Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Publishers for the advanced audio of “Those Empty Eyes “ by Charlie Donlea. I absolutely loved this book. The author sets the scene and takes you down a carefully laid out path and he brings it together brilliantly. A young girl’s family is killed in a home invasion. Everyone believes Alex is the killer. Ten years has passed and Alex is still looking for the real killer. Fantastic mystery thriller that is a must read.
A new favorite author! I look forward to reading more of Charlie Donlea’s books.

Alex Armstrong has a very complicated past, which includes her being the only survivor of her family after a massacre in their home. She was assumed to be the perpetrator, and was nicknamed Empty Eyes by the press because of how she looked after the massacre. She was cleared of the crime, but that didn’t stop people from obsessing about her.

10 years later she has changed everything about herself (including her name), and she is trying to find answers as to who really killed her family. Will she find out? Is she in danger herself? You have to read to find out!

What I liked: The plot was interesting, and it definitely had me wanting to know what happened next. It was entertaining. I even had to rewind at one point, because there was an unexpected mention of a character from another of his books, which I really enjoyed. It’s always fun as a reader for something like that to happen.

What I didn’t like: there were a lot of characters, and I felt like it got a little messy and convoluted at times, where I had a hard time, remembering who people were.

All in all, I did enjoy the book and would recommend it to anyone that is looking for a fun read.

Thank you to Netgalley and RB Media for an advanced copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

I think the narrator did a great job with the audiobook, but I was not as drawn into the storyline as I thought I would. The pacing to me felt "jumpy".

Thank you NetGalley and RB Media for this arc in exchange for my honest review!

Thank you {partner} Bibliolifestyle and Kensington for the ALC and finished review copy!

Alex Quinlan’s whole world is rocked when her parents and brother are brutally murdered in their home. To make the tragedy even worse, the police arrest her initially for the crime. Nicknamed “Empty Eyes” for her shocked expression after her arrest, Alex’s life continues to be turned upside down. Now, a decade later, she has reinvented herself to attempt to escape the true crime fanatics who take special interest in her. But she never stops trying to find her family’s killer. When working as a legal investigator, she discovers similar cases to that of her family’s. No one is who they seem.

This was a well-crafted and suspenseful thriller. Told in different timelines, it did get a tiny bit confusing for me when listening to the audio. Because of the multiple storylines going on, it was a little hard for me to keep track, so it was nice to have the paperback to reference as well. When the stories all came together, I was shocked. Without giving any spoilers, I had an idea of how it was going to tie together but the specifics of it blew me away. The “true crime fandom” part of this book also makes one think - how far is too far? At what point do people lose their humanity and become more about entertainment? I found that very thought-provoking.

This review will be shared to my instagram blog (@books_by_the_bottle) shortly :)

This was one of my favorite reads so far this year! This mystery had so many different angles and story lines that kept me on my toes and guessing till the very end.

This novel opened with 17 year old, Alex Quinlan, surrounded by the gruesome scene of her families murder. A murder that she was unjustly accused of and forever tied to. Despite many years later, a name change, outrunning the press, and changing her appearance, her life remains forever changed. Not to mention the murders remain unsolved. Now as an adult and an investigator she continues to hunt for answers. Who killed her family? And why? How is everything she has found connected?

As mentioned, this book hooked me from the very start. Alex was present and accused of her families murder and that was only the beginning. I enjoyed that this novel jumped from several point of views and timelines and did not bring everything together until the end. Although sometimes it was a bit hard to follow I did like that there were so many different stories and elements. I also was very surprised by the ending.

This novel was just released on March 28th and it is absolutely worth the read!

I really enjoyed this audiobook! At first the timeline was a little tricky to keep track of, but soon I got the characters straight. The twists and turns kept coming and I was surprised by the ending! A very entertaining listen, would definitely recommend. I received a free copy of this audiobook from netgalley and the publisher in exchange for my honest review.

