woman, Avery, from American Events, gets information about the identification and also the story behind the scenes of her as an accused murderer. With her sister's release of her phone call on 9/11, we learn about Victoria's plea to clear her name even though she knew she was going to die.

You will be stunned by the research and work put in by this reporter, but you will also learn about her wealthy past and her dad's crimes that has put him on hiatus from life. So many loose ends to tie up in those final chapters that you will think how is he going to do this and so many players in the game.......He does it but not without his twists and turns you will not see coming. I'm just floored by this book and did not know quite how to sum it up because it is just that good!!!!

Thank you NetGalley and Kensington Books from NetGalley's Public Catalog for this title in exchange for my honest review.

What!! The ending of this book is pure genius! I feel like I was run over by a truck for being so oblivious. The twists, the turns, the secrets, the multiple story lines, all weave together perfectly. I was recovering from one major discovery, when the second one comes screaming in! I loved every second of this book. It hooks you from the beginning, quickly picking up pace. The more you dive in the quicker you read, wanting all your questions answered.

Avery Mason is the face of the news program, American Events. She is renegotiating her contract and trying to find the perfect story to give her that edge. For twenty years the NYC Medical Examiner's Office has been struggling to identify all the victims who succumbed when the towers fell. Their newest identification is Victoria Ford, a woman who was arrested for the horrific murder of her lover. Avery is sucked into Victoria's life after meeting with her sister, who has a message that Victoria left her moments before her death, claiming her innocence. Avery reaches out to Walt Turner, the detective that worked the murder investigation. He and Avery dig deep into Victoria's past, and at the same time revealing their own deeply guarded secrets.

You will fall for Avery and Walt as fast as they fell for each other. They are both well developed and each carry so much baggage, which elevates this book to the next level. There is never a dull moment, you will not be able to put this book down until the very last word is taken in. The shock and awe made me laugh out loud. There is some repetition in the beginning of the book, that eventually smooths out. Thank you to Charlie Donlea, Kensington Publishers, and NetGalley for sending me this thrilling ride!

I've enjoyed some of Charlie Donlea's books in the past and have to say his books are hit or miss to me. This latest release, though gripping and intriguing in so many ways, fell short for me due to too many subplots and a bit convoluted with the story direction and motives, thus it slowed down the pace and the intensity but it did pick up towards the end, though.

July, 2001. Bestselling novelist Cameron Young was found dead hanging in his balcony. Forensic investigations indicated that he was murdered first before the hanging. There was enough evidence and motives to point towards his lover, Victoria Ford, as the perpetrator due to her DNA left at the scene. On top of that, they learnt that she'd had an abortion before but Cameron's wife was pregnant thereafter, as the reader will read about Cameron's infidelity as the story progresses. Earlier on the September 11th, Victoria had gone off to visit her lawyer whose office situated at the World Trade Center. Before Victoria could have her case sorted out, tragedy struck as the plane crashed into the building. Like many victims, Victoria never had the chance to live and defend herself and soon her case was left buried and forgotten.

Twenty years later, American Events host Avery Mason decides to unravel the mystery behind Victoria Ford's case after her DNA was found in a tiny bone fragment through scientific technology. The ratings for American Events has been good and has a stellar viewership through Avery's hosting and her daring exploration in various cases so they are sure she'll ace in this latest show as well. But as Avery digs around, she finds out that Victoria had left a phone message to her sister claiming that she's innocent and to exonerate her from a crime she didn't commit. Added to the intrigue is Avery's real identity as a fugitive's daughter and her involvement with Walt Jenkins who was the young investigator who looked into Cameron Young's case. Walt may not be in the squad now, but he's asked to look for Avery's father by his ex-boss as he work with Avery on Cameron's case.

I liked the story well enough, but the direction of the story left me a little baffled. Initially I thought this would be a case about Cameron and Victoria, but the thread was lost after the involvement between Avery and Walt and the attention turns to Avery's identity and Walt's secret assignment. Just as I wondered if Cameron's case would be revealed, it showed up towards the end and the revelation was a surprise and a twisty one. Overall it was an intriguing read if you don't mind the slow start, the various subplots and a murder case revolves around infidelity and kinky sex.

