I'm a big Charlie Donlea fan. Quite often there's a lot going on and you have to really pay attention to all the various threads, the payoff being that they all do come together in the end, and you can always depend at least one gut punch of a twist. I felt like this one had a little too much going on, two many threads to keep track of.

You will NOT be bored. with this book. It won't allow you to. You will recognize elements of current event headlines and while you may think you have it all figured out the very second Alex does, here comes Charlie Donlea with yet another punch that's going to knock the wind right out of you.

Was it my favorite Donlea book so far? No. Did I enjoy it? Oh, yeah. Another wild ride. Thank you, NetGalley, for the chance to read and review a digital copy of this book. All opinions expressed are mine and freely given.

𝙈𝙮 𝙧𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4 stars)

𝙈𝙮 𝙩𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝𝙩𝙨:

This was a twisty, fast-paced thriller that kept me turning the pages—and questioning everyone.

Those Empty Eyes follows a young woman whose life is shattered by tragedy and sensationalized by the media, and it does a great job of pulling you into the aftermath of that trauma. I really liked the balance between psychological suspense and investigative drama. The story feels personal and sharp without sacrificing momentum.

There are some solid reveals along the way, and while I did see a couple of them coming, it didn’t take away from the enjoyment. The pacing was strong, and the dual timelines were woven together in a way that kept the tension high without being confusing.

If you’re into thrillers with a smart, determined lead and a plot full of secrets, media spin, and buried truths, this one will definitely hit the spot.

Thank you to NetGalley, Kensington, and Charlie Donlea for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

Those Empty Eyes is available now!

Sometimes you stumble across an author who just gets how to craft a proper thriller, and Charlie Donlea has definitely earned his spot on my auto-buy list. After being completely hooked by Twenty Years Later and its masterful twists, I found myself scrolling through my Kindle library like a kid in a candy store, looking for my next Charlie Donlea fix. That's when Those Empty Eyes practically jumped off my digital shelf.

The story kicks off with Alex Quinlan, a teenager whose life gets absolutely destroyed when she's branded as the monster who slaughtered her own family. The media circus around her case is brutal – they even give her the chilling nickname "Empty Eyes" because of her distinctive gaze. But here's the thing that immediately drew me in: Alex is innocent, and she knows it. What follows is a gripping journey as she spends years fighting to clear her name, eventually winning her freedom and a hefty defamation settlement against the justice system that failed her.

But vindication is just the beginning. Alex realizes that to truly move forward and find her family's real killer, she needs to disappear completely – new name, new face, the whole nine yards. Those haunting eyes that made her famous? They had to go too. As someone who's always been fascinated by how trauma shapes identity, I found this transformation both heartbreaking and empowering.

Charlie Donlea's pacing is absolutely spot-on here. He layers the mystery perfectly, letting us piece together clues alongside Alex as she digs deeper into her family's murder. The true crime element adds an extra layer of authenticity – there's something about that anniversary angle that always makes these stories feel more urgent and real.

And then comes that ending. Holy hell, that twist. I literally had to put my Kindle down and process what just happened. The revelation about who was with the killer the night her parents died completely blindsided me. I pride myself on usually seeing these things coming, but Charlie Donlea played this one close to the vest. It's the kind of twist that makes you want to immediately flip back through the pages to catch all the breadcrumbs you missed.

If you're into thrillers with that true crime flavor and don't mind having your assumptions completely shattered, Those Empty Eyes delivers in spades. Fair warning though – I immediately dove into the first few chapters of Long Time Gone right after finishing this one, and now I'm committed to working my way through Charlie Donlea's entire catalog. The man knows how to craft an addiction.

I recommend Charlie Donlea titles to any and everyone looking for a change of author or genre. He consistently performs magic by surprising me throughout a story. I've read every one of his books and he's stumped me on all of them. The plots are so different, it's amazing how quickly I'm drawn in and held captive as he weaves the characters into complex situations, leaving me to figure out where I might have missed a clue. Read this book and you'll spend the next few nights reading the rest of his library.

*4 Stars*

Copy kindly received via NetGalley for an honest review.

