Those Empty Eyes: A Chilling Novel of Suspense with a Shocking Twist

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Gripping, Smart, and Impossible to Put Down! Charlie Donlea does it again with Those Empty Eyes, delivering a riveting thriller packed with suspense, twists, and emotional depth. From the opening chapter, I was hooked — the pacing is flawless, and the tension never lets up. Alex is complex and compelling, and her determination to uncover the truth kept me rooting for her every step of the way. Donlea masterfully weaves a story of mystery and injustice, with shocking revelations that had me questioning everyone and everything. What I loved most was how the plot balanced courtroom drama, investigative suspense, and personal stakes so seamlessly. The writing is sharp, the characters are nuanced, and the ending is both satisfying and haunting — true to Donlea’s signature style. If you love thrillers that keep you guessing and make you feel every twist in your gut, Those Empty Eyes is an absolute must-read. I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough and was left thinking about it long after I finished. Well done!

I originally downloaded this on KU because I was trying to earn an achievement. The premise of the book sounded good enough and it is a genre I enjoy reading. Little did I know how much I'd love this book. The Quinlan family is murdered by an unseen intruder in the middle of the night. Mother, father and son all gunned down in a matter of minutes, but there is another Quinlan family member who the killer can't find. Alex Quinlan. Thus begins our journey to finding out who the killer is. The chapters switch between POVs and years. Although Alex is the main focus there are surrounding cases and people who enter into the story. This book had twists that left my jaw open and just when I thought I had the whole book figured out BAM a new twist and this one was a doozy. Although I believe the book was insanely long, it needed to be. I believe it needed the different avenues and other cases to help build the clues. I will say the pace is somewhat slow to start off but once things get rolling they really start rolling. There are definitely some trigger warnings in the book, all necessary to the story but there is s3x trafficking, SA, child SA, (g)rape and of course deaths. These are my opinions on this book, and I believe everyone finds there ups and downs with every book. I truly enjoyed this one. Especially the ending! Read it for yourself it may not be for you and that's ok. For me it made me realize I may enjoy this genre more than I realized!

This was an amazing book! It kept me on edge and the ending.. I never saw it coming! If you love suspense, mystery and a story plot that gives twist and turns you’ll love this book!

I suspected one of the people involved in Alex's parents murders early on but could not be sure. This book is unique in its plot and storytelling. It keeps adding layers to an already interesting story. SPOILER ALERT: Loved the characters and unlike some people I liked the ending. I think Alex suspects the ending which is why she left again for London. I do think she did a couple of sloppy, un Alex like things but then the plot would not have moved forward. This book needs a sequel!!

Just finished the book, it took only a few days. It was an easy read but the ending did cause some questions. There’s a twist at the end that I could only understand by reading into it online. It was a good book but only 4/5 because some parts were slow and harder to get through. At a certain point of the book I just wanted a resolution rather than more information thrown at me. I kind of saw the twist coming from the beginning of the book but it takes you on a ride to steer you away from it. Overall not bad!

The best thing about this is the way it puts everything out in these short, article like pieces. Those pieces are quick and easy to read through, so it really feels like you're tearing through the story. Except you aren't. That's the worst thing about this. It's longer than it needs to be. Twists and reveals are interesting, but too slow in occurring. Information gets repeated a few times like we've likely forgotten it and some of it was easily overlooked, but I tried to read this as quickly as I could so those details hadn't escaped me. Staying more focused on the central story rather than building up all the sidestories would have eliminated the need to repeat and retread elements of the story. The mid aspects of the story are its intent. It does well as commentary for and against the true crime community and obsessive nature of media for stories like this. The glorification, villainization and tokenization of victims based on the seeming whims of certain opinions or trends is fascinating to study, but not really the focus of this story. I think, for that reason, it's actually a pretty neutral story and wants to just show both sides without firmly aligning with or against true crime enthusiasts. Rather it wants all attention on the idea of justice with or without the courts. The clearer commentary is on how some are able to skirt justice through wealth, power and/or influence. I liked how the book handled that. A little vigilante action is always somewhat cathartic, but the buildup was longer and more involved than necessary. Arguments can be made for and against all the elements that were woven in. All the pieces did have a place and it all fit into the picture that the author wanted to present, but the puzzle would have been just as effective with 500 pieces as 1000.

OMG!!! This book deserves 10 stars!! Absolutely incredible. From the first page to the last page I was hooked and could not put it down. I love psychological thrillers and murder mysteries so I have been reading different books from various authors trying to find the style I enjoy and then I found this one and was blown away. This is also my first book by Charlie and he has hands down shot to the top as my new favorite author. This book gives “Final Girl, Jeffrey Epstein, Call her Daddy podcast, and the series The Killing” vibes 100%. This book was well organized and the storyline was easy to follow even while bringing in the past to the present. This author knows exactly what he is doing and he does it extremely well! Highly recommend this book to anyone!! Can’t wait to get a hold of my next book by Charlie!!

Charlie Donlea is back at it again with "Those Empty Eyes," a thriller that'll keep you guessing until the final page. The story revolves around a forensic reconstructionist who gets pulled into a cold case involving a missing woman. What starts as a simple job quickly spirals into a web of secrets, lies, and a chilling race against time. Donlea's strength lies in his ability to craft complex, multi-layered plots. Just when you think you've figured things out, he throws in a twist that'll make you question everything. The characters are well-developed, each with their own hidden agendas and motivations, adding to the overall sense of unease. The pacing is spot-on, with enough suspense to keep you hooked without feeling rushed. "Those Empty Eyes" is a must-read for fans of the genre. It's a dark, atmospheric thriller that will stay with you long after you've finished reading.

I couldn’t go on reading. Swiss people speaking German and English with a Swiss accent called Laverne Parker and Drew Estes, honestly? A trainee at a Swiss bank that doesn’t know that you can’t get half a million in cash in only 24h, especially if that money is still in a bank in USA, honestly?

"The reward that the main character's resilience—bordering on obstinacy—receives in her long quest is obtaining the truth she so desperately sought. The plot, presented at various moments in time and how everything intertwines in the end (including a little surprise on the last page), is a high point of this author.

平和に暮らしていたクインラン一家の夜中に突然暴漢が乱入して両親と弟を射殺し、１７歳の娘アレキサンドラ（アレックス）だけが辛うじて隠れて生き延びた。彼女は１０年のちに立派に成長して大手事務所の捜査員として活き活きと活躍している。話は新しい事件を追うアレックスの仕事ぶりを丹念に追い、１０年前の犯人捜しは何処にいったの？ と心配するうちに７５％のところで腕利きが現れて事件の本筋に戻る、という始まりと終わりが緊迫した舞台で読み手も満足、中ほどは大人になったアレックスの姿を丁寧にみせてくれたのかなあ・・的を絞り切れないもどかしさが残った。

Good book

I couldn’t put this book down. The plot was intricate, unpredictable with twists that kept me engaged and captivated. A superb book.