Wow, Charlie Donlea does it again. Such a captivating read, I truly had trouble putting this down.

Forget trying to solve this as you read. You won’t. Every time I thought I knew where things were headed, Donlea threw a curveball that sent the story in a completely different direction. With so many twists and turns, I never found myself bored. The plot stayed fresh without becoming confusing or overwhelming.

Callie Jones went missing a decade ago. As the case is reopened, the only person who can help solve it is a psychopathic serial killer who was already in prison at the time of her disappearance. To uncover what happened to Callie, we first have to find Portia, the newest missing girl linked to the same killer.

The audio was incredible. The narrator’s voice is engaging and makes it easy to distinguish between characters, keeping you hooked the whole way through.

Reading in Between the Wines book review #77/125 for 2025:
Rating: 5 🍷🍷🍷🍷🍷
Book: Guess Again
Author: Charlie Donlea
RELEASED ON JULY 29, 2025!!

Sipping thoughts: It is official, Donlea is another author that I will add to my read on sight list. This is my 4th book by him, and it just keeps getting better. This one had so many twists and reveals but was done so with so much thought and precision. I do not know why I did not even think of the last reveal as it was right in front of my face the entire time. I did not want this book to end, yet I could not read it fast enough. Dare I say there will be a sequel?! Let’s hope!!!

Cheers and thank you to @Netgalley and @RBMedia for an advanced copy of @GuessAgain.

#GuessAgain #CharlieDonlea #RBMedia #NetGalley #ARC #advancedreader #Kindle #Booksofinstagram #readersofinstagram #bookstagram #nicoles_bookcellar #bookworm #bookdragon #booknerd #booklover #bookstagrammer #bookaholic #bokreview #bookreviewer #IHaveNoShelfControl #ReadingBetweenTheWines #fiction #thriller #suspense #mystery #MysteryAndThrillers #GeneralFictionAdult

This book hooked me from page one and did not let go. The mystery around Callie’s disappearance was so well done. I loved the small-town vibe where everyone has secrets, and Ethan Hall was such a compelling lead with just the right amount of baggage. The pacing was perfect, and the tension kept building.

Thanks to NetGalley, RB Media, and Kensington Publishing for the digital copy of this book and audiobook; I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Content Warnings mentioned by readers on Storygraph: Torture, Gun Violence, Trafficking. Murder, Sexual Content, Abortion, Adult/minor relationship

I have this mystery/thriller groove that I keep returning to. It’s when the novel contains a cold-case or decades-old disappearance. Yet, at the same time, I don’t appreciate fully detailed blood and gore. The reason I really wanted to check this particular thriller is because of the Wisconsin setting.

This Midwest-set whodunit relies on a lot of shock twists that will scratch that mystery-loving itch. While I do admit that this book is a lot more dramatic and graphic than what I normally read, if you can get past the gore, it is also a good mystery.

The audio version is narrated by Vivienne Leheny, who is someone I don’t recall listening to before. She does an admirable job of matching the pacing of Charlie Donlea’s prose, and most importantly, pronounced all the real Wisconsin cities and towns’ names correctly! I would definitely listen to another book narrated by her.

I like Charlie Donlea and this one did not disappoint. It was a bit darker than previous books by him, but I like it. It is very twisty and the title is well chosen. Some of the twists I saw coming but there were a couple that caught me by surprise. I listened to the audiobook and thought the narrator did a good job. I thought there were a couple of different choices that were obvious that people could have made, but it was still a fun and wild ride. Ethan gave up a life of investigating to return to school and is now and ER doctor. He and his partner Maddie bonded over all that the same killer took from them both. The governor approaches Ethan to investigate an old cold case that has ties to Ethan he could never have imagined.

This is 100% in my top 5 books of the year.

This author does such an incredible job of creating parallels, weaving things into the storyline so seamlessly, and dropping a twist after twist. This, this is how stories should be written.

I was truly impressed by how this author continuously made me feel the thrill over and over again. It's not often you can have one singular book make you feel like you're reading 5 in one because of how intricate and incredible it is.

I can't wait to check out more from this author!

Looove the narrator of this book. She is so engaging!!

This was a fun one and I think my fave Charlie Donlea yet. I really enjoyed the multiple POVs!

This book will having you guessing until the very end. So many twists I honestly did not see coming. It was intense, gripping, and unputdownable!!

