Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this. Wow!! After Alex’s parents and brother are killed, and she is arrested for the crime, lawyers help her prove she is innocent. She is let free and starts a defamation lawsuit. Ten years later, she still cannot stop searching for answers on who really killed her family. She is an investigator now, and while investigating a possible rape at a college, she finds strange connections to her family. This one left me with my jaw dropped!

totally called itttt!! I had a good time, I usually can't stand detective murder books but that was actually fun and kept you guessing. I wish the MC didn't put on magenta and orange lipstick tho that's a deal breaker

[review posted on goodreads and maybe later on Instagram and tiktok]

I could not get the book to download on kindle, and to use the computer to read it. Sorry, it must be my new Kindle Fire.

This was a very suspensful read, it get's more interesting as secrets are discovered and you find out danger is lurking closer than you think.

A carefully crafted and twisty thriller that deserves to be read without spoilers. Alex is the only survivor of a horrible attack on her family and she became the subject of intense public and legal scrutiny- so much so that she changed everything she could and left the US for 10 years, Now, though, she's back and she's working as an investigator for a law firm but she's more focused, really, on finding the real killer. She discovers that much of what even she believed was not true, And there are surprises afoot. She's a terrific character. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC, Very good read,

The premise of Those Empty Eyes immediately grabbed my attention, but the book itself didn't hold up. And, honestly, I'm kind of confused.

The summary of the book doesn't even start unfolding until the first 35%. Yep, that's a whole third of the book that's repetitive background and a subplot. By the time you get closer to the halfway point of the story, there are many other perspectives and plots involved. Alexandra's story, which was by far the most compelling (and the center of the premise), is nearly pushed to the side.

While I immensely enjoyed parts of this book, it was unevenly structured and not at all what was advertised. I ultimately skipped to the end to see what happened and didn't regret missing the last 30% of the book.

This was fantastic. Charlie Donlea is just SO GOOD!!! I really enjoyed reading it and didn’t want to put it down. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this ARC!

What the what?! This book was like an episode of law and order SVU crossed with criminal minds . I could not stop reading. The ending was absolutely shocking and insane!

Charlie is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors with his captivating story-telling. I devour his books in a day or two because I just can't seem to put them down. This one was no different. I truly enjoyed Alex's story. I don't want to say too much and spoil anything but it is full of jaw dropping twists. Definitely one to check out if you enjoy an investigative story full of twists.

Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Books for this advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you to net galley for the opportunity to read and review this book!

Add Charlie Donlea to my list of favorite authors! My 2nd of his books and both 5 stars!

Those Empty Eyes is the story of Alex Quinlan following the seemingly random murder of her mom, dad, and brother. She barely escaped herself and was then the number one suspect and remained so in the eyes of the public and media. Alex never gave up hope of one day finding the person who took everything from her. This story is filled with page-turning excitement that I could not put down! Such a well developed plot with twists I could not predict.

Title- Those Empty Eyes
Rating -⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This book was perfect from start to finish. Those Empty Eyes has definitely made it to my top 10 read of the year.👏🏽

Alex Armstrong has changed everything about herself—her name, her appearance, her backstory. She’s no longer the terrified teenager a rapt audience saw on television, emerging in handcuffs from the quiet suburban home the night her family was massacred. That girl, Alexandra Quinlan, nicknamed Empty Eyes by the media, was accused of the killings, fought to clear her name, and later took the stand during her highly publicized defamation lawsuit that captured the attention of the nation.

It’s been ten years since, and Alex hasn’t stopped searching for answers about the night her family was killed, even as she continues to hide her real identity from true crime fanatics and grasping reporters still desperate to locate her. As a legal investigator, she works tirelessly to secure justice for others, too. People like Matthew Claymore, who’s under suspicion in 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. Alex believes Matthew is innocent, and unearths stunning revelations about the university’s faculty, fraternity members, and powerful parents willing to do anything to protect their children.

Most shocking of all—as Alex digs into Laura’s disappearance, she realizes there are unexpected connections to the murder of her own family. For as different as the crimes may seem, they each hinge on one sinister truth: no one is quite who they seem to be .

