It doesn't matter how much you love an author, sometimes you just have to agree to disagree. And unfortunately, this is probably my least favorite of all of Charlie Donlea's books. Which is not to say it was bad; it was still incredibly enjoyable, and I'd still recommend it. But something just didn't sit right with me.

We'll start with the good: I am obsessed with the overall story. Alexandra Quinlan was 17 when her family was murdered in the middle of the night. Unfortunately, the media and police department decided the easiest route to go with the story was to blame Alexandra, who was spooked and dead eyed when coming out of the home in handcuffs. Thankfully, the first officer on the scene realized that the media and cops were about to filet Alexandra and calls upon her defense lawyer husband. Now only does her lawyer get Alexandra off with a not guilty charge, he also helps her sue for defamation and becomes a father figure.

But that's only the beginning.

What I loved is the ridiculous twists and turns of this novel. I loved the multiple points of view and the story of how Alexandra turned into Alex, a woman bent on a crusade to find out what really happened to her family that night. I was obsessed with wanting to know who was really in her home that night, and when she ends up embroiled in a case that seems totally separate, I had to know how they would eventually tie together.

This novel is totally worth most of the story.

The problem. There were so many different points of view that the novel felt choppy. And it spends the first 20% of the novel focused on the murders of Alexandra's family and the court cases, then jumps around very quickly through a few different timelines, which was enough to make my head spin. By the time I felt that I was actually getting into the meat of the story, the book was almost over!

I also found myself disappointed with the ending. When the killer is finally revealed, there was no "ah-ha!" moment for me. And the tiny twist at the end actually hurt my heart a little bit.

Is it worth it? Yes. But is it Donlea's best? That title still belongs to <i>Don't Believe It</i>.

A quick chaotic read. The characters were well fleshed out and I quickly got sucked in and desperate to find out what was fact and what was fiction. The plot twists kept me engaged and the ending was explosive.

Thank you NetGalley for this arc

The plot to this suspense novel was a bit too messy for me. I really didn't connect with the main character at all.

I have been a huge Charlie Donlea fan for years, and this one is definitely vaster in it's scope than his previous thrillers. There is so much going on in this book, and I ended up with mixed feelings about all of the characters and threads that were a part of the story. It has the same emotionally charged suspense Donlea fans love, but I felt like I got invested in a character just to have the whole plot shift in a new direction with a new character.

I really enjoyed reading this one, but I didn't get as invested in the characters and story as I was hoping to.

Thank you to NetGalley, Charlie Donlea & Kensington Books for an arc of Those Empty Eyes in exchange for an honest review. This review is wholly my own & may not be reproduced.

This was my first Charlie Donlea read, although I have Twenty Years Later on my shelf currently TBR.

This story centers around Alex Armstrong who was accused of the massacre of her family 10 years prior. She has changed her name, appearance & even her backstory. Alex is not a legal investigator and has stopped at nothing to find out what really happened to her family, who killed them & why - - all while trying to help secure justice for others in similar situations as she had been in (i.e. wrongfully accused). One of these individuals is Matthew who has been accused in the disappearance of his girlfriend Lauren who was about to uncover a major rape story on her college campus. As Alex dives into helping clear Matt & find out what happened to Lauren, she shockingly discovers that this case is linked to her family’s murders.

This was multilayered story. Essentially, there are three storylines that all end up intertwining with one another. So, this is a novel you need to keep you head in. If you are looking for something to read that you don’t have to concentrate too hard on, put this one on the backburner until you’re mentally prepared.

The characters were well developed & the pacing was good, however, I was not a fan of all of the intricate storylines. That’s not to say the book was bad. I think it takes a lot of talent to write a novel with so many layers. There were just too many layers and side stories for me. I didn’t love the book, but I didn’t hate it either, so I’m giving it a straight down the middle 3/5 Stars.

If you like all the intricate storylines and multi-layers, I would definitely recommend this book to you. If that’s all a bit much for you, like it is for me, I would probably pass on this one.

