3.5⭐

Featuring ~ multiple 3rd person POV, 7 part story, timeline ~ 2013 - 2023, murder, crime thriller, references to se*ual assault & r@pe

Alexandra's parents and 13 year old brother were killed while she hid behind a grandfather clock. We hear about said grandfather clock a bazillion times throughout the entire book....fine, like 50, but it felt like a bazillion. You know how some words or songs just stick in your head and you can't stop hearing it, well that was how I felt about grandfather clock.

The police and public think she killed her family and call her empty eyes and they are relentless, so she goes into hiding. 10 years later and she's working with her lawyer and savior, Garrett, on a case that has nothing to do with anything or does it? She's trying to solve her own parents murder as well.

Overall, this was good, but there was a lot going on that I'm not really sure was necessary which made it move along slowly at times. There were some suspenseful moments and I am very pleased with the surprise ending.

I was fortune enough to have a kindle copy and an audio copy. Both were fine formats.
Narration:
Vivienne Leheny ~ 10 hours 28 minutes ~ she did a fine job.

This is a fast=paced, enjoyable listen. The mystery kept me enthralled throughout and the narrator did an excellent job of conveying the intensity of the situation. The premise was unique and the ending had a surprising twist.

This is one jaw dropping thrill ride. The opening scene alone is something that I’ve never read in such a shocking manner and it pulled me right into this gem. Every time I thought I knew it all I realized just how wrong I was right up to the very end. This plot was exceptionally thought out, even to the point where I thought the book was done until it wasn’t…. It leaves you with just as jaw dropping of an ending as it does a beginning. That’s my kind of thriller. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the early read. Put this at the top of your TBR list.

Thank you to NetGalley, Charlie Donlea & RB Media for an audio arc of Those Empty Eyes in exchange for an honest review. This review is wholly my own & may not be reproduced.

This was my first Charlie Donlea read, although I have Twenty Years Later on my shelf currently TBR.

This story centers around Alex Armstrong who was accused of the massacre of her family 10 years prior. She has changed her name, appearance & even her backstory. Alex is not a legal investigator and has stopped at nothing to find out what really happened to her family, who killed them & why - - all while trying to help secure justice for others in similar situations as she had been in (i.e. wrongfully accused). One of these individuals is Matthew who has been accused in the disappearance of his girlfriend Lauren who was about to uncover a major rape story on her college campus. As Alex dives into helping clear Matt & find out what happened to Lauren, she shockingly discovers that this case is linked to her family’s murders.

This was multilayered story. Essentially, there are three storylines that all end up intertwining with one another. So, this is a novel you need to keep you head in. If you are looking for something to read that you don’t have to concentrate too hard on, put this one on the backburner until you’re mentally prepared.

The characters were well developed & the pacing was good, however, I was not a fan of all of the intricate storylines. That’s not to say the book was bad. I think it takes a lot of talent to write a novel with so many layers. There were just too many layers and side stories for me. I didn’t love the book, but I didn’t hate it either, so I’m giving it a straight down the middle 3/5 Stars.

If you like all the intricate storylines and multi-layers, I would definitely recommend this book to you. If that’s all a bit much for you, like it is for me, I would probably pass on this one.

With all of that said – I will absolutely still read other novels by this author in the future!

A propulsive true crime thriller that grabs you from the start and doesn't let go! I really, really loved the author's last book, Twenty years later, but I think this new one is even better! When seventeen year old Alex Armstrong wakes up one night to find her whole family murdered, her life gets completely turned upside down.

Charged with the crime and dubbed "Empy eyes" by the media, she ends up suing the police for defamation in a highly publicized trial where she wins a huge payout and then later disappears. Meanwhile she never stops looking into who was truly responsible for her family's murder.

With multiple storylines that all come together in the best way, this was an easy one sitting read that I truly couldn't put down. Perfect for true crime fans and great on audio narrated by Vivienne Leheny. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early audio copy in exchange for my honest review!

CW: rape

The last chapter and an answer I NEED to know makes up for a rambling book with more characters than I can keep track of. Did I enjoy it? Yes. Did I get lost and wonder if I was reading four books? Also yes.

Overall, I really enjoyed the book. I loved how captivating the opening scene was but it was a little difficult to get into the book because I felt the narrator's voice was too monotone. As the story picked up so did the personality of the narrator and then I almost felt like when the mystery had been solved she again got a little less personable. The twist ending was done really well but the last bit of the book after finding out who killed her family did take me a little while to finish because of the narration as well as just feeling like I had all the answers I needed. The middle kept me super captivated and I was expecting the brother to be the one who was doing the killings so it was a great twist to see that it was not the expected killer. I would recommend this book and read the author again!