But seriously back to the twists! Wow! I really enjoyed it.

We find ourselves in small town Wisconsin. Our main character, Ethan, is an ER Doctor. He was formerly a detective with a 100% close rate.

Ten years ago, 17 year old Callie Jones vanished. No signs of foul play. No signs she ran away. Nothing. . She was a high school senior, and had plans for the future. She was happy and well liked and very loved, by family and friends alike.

Ethan's former partner, Peter, shows up at the ER with a request. He needs Ethan to don a badge again just for the case of Callie Jones. Callie's Dad is now the governor of Wisconsin, and wants fresh eyes on his missing daughter's case.

Ethan's dad was a law enforcement officer and was killed in the line of duty. His dad's murderer, in prison for 20 years, is up for parole. Ethan takes pleasure in attending the annual parole hearings, then meeting with his father's killer afterwards and gloating when parole is denied. Ponder this, why does his Dad's killer give Ethan an audience at all? But he does, and he gives Ethan his first real clue into Callie's disappearance.

The narrator did a great job giving each person a different voice so that we could differentiate characters.

This book was phenomenal! It was my second book by this author and it made me even more excited to read more of their catalog.
It was a slow build, but in the end it was so so so worth it! The twist were twisting and man, I did not see them coming. He weaved a web that had me totally captured! The twists twisted until the very end, and I just hope we get to see these characters again. Pretty please!

Guess Again had me hooked from the very first chapter and didn’t let go. What begins as a cold case slowly unravels into something darker and far more personal. The layers of mystery and the emotional weight behind each reveal kept me fully invested.
Charlie Donlea does an incredible job of building suspense — just when you think you know what’s happening, the story twists again. I loved how the tension built naturally, with the pacing never letting up, and the final reveal was one I did not see coming.

If you enjoy psychological thrillers that explore long-buried secrets, small-town unease, and jaw-dropping twists, Guess Again won’t disappoint.

𝙂𝙪𝙚𝙨𝙨 𝘼𝙜𝙖𝙞𝙣 𝙗𝙮 𝘾𝙝𝙖𝙧𝙡𝙞𝙚 𝘿𝙤𝙣𝙡𝙚𝙖 is a twisty thriller that lives up to its name from start to finish. The story begins when Ethan Hall, a former detective turned ER doctor, is called back into a case. His old partner, Pete, is dying and asks Ethan to revisit a cold case.

What starts as a reluctant favor to an old friend quickly turns into a relentless investigation that forces Ethan to confront buried secrets, tangled loyalties, and the kind of lies that have had years to grow roots.

The short, tight chapters shift between timelines and perspectives. Each turn of the page feels like an invitation to suspect someone new, and just when you think you have figured it out, another revelation proves you wrong. The twists are sharp, timed perfectly, and every single one reinforces the title! You really do have to “guess again.”

Thanks to R B Media Recorded books and @netgalley for the ALC. in exchange for an honest review.

Like Donlea’s other thrillers, Guess Again is top notch read. It’s a satisfying blend of small-town secrets, historical and present-day cases, psychological suspense, and a twisty plot.

I really love the creative way Donlea integrates technology (in this case, anonymous online therapy) in the story, adding a fresh layer to the investigation and character dynamics. At times heavy (and bloody!), this story flits between layered character relationships and action-packed twists. It keeps a quick pace and is generous with reveals and narrative depth, making this a compulsive read. The ending had me on the edge of my seat and tied together the complex web of misdeeds in a satisfying way.

The audio narration was excellent, with clear distinction between characters and a strong sense of emotion that elevated the gripping story. I particularly enjoyed the way the audio quality changed with phone calls and recordings, adding an extra level of reality to the experience. I can’t wait for Donlea’s next book, and look forward to diving into more of his backlist.

Thank you to the publisher for an early copy of this audiobook. Opinions expressed are my own.

THIS WAS SO FUN. For sure my favorite Charlie Donlea book yet, so twisty and suspenseful and did not play into tropes or cheap gags. Is this going to be a series?!? I appreciated that the ending was not rushed, nor did it feel the need to "wrap up" everything in a neat little bow, it felt earned in every sense.

Thank You to Kensington Publishing for the gifted copy provided through NetGalley, these are my honest thoughts.