(3.5 stars)

An intriguing premise is the basis of Charlie Donlea’s latest mystery thriller Twenty Years Later. Victoria Ford makes a final telephone call before the 9/11 twin towers crumble. She tells her sister she is innocent of the murder of her married lover. Twenty years later, Avery Mason chases the scoop that will make her TV career, as she investigates the forgotten case. Yet Avery also harbours her own secret that could jeopardise her career if discovered. So, begins an enjoyable tale that is interspersed with flashbacks as the two time periods are interwoven. With the many twists not occurring till the latter half of the book and the somewhat contrived ending, this book makes for only a three-and-a-half-star rating. With thanks to Kensington Books and the author, for an uncorrected advanced review copy for review purposes. As always, the opinions herein are totally my own and are made without fear or favour.

September 11, 2001 was an American tragedy. Crimes committed on that day were negated or over-shadowed by the event. The justice system realized that you could not try the persons killed in the blast. Avery Mason also realized this as she prepared for her highly-rated crime expose: ”American Events.”

The network executives offered Avery a paltry ¾ of a million per year for five years. Her predecessor, Mack Carter, had been paid eight million a year for the same job! She had closed the year out with the highest-rated show on television. So why were the network executives offering such a low-ball offer?

Avery has more personal problems as well. Her father had been a Wall Street high flyer who was running a very effective Ponzi scheme. He had disappeared three years earlier with an estimated 15 million dollars of his investor’s money and the justice system wanted him badly.

Charlie Donlea spins a very interesting tale of greed and avarice among the New York and Wall Street elite. The “sins of the father” are hard to overcome in the dog-eat-dog world that is Wall Street business. This tale explores the problem with someone who is the offspring of one of these tycoons. Before Tammany Hall and the other rulers of Wall Street developed the methodology, the stage was set to fleece the rich persons’ greed.

I found the book enlightening and a bit disgusting. The theme is that there is never enough money to satisfy the greed and avarice of the very rich. 4.5 stars - C.E. Williams

Many thanks to NetGalley, Kensington Publishing and Recorded Books for gifting me both a digital and audio ARC of the latest mystery by one of my favorites, Charlie Donlea. The audio was perfectly narrated by Vivienne Leheny. 5 stars!

Avery Mason is a popular TV news broadcast host but while she is in the public eye, she's also hiding her own true story. She gets wind of a new story that she hopes will propel her star - after twenty years, the identity of a 9/11 victim was discovered using new DNA technology. Then Avery discovers that person was accused of a sordid murder of a celebrity novelist and never brought to trial because she was in the towers when they fell.

I'm not going to go any more into the plot in this review - there are multiple mysteries at work here as well as a full cast of characters and I totally enjoyed watching all the intertwined pieces come together. I figured some things out but was still stunned at the end! I love Donlea's writing and I had a tough time putting this book down. I enjoyed switching back and forth from the digital to audio versions as well for extra depth. Highly recommended!

LOVED IT!!!!! I was excited to read this because I LOVED all of the authors previous books. It did not disappoint. There are so many twists and turns. Every time I thought I figured something out, something else happened and everything I believed got turned upside down. There was no way I would have ever been able to guess what was going to happen. Loved the story, characters and writing style-- so everything about the book. Avery grew on me. Of course, I thought I knew what she was up to and was completely wrong. Loved Walt. He was pretty much happy to be around rum. I couldn't imagine what caused Walt to fall out with Meghan, whom he loved so much. I knew what it was going to be as soon as Walt arrived at the funeral, then all pieces fell together. It explained why he was in Jamaica hiding out and constantly drinking rum. The ending was not what I expected. I thought the book was going to be about about the murder of Cameron Young
and remains being identified from one one of the Towers, it was, but the book ended up being about so much more. Plus, Livia makes n appearance. This was one of the best books that I read this year. It was AMAZING!!!

Definitely recommend the book. It was a great mystery/thriller. I was hooked from the start until the very end. I had to find out what happened Cameron, Victoria, Walt and Avery, so it was a very late night for me because I had to finish the book. Look forward to reading more books by the author.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Kensington Books through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.