I enjoyed the story and the twists that it took. Some of the dialogue seemed a bit redundant, but it kept me intrigued. There were a few side stories that probably could've developed into its own book, so pay attention so you won't get lost like I almost did. I like this author so I would read more! The narration was good.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Definitely not my favourite book by this author, I found it a bit far-fetched in parts, with messy dialogue, and repetition. The set-up was intriguing, and the twist(s) great but ultimately a bit of a muddle. I also really, really don't like the title (although that's neither here nor there).

Thank you to Kensington Books and NetGalley for my ARC.

2.5 rounded up to 3 stars.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
𝐓𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬:
When Alexandra Quinlan's was 17 years old her parents and little brother were shot and killed inside their family home. She is accused of the crime and quickly becomes a true crime media phenomenon “named” Empty Eyes. After being exonerated from the crime Alex becomes an investigator 🕵🏼‍♀️ and is always searching for their killer.

I felt connected to Alex and think Donlea did a great job at telling, the majority of the story, through Alex’s voice. Alex was easy to root for and there were twists and turns at every chapter.

I really enjoyed this thriller and finished it in 48 hours! If you are a thriller addict you don’t want to miss out on this read.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC of the audiobook narrated by Vivienne Leheny. Vivienne Leheny is a great narrator,one of my favorites. But this book became repetitive, and because of that it was a little on the long side. The story was entertaining enough-but I also just wanted to finish it to get on with the next.

Thank you Netgalley, RB media and Charlie Donlea for the audio ARC of this book.

Wow this was my first by the author but I was so impressed. The audio book was gripping and the plot was really entertaining.

I loved the multiple timelines and the ending where everything wrapped up. I didn't know where it was going and what was going to happen and I loved it.

The narrator was great and I would highly recommend this as an ebook or audiobook.

I luckily stumbled upon this author while perusing the books my library had ordered that week and I’ve been a fan ever since. He writes medium to slow paced methodical mysteries.

I was a little concerned about this one in the beginning as the story started out with murders and a trial, then fast forwarded to years in the future. I was so interested in the trial, but I should have known it would all work out. There are multiple story lines happening at once. Alex is still trying to solve her parents murder, while she also works on cases for her employer. It is an ambitious and complex book and a lot for the reader to remember while the focus shifts from storyline to storyline. Alex is the constant throughout the book.

It seems every time I was sure I knew where this was heading, there was a twist. I did ultimately figure it all out. Pages before the end. LOL

I had both the book and audio and flipped back and forth, liking both versions. Vivienne Leheny is a terrific narrator, bringing life to all the book’s characters.

And for anyone that is an avid reader of the author, there is a surprise visit from an old favorite character. I loved that he finds a way to interweave his stories.

If you are on the lookout for a great complex mystery with suspense and twists, you should add this one to your TBR.

Is it just me, or did this book feel more like two books in one? It took A LONG TIME to get to the part where all the different then and now stuff started to come together -- like 75% in -- and by then I was kind of over it. I wanted to care, but there were people and places and secrets and tragedies, and too many coincidences. It was overwhelming, and not in a good way.

And then there's the audiobook part of it all. Wow, was that narration odd. The narrator wasn't bad necessarily, but she did double down on some pretty awful pronunciations, which had me so distracted, I had to do some mental gymnastics to keep coming back to the book and remind myself to take it seriously. My two favorites were the "Delta Chai" fraternity and the "App-uh-LAY-chun" NC mountains. I wouldn't have thought much about the pronunciation choices if she hadn't had to speak them over, and over, and over again. It was too much for her to just ask someone, I guess, and that's really too bad.

When Alex is 17 her family is murdered in the middle of the night. As the only survivor the police think she’s responsible. But is she? Ten years later she is still searching for who murdered her family. She is harassed by the media so must disguise herself in plain sight as she works as an investigator at a law firm.

This is my second book by this author and I can say he writes a gripping tale. I enjoyed the multiple storylines and how they tied together. At times it did feel like a bit much but they all weave together pretty well. I did not want to put this one down.

