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.

At 17 years old, Alexandra Quinlan is accused of the brutal murders of her parents and brother. After settling a highly publicized defamation lawsuit, Alexandra goes into hiding. Ten years later she’s returned as a new woman – complete with a new name and appearance – but she’s never given up searching for answers about the night her family was killed. Alex’s work as an investigator – for the law firm that previously represented her – introduces several subplots to the story. As Alex investigates these cases, she begins to uncover unexpected connections to the murder of her family.

Those Empty Eyes was a fast paced read that kept me intrigued. There is a lot going on with all the various storylines which kept me turning the pages to find out how everything played out and ultimately tied back to the murders of Alex’s family. I found that some of the storylines were more well developed than others, but overall I found this to be an enjoyable read and I look forward to reading more from the author.

Thank you to Kensington books for providing me with an advanced copy to read.

Wow, this book is one fantastic thriller that I would definitely recommend!

The storyline of Those Empty Eyes centers on Alexandra Quinlan and the worst night of her life. At 17 years old, she is accused of murdering her entire family when the police botch their investigation. The lawyer who helps Alex during that time becomes a father and mentor to her, and when we flash forward to present day we find Alex working for him as an investigator at his law firm. In her spare time, she gathers information about that awful night. While investigating a case, she finds a link to the deaths of her family, and she will not stop until she finds the truth.

There are several storylines in the book, and I kept trying to figure out how they would tie together in the end. When they did, the pieces slipped into place beautifully and all the small details made sense. It was disturbing and difficult to read at times, but ultimately a fast paced, entertaining read. I felt for Alex and admired her tenacity and determination to find the answers she was looking for.

Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Books for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Those Empty Eyes is a thriller that starts with the problematic arrest of a 17 year old girl for the murder of her family and her subsequent defamation suit against the police department that ruined her life. But after a bit, it moves forward in time and is about the woman’s new career as an investigator for the same law firm that helped her out.
Alex was an interesting character and Donlea did a decent job of fleshing her out. Other characters were much more two dimensional.
The story has multiple subplots that all come together in the end. Throughout the story there were numerous little things that made the book hard to envision and find believable. I had the distinct impression the book had been hastily written. I’ve liked Donlea’s previous books, but this one didn’t measure up. It was filled with too many coincidences and OTT plot points. There were some decent twists at the end which did help.
My thanks to Netgalley and Kensington Books for an advance copy of this book.

This was my second Charlie Donlea book and it did not disappoint. There were multiple sub plots that were a little confusing, but I knew everything would come together, and it did. The story really picked up about 70% of the way in, and I was able to start piecing things together. I really enjoyed this one.

Book Title: Those Empty Eyes
Author: Charlie Donlea
Publisher: Kensington Books
Genre: Mystery Thriller
Pub Date: March 28, 2023
My Rating: 4.2 Stars!

There are several story lines that are going on in this story but since Alex is the first one, it is the one that got my attention.

Story starts when seventeen year old Alexandra Quinlan was home in her bed the evening her parents and brother were massacred. She outsmarted the killer and wasn’t killed.
The neighbors called the police and they found her holding a gun into her lap, sitting in her parents’ bedroom. They, of course, assume she killed them - thus guilty and they don’t bother to follow up with an investigation.
Alex became a media sensation and was named “Empty Eyes’ by Tracy Carr a reporter as that is the look Alex had when handcuffed after finding her family dead!

In the meantime, Officers: Donna Koppel knew this situation didn’t look right and called her lawyer husband Garrett Lancaster to defend Alex. Alex takes a stand during her highly publicized defamation trial and she gets acquitted, earned 8 million dollars as a result of misconduct and unserved justice!

After the trial Alexandra Quinlan does a transformation and changes everything—name, appearance, her backstory. She’s no longer ‘Empty Eyes’ the terrified teenager but Alex Armstrong a legal investigator who is working tirelessly to secure justice.

As mentioned they are a several story lines going on but I was curious who killed the family.

Whodunit as well as why they were killed were both surprises to me.

This is my sixth author, Charlie Donlea! I have loved all of them.
I am looking forward to his next story ~ Hmmm I am ready for another Rory Moore/Lane Phillips adventure!

Want to thank NetGalley and Kensington Books for this early eGalley.
Publishing Release Date scheduled for March 28, 2023

The story begins intriguing when we meet Alexandra Quinlan, accused of killing her family, and later won a highly publicized defamation lawsuit that captured the nation's attention. Ten years after her family's murder, Alex begins working for Garrett, the attorney who represented her while searching for answers as to what happened the night her family was murdered. From there, many storylines are added and repeated. It felt like the wheels were spinning but couldn't get off the ground. Things do pick up with the story's climax to a rewarding ending.

Through the years since his first book, many Traveling Sisters and Friends have read and loved Charlie Donlea's books, and if you are new to his books, start with one of them. If you are already a fan, this is worth the read it's just not his best. Everyone can have an one-off.

