04/08/2019
This engrossing novel from Donlea (Don’t Believe It) pits forensic reconstructionist Rory Moore against a smart serial killer. In Chicago in the summer of 1979, five young women disappear, all of them victims of a man known as the Thief. They’re presumed murdered, but their bodies are never found. Angela Mitchell, who has “a gift and a curse to remember everything she ever saw,” is able to identify the Thief , but she goes missing before the police can question her. There’s enough evidence, however, to convict the Thief of Angela’s murder and send him to Illinois’s Stateville Correctional Center, where he’s a model prisoner. In 2019, the Thief is released on parole, and through circumstances beyond her control, Rory, a nonpracticing lawyer, becomes his attorney. Soon she’s immersed in trying to figure out exactly what happened to Angela. Donlea smoothly mixes red herrings and genuine clues. Notwithstanding some unanswered questions left hanging at the end, readers who relish a good puzzle will be rewarded. Agent: Marlene Stringer, Stringer Literary. (June)
Praise for Charlie Donlea
“Excellent… The ingredients — adultery, fake identities, ulterior motives, forgery, plagiarism, rough sex, unusual chapter breaks, a little murder thrown in here and there — are enticing, and Donlea tells a propulsive tale.” —The New York Times on Twenty Years Later
“Excellent…Engrossing…This searing look at the legal system, entitlement, and exploitation is not to be missed.” —Publishers Weekly, STARRED review for Those Empty Eyes
“Charlie Donlea weaves together seemingly separate mysteries in smart and completely unexpected ways, proving his finesse as a writer. Those Empty Eyes draws readers in from the first heart-stopping pages and doesn't let go.” —Mary Kubica, New York Times bestselling author of Local Woman Missing on Those Empty Eyes
“An exciting debut, with all the right touches, captivating from the first page to the last.” —Steve Berry, New York Times bestselling author on Summit Lake
“[Plot lines] merge seamlessly into a surprise ending that I didn’t see coming. Author Charlie Donlea has an easy readable style and skillfully adds depth and intrigue to this enjoyable thriller.” —Mystery Scene on Twenty Years Later
“Breathtaking pacing and clever plot twists.” —Publishers Weekly on Twenty Years Later
“There are a lot of threads in this plot, but Donlea weaves it all together really well…Twenty Years Later is a fast-paced read with just enough depth to keep you invested in what’s going on. If you’re in a reading rut, this is a great rut buster!” —Jeremy Anderberg, Read More Books Substack on Twenty Years Later
“An entertaining thriller…surprises lurking around every corner.” —Kirkus Reviews on Twenty Years Later
“Probably the most complex and morally satisfying novel that Donlea has written thus far. Here, he deftly utilizes 9/11 to pinpoint a moment in time that is necessary to the plot while not in any way using the tragedy to manipulate the feelings of readers…Donlea subtly moves away from the 9/11 tragedy and makes his story more about the present-day characters as they battle to find the truth through a sea of lies and false accusations.” —Bookreporter on Twenty Years Later
“Gripping...the book's real strength is the idiosyncratic Rory, who suffers from OCD and is on the autism spectrum, a deeply developed character readers can't help rooting for. Hopefully, she'll be back soon.” —Publishers Weekly, Best Books of Summer on The Suicide House
"Charlie Donlea is a superb psychological suspense writer...the book has a fast-paced plot and main characters unlike any typically found in this genