
Member Reviews

I had fun with this book. It was a quick listen. The story sounds like it's either already a series or the beginning of a detective series. A bit far fetched but falls right in line with a good popcorn thriller. The end is meant to be a shocker but I had it figured out about half essay through.
The narrator did a decent job. In parts she read with great inflection and other times her voice sounded a bit robotic. The story was smooth and transitions between chapters flowed well.
For fans of Freida McFadden, Kiersten Modglin and Jennifer Hilliard would enjoy this story.
Thank you @RBMedia and @netgalley for an opportunity to listen to a complimentary copy of this title. All my reviews are unbiased.

Every time I read one of Mr. Donleaโs books, I think, I am going to go back and read them all. His books are so very good!
Ten years ago, 17-year-old high school volleyball star Callie Jones vanished from her quiet Wisconsin lake community. A highly publicized search followed but her body was never found. The case went cold, but the echoes still linger.
Ethan is a very unique character. He left the investigation game and became an ER doctor. So, I was instantly drawn to his intelligence. And trust me, this investigation needs his smarts!!
The killer is definitely playing the long game and I am here for it! Now, because of the title, I was looking for the culprit. I had several guesses. But to be honest, I didnโt guess it until the author gave me a clue or two ๐คฆ๐ปโโ๏ธ. Usually, I have it pegged from the start. I love when this happens!!
And yโallโฆthe twist at the end!!! I did not see that coming!!
This story is narrated by Vivienne Leheny. There are quite a few male voices and she did an excellent job!
Need a tale which will keep you guessingโฆTHIS IS IT! Grab your copy today.
I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.

4.25โญ๏ธ The title of this book is perfect. This is a twisty, engaging tale that keeps you guessing to the very end. The pacing was spot on, without a dull moment at any point of the story. This was my first Charlie Donlea , but it wonโt be my las! Thank you to RB Media and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

๐ง๐ธ๐โ โ๐ผ๐๐๐ผ๐๐ง
What a ride! If you love short chapters, not being able to press pause on life to listen/read, and don't mind your jaw on the floor, then the newest Charlie Donlea book is for you!
I highly recommend going into this one blind! The narrator was 5/5โญ๏ธ!
๐๐๐๐ฃ๐ ๐ฎ๐ค๐ช ๐๐๐ฉ๐๐๐ก๐ก๐๐ฎ, ๐พ๐๐๐ง๐ก๐๐ ๐ฟ๐ค๐ฃ๐ก๐๐, ๐๐ฃ๐ ๐๐ฝ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ค๐ง ๐๐ฃ ๐๐๐ซ๐๐ฃ๐๐๐ ๐ก๐๐จ๐ฉ๐๐ฃ๐๐ง'๐จ ๐๐ค๐ฅ๐ฎ ๐๐ฃ ๐๐ญ๐๐๐๐ฃ๐๐ ๐๐ค๐ง ๐ ๐ง๐๐ซ๐๐๐ฌ.

Thank you to NetGalley and RBmedia for allowing me to listen to an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
This was such a thrill. I am normally not into detective type novels, but this had me on the edge of my seat and finishing in a day. There is something so captivating in this writing style that it creates a movie in your mind. Every action scene was perfectly executed and even if you think you know what's coming next, you get so much more.
The characters are developed so well. This honestly gave me Hannibal Lecter vibes without cannibalism. Great cat and mouse story! Will be reading more from this author!

Thank you to NetGalley and RBmedia for the ALC
Ten years ago, 17-year-old high school volleyball star Callie Jones vanished from her quiet Wisconsin lake community. A highly publicized search followed but her body was never found. The case went cold, but the echoes still linger.
Ethan Hall, a former renegade detective turned ER doctor, left law enforcement to escape the horrors of the kid crime division. But on the tenth anniversary of Callieโs disappearance, he returns to the haunting work he left behind to solve what happened to Callie, once and for all.
I read my first Charlie Donlea book a month ago and now I've read three of his books! I really love his writing style and how his stories take off right from the start.
Guess Again was compelling from the first opening lines. I felt instantly connected to the case, Ethan and wanted to solve Callie's disappearance along with him. The story felt very real to me and as I was reading it felt like I was watching a true crime documentary which I really enjoyed. There was a decent amount of characters and dual timelines which I did have to put more attention to keeping track of listening to the audio version. But Vivienne Leheny did a magnificent job narrating and giving each character a distinctive voice!
Make sure your schedule is wide open when you pick this one up and start reading or be prepared to stay up well past your bedtime because your probably going to read it in one sitting very unput downable.
Can someone please adapt Charlie Donlea books to screen like they did for Harlan Coben's books!? I just think they would be perfect as TV series or movies.
Anyways this one is a yes for me!