This was a first read for me by Charlie Donlea and won’t be my last, that’s for sure. I’ve already added his other books to my tbr list. Charlie’s writing had me tuned in from the beginning, all the way to the end. I will say there are a lot of different POVS in this book and I did get confused at first but the author eventually made the POVS tie all together and over all it was brilliant. That plot twist and ending👏🏽🤯

I HIGHLY suggest you add this to your tbr 👏🏽

Wow. I honestly don’t know where to start. This book was impressive to say the least. As a writer, I really liked the style of Donlea’s writing. Everything from how he laid out the chapters (both titles and timelines) to the points of view and timelines. But as a reader? Holy moly, I could not put this book down! The amount of research that went into this book was incredible and it kept me absolutely glued to my seat. So much so that I was so sad when it ended. I had to give it a few before I could even gather my thoughts enough to write a review. Talk about a book hangover. The plot, the characters, all of it was incredible. I could only wish to be half the writer Donlea is. Writers, take note! If you want a perfect lesson in plotting, characterization, tension, and pacing, this is the book to learn from! An incredible story and I now have a new favorite author for sure!

Huge thanks to Kensington Books and NetGalley for sending me this ARC for review! All of my reviews are given honestly!

Tense and surprising, this is a solid but disturbing story with plenty of twists. Readers may want to check trigger warnings on this one before they start.

I was so excited for this one and it didn’t disappoint! Every chapter left me wanting more up until the very end!

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.

Those Empty Eyes is my favorite Charlie Donlea novel to date. CD writes quickly and clearly, never confusing the reader with extra details. I loved his characterization of Alex from a broken orphan to a strong, independent woman who learned how to find justice for those victims she researched, never forgetting the tragedy that changed her life.

Many thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the advanced copy of the book.

Great read that kept me wanting more. There was soooo much going on and once the twist were revealed and you discovered who was behind the murder of Alex's family and how everything comes together its just so crazy good! I kind of had the person figured out, but once that big twist at the end was revealed, lets just say I did not see that one coming! Another fantastic job by Charlie!

Thank you to Netgalley, Kensington Books, and Charlie Donlea for this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Publication Date for Those Empty Eyes is April 23, 2024

<B>Every. Single. Time. </b>

I love reading Donlea. He always start explosive and with a bang.

A apparent house invasion killed 3 of a family 4. The surviving daughter is later blamed and the investigation is botched. With the help of an arresting officer and her lawyer husband they fight for Alex Armstrong. To give her justice and 8 million dollars. By the media, she is dubbed Empty Eyes and her life continues to be an upheaval. She is determined to find out why her parents and brother were killed and with the help with an unlikely FBI, she discovers more than what she bargained for.

Books like this I don't want to give to much because the pull is the element of surprise and the twists and turns. I also like that he bought in characters from previous books [book:Some Choose Darkness|41735371] that gave the connecting dots for Alex. Alex is character that you are drawn to. Her strength in tragedy. Her resolve and how she connected with others even though she was a loner for good reason. A thriller with meat and vulnerability. Loved it!

<i>A special thank you to Kensington Books and Netgalley for the ARC and the opportunity to post an honest review.

It's hard for me to write this review because I just wrote a review for another Charlie Donlea book. I kind of want to just copy and paste what I wrote about that one. That's because both are great compulsively readable mysteries that also make time and space for character development. And as I mentioned in the other review, I like that all of the books I've read from Donlea so far are connected by the same universe. It makes them feel more realistic, I think. Or at least, more immersive.

Alexandra Quinlan's family was brutally murdered when she was 17 years old. She was found holding the murder weapon, and was charged with the killings. Shoddy police work and disinterest in the case was blamed by the lawyers who defended her.
She vowed to find who was responsible, and uncovered more than anyone else had in a decade.

Phew!! I just could not put this book down! I was transfixed by the twists and the clues, and try as I might, I could not figure out who was behind the murders.
Huge huge shock and twist at the end!!

I am almost speechless! This is a book that is well crafted and thought out, with believable characters who are well fleshed out.

I highly recommend this novel.
5/5 stars from me.

Thanks to Netgalley and Kensington Books for the opportunity to read this book.