Charlie Donlea is one of my favorite *new* authors and I've enjoyed every single book. This one takes some turns that don't always make sense, but there is continuity if you stick with it. Set in both the western edge of Virginia, then later in DC, the main protagonist (Alexandra Quinlan) is the sole survivor of a brutal home-invasion murder in 2013. Her parents and younger brother are murdered in their home with the dad's shotgun while Alex hides behind the grandfather clock in the hall. The police who show up assume she is the murderer and don't look any further to solve the crime. Fast forward 10 years, and Alex 'Armstrong' is now a lead investigator at the law firm where the named partners were the ones who proved her innocence, and then won a lawsuit against the local PD. In the intervening years, Alex has changed her appearance but never stopped looking for the owner of the one stray fingerprint the killer left on her bedroom window all those years ago.
Here's where the story takes some weird turns: there is a subplot that involves some kids at a summer camp (and a pedophile, of course!), a subplot at a DC University where a prominent son is accused of rape, plus the ongoing subplot of the original TV reporter who first labeled Alexandra Quinlan as Empty Eyes, as she was filmed leaving her house the day of the 2013 murders. Dr. Lane Phillips makes an appearance, but you won't have to read any of Donlea's previous books to make sense of his expertise.
I have to say that I anticipated the final twist well ahead of the ending, but that didn't make the conclusion any less satisfying. If you can stick with the story through the end, it really does come together nicely. 3.5 stars

LOVED IT!!!!! I was excited to read this because I LOVED all of the authors previous books. It definitely didn't disappoint. There are so many twists and turns. I couldn't wait to find out who was behind all the murders. I thought I had it figured out, but was shocked when everything was finally revealed. I was convinced I knew who the siblings were who went to the camp. The reason for the murders was to save children and expose those who hurt them. Why would the person kill Alex's brother and then go to Alex's room to kill her? Loved Leo the Brit. I bet Alex and Leo will get into some interesting adventures. Lane Phillips makes an appearance. I forgot how much I loved Rory Moore/Lane Phillips books. He seems to be able to figure everything out in no time. This was one of the best mystery/thriller books that I read in the past few months. It was AMAZING!!! I can't say enough good things about the book. Charlie Donlea is definitely one of my favorite authors!!!

Definitely recommend the book. It was a great mystery/thriller. I was hooked from the start until the very end. Loved the characters, story and writing style, so everything about this book. Look forward to reading more books by the author. The next one can't come fast enough.

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

Thank you, Charlie Donlea, thank you! I felt that I was on the verge of a reading slump, with multiple meh books in a row. I knew that this author would not let me down, and it was everything that I hoped for and more. His books are always dark and absorbing. I love the small connections between his previous books, but they can easily be read as standalone books.

Those Empty Eyes has so much happening all the time that it is hard to put down. It begins with the massacre of a family 10 years ago. Alexandra Quilan is the sole survivor; her parents and brother were gunned down in their family home. Alex was found by police in her parents' bedroom holding the murder weapon. She is 17 and soon taken into care before being charged with murder. She is eventually proven to be innocent and receives a huge settlement. Now she is known as Alex Armstrong and working as an investigator, but her families' murders are never far from her mind. True crime podcasts still talk about her, and she is known as Empty Eyes.

Not going to say anything else about the storyline, but if you have read any of this authors work before you know that nothing is ever straight forward. You will need to read it to learn more but let me just say that this is my first 5 star read for 2023.

A huge thank you to Kensington Books for my advanced copy to read. Published on March 28th, get it on your TBR now.

Thanks @netgalley for read number 11 of 2023. This book took me longer to read that I thought that it would, but just because I had other things on the go this week. It is incredibly disturbing, also really hard but to put down. There are many different storylines, and I appreciate how the author put them all together in the end. I do wonder if part of it gets resolved a little too neatly. I was somewhat expecting that final twist, but kept trying to talk myself out of this being the case. I’ve read a couple of books by this author, and will definitely be reading more. A ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ read in my books. #avivaandfriendsrecos #bookstagram

2.5 stars.

A messy, unrealistic plot with too many side stories.

Alexandra Quinlan is the only survivor the night her parents and brother are killed in their family home. Alex is labelled “Empty Eyes” by the public for the look she had when she was arrested and charged with their murders. Ten years after being cleared and winning her defamation case, Alex is living under the radar but still searching for who killed her family and why.

Charlie Donlea is one of my favourite authors. I request any book he has written without even reading the synopsis. Unfortunately this novel was a big mess for me and not even close to resembling his usual writing.

The storyline was convoluted as it included numerous far fetched plot points which I’ve never had an issue with in his books before (I’ve read them all). Instead of adding layers to the story, the perspective changes damaged the pace and flow of the book and made a lot of the storyline repetitive. I had absolutely no investment in any of the characters lives including the main character who I found irritating and extremely unrealistic.

The author dives into many heavy topics but I wasn’t invested so they didn’t impact me as they should have.

Sadly, this book was not enjoyable for me. I highly recommend reading ANY of this authors’ previous work because I have loved everything else he has written — The Girl Who Was Taken being my absolute favourite!

Thank you to the publisher for my review copy!

Estimated publication date: March 28, 2023