With all of that said – I will absolutely still read other novels by this author in the future!

SHOOKETH - seriously - Donlea has done it again. Every book just gets better. I was so excited to be able to read an ARC - I will admit in the beginning I was like Ehhh...eventually this will all come together - the book has a few different storylines that make you wonder - where is he taking us??? What does this have to do with anything? I did enjoy seeing a few characters from his previous books pop up (don't worry don't need to read them to read this book - BUT I highly recommend reading all of Donlea's books) PEOPLE - keep reading - when I tell you I GASPED. This was chefs kiss perfection

Someone is killing child abusers, pedophiles and abductors as well as those who aided them.

17 year old Alexandra Quinlan survived the slaughter of her parents and younger brother only to find herself held in juvenile detention center awaiting trial where she was treated like a murderer for 2 years.

The plot is quite complex as Alex investigates the crime herself after training and working as an investigator for a law firm. As the 10 year anniversary of the family murders approaches, media and the killer reactivate putting Alex in danger.

A fantastic, nail bitter ending!

This one was a struggle for me. I really wanted to love this book like the author's previous works, but I couldn't. It was a messy, unrealistic plot with too many side stories and sadly I had absolutely no investment in any of the characters lives including the main character.

Thank you, Net Galley and Kensington Publisher for an ARC of this book for an honest review.

I really enjoy Charlie Donlea’s writing, and this book is really jam packed. There are multiple plot lines, and time frames. There is a very foreboding, dark cloud-like atmosphere to the book that gave it a really good tone. There’s a lot to enjoy. The main plot follows Alexandria, whose family was murdered at the beginning of the book, and we are unclear if she has anything to do with it or not. Her young-adult years are spent trying to get to the bottom of her family’s devastation. There was so much going on in this book, it was almost too much, and I felt my attention waning as time went on. However Donelea’s prose really carries the book. Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to provide my honest review.

This was such an incredible read! I read Twenty Years Later by Charlie Donlea and loved it so I knew I had to read this.
The format is very similar. Lots of different characters, going back and forth between a couple time frames, and everyone’s stories being intertwined in the end.
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Alex is a young girl who experiences one of the worst things- her whole family is brutally murdered. She spends her life trying to find the killer and justice for others who need it.
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It’s hard to read a book where you don’t end up figuring out the killer before it’s revealed. I kid you not that the last couple pages had me shocked. It was such a good twist. Definitely a must have on your TBR. Thank you to Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Wow! I don't even know how to start explaining how much I LOVED this book. You know those books where when you read the last page and close the book you say to yourself, "That was a great book!"? That is exactly what I did, out loud, when finishing "Those Empty Eyes". I read Charlie Donlea's last book "Twenty Year Later" and loved that so while I had high hopes for another good book from him I didn't know if he could top it. He did! I think "Those Empty Eyes' might be one of my all time favorite books, I am already planning to go back and read a second time.

I loved the evolution and growth of Alex through the years and her relationships with those that came into her life at various points. There are so many good twists in the book and all these different threads that he weaves through the story only to tie them all together in the end. I love when a book ends with a twist in the last chapter but I appreciate that is hard to do while also writing a satisfying conclusion. However Donlea did just that with a twist in the last two pages I genuinely did NOT SEE COMING! And along with these great characters and keep-you-guessing twists is still a really beautifully written story about perseverance and love. I will be recommending this book to everyone I know!

Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Books for the absolute pleasure of reading this book in advance of publication.

I have read several of Donlea’s books, and they all are good. His books might read a little slower than some of the typical thriller books, but that is because he is so meticulous with details. At times, he is repetitive, but he needs to help us keep track of the many characters in his books. This book is full of sub stories that all merge together to create a satisfying ending. This story is about a woman seeking justice for the murders of her entire family. She, at the age of 17, is initially accused of the crimes, but she is later exonerated only to continue to search for answers years after the crime occurred. I read 70% quickly in one sitting and finished the following morning. He is an excellent writer, and I recommend all of his books!