Empty eyes
Alexandra Quinlan’s parents and younger brother were murdered in a shocking attack. Alexandra survives by hiding from the killer but is then accused of the murder. Her lawyer works with her to prove her innocence and she receives a huge compensation payment as a result. Ten years later she is working for the lawyer who helped her, and she resolves to find out why her family were killed. The characters are well drawn and I was invested in finding the murderer but there seemed to be quite a few side stories which, for me, detracted from the main plot. Overall I enjoyed the book, the narration and the suspense. Thank you to Net Galley for an arc in exchange for an honest review.

This is my first Charlie Donlea book, but now I'm a convert. Those Empty Eyes starts with a bang, literally, and doesn't let up until the final page. I was initially confused about how the two story lines between Alex and the investigation of a potential Supreme Court judge were going to come together, but they did so flawlessly and perfectly, making this one of my favorite recent listens. Vivienne Leheny is the absolute perfect narrator for this book, and she nails every bit of nail-biting suspense. I've already ordered Charlie Donlea's backlist, and I can't wait to get started! Thanks so much for the opportunity to review.

Jumps into action right off the bat & then it was a bit of a shaky, disjointed transition into the other storylines woven in, which made it hard to follow & keep interest, but once it smoothed out I was sucked right back into the suspense; the ending was very satisfying as everything was tied up in a bow; I also enjoyed the narrator

Special thank you to Recorded Books, Charlie Donlea, and NetGalley for an ALC of this book in exchange for an honest review!

🌟🌟🌟🌟.5
“Those Empty Eyes” begins with a sensational Prologue and finishes with a cleverly unexpected conclusion that blew me away! In between is a riveting and complex story. The multi-layered plot is a little confusing at times but it’s brilliant. Now that I’ve read my first book by Mr. Donlea, I’m excited to read more. His writing is exceptional and my TBR list has taken a bit hit!

Alexandra Quinlan became famous as a teenager when her family was murdered and she was accused. She fought to clear her name and then won a defamation lawsuit with the help of her lawyer—Garrett Lancaster.

She eventually changed everything about herself and went to work for Garrett as an investigator. And she never stopped looking for her family’s killer.

Several smaller stories take place in the background. It takes a while but when they all connect…OMG!

I alternated reading the ebook and listening to the audiobook, narrated by Vivienne Leheny.

Sincere thanks to the author and publisher for providing a gifted ARC through Edelweiss and NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

#ThoseEmptyEyes #CharlieDonlea #KensingtonBooks #RBMedia #honestreview #audiobookreview #edelweiss #netgalley #giftedARC #EmptyEyes #mediasensation #familymurder #defamationlawsuit #thrillerfriendsunite #mysteryandthrills #readwithme #bookaddict #thrilleraddict #thrillersofinstagram #bookstagrammer #lovebooks #bookreviewersofinstagram #lovetoreadbooks #cantstopreading #fortheloveofbooks

Those Empty Eyes
Charlie Donlea
The killer made their way to the bedroom where the couple slept. They aimed the gun and shot the husband then the wife. The thirteen-year-old son opened his parents door. The killer took aim and pulled the trigger again. There was only one more loose end. The killer walked to the seventeen year old daughters door. She wasn’t in bed. She wasn’t in the closet. The window was open. The killer looked out but couldn’t see her.
A neighbor heard the gunshots and called the police. Then they arrived and they found the girl in her parents’ room cradling the gun. The police thought this would be an easy one. They took the teen out in handcuffs. They interrogated her without permission. She was in shock. One of the officers realized something was wrong and called her husband, a lawyer. He rushed in to defend the girl and Alexandra Quinlan got all the charges dropped. The press nicknamed her Empty Eyes. Alexandria fought to clear her name and won multimillion dollars suit against the police department.
Ten years later and she continued her search for answers to why her family had been targeted and who killed them. She changed her identity because true crime enthusiasts and greedy reporters were still desperate to find her and make her pay. Alex worked hard to secure fairness for others wrongly accused of crimes. Matthew Claymore was under suspicion in the vanishing of his girlfriend, journalist Laura McAllister. Laura was working on a story about sexual assault and coverups by the parents and college administration. Alex is sure Matthew is innocent.
She discovers evidence connecting the case with her family’s murder.
This is one of those books you can’t put down. Alex is a narrator most of the time, occasionally a minor character narrates. Alex is a self-driven character; she lived through a never-ending nightmare. This is a complex plot filled with corruption and investigation. I found myself rooting for Alex. She’d was the underdog in many ways. There were a lot of secondary characters that added much to the plot. This is the type of plot that grabs your attention from page one and holds it through the end. This is the first book I’ve read by Charlie Donlea but it won’t be the last.