Rating: 4.5/5 stars
I was pretty captivated from the start. I adore short, quick chapters and shifting perspectives, and this had both.
I flew through it, dying to know what was going on. It was such a solid mystery/thriller. The twists were great, and I felt really connected to both the characters and the story. Iโm seriously hoping this is the start of a series because I need more.
Even with it being told in third person and from mostly male perspectives, I surprisingly loved the narrator. She did an excellent job bringing it all to life.
Thank you to NetGalley and RBmedia for the audiobook ARC. This comes out on July 29th and I highly recommend grabbing it.

My library used to send out a weekly newsletter with all the books they ordered. I saw the authors book on the list and thought that sounded interesting. And it was. Down the rabbit hole I went, reading all his books. Iโve never been disappointed. Todayโs new realness is no exception.
Itโs a complicated and layered story that was easy to read. I connected with Ethan from the start. I wanted to know more about what made him tick, his relationship his Dad, and how the interactions with his Dadโs killer would develop.
There was such an interesting cat and mouse game going on. As I kept trying to guess how this would conclude, I didnโt even end up close to the outcome. And that twist. Never saw it coming.
I was rapt from the start. So much so that I then listened when the book came out in audio. It didnโt hurt that Vivienne Leheny is the narrator. I always enjoy listening to her and she did a great job with this one. I loved it the second time around as much as the first.
Botha five star read and listen from me. And maybe the start of a new series? I could definitely revisit Ethan and his new normal.

Oh my! This was my first Donlea book, it will definitely not be my last. The prologue had me hooked. Ethan Hall, a former police detective, turned ER physician, is visited by his former partner near thd anniversary of a case that gas gone unsolved for ten years. Callie Jones vanished ten years ago and has haunted Ethan ever since. This was a fantastic psychological thriller in all the best ways possible. Thd twist at the end was jaw dropping.
Thank you Kensington Books for the ARC.

Thank you to NetGalley, the Publishers, and Charlie Donlea for an ARC of Guess Again! I am contemplating life after this book ๐ I thought I had it and then the twists just kept on coming. I was a little hesitant at first with the story and the narrator - but Vivienne Leheny was great! The story will keep you gripped and Charlie truly meant โGuess Againโ. I loved the multiple POVโs and going back and forth from 10 years ago to now - keeps the suspense going! 10 years ago Callie Jones disappeared and she was never found and turned into a cold case. Today, Ethan Hall has been assigned to investigate as he has a 100% success rate. Except he is a Doctor now. His old partner, Pete, is dying and has a request to Eddie to finish this case for him. Ethan knows everything has been thoroughly investigated before and needs a new approach to try to finally solve this case. Ethan sees only one option - visiting an inmate in a maximum security prison. Ethan doesnโt realize how deep this investigation will go and what secrets will come throughout it and who would kill to keep them a secret. This is my first book by Charlie Donlea and will not be my last - this is the definition of a psychological thriller.

Thank you NetGalley, RBmedia and Charlie Donlea for the ALC in exchange for an honest review.
Holy crap. The twists. The turns. The action. I was hooked and literally guessing and second guessing until the last page.
I donโt do a lot of thrillers but couldnโt pass up a Charlie Donlea book!
First time doing a thriller on audio and it was good but hard for my brain to pay enough attention so I think my brain needs more work to make thriller audiobooks a regular thing (but thatโs totally just a ME problem).
As a Wisconsin native, I did really enjoy that this took place in Wisconsin and we got a virtual tour of the state while solving some mysteries.
Ok, now to the story. Ethan Hall is a doctor but previously had been a hot shot detective with an impressive solve rate. His former partner shows up and asks for a favor, for him to look into a case thatโs been unsolved and bothering him for 10yrs.
Thatโs all Iโm going to go into because honestly, the less you know the better.
The cold case itself was interesting and then adding in the connection from Ethanโs past, was enough to keep my brain spinning.
There were many moving parts and characters but this was fast paced and attention grabbing. Short, cliffhanger chapters and going from current to past is just enough to keep you off center and wanting to keep reading.

