This book reeled me in from the start and I didn’t want to put it down. Fast paced and had me on the edge of my seat. My favorite so far by this author! Great mystery thriller!!

I LOVED this book so much! The different parts fitting together so perfectly! I knew part of the ending but that final twist!?! I am in love!

This is somehow only my SECOND Donlea book and I’ve already gone ahead and ordered a handful more. I don’t know how he flew by my radar for so long. THIS is police procedural/suspense done right. I haven’t been this excited about a potential new series since Will Trent. I love how Donlea interconnects seemingly wildly different storylines while unweaving the tangled web of the case. I have lived in this specific area of Wisconsin, so that was an extra fun layer added to the story. Our main cast of characters, especially Hall and Maddie, were complex and captivating. You can’t help but root for them. They’re tenacious and tender.

Ten years ago, 17 year old Callie Jones went missing from her small Wisconsin town. Present day, as a favor to his former partner, retired detective Ethan Hall, who once boasted a 100% clearance rate on his cases, has agreed to take a look at the case. When an unlikely source provides a vital clue, the once cold case turns hot. Guess Again is a masterpiece in suspense from author Charlie Donlea, who pushes all the right buttons in this frantic, taut thriller that was absolutely impossible to stop reading once you start. Weaving together several different plot lines, the reader knows that they all will figure into the main story, and that suspense to discover the missing links propels the book and totally ensnares the reader, all told at a breathless, manic pace. The less revealed here the better, but this is a can’t miss winner in all respects. I received an ARC of this book from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Charlie Donlea is in a class all his own. Nobody else has perfected the art of weaving together multiple story lines quite like he does it. This is probably my favorite Charlie Donlea read to date. The writing is unpretentious, yet the plot and twists are incredibly complex. Although I did guess one of the major twists very early on in the book, there were still lots of elements that took me by surprise. Fingers crossed for this one to become the first of a series.

This is an easy to read but complicated story about a cold case from ten years prior and how it might relate to a killer who is in prison and a current missing girl. I think my students will like the main two characters and their pursuit of the truth no matter what it costs them

Overall a very good read. Lots of characters that don't seem connected to the main storyline yet........ will they all tie together.. the main character Ethan, former DCI turned ER doctor to get away from what he had to deal with , despite his 100% solve ratio, takes on a cold case from 10 years ago. He and his girlfriend, both survivors of a killer, one who killed his father, who attempted to kill Maggie and was suspected of killing many other women. He is now "forced" to deal with him and grant him a massive favor in exchange for time sensitive info. Lots going on and he all ties together. Somehow, the author didn't have as strong a connection to the main character is my guess as I didn't feel as involved as I usually do 4.5

Guess Again is everything I want in a psychological thriller—gritty, emotional, and steeped in the haunting atmosphere of a small town with big secrets. The story kicks off with a chilling premise: Callie Jones, a 17-year-old volleyball star, vanished a decade ago without a trace. The case went cold, but its shadow never left Cherryview—or Ethan Hall.

Ethan, a former detective turned ER doctor, is a compelling protagonist. His reluctance to return to the world he left behind adds a rich emotional tension to the narrative. The layers of trauma he carries, especially from his time in the kid crime division, feel authentic and heartbreaking. When Pete Kramer, his old partner, asks him to solve the case before his own time runs out, it sets the stage for a truly gripping journey.

The pacing is near perfect—taut, but with enough room to breathe and really feel the weight of each revelation. The sweltering heatwave that settles over Cherryview acts like a second character in the book, raising the stakes and amplifying the tension in every scene.

The twists are sharp, the emotional beats land, and the conclusion is both satisfying and haunting. Guess Again is one of those books that lingers after the last page, and I already want to reread it just to catch everything I missed the first time.

Highly recommended for fans of Sharp Objects, The Dry, or The Silent Patient. You won’t want to put it down.

Think you don’t need another thriller author on your must-read list?
Guess Again. If you haven’t cracked open a Charlie Donlea novel yet, now’s the time. Seriously.

Think I stumbled onto Donlea by chance?
Guess Again. I have been hooked since his debut—back when the Traveling Sisters were just kicking off—and he’s been on our auto-read list ever since.

Think we occasionally recommend his books?
Guess Again. We’ve basically made it a full-time hobby. At this point, our reputations might actually depend on it.

Think we wait patiently for his new releases?
Guess Again. Now the Witches Words group, a new Donlea book means everything else gets shoved aside. TBR? Reshuffled. Snacks? Secured. Eyes? Glued to the page.

Think I am done gushing?
Oh Friends—Guess. Again.

