5⭐️ YET AGAIN!! I would gladly read Donlea’s shopping list at this point lol every single book by him that I’ve read has been pure genius.
I absolutely LOVED this book - a thriller with grit and a true detective style mystery with twists I didn’t see coming (and I read a lot of thrillers).
I thought the plot was well paced and the flow of the narrative felt great, not too rushed or too plodding. I think Ethan’s detective cum surgeon personal narrative was interesting and I liked that the ending wasn’t the perfectly wrapped gift. It felt more real.
A strong thriller and a must read

I discovered Charlie Donlea about two years ago and he has become one of my favorite authors. This book doesn't disappoint and it is well written and amazing.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this ARC.

I have loved Charlie Donlea’s work beginning with the first book of his I ever tried, and this book is no exception. It is very well written, easy to read, and kept me engaged from start to finish. I definitely would recommend this book to others!

Just got to read "Guess again" by Charlie Donlea and oh my god, what a ride it's been.

This thriller is set to be released on the 29th of July, you better read it!

Ethan Hall went through medical school at a late age and is a doctor in the ER now. After being an agent with the DCI in the kids crime unit, he needed to retire so he wouldn't lose his marbles. With a 100% success rate on closing cases Ethan was very good at his job, but catching a Killer still meant a kid was dead.

Working the ER, where he could actually save lives was somewhere he was meant to be, until Pete Kramer came knocking. Pete being his old partner at the DCI, and now diagnosed with ALS has one dying wish. To solve that one case, that has haunted him for 10 years. The disappearance of Callie Jones, the daughter of now governor Mark.
With his success rate and the reopening of this cold case, Ethan had agreed to look through the files.

Francis Bernard, convicted of killing a cop named Hank Hall has requested parole. But at the hearing he gets denied. That has set some things in motion. When Ethan visits the day after the hearing to tell Francis he'll do what he can to keep him incarcerated, Francis dangles a fact in front of Ethan. He knows who killed Callie Jones and where her body rests and where kidnapping victim Portia is being held. But to get that info, he wants to be transported to Gen-pop. That's when the shit hits the fan.

Mind boggling this book, I didn't see it coming... It actually didn't make sence until it made sence. Which I absolutely love in a book.

This one was a solid 5 stars!

In Guess Again, Charlie Donlea delivers a gripping psychological thriller centered on former detective-turned-doctor Ethan Hall, who is reluctantly drawn back into the decade-old disappearance of Callie Jones. As he reopens the case, Callie’s best friend, Lindsay—now a psychologist running a confidential online therapy platform—receives a chilling anonymous confession: “I killed Callie Jones.” As the investigation unfolds, long-buried secrets resurface, putting lives at risk and uncovering shocking truths.

This was my first book by Charlie Donlea, and I devoured it. Fast-paced, twisty, and full of suspense, Guess Again kept me hooked from start to finish. The psychological depth, compelling characters, and unpredictable turns made for a fantastic read. I’ll definitely be reading more from this author.

Thanks to NetGalley for the early release copy in exchange for an honest review.

What I liked about it:

How the main character was a former special investigator who had retired and was now working as an emergency doctor, both interesting careers that offered useful knowledge and expertise

The two timelines merging past and present day cases together

The pacing of the book was quick and had a strong forward momentum from beginning through end.

There’s lots of characters, storylines, twists and turns all going on at once that offers a chaotic read full of surprises.

What didn’t work for me:

Although I found the storyline and characters interesting there was something that missed the mark for me, it was my first time reading this author and it may just be the writing style or dialogue that didn’t quite align with my typical reading preferences? I’ll try more by this author to figure out my thoughts!

Thank you for the gifted copy, publish date is July 29th 2025

Guess again is a thrilling story of two crimes and how they we’ve together. Ethan Hall, a retired detective turn Doctor, is reached out to solve a cold case. Solving a cold case is hard enough, but having it weave into your personal life, that’s a whole different story.

Overall, this was a really great detective novel. The twists kept twisting. The quick pace pushed me to keep reading on, even when I was so tired. There were a wide range of interesting characters to get to know, but not enough characters where you felt overwhelmed. No one was hard to track or follow along with their story arc. What was clear when I reached the end of the story is that the author is obviously talented in creating a thrilling web for a reader to try to unpack.

This would’ve been an easy four or five star read, but there were so many piddly things that annoyed me. All of these little things, added up to bigger issue that took away from the story. 

The fact that every official government department was spelled out so clearly. Did I really need to know?  Someone could just be a detective, we didn’t have to say every single time Milwaukee police department detective of the highest degree. Or the Wisconsin Department of investigation special agent, Ethan Hall. (I’m being dramatic here but I hope you get my point. ) it was a mouthful every time. Spell it out once, then use the abbreviations.