Guess Again by Charlie Donlea
Pub Date: 7/29/25
Format: audio
Rating: โญ๏ธโญ๏ธโญ๏ธ
I keep getting surprised with books that have Criminal Minds vibes this month and Iโm not mad about it! This is the third book Iโve read by Donlea and he never ceases to keep me guessing!
This book has an opening that will make you a a bit sick and pretty intrigued all at once. I feel like after the first chapter, I thought I understood where this book was going but I very much did not.
I appreciated how everything tied together in this book, but did not necessarily feel like the journey to get there was cohesive enough. I struggled a bit with all the jumping around. I am very grateful for the advanced listening copy from Netgalley and Recorded Books, but I think this would be a better eyeball read due to all the moving parts.
It also takes a lot for me to dislike a narrator as I am not super picky, but the narrator seemed very robotic to me throughout and it almost felt like it was read by AI a bit.
However, huge bonus for short chapters (always) and a very intriguing main character! A law enforcement agent who quits to become a doctor??? I was super intrigued by his story!
I would definitely recommend checking this book out, but think it would be much more enjoyable in a different format. If youโre looking for a twisty thriller, Donlea definitely has one for you with Guess Again!
EDIT: after discussing with other friends who have read, they were just as confused and there were even more plot holes than I initially thought. I am changing my review to 2.5 stars (I really thought it was a me problem and gave the benefit of a doubt initially)

I've really enjoyed this authors past work and was a little hesitant when I started this one because I wasn't sure if it was going to be too dark. But once I got adjusted to the plot, I got quite invested. It was easy to listen to and get into the plot. I really enjoyed Ethan the main characters pov and the little romance he had which is small. I liked that I didn't see the big twists coming either! It keeps you guessing! The audio was well done!

Big thanks to Charlie Donlea and NetGalley for the chance to listen to this early!
This was such a compelling listen! Guess Again had me hooked from the start with its small-town setting, layered mystery, and just the right amount of psychological twists. The story centers on Ethan Hall, once a detective, now an ER doctor, whoโs pulled back into a cold case when his former partner, now dying, asks him to finally solve the disappearance of 17-year-old Callie Jones.
What I really enjoyed was how the story slowly peeled back the layers. Just when I thought I had it figured out, something new would drop. Ethan is a complex, haunted character, and his personal connection to the case added a nice emotional pull that made the story feel more personal and less procedural.
Vivienne Lehenyโs narration was excellent. She delivered just the right mood and tension throughout and really helped bring the characters to life. I found myself making excuses to keep listening, which is always a good sign with an audiobook!
This was a smart, twisty thriller that kept me engaged from beginning to end. If you love slow-burn mysteries with emotional depth and small-town secrets, this oneโs definitely worth a listen.

Thank you to @netgalley and @recordedbooks for a free download of the audiobook in exchange for my honest review.
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Guess Again is another solid thriller from Charlie Donlea, though not my personal favorite of his. The story centers on Ethan Hall, a former detective turned ER doctor, who is pulled back into the haunting cold case of Callie Jonesโa 17-year-old volleyball star who vanished a decade ago from a quiet Wisconsin lake town. As Ethan reopens the investigation, he uncovers chilling secrets, twisted psychological games, and connections to his own dark past.
As a real-life Lake Okoboji girl, I was thrown off by the reference to Okoboji being in Wisconsin. I even double-checkedโOkoboji is only in Iowa! That detail pulled me out of the story a few times, but it didnโt overshadow the suspenseful plot and Donleaโs signature interwoven characters, which I always enjoy.
Narrator Vivienne Leheny did a fantastic job bringing the story to life. Her pacing, tone, and emotional nuance added depth to the characters and kept me engaged throughout the audiobook.
A gripping read with a few bumps, but still a great addition to Donleaโs lineup.
#books #bookishlife #booklover #readingisfun #iowabookstagrammers #iowabookstagram #netgalley #rbmedia #recordedbooks #guessagain #charliedonlea #vivienneleheny

5/5 stars!!
This book kept me guessing the whole time! The big reveal near the end had my jaw on the floor. Iโm really hoping he continues this story with a second book!

*Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the audio
ARC!*
I've really enjoyed all the Charlie Donlea books l've read so far, and Guess Again was no exception! We follow Ethan, an ER doctor who goes back to his detective roots to reexamine a 10 year old missing persons case.
All the characters felt really well fleshed out to me and I enjoyed the way everything tied together at the end.
The story kept me engaged with just enough twists. All in all a great book!

It's been ten years since 17-year-old Callie Jones vanished from her quiet neighborhood. The case had gone cold but now a new push to find out what happened is awakened. Callie's father was just elected Governor and wants to find the truth. Pete Kramer was an investigator on her case and now that he is dying, he makes a request to one of his old partners, Ethan Hall to help solve it. Ethan left the horrors of being a detective behind to become an ER doctor but agrees to help Pete take another look at the case. What new details can they find, and can they do it before more bodies turn up?
This is the second book I have read by Donlea, and I am quickly becoming a fan. Guess Again was a twisty read with a tangled web of connections to follow. The story has a few layers of details happening and finding the connections between them kept me hooked.
Thank you to NetGalley and RBmedia for the audiobook for review.

๐ฎ๐ผ ARC AUDIOBOOK REVIEW ๐ฎ๐ผ
PUB DATE: July 28th 2025
Length- 9 Hours and 12 mins
Narrated by Vivienne Leheny - Narrating Rating 4.5 โญ๏ธ
My Rating : 4.5 โญ๏ธ โญ๏ธโญ๏ธโญ๏ธ ๐ซ
Am I becoming a fan of crime thrillers?? Because if they all read like this then consider me an addict !!
Wow this audiobook was sooo good ๐ฅ
Honestly I got eaten alive by the plot and there was NO turning back !
Ethan is an ER doctor whoโs past was a detective and on the anniversary of Callie Joanโs disappearance an old colleague comes seeking for his last dying wish to bring him back to the case !
This was such a wild read , with its short and sharp chapters, they left me gasping ๐ซข at each little cliffhanger.
I really donโt want to give too much away , but read this if you like :
๐จ Short Chapters
๐จ Smart Dialogue
๐จ Crime Thrillers
๐จ UNPUTDOWNABLE Books
๐จ Cat & Mouse Chase
๐จ Crazy TWISTS !!!!
๐จ Cliffhangers
๐จ Meticulously Plotted
This is my second book by Charlie and I now know ๐ฏ he is an auto buy for ,this book definitely ticked all the right boxes ,it was the taste ๐
reset I never saw coming โฆjust like that ending ๐!!
If youโre a crime thriller lover then add this one to your TBR ASAP, trust me !! ๐๐ผ
QOTD- What crime thriller had you turning pages late into the night ?
Thanks for reading and have an amazing day BookPals ๐ซถ๐ผ
HUGE Thank you NetGalley, RBmedia , @charliedonlea for this jaw dropping page turner ๐ค in exchange for my honest review !
#instareader #audiobooks #netgalley #guessagain #charliedonlea #authorsofinstagram #rbmedia #arc #bookrec #bookreview #bookstagram #crimebooks #crimethriller #twisty #booklover #bookworm #booknerd #ilovereadingbooks #wednesday #fyp

Thank you so much to RB Media for the gifted ALC!
4.5 stars
WOW- Charlie always finds a way to blow my mind, but this is definitely his best one yet!
I don't know he managed to take so many different timelines and perspectives and weave one of the wildest unsolved murder mystery stories I've ever read, but he absolutely NAILED every single detail!
If you love short chapters (most two to three pages), multiple timelines, insane characters you won't soon forget, then this one is definitely for you!
I feel like this could have been so confusing because there were SO many moving parts, but somehow he made it all so easy to follow and understand. That is not easily accomplished!
I can't wait to see what he accomplishes next!