Take a shot every time the grandfather clock is mentioned.

Alexandra Quinlan is known to the media as Empty Eyes, and is generally believed to have murdered her parents and brother in cold blood. She maintains her innocence. Even though she is never proven guilty, the public still follows her around. True crime fanatics are the worst sort of humans.

Ten years later, Alex has a new look and a new name. She works for the legal team that helped her so many years ago. A case pops up that has an interesting connection to her own. I had a sneaking suspicion Alex couldn't trust her closest confidants, and lo and behold, she couldn't trust her closest confidants.

🎧 Thank you to NetGalley and Recorded Books

The set up of this book was very unique from any other mystery/ thriller I’ve ever read. I enjoyed the different points of view that were included in this book from the killer to the attorney to Alex. I was a refreshing as well as kept me on the edge of my seat the entire time.

I did not finish this one, it was not for me, I couldn't relate to the characters, and just did not care for the story.

This was really good! A fast-paced thriller I couldn’t stop listening to. The characters were great and the story was well-developed. I’ll definitely read more from the author.

Alexandra Quinlan was the only survivor when her parents and brother were killed in their home. She was arrested and charged with their murder. The local reporter on the scene called her Empty Eyes as she stared blankly while being taken from their home. She was acquitted and sued the police. She got a nice settlement, then disappeared. She changed her name to Alex Armstrong and tried to stay out of the limelight. She never gave up on finding out the truth about her family's murder. It is ten years later and she is working as a legal investigator. She is trying to find evidence to prove that Matthew Claymore, is not responsible for the disappearance of his girlfriend, a student journalist named Laura McAllister. Laura was about to break a major story about rape and cover-ups on her college campus. As Alex investigates what Laura is working on, she begins to find connections to the murder of her parents.

The book opens with a bang, the horrendous murder of three people and one barely escaping with her life. Alex is sitting by her parent's bodies with the weapon in her lap when the police arrive. Jacqueline Jordan and Garrett Lancaster defend her as well as working the suit against the police. That is the firm that Alex now works for. Then, Charlie Donlea adds more to the story. We have the disappearance of a college student who is working on the story of rape, drugging co-eds and coverups, as well as a summer camp where there is a pedophile on staff. How does all this fit together had my brain going around in circles. When I thought I had something sorted, there was new evidence that had me starting over. This is a twisty story with a smart, courageous, strong, protagonist. Although I enjoyed this story, there were a few too many twists and things that were unbelievable to give it 5 stars. The narration was performed by Vivienne Leheny. As expected, she does a great job with the voices, expression and mood in this story. If you enjoy a twisty thriller that needs you to suspend belief and just go with the flow, then you will enjoy Those Empty Eyes.

I'm a fan of Charlie Donlea's Twenty Years Later and this next book was just a captivating. The writing is stellar and the pace had my heart racing! Did not expect the ending at all! A thrilling ride!

𝘎𝘳𝘪𝘱𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨!

This is my kind of book, it starts with a bang and from there it’s impossible to stop reading, it kept me guessing and at the edge of my seat. Simply fantastic.

Thank you NetGalley and Recorded Books for this complimentary audiobook.

𝗧𝗵𝗼𝘀𝗲 𝗘𝗺𝗽𝘁𝘆 𝗘𝘆𝗲𝘀 by Charlie Donlea - Author released March 28, 2023.

https://www.instagram.com/booksandcoffeemx/

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
I loved this book. It’s about the sole survivor of her family’s massacre. After the murders, she is found covered in blood, holding a gun. She immediately becomes the prime
suspect in the murder of her family. The media is relentless. Did this young girl murder her own parents and little brother?

There are some good things about this book: A lot is going on, but I was never bored. While I couldn't connect with Alexandra's character, I was interested in learning who killed her family. The killer’s identity took me by surprise in a good way, and even better, the final chapter reveals another surprising twist that threw me for a loop. Alexandra Quinlan woke to a living nightmare. Her family being gunned down in their home.
Now the sole survivor, Alexandra quickly becomes the prime suspect, and the police see no reason to look any further. They probably should have…as Alexandria was a victim too. With the help of her lawyer Garrett, she’s slowly piecing her life back together. But of course, she’ll never forget that day, and it’s up to her to find justice for her family. No one else seems to be searching. I’ve struggled with this author’s books as of late. While I did enjoy this one more than his two previous, I was left with so many unanswered questions. There are multiple storylines mingling through this book, which I normally love. Unfortunately, some were left underdeveloped leaving me more frustrated than anything.

Thank you to the publisher for this ALC. I loved this book. I was not previously a fan of Donlea but this audio and book has made me one.

Empty Eyes had me on edge, I didn't think a young daughter would slaughter her family. But in real life it does happen.
I was pulled into the story that I missed some important things.

This was ok not my favorite. I liked the storyline and the characters just not my cup of tea. I might go back and read it again just not right now.