Hot diggity dang, Guess Again is GOOD. Twisty, clever, just the right amount of darkness, and packed with that signature Donlea punch that makes you flip pages like your fingers are on fire.

Oh, you think you can keep track of all the characters without needing a flowchart?
Guess Again. This one moves fast, and Donlea loves keeping you on your toes—throwing so many characters and twists your way, you'll be dizzy just trying to keep up. Don't even think about taking a break; you'll miss something vital.

Think you know where it’s going because it feels straight forward and predicable
Cute but Guess Again

Think you can predict a Donlea ending?
LOL—Guess. Again.

So, if you think you can figure out that jaw-dropping final reveal good luck with that because Donlea just might flip your predictions on their head—and probably laughed while doing it.

A Witches Word group read with Norma, Debra, Carolyn and Mary Beth.

4.75 stars for this thriller! This one kept me at the edge of my seat and I finished it in one day - it's that good. All the books I've read by Charlie Donlea have been great - intriguing, smart and well written with very short chapters that add to this fast-paced book. And if the first chapter doesn't draw you in . . . nothing will.

A man has in prison for the murder of a police officer for 30+ years. A girl disappears 10 years ago and was never seen again. Today a woman goes missing and has been missing for a month. How are all of these related?

Don't read too much about this book as I think it's better to go in not knowing much - that way the story builds and there are some crazy twists and turns and "oh my gosh" moments that you don't know about if you don't read the synopsis.

Another fantastic book for sure. Thank you to NetGalley, Charlie Donlea and Kensington for the e-ARC in exchange for my honest opinion and also thank you for keeping me up late at night finishing this book.

First off, thank you so much @netgalley for this ARC. I have loved all of Charlie’s books. However, I think this maybe my least favorite, that being said it was a really fast read.

Brief synopsis: Ethan a retired DCI who becomes an ER doc instead of a cop because he feels a need to save people instead of investigating deaths, gets sucked back into the cop world when a 10 year old missing person case is opened by the governor. Ethan is thrust into an investigation that includes his father’s murderer. From this point, the book takes off and there is a lot of action. I wouldn’t say the twist is very easy to pick up and it was about the last 50 pages when you find out exactly what was going on.

Honestly, one of the reasons this was not my favorite is because I don’t think Charlie built up Ethan like he did his other main characters. Maybe it’s written to not fall in love with him but when you have characters like Rory and Dr.cutty in other books, I feel like you expect to love the main characters.

Also, Pittsburgh was misspelled. It has an H

Charlie writes a book, I will read it! I love the short chapters, the multiple points of view, the constant surprises, EVERYTHING. I thought all the twists happened and then BAM - one more. I might have to re-read this again to see if I can pick up on anything. Absolutely loved!!!

Ten years ago, 17-year-old high school volleyball star Callie Jones vanished from her quiet Wisconsin lake community. Her body was never found, and the case went cold, but the echoes of Callie’s disappearance still linger. On the tenth anniversary, Ethan Hall—a former renegade detective turned doctor—is tapped to re-open the case. Ethan left law enforcement to escape his demons. But when his old partner makes a death-bed request to get the case off his conscience, Ethan reluctantly agrees to re-examine the evidence. Ethan’s investigation leads to another missing woman, he realizes there’s more to Callie’s disappearance than anyone imagined, including ties to his own dark past that some are willing to kill for . . .
As always, Charlie Donlea has done it again! I swear I know better than starting one of his books when I have things to do! Once you start, you end up spending all your time trying to figure out who did it and why. Started this one late yesterday and finished it this morning because I really wanted to know what happened to Callie. I had my suspicions and some of them were on point, but there were still some things I did not figure out. But the backstory of Ethan's life is what really got me. Based on the way the book ends, I would hope there will be another book with more on Ethan and his search for the truth. The only problem is, reading an advance copy of this book means if there is another one, it will be an even longer wait!

I am a new fan of Charlie Donlea, this is only my second book by him, the first read only earlier this year. I have to say I may be a late fan but I'm a forever fan. Guess Again is a masterly crafted story. The author writes complex, engaging stories that keep you turning the pages.

I absolutely loved the short chapters, they were propulsive and I hated any time I had to put this book down.

As a lover of New Glarus Spotted Cow, I was drooling, missing my favorite beer which can only be obtained in Wisconsin. I felt taunted 🤣

THIS BOOK!!! OHEMGEEEE!

I will be surprised if this book doesn't end up my favourite read of the year. Jaw dropping, engaging, suspenseful, action packed, heart stopping...ALL the feels I am feeling. Wow. Once again, Charlie Donela does not disappoint. The twists were twisting and the shock was shocking. Just when I thought things were going in one direction, they did a sharp turn and took me down a totally different path. Just when I thought "aha! I see it"...NO, I did not!