This was quite an interesting story - Alex is in a terrible situation that no-one should have to endure, and then she's put through the wringer when she shouldn't be. Her life has some interesting adventures and her job is great. Another story plays out along side this with the college and intertwines with Alex when one of the students involved becomes a client. Solving that case is very intriguing and then she comes across some details that may link to her parents. What unravels is a tale that you wouldn't expect and it wasn't until the author wanted me to start putting together the pieces, that I actually worked out the complete picture. This one definitely kept me intrigued and I would recommend.

I’m such a huge fan of Donlea’s stories, and this was no exception! The beginning had me in a chokehold and set the book on a great trajectory! Initially during parts, a backstory came out of left field and I was left wondering how the heck any of it was going to tie into the main storyline. Once it all came together it made for a great twist and well thought out plot, but I was just confused during those transitions until it was explained. Overall, a great read!

Thank you Netgalley and Kensington Books for my ARC in exchange for my honest feedback!

This was such a great book. This was the first book I read by Charlie Donlea. I plan to look for more. He had a very enjoyable writing style.
Without giving spoilers. The crime scene was very detailed and exciting. You could see both sides to the explanation of the crime scene.
It was an interesting observation of how the internet has changed the average person’s life giving every person access to your life. Once you are on the internet for good or bad reasons it’s hard to get out of it and live a normal and safe life.
I received this galley from NetGalley.

Wrongful Accusation, Trauma, and Justice

Those Empty Eyes by Charlie Donlea is a gripping psychological thriller that follows the life of Alex Armstrong, formerly known as Alexandra Quinlan. The story begins with the brutal murder of Alex's family, a crime for which she was wrongfully accused as a teenager. After being exonerated, Alex changes her identity and becomes a legal investigator, determined to find the real murderer and clear her name once and for all. Her investigation into a rape scandal at a local university unexpectedly draws her back to the traumatic past she has been trying to escape.

Overall, Those Empty Eyes is a well-crafted thriller that showcases Charlie Donlea's talent for creating suspenseful and thought-provoking narratives. The book's strengths lie in its intricate plot, compelling characters, and the way it addresses serious social issues. However, some readers might find the multiple storylines and complex themes a bit overwhelming. Nonetheless, it is a highly recommended read for fans of psychological thrillers and crime fiction.

This started off with a bang, but then just plodded along with multiple story lines and characters.. I also guessed the killers before the reveal, so no big twist for me. Just ok. 3 stars.

Thanks to NetGalley for an early copy of this book.

As usual Charlie Donlea wrote another good read.
I loved the strength in Alex and the relationship she had with Annette although that came later in the story.

I love it when authors create strong female characters.
You will see there are a few of those in this story and they don’t disappoint.
And once you get to the last few pages you will see a twist you just may not of saw coming.

𝗠𝘆 𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴: 4 ⭐️
THOSE EMPTY EYES
🤍𝗚𝗲𝗻𝗿𝗲: thriller
📖 368 pages
𝗘𝗺𝗼𝗷𝗶𝘀: 🚔👨🏼‍⚖️🔫🩸🕵🏻‍♂️⚖️🪟👀🇨🇭🎙️💉

𝗪𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗜 𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗻𝗱? 👍🏼

🧡𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲🧡

Thank you @netgalley @kensingtonbooks for the #gifted copy!

THOSE EMPTY EYES was a wild ride! Having had it on my TBR list for far too long, I am thrilled I finally picked it up. The story is packed with intertwined mysteries & crimes that maintain your interest & keep you guessing from start to finish. With multiple motives, instances of sabotage, & several wrongly accused characters, it's difficult to know who to trust.

The book’s structure adds to the intrigue, being told from multiple POV & shifting between past & present chapters. There are even a few chapters where the perspective is intentionally ambiguous, adding an extra layer of mystery. This complexity makes the story particularly engaging & suspenseful.

I did find it challenging to keep track of all the characters at times, however. While I guessed the shocking twist at the end, the story still kept me on the edge of my seat. True crime enthusiasts will love this book, as it features numerous crimes & even includes a podcaster determined to uncover a major secret. The connections between the stories unfolded in a satisfying way, making the read well worth it. I absolutely recommend!