A young girl, Alex Armstrong finds herself caught in a web of lies deceit, and the nightmare of the horrendous death of her parents and brother. She escapes this deranged killing by successfully hiding behind a grandfather clock. However, a journalist coins a phrase for Alex, "Empty Eyes", therefore setting Alex up to be accused of the killings.

Alex is tried in the press and of course is convicted by a jury of social media fanatics. She is acquitted bu a real jury and then goes on to be a social darling not able to evade the press and media for many believe Alex is a murderess.

The years pass and Alex is still trying to find out who killed her family as she takes on the job of a legal investigator changing everything about herself, her name, her looks, and anything that leads back to her former life.

She becomes embroiled in the case of the missing college journalist who is about to blow the lid off of an elite university, its faculty, influential parents, and fraternity members.

Lots of surprises ahead for Alex as she learns not only of this school's shenanigans but also a connection to her family's deaths.

Thank you to Charlie Donlea, RB Media, Narrated by Vivienne Leheny, and NetGalley for the ability to listen to this thriller.

This book was a quick read. It had several different storylines that were intertwined. I loved every minute of it.

I really enjoyed trying to figure out who was good, who was bad and all the different motives for their behaviors.

The part of the book about the Supreme Court nom definitely reminded me of some real life stuff that happened in the media, not too long ago, but wasn’t so heavily politicized in the book so it didn’t take away from the overall story which I liked. I hate when books get too political but you don’t have to worry about that with this book.

This was a story about revenge and righting wrongs, but it was also about how things can sometimes go too far and how innocent people get hurt.

This was entertaining from start to finish with excellent character depth, and a perfect ending, which wrapped everything up nicely. This would make a great movie.

This was my second book by this author, and I can’t wait to read more in the future.

Within the first few minutes of starting Those Empty Eyes, I was completely drawn into this book (I was listening to an audiobook version). It dives straight into the action. Alexandra Quinlan wakes up to gunshots and finds her family murdered. When she manages to escape with her life, the police try to scape goat her for the crime. This doesn't sit right with one policewoman who was first on the scene, and she calls in her husband, a hot shot lawyer named Garrett Lancaster. He will defend Alexandra in this fight for her life. The press has named her "Empty Eyes", because of the lifeless look she gave them as she was led away from the crime scene, and many seem willing to find her guilty because of this perception.

So I think this is our story line, but then the story fast forwards ten years. Alexandra has changed her name to Alex and also altered her appearance so she can escape her former notoriety. She is now an investigator for Lancaster's firm. They are presented with a new and interesting case, which could have been dragged from recent headlines, so the story takes a different turn. And in the background is a third thread of story that takes place in the past at a teen's summer camp. None of these storylines seem to have relevance to each other, but I have faith the author will bring it all together in the end.

I am not going to detail the plot as others have done. What I will say is that this book kept me glued to my earphones. I loved all the twists and turns and not knowing where it would all end. And for me at least, there was one surprise at the end of the book. I also enjoyed the narrator in the audiobook version.

I would normally give this a 4.5 for a gripping read, as I rarely give five stars. But I feel like other reviewers have unfairly criticized the multiple plot line, which is the very thing that kept me so intrigued. So I'm going to give it a five star to bring up the average. If you want something to sink your teeth into that will keep you reading late into the night, this is it!

Empty eyes

Donlea always takes us on such a journey with his writing. It’s beautiful and complex and full circle! There is so much going on and he never leaves anything undone! It amazes me how all of the different characters and storylines are kept straight and then begin to intertwine in the most unbelievable ways! Even at the end, when I think everything has been tidied up and the book is finished, the last chapter SHOOK me! I truly did not see that coming, at all! I may just be saying this because I finished Daisy Jones last night, but I could see this book making an amazing series!

This book started off with a BANG, in the middle of the night, a scared teenage girl hides as her family is brutally murdered. I mean, that got my attention! We waste no time getting into the thick of it. I was immediately invested in this book and Alexandra as she is going through an unthinkable event. Donlea does a great job of introducing all of the characters and giving them depth and lasting impact. At times I was confused on who certain characters were and their importance to the book, with multiple storylines, but I knew if I stuck with it, the reveal would be worth it! And it was!! I can’t imagine the amount of detail and thought that goes into creating stories like this, but I appreciate it! Cannot wait to see what he comes out with next!

Thank you to Kensington books for the ARC! I read a combo of the hard copy and listened to the ALC thanks to RB Media. The audio was very well done, I stayed engaged with the story and enjoyed listening. But I always love to hold the physical book and read it, I feel like it connects me to the story and characters.