Charlie Donlea is a new to me fave author. I have some catching up to do with his backlist, because this was so gripping and really good.

I felt completely sucked in, hooked, entranced. Love it so much when a book sinks its claws into me and doesnt let go!

OH. MY. WORD!!!! One word: GRIPPING! The author establishes a very strong start and delivered until the very end. It follows the MC’s story in search for answers and while it does seem disjointed because of multiple characters and side stories, of course into full circle in the end. It is a very elaborate plot and this book definitely pulled me into knowing each character more; and that somehow they found their way to be all connected to one another. I am giving very bright and shining five stars for this! This book is amazing! Grab a copy once this becomes available on Mar 28, 2023.

Thank you to Netgalley, Kensington Books, and author Charlie Donna for this ARC in exchange of my honest review! I really enjoyed this book!

At the age of 17, Alexandra Quinlan was accused of shooting and killing both of her parents and her younger brother. She was the only survivor of a home invasion and was found near the victims, cradling the murder weapon. As the shocked Alex was led away by police, a reporter at the scene dubbed her the girl with “those empty eyes”. Even after she was able to prove her innocence with the help of officer Donna Lancaster and her attorney husband Garrett Lancaster, Alex still finds herself the subject of media judgment and harassment. Years later and under a new name and appearance, Alex now works for Garrett as an investigator for his law firm. And is still in search of the real murderer who remains at large 10 years after her parents’ and brother’s deaths. This was a great read and I loved that Donlea brought his character Lane Phillips from his other novels in for a cameo appearance to help Alex in her quest to find the truth.

The beginning started off great. I was captivated by Alex and her plight. This really highlighted how insidious and uncaring the media could be.
Once other POVs entered the story I wondered how and if they were all connected.
It wasn't until about three-quarters through that I started to get excited about the ending.
One of the perpetrators, I guessed as a throwaway ironic twist but it turned out to be true.
The surprises toward the end had me rapt.
I received a copy from NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Those Empty Eyes is a psychological thriller with some legal elements by author, Charlie Donlea. This author was new to me but I have long seen his books recommended in thriller book groups and was excited to read this one. The premise of the story started out really strong, Alex Quinlan's family were killed and she was the prime suspect. Alex's quest to find the truth is the core of this psychological thriller and I felt invested in her story and outcome. There were alot of subplots to keep track of and characters who seemed to come out of the blue. I found it a little hard to keep track of at times especially if I'd put the book down for a day or so and picked it up again. For almost the whole book, it was a 4 star read until that ending. Straight up 5 stars. Despite the convoluted parts, I really enjoyed this book and can see why this author is recommended highly.
Thank you to the author, publisher and Netgalley for an arc of this book.

Ten years ago, Alex Quinlan witnessed the massacre of her family. Her father, mother, and younger brother were gunned down as Alex lay hidden behind an old grandfather clock, quivering with fear.

Alex survived the ordeal only to be accused of the murders. After all, she was found holding the rifle that killed her family. Later, however, Alex is exonerated but the damage was done. Alex the sues the State of Virginia for defamation. She wins the suit and moves to the U.K. to get away from the gossip, crime mongers, and media.

In the U.K. Alex still struggles with the nagging questions of who and why her family was targeted. Thus begins Alex’s quest to find the real killer(s) and put an end to the media frenzy and speculation.

Those Empty Eyes is the second book that I’ve read from author, Charlie Donlea. It’s certainly not going to be my last and this novel was just as impressive as the last one I read. I can’t wait for Donlea’s next exciting release.

The story unfolds in multiple time lines and multiple points of view. The narrative really works this way. However, there was a transition that a point of view didn’t go as smoothly as I expected. But later I realized that if the point of view were revealed, the whole plot would have been ruined.

As the story progresses, the motive for the murder is slowly revealed and ties in the tangential narratives within the novel. There are a number of twists that were not expected. But the suspense sort of waned from the beginning.