Based on the description of Those Empty Eyes by new to me author Charlie Donlea, I anticipated a thrilling and twisty ride of suspense and mystery. Unfortunately, this book failed to deliver. Instead, I was given a very choppy story, disjointed writing and excessively repetitive details (how many times does the reader need to be told that hiding behind the grandfather clock saved Alex’s life?) Honestly, I got it the first time! If that wasn’t bad enough, the author adds insult to injury by giving me an ending that provided absolutely zero closure with a whopper of a cliffhanger! Is Alex going to be privy to the nuclear explosion you just dropped in my lap? Will there be a sequel or will Alex live out the rest of her life never knowing the whole bloody truth of what really happened to her family and who was involved?

Come on dude, you can’t end a book like that, with some out of left field twist without any follow-up or resolution after everything Alex has gone through with losing her family, being accused of the crime, being stalked and harassed by paparazzi to eventually learning the truth and rebuilding her life.

So, what did I like? I liked the cover and the narration of the audio by Vivienne Leheny. This was also my first audiobook narrated by Ms. Leheny and I found her performance to be realistic and the characters authentic. She employed the right amount of emotion of verbal tension to make their actions more believable.

My Final Verdict: I would have liked this book so much more had there been logical resolutions that fit the plot instead of twists that seemed to be thrown in as an afterthought. Fans of suspense, mystery and thriller novels will find much better options elsewhere.

Those Empty Eyes by Charlie Donlea
Narrated by Vivienne Leheny
Publisher: RB Media, Recorded Books
Genre: Mystery & Thrillers
Published: March 28, 2023

Those Empty Eyes by Charlie Donlea is a standalone myserty and I could not get enough of this book! This is the first book I've read by the author and I'm positive it will not be the last!

Wow! Wow! Just wow!!!

This book had so many twists and turns and I loved it! Just when I thought I had things figured out there was another surprise! This book is a must read!!!

The narration by Vivienne Leheny was amazing!!!

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

The premise of this book was so exciting! However, I found myself bored a good majority of the book and was underwhelmed by the conclusion.

I liked the narrator and thought it was done nicely.

Thank you netgalley and the publisher for this arc in exchange for my honest review.

I've read a few of Charlie Donlea's books and I always enjoy them - Those Empty Eyes is another good read!

Those Empty Eyes is a complex mystery told using several timelines and through multiple points of view. There are plenty of twists and turns that kept me guessing until the end!

It's been ten years since Alex Armstrong's family was brutally killed and she was falsely accused of the crime. She's got her life together as a professional investigator, but continues to quietly pursue the unsolved murders of her family. Alex is flawed but an easy character to root for as she searches for answers and justice. This multi-layered story starts out slow and steadily builds as puzzle pieces fall into place for both Alex and the reader.

I listened to the audiobook, and at times it was a little difficult to keep track of everything going on with the changing timelines and points of view throughout. I was glad to also have a copy of the ebook to pick up and clarify pieces along the way. I think maybe due to the multiple timelines, different narrators might have helped? It's a tough problem because you don't want to give anything away due to the narration choices either!

Pick up Those Empty Eyes if you're looking for a complex, multi-layered mystery that will keep you guessing!

The description for Those Empty Eyes had me moving this book to the top of my to read pile.

This book opens with a triple murder. Seventeen-year-old, Alexandra Quinlan’s mother, father, and brother are shot to death. Alex survives but is then accused of the horrific crimes.

“If it bleeds it leads”

The crimes result in a media circus. Alex is even given a nickname by the media. They call her “Empty Eyes”. Eventually Alex is proven innocent and in turn brings a defamation case against the state of Virginia who had botched the investigation into her family’s murder, ruining her life in the process. The trial and the defamation case are highly publicized.

Many years pass. A decade later, Alex hasn’t stopped investigating the deaths of her parents and brother. She has changed her last name and appearance to avoid being harassed by those who still believe she killed her family.

Will she finally find the answers she craves?

“Those Empty Eyes” was an intriguing story with an interesting plot. Most of the story was told from Alex’s perspective. However, there were quite a few chapters told from other minor characters points of view. There were quite a few characters to keep track of and I found that I did have to go back and re-read a few pages now and then. There were times when the plot seemed a bit all over the place, heading one way then going a whole different way. I definitely didn’t see or guess everything coming.

Overall I still enjoyed this novel. Once again I was lucky enough to have both the e-book and audiobook to review. The narrators were very good. However with the many characters and their different perspectives, it was easier to follow along with the actual book.



I'd like to thank the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this novel. All opinions are my own.

I enjoyed Those Empty Eyes - it was fast-paced and super twisty. Alex’s character has been through so much with the murder of her family right before her eyes and the subsequent media frenzy that gave her the awful moniker “Empty Eyes”.

I’m giving it four stars only because it felt like the story was “reaching” a bit at times, with new roadblocks and at every turn. I am so glad that I stuck with it until the end, however!

Excellent narration.

Told in three different storylines gives a mytilayered dimension to this novel. I loved the storylines and the creativity of the writing. There is so much to uncover and put together in this book it does take some concentration to piece the storylines together in the audio but the narratoration was well done in this aspect

A bit too much stretch in Those Empty Eyes for me to enjoy. Multiple characters, and story lines. More time could have resulted in less with a better result.