Avid readers all have those must-read authors—the ones you grab the day a new book drops. For me: James Lee Burke, C. J. Box, and Karin Slaughter. (I keep a longer list here: Long-Time Favorite Series Still Going Strong.)
Then there’s a second circle of authors I really like—but I sometimes miss release day and circle back months later. Charlie Donlea is squarely in that group.
That happened with his 2023 novel Those Empty Eyes. I didn’t read it until November—and it’s another terrific, twisty ride.
About Those Empty Eyes
Those Empty Eyes belong to Alexandra Quinlan, nicknamed for the look in her eyes the night her family was slaughtered—and she became the prime suspect. The charges are dropped and she wins a massive settlement for the botched investigation, but her life is wrecked. With no killer identified, plenty of people still think she got away with murder.
Years later, Alexandra keeps an evidence board of everything she’s uncovered. Can it finally point to the killer? And will her work as an investigator for the law firm that won her case help her finish the search?
Why it worked for me: propulsive pacing, a smart investigator protagonist, and that obsessive evidence-board thread that pays off.
If Those Empty Eyes isn’t your thing, browse Charlie Donlea’s Goodreads page for his other standalones—he likes fresh setups, and you’ll likely find a premise that clicks.
Question for you: which authors do you always find late—then kick yourself for waiting?
About Charlie Donlea
Charlie Donlea is a USA Today bestselling author often praised as “a bold new writer…on his way to becoming a major figure in the world of suspense.” He was born and raised in the Chicago area. (Bio note via Google Books.)
raph –>