Also, all the chapters had the full name of the city and state which felt a little annoying. How clearly we are pointing out that this town was near this town, which is near this town, which is far away from this town, which is north of the capital, Madison. Maybe it’s extra annoying because I’m from Wisconsin? I feel that other authors don’t need to pull so much specific knowledge. From outside perspective, it wouldn't feel relevant for the reader.

Speaking of being specific, describing overly in detail of where the veterans museum is, compared to the walking path, compared to the little library. It all felt overdone, unnecessary. 

Again, I could be biased due to how familiar I am to Wisconsin? Anyone else feel that nagging sense of almost, “get to the story!” it was the most distracting part of the novel.

Hopefully by the time this is published a lot of this is simplified and cleaned up. As this is my first time reading this author, I’m not sure if this is the norm. Again, a great thriller you could eat up in one sitting if you wanted. I would recommend this for anyone who wants an excellent detective mystery.

Amazon Link - Guess Again By: Charlie Donlea
Stats: 352 pages - Expected publication July 29, 2025

**Thank you to Netgalley, the author and the publisher for a copy of the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Guess Again is a perfectly titled book in which Ethan Hall, retired detective turned doctor (and pilot), is asked to look into a 10-year-old missing persons case. Things start to unfold and he finds himself getting most of his information from the man who killed his father and attempted to kill his girlfriend. If it sounds wild, it’s because it is.

I find that thrillers aren’t so much for me these days and I think it’s because I trust no one and suspect everyone. So for me to enjoy a thriller, the motive has to be interesting and I have to love the outcome. This one was pretty good for me. Not my favorite but the way other things unfolded kept me engaged. I was shook until the last page. I also enjoyed the cast of characters in this even down to the murderous crazy ones. They were fleshed out well which is typical for Charlie Donlea and the reason I will continue to pick up his books even though my thriller era has ended.

Overall, this is a fun, fast-paced thriller that I think anyone who enjoys thrillers would love. I would even recommend ANY Charlie Donlea novel. The best one, in my opinion, is Twenty Years later.

Thanks so much to Net Galley and Kensington Publishing for providing me with an advanced copy of this book! :)

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an ARC for review.

Charlie Donlea is one of my favorite authors, and this book is immensely fast-paced and readable. Former investigator-turned-doctor Ethan is basically dragged back into an investigation that has ties to his family. I didn't love the main villain and there were just a few too many red herrings that sometimes were difficult to keep straight. The book had a way out-of-left-field ending twist that definitely surprised me and that I wished had a bit more time to understand how it all came together. I'd give this 3.5 stars.

One of the best thrillers I’ve read in a while! Guess Again is packed with twists that will keep you guessing until the last page. The characters are complex and I was invested in the storyline from the beginning. Donlea’s writing is sharp, suspenseful, and perfectly paced. If you liked Look Closer you will love this. Highly recommend!

4.5 stars. A retired special agent turned ER doctor is asked to look into a cold case of a missing girl. There are a lot of moving parts with intertwined story lines that tie together nicely as the story progresses. This book will keep you on your toes with twists you won’t see coming.

Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Publishing for providing me with an advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you NetGalley and Kensington for this arc!!
This was a great mystery thriller read and would recommend it to everyone who’s looking for an engaging, entertaining and fast paced book.
It’s really suspenseful which made me want to keep going until the mystery was resolved.
Definitely will be reading more from Charlie Donlea.

This was and ARC that I was super excited to read after just discovering Charlie Donalea through Twenty Years Later. He may just be my new favorite author. This story kept delivering. I'm telling everyone they need to read it and text me throughout. Really no higher praise than that.

This thriller/mystery was addictive, packed with twists and turns! The writing was engaging and easy to follow, with well-developed characters that felt real. The story had a perfect pace, keeping me on the edge of my seat throughout. I really appreciated how everything came together in the end.

Thank you to NetGalley, author Charlie Donlea and Kensington publishing for the ARC and opportunity to review this book.

This wasn’t my first by this author and it absolutely won’t be the last. This wasn’t an addictive read that once you start you won’t want to put down.

I loved following Ethan as he took charge of the investigation and all the twists that came from it. I would have finished the book sooner but sadly had to be an adult and go to work.

The character development was so well done, the twists you don’t see coming and the ending completely threw me!

5⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Charlie Donlea has done it again! The only reason I didn’t finish this book sooner was because adult responsibilities got in the way of my reading time.