⚠️ shooting, rape, child pornography

𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗶𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲:
◽️ court trials
◽️ dual timelines
◽️ short chapters
◽️ multiple POV
◽️ lots of characters
◽️ suspense & podcasts

𝗣𝗹𝗼𝘁: Alex Armstrong has completely reinvented herself to escape her past as Alexandra Quinlan, who was once accused of her family's murder. 10 years later, she continues to seek answers about that night while concealing her true identity. Now a legal investigator, Alex is dedicated to helping others, including Matthew Claymore, suspected in the disappearance of his girlfriend Laura McAllister. Laura was on the verge of exposing a major scandal at her college involving rape & cover-ups. As Alex investigates, she discovers shocking links between Laura's case & her own family's murder, revealing that no one is quite who they seem to be.

4 stars-This book was interesting and different than I expected. You start your ride with the murder of a family, and their teenage daughter who survives gets arrested. Flashback and forward to the trial where she sues the city for defamation. Part 2, she moves to England to “start over” chaos ensues, she’s back in the US. We are then introduced to a variety of characters and storylines that slowly weave together to solve the murder of the family. OK, so I liked this book, and I normally LOVE Charlie Donlea…I did find that there was maybe a bit too much going on that I didn’t care about and two storylines that I wish were fleshed out more. Not my favorite of Donlea’s but I will still read everything he writes. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc. All opinions are my own.

An engaging read that I thoroughly enjoyed! Highly recommend and will purchase several physical and digital copies for library collections. Thank you!!

Tense and surprising, this is a solid but disturbing story with plenty of twists. Readers may want to check trigger warnings on this one before they start.

I’m not sure how I feel about this one still. I liked it while I was reading it but I found it very forgettable. I did really like the characters and the story line.

I love Charlie Donlea’s books! This is the 7th book of his that I’ve read and they’ve all been excellent - so well-written and really hard to put down. At 17 years old, Alexandra Quinlan becomes the sole survivor when her parents and 13 year-old brother are violently murdered in their home. Alexandra is found by the police in her parents’ bedroom holding the shotgun that killed them, so she’s arrested and charged with their murders. A reporter believing she’s a killer describes her as Empty Eyes. After proving she was wrongly charged, Alexandra sues the state of Virginia and wins a hefty settlement in her defamation lawsuit. Ten years later, she’s Alex Armstrong - having changed her name and appearance to distance herself from her awful past. She has never stopped looking for answers about what happened to her family even though most of the world is still convinced that she killed them. While working as a private investigator for a law firm, Alex gets involved with a case that seems like it might be connected to her family’s murders. Putting the pieces of the puzzle together may prove to be very dangerous for Alex. I enjoyed the cameo appearances of Avery Mason from Twenty Years Later and Lane Phillips from Some Choose Darkness and The Suicide House. I definitely recommend reading Those Empty Eyes and I’m looking forward to reading Donlea’s next book. Thanks to #netgalley #kensingtonbooks and #charliedonlea for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Lots of twists and turns, with essentially three storylines going. Suspenseful, quickly moving, and I really enjoyed the smart way all the threads were woven together.

Thank you Netgalley and Kensington Books, Kensington for the enjoyable ARC!

I really liked Alex and wanted her story to continue! This was a great story that kept me up late at night because I didn't want to stop. Lots of suspense!

This story is told in third person, but primarily follows the case of a teenage girl, Alex, whose entire family was murdered in their home one night in 2013. The police initially suspected and arrested Alex for the murders, but the book starts with her lawsuit against the state for defamation.

I enjoyed the way the story began as a court battle slowly revealing the details of the murder of the family and the characters that were involved in the case, then evolved into a background investigation in the life of the adult Alex still searching for answers while dodging the media and trying to build a life for herself with the help of Garrett and Donna, the couple who took her in and tried to give her love and support. These chapters are interspersed with other narratives that the reader can infer are going to connect to the mystery at some point.

I couldn’t put this one down once I started, switching between audio and ebook as my day went on to finish it. I made some assumptions that I shouldn’t have and was absolutely surprised by the way things turned out in the end. And those that have read Charlie Donlea will enjoy the cameo by Lane Phillips.

Recommended to mystery/thriller lovers

Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Books for a copy provided for an honest review.

What a journey! I enjoyed all the twist, turns, and struggles of this story. She is able to make it all into something good in the end but not without the battle of a lifetime. While there was a lot happening in this story, I did feel it lacked depth and maturity. It almost seemed like a young adult book to me which is why I rated it as I did.