I would definitely recommend this book to anyone looking for a strong thriller filled with suspense and action! I really enjoyed Twenty Years Later by this author that I read last year as well.

Thank you to @netgalley and @rbmedia for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

*4.5 Stars On My Instagram Account*

"There is no coincidence, only the illusion of coincidence."

There's a lot of coincidences, a lot going on, and a lot of characters in the in depth murder mystery thriller by clever author Charlie Donlea but in the end the twists unravel, the coincidences, except for the one that sets everything in motion, are debunked and each character plays a role in those empty eyes.

High schooler Alex is not only a victim of whoever entered her home and brutally shot and killed her parents and brother but a victim of the media who labeled her "empty eyes" when she is rescued by the police. Reasonable people would assume she's in shock but it's much more juicy to say she's an uncaring murderer. Soon social media and the tabloids have there next obsession and forget about the truth.

Alex's lawyers prove her innocence and successfully sue the police for destroying her life and never pursuing the real killer.

Ten years later Alex has changed her name and appearance and works as a investigator for the lawyers who saved her. No one knows about the murder board at home that is filled with leads about who killed her family. When a student journalist goes missing before breaking a big political story and her boyfriend is targeted as the perpetrator, Alex works to prove him innocent. She never thought it would lead to the jaw dropping reason her family was murdered and the WTF guilty party.

I absolutely loved narrator Vivienne Leheny using a breathy voice during some anxiety ridden scenes that had me gasping at the edge of my seat. I read parts that made me uncomfortable when the seediness of it all comes to light. There is nothing empty about this thriller so keep your eyes open for the guilty.

I received a free copy of this book/audiobook from the publishers via #NetGalley for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

Reading Between the Wines book review #33/115 for 2023:
Rating: 4 🍷 🍷 🍷 🍷
Book 🎧: Those Empty Eyes
Author: Charlie Donlea
Genre: General Fiction (Adult)
Available now!

Sipping thoughts: The opening of this book was so intriguing and thrilling. I needed to know what happened that night then it took a little turn. I lost a little bit of investment but then the plot revved up again. I would say the first 25% and the last 25% were so good. Had the middle been a little bit tighter for me, I would have rated it 5 stars. Either way, I am really loving Donlea’s writing between this book and last year’s Twenty Years Later. I look forward to the next release.

Cheers and thank you to @NetGalley and @RBMedia for an advanced copy of @ThoseEmptyEyes.

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

THOSE EMPTY EYES by Charlie Donlea required me to have an ear bud in at every possible minute!
4.5 Stars!

Vivienne Leheny narrated this suspense so well. I was caught up in this layered story that had an easy to follow multiple timeline and POV'S.

Alexandra Quinlan is the sole survivor of a brutal attack on her family. When the press dubs her as "Empty Eyes," and the police accuse her of the crime, she wins a defamation trial after not being charged. Finally finding some anonymity after 10 years, renamed Alex Armstrong now works as an investigator for the law firm that helped her. When a young reporter goes missing just before exposing a huge story, the boyfriend is accused and Alex begins digging into this case. What she discovers are startling links to the deaths of her family.

This story has an Epstein-like horror with other child-porn atrocities (not shared in detail), and delves into a bit of the Me-Too movement and the abuses of power. This story also touches on the morbid fascination of true-crime and the costs of the court of public opinion. All of these issues were well presented in a way that was both well-placed in the story and also held up for critical inspection.

For all that was going on in this story, the audio was very easy to follow. Leheny seamlessly went between characters with all the tension and suspense, sympathy and hurt, strength and resilience.

Today is the day to grab this book in any form! Thank you to @netgalley and @recordedbooks for the chance to listen to this ALC and to share my thoughts.

Donlea is one of my favorite authors. I very much dislike the narration of this book and would have preferred to read it.

I'm a big fan of this authors and have read everything by them. This was a great listen. The story kept me hooked and guessing until the end and the narrators were fantastic.

Great murder mystery with wonderfully fleshed-out characters and interesting plot twists. I was immediately hooked.