This book completely delivered! It was tense, twisty, and full of atmosphere. Charlie Donlea has done it again with a layered, suspenseful story that kept me hooked from the start. I’ve read several of his books now, and this one might just be my favourite yet. It hits shelves on July 29th, and trust me you’ll want to get this on your TBR ASAP.

I had the chance to listen to an advanced audio copy, and the narration was spot on. It honestly added even more intensity to an already gripping plot. The story follows Ethan Hall (former detective turned ER doctor) who gets pulled back into the world of investigation on the 10th anniversary of the disappearance of Callie Jones. With a perfect track record for solving cases, a dying request from an old partner, and a community still craving closure, Ethan is forced to confront buried secrets including his own. Just when I thought I had it figured out… I was guessing again lol

Big thanks to RB Media and NetGalley for the ALC, this one was such a ride!

I could not put this down once I stated it. I mean I was sitting in my jammies until 3 PM because I didn't want to take the ear buds out to shower. I had to suspend a little disbelief because no one gets to be a top preforming criminal investigator and then go back to school and become an ER surgeon. And also all the end coincidences.
But honestly that is what made it amazing. It was so well woven. I also loved the narration.

This was my second Charlie Donlea novel, and I continue to enjoy his knack for crafting compelling characters and twisty mysteries. The story kept me entertained throughout, and I found myself having strong opinions about several of the players—which is always a good sign. However, the ending felt a bit repetitive, and I figured out the culprit fairly early on, which dulled the impact of the reveal. Still, it was an engaging read overall, and I’m looking forward to diving further into Donlea’s backlist.

Guess Again centers around the 10-year old disappearance of a high school volleyball star, Callie. Her case was the one that was never solved, and ten years later, the lead detective recruits his former partner, Ethan, to try and solve it. Told in dual timelines from various locations, I was unsure where this book was taking me. I was completely engrossed in finding out what happened to Callie and who was responsible for her disappearance. Ethan has no idea what he's in for or how closely connected he is to Callie's disappearance.

Wow! This book opened with a bang and the jaw-dropping moments continued until the end. This story is an absolute masterclass in suspense. From the very first page, the book grabs you and doesn't let go. What I loved most were the short chapters that consistently ended with jaw-dropping cliffhangers. It's the kind of book you tell yourself you'll read just one more chapter, and then suddenly it's 3 a.m. and you're still reading. The pacing is relentless and keeps you on the edge of your seat the entire time.

And the twists! OMG! The twists in this book are shocking, unpredictable and "gasp-out-loud" worthy. Every time I thought I figured it out, Donlea pulled the rug right from under me. The plot is so intricately woven that you'll be constantly guessing, and every revelation feels earned and satisfying. It's a gripping crime thriller that will have you second-guessing everything and everyone until the final, explosive pages. Vivienne Lehenyv narrated and did a great job pulling off all the characters. A must-read for any thriller fan!

Thank you NetGalley and RBmedia for the ALC in exchange for my honest review.

I think I have loved every Charlie Donlea book I've read
This one being audio was no different! This book moved quickly, had a vast array of characters. And I def didnt see the ending coming.

Guess Again is a twisty tale, full of unexpected turns that'll keep you locked in trying to figure out what is going to happen. The journey that Ethan goes on to solve a cold case results in a twist he never saw coming and is full of secrets, deception, danger, and suspense!

I could not stop listening to every detail of this book as my mind frantically raced through all of the possible options for what was coming next. The character depth kept me engaged and the twists along the way ensured that I binged this book in one sitting because I could not get to the end fast enough to find out what was going to happen. The end found me with my jaw dropped open in complete and total shock.

The audio narration by Vivienne Leheny was stellar. Her captivating performance kept my attention and ensured that I stayed engaged with the story from the beginning to the end.

Thank you to Charlie Donlea and RB Media for the ALC.

Guessing, gasping, and ghastly.

Wow, you need to find, buy, or get in the waitlist for this book right now. I spent this whole story questioning, and wanting to know more. I didn’t want to stop this story to go into work, finish yard work, or go to bed at night.
If you are interested in reading the physical book, you will have short, page turning chapters (promise you will fly through it)! I don’t want to give a description in fear of accidentally leaving a spoiler. Follow Goodreads, for a safe synopsis!
The audio was incredible!
PS Please tell me a sequel is already in the works!!