Ambitious and twisty plot that kept me engaged. The opening of the book is intense grabs you right away and the story takes off from there. Definitely recommend to to any mystery/thriller fans.

Thank you to Netgalley and RB Media for sending me an audiobook arc of this title.

𝚃𝚑𝚘𝚜𝚎 𝙴𝚖𝚙𝚝𝚢 𝙴𝚢𝚎𝚜 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨

𝘚𝘪𝘯, 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘢 𝘮𝘺𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘺. 𝘚𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘦𝘷𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘴 𝘸𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘶𝘯𝘯𝘰𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘦𝘥 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘣𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘮𝘪𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘦𝘲𝘶𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦. 𝘖𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘳𝘦𝘱𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘷𝘪𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘢𝘯 𝘰𝘮𝘯𝘪𝘱𝘰𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘨𝘰𝘥 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘦𝘥 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘥𝘪𝘴𝘤𝘳𝘦𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘨𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘶𝘯𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘥𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺. 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘰𝘵𝘦𝘳, 𝘥𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘦𝘥 𝘪𝘯 𝘣𝘰𝘰𝘵𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘢 𝘭𝘰𝘯𝘨 𝘴𝘸𝘦𝘦𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘩 𝘤𝘰𝘢𝘵 𝘣𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘥 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘦𝘭𝘴𝘦- 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘰𝘴𝘵 𝘦𝘨𝘳𝘦𝘨𝘪𝘰𝘶𝘴 𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘴 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘢𝘭𝘸𝘢𝘺𝘴 𝘣𝘦 𝘯𝘰𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘦𝘥 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘯𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘨𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘯 - 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘴𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘮𝘪𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘣𝘦 𝘱𝘶𝘯𝘪𝘴𝘩𝘦𝘥.

𝙂𝙚𝙣𝙧𝙚 🎭: thriller/investigative
𝙋𝙖𝙘𝙚 🏃🏼‍♀️: moderate/fast
𝙍𝙚𝙖𝙙 𝙞𝙛 𝙮𝙤𝙪 🖤: taking matters into your own hands
𝙏𝙒/𝘾𝙒 ⚠️: reference to SA/child p*rn

▪️investigative procedural/PI
▪️multiple POV & timelines
▪️badass MC wrongfully accused of killing her family

Such a fun audiobook! It had all the elements of an investigative procedural - minus the cops. Alexandra was wrongfully accused of brutally murdering her family and goes into hiding in London, where she takes the investigation into her own hands.

There were several layers of plot - from covering up fraternity date rape allegations, a judge being considered for the Supreme Court, to a college podcaster investigating the fraternity suddenly going missing. I loved the way all of the stories come together. The author and narrator seamlessly transitioned between POV so it was easy to track.

I will absolutely be reading this author’s backlog of books.

👏🏼👏🏼 𝙃𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙡𝙮 𝙧𝙚𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙙 to readers who enjoy multi layered thrillers.

Those Empty Eyes by Charlie Donlea is a thriller you'll want to add to your summer reading list.

"It's been ten years since Alexandra Quinlan was arrested for killing her family. When evidence pointed to her not being the killer charges were dropped. Alex testified at her highly publicized defamation lawsuit against the police department. With the help of her lawyer, a family friend, she won a large judgement.
Alex changes her name and moves away because the True Crime junkies all believe she got away with murder. But Alex never stops looking for the person responsible for killing her family. Now she's an investigator for a law firm and finds similarities with one of her cases to that of her parents. Will she finally have the answers she's looked for?"

Donlea grabs you from the very beginning. You are mesmerized by the trial and the events of the evening where Alex's family was gunned down. Donlea eventually jumps to Alex as an investigator while also filling in the background of the story. It all leads to a wild ending. And a twist you feel coming but never believe he'll actually go there.

Vivienne Leheny does a fabulous performance with the audiobook narration. There are many emotional moments and she nails it.

The middle third of the book is slower than the beginning and end but still worth it. I did not want to stop listening to this book.

Another great thriller to add to the beach bag this year.

Those Empty Eyes by Charlie Donlea is an intricately woven thriller that gripped me from the very beginning. I've read another novel by the same author - Twenty Years Later - and I was impressed with the rich storylines and attention to detail. This book did not disappoint either! It is easy to see that Charlie Donlea puts a lot of time into her research.
Vivienne Leheny narrated this book and she did a fantastic job portraying all the characters. I really enjoyed the narration. I listened it in one day (at 2x speed) as I couldn't put it down!
This book has several interesting and deep storylines, believable characters, gripping central mystery. I really enjoyed this novel and I highly recommend it.