Ten years earlier, 17 year old Callie disappeared. No one knows what happened to her or where her body is. Ten years later, her father, the Governor has asked for her case to be reopened and requests Dr. Ethan Hall to assist. Ethan was once a detective but gave up his career to start a new one as a doctor so jumping in to solve a case like this is unusual but he decides to make it work as a last dying wish from his former partner.

The story from here starts and never stops. It is a race against the clock as there is a new missing woman involved and Ethan has to rely on information from the most unlikely source - the man in prision for murdering his father.

This book had me on the edge of my seat the entire time. The pace was intense, my heart racing from start to finish. The ending was jaw dropping and left me stunned. STUNNED. I primarily read psychological thrillers and this one sets the bar.

One thing to note, there are a lot of characters to keep track of. Keep a scribble sheet handy if it helps.

Thank you NetGalley, Kensington Publishing and the author for supplying this ARC read for an honest review.

Two words:
MIND. BLOWN.

Having read only one other book by Donlea before, Guess Again has left me eager to dive into more of his work.

From the very first page, I was hooked. At first, the multiple points of view felt a bit overwhelming, but it didn’t take long for me to adjust and fully understand what was happening. Watching everything come together was incredibly satisfying, and there were a few moments that genuinely made me gasp in surprise.

It felt like I was watching an episode of Criminal Minds or a gripping thriller unfold in my mind. I’ll definitely be recommending this book to anyone who enjoys a good suspenseful read.

Five stars from me—this book was amazing.

I got this ARC as Charlie Donlea rarely disappoints. And I can honestly say - I did not expect that twist! It’s a darn good story, with many twists and turns but that last one, that one was so very good! Highly recommended.

3.75 rounded ⬆️
And, by the way, I think the book blurb gives away too much!

Opening Sentence: When he unclasped the button on her jeans, she knew she would lose her virginity that night.

How’s that for an opening line to hook you?

Ten years ago, 17-year-old high school volleyball star Callie Jones vanished from her quiet Wisconsin lake community, and to this day, her body has not been found.

Now, Ethan Hall’s former partner, Pete Kramer, has asked him to come out of retirement to help him solve this Cold Case, before Lou Gehrig’s disease claims his life. Ethan is now an ER Doctor, having decided that the job of investigating crimes against kids for Wisconsin’s Division of Criminal Investigation was taking too much of a toll on him, emotionally, despite his 100% solve rate.

He reluctantly agrees to re-examine the evidence, for his friend, having no idea that there will end up being a personal link to the crime which took his own father’s life.

Or that reopening the case could still bring danger to himself and to those he cares about.

I LIKED but didn’t LOVE this latest offering from Charlie Donlea, and I think that is because of the style the book is written in. The story jumps around A LOT, with short chapters that always list the DATE and the Wisconsin location that the chapter takes place in, moving from PAST to PRESENT at will. While the dates are important, I feel like the locations bogged down the pace and were not a necessary detail. It felt too BUSY.

By the second half, I got into the swing of things, and the pace picked up. It was interesting to discover the role that each of the characters would play, and I enjoyed all of the shocking twists, EXCEPT FOR ONE.

It would appear from the denouement, that Ethan Hall, may have to put his career in medicine on hold-as a sequel just MIGHT be in the works. And, I did find this story entertaining enough to read a second book with these characters, should the author choose to go there.

Available July 29, 2025

Thank You to Kensington Publishing for the gifted copy provided through NetGalley. As always, these are my candid thoughts!

I didn't love this book.

The sexual aspect in the beginning, was awkward. I've only read one of his books, and it was okay for me. But I really loved the premise of this book. It just fell short.

* Tropes/themes:
* Multiple POV
* Short chapters
* Flashbacks
* Cold case mysteries
* Serial killers
* Small town vibes
* Cat and mouse chase
* An addicting and action-packed thriller.
* SO MANY twists and turns- I was constantly shocked.
* The amount of suspense and tension was insane.
* Had me on the edge of my seat the entire time.
* Complex, well-developed, and likeable characters.
* A great and subtle Bell’s Palsy representation.
* There were so many moving parts that never became hard to follow, only adding to the mystery, and they all came together flawlessly.
* The ending was perfection.
* I truly hope we get another book from this one, if not a full series.
* Content warnings:
* Murder
* Death
* Violence
* Kidnapping
* Torture
* Injury/injury details
* Adult/minor relationship
* Abortion
* Teen pregnancy
* Toxic friendship
* Death of a parent