Dr. Ethan Hall who was formerly a Wisconsin DCI agent is tasked with looking into a 10 year old cold case. Unfortunately for Ethan, the cold case intertwines with the death of his father, and more specifically with his father’s killer, Francis Bernard, who is in prison with minimal contact with the outside world. Francis, despite not having much contact with other people, knows quite a lot about the cold case even though he was in prison when it occurred. He keeps dangling information regarding the cold case in front of Ethan which keeps Ethan coming back for more.

Most of Donlea’s stories are told from the perspective of 2 timelines, past and present, which come together in the present day. We didn’t have that as much in this book. There were a few flashbacks regarding the cold case, but the majority was from the perspective of Ethan and a mystery woman who is helping Francis.

This book was hard to put down! I would recommend this 5 star book to everyone I know!

Ethan hall is a former detective turned ER doctor. He is asked by his former partner and the governor to take a second look at the case of a missing girl, who happens to be the governor’s daughter. The case takes a turn when the man that killed Ethan’s father is somehow linked to the disappearance of the girl, Callie, despot being in prison during that time.
A very simplistic description of a very involved and twisty story. One of the best endings I have read in ages. Now the question…is there going to be a second book? Or do we imagine Ethan going on to bring a final closure?

Guess Again by Charlie Donlea is a wild, twisty ride from start to finish! With a large cast of characters and plenty of misdirection, it delivers all the suspense and intrigue you’d expect from Donlea. While it’s not a traditional, true-to-life police procedural, it’s a well-crafted, highly entertaining read that’s packed with tension and surprises.

Main character Ethan Hall used to be a top detective in Wisconsin, specializing in child crimes with a flawless 100% solve rate. After years of dealing with darkness, he walked away from law enforcement to become an ER doctor, helping people heal instead of chasing criminals. Just when he thought that part of his life was behind him, his old partner, Pete, shows up with a request he can’t ignore. Pete has been diagnosed with ALS and is desperate to solve one last case before it’s too late - the decade-old disappearance of Callie Jones, the newly elected governor’s daughter. As Ethan reluctantly steps back into investigator mode, he realizes that Francis Bernard’s cryptic claims might actually hold the key to solving both mysteries. The deeper he digs, the more tangled the connections become, leading to a web of secrets, lies, and unexpected twists that had me second-guessing everything.

Donlea crafts a fantastic cast of dynamic, likable characters that feel real and engaging. Each one brings something unique to the story, whether it’s their wit, determination, or personal struggles. He has a knack for making even secondary characters stand out, adding depth to the narrative. Donlea's writing style is clean and straightforward, making it effortless to get lost in the story. The short, punchy chapters keep the pacing tight and the tension high, and I was easily able to finish the novel in a couple of days.

Guess Again is a twisty, riveting, heart-pounding thriller and a big win on all counts! The ending is fantastic and nicely sets up the next installment.

Many thanks to NetGalley, Kensington Books, and Charlie Donlea for an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

read if you like:
🥶 cold case disappearances
🔀 twists and turns
🏡 small town vibes

summary:
Charlie Donlea has always been an automatic read author for me, and this book is without a doubt my favorite of 2025 so far! This story follows the disappearance of Callie Jones, the current Governor’s daughter from back in 2015, which was never solved. Ethan Hall, a former detective turned ER doctor, hears from his former mentor, Pete Kramer, who asks for his help — to find justice for Callie and her family before he dies of ALS. Ethan reluctantly agrees, and finds himself buried in old evidence and interviews. He realizes though that he’s going to need to take some creative approaches to find the guilty party, starting with Francis Bernard, the imprisoned man who killed Ethan’s father. In a race against time, Ethan battles psychological mind games to find justice — even if it comes at a cost.

I just can’t say enough good things about this book. While I don’t really feel like we get to know Ethan well as a person, the other characters are deeply developed, and fascinating in their own ways. All of them are flawed, unreliable and driven by their own motives, which adds to the twists and turns throughout the entire book. As Ethan follows Francis’s leads, you can’t help but think you’re waiting for a disaster to happen, and every time, you’re surprised by what more you learn.

Many of Donlea’s books start a little slower, but this one comes out with a bang. It will take no time at all to get hooked, and I promise you won’t be able to put it down. I can’t believe how good it is and how well the ending is constructed. It also leaves a door open for a potential sequel (** I’m talking to you!) and I would gladly wait in line for the next one to come out.

A huge thank you to Kensington Publishing and NetGalley for the advanced copy, and make sure you preorder this before it comes out on July 29!

Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Publishing for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review! I have loved the Charlie Donlea books I've read so far, especially Twenty Years Later, so I was really excited to get to read this one early. It was a great book with a lot of suspense and great twists. I enjoyed this book a lot! Another success from Charlie Donlea, and I look forward to reading more of his previous books I haven't gotten to yet.