The characters didn’t stand out in this novel and there were quite a few. I suspect that the story was more plot driven than character driven, which worked fairly well.

Overall, Those Empty Eyes is a superb read deserving of four stars.

I received a digital ARC from Kensington Books through NetGalley. The review herein is completely my own and contains my honest thoughts and opinions.

THOSE EMPTY EYES
BY: CHARLIE DONLEA

About 3.5 Stars!

"Follow the evidence wherever it leads, and question everything." --Neil de Grasse Tyson

The epitaph above is exactly what our strong female protagonist does throughout her growth in this novel. Her name is Alex and she is a survivor, which I appreciated.

A seventeen year old girl whose mother, father and thirteen year old younger brother are gunned down and the girl who escapes with her life, because the killer couldn't locate her because she is hiding next to the family's grandfather clock is named Alex. When the police arrive they falsely arrest Alex. A sympathetic police officer and her husband who has usually worked as a top senior partner at a high powered law firm as a defense attorney, prosecutes the case which he wins Alex eight million dollars for being wrongly accused in a defamation case.

This husband and wife become the closest thing Alex has to family and they are very much looking out for her. Alex who when her family was murdered turns into being hounded by the media and is named by one reporter "Empty Eyes," which sticks. After Alex is exonerated and has won the defamation case, the case goes cold, which consumes Alex. She has changed her appearance by wearing blue contact lenses and short spiky hair, and funky colors of lipstick to remain hidden from the media and the public eyes.

Alex was to attend Cambridge University for which she attends one semester before dropping out. Ten years later Alex has been taken into the law firm where her lawyer who won her case helps her to get a job there as an investigator. Alex has not only changed her appearance, but has also changed her last name. The Law firm for which Alex is working is located in Washington D.C. While investigating as her full time job for a living, Alex has also been trying to solve the forgotten case of her family's homicide, which haunts her. She has made some progress, but has reached a dead end.

I have read every one of Charlie Donlea's previous books, and was excited to see there was a new one out. This one and the previous one to this one, I haven't enjoyed as much as the extensive list of the prior novels. This one sort of meandered into multiple threads, that some were partially integral to the main plot. Some tied into their importance to the main plot, while others didn't. That's the main reason why this one didn't quite work for me. I really will most likely read what is written in the future. This one had a lovely cameo appearance, albeit quite short of a beloved character in the former books that I really enjoyed, so that was a nice surprise. I would love it if Charlie Donlea returned to featuring this cameo character in a return main character in her future novels.

Publication Date: March 28, 2023

Thank you to Net Galley, Charlie Donlea and Kensington Books for providing me with my ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

#ThoseEmptyEyes #CharlieDonlea #KensingtonBooks #NetGalley

Rich, complex plotting makes this suspense thriller a must-read.

When Alex Armstrong was 17 years old, her parents and younger brother were killed in a home invasion. She was immediately arrested, in a state of complete shock, and the media named her Empty Eyes. She spent some time in juvie, eventually exonerated, but not before her young life was upended. She won a defamation lawsuit and changed her name from Alexandra Quinlan in order to escape further attention. Ten years have passed and Alex is working as an investigator for a legal firm. Still no idea why her family was murdered so she spends time doing her own deep dive looking for answers. What she finds are vague connections. She needs help and finds it from unexpected sources. No spoilers.

There is a lot going on in this book! Each little side bar shift into another set of characters and stories keeps the reader engaged and guessing as to how they connect. The revelations start coming fast and furiously in the last part of the book and all is revealed in a great climax that is followed by some surprises. I like the author's writing style and found this so hard to put down. Its best to read it within a short time frame so as to keep the plot and characters straight. I was a bit ambivalent about Alex/Alexandra and some of the action seemed a bit unrealistic. In truth, I had to reread a couple of chapters just to make sure I completely understood the conclusion. At any rate, it was fun and nicely paced with short chapters even though it jumped around a bit. Enjoy!

Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Books for this ARC to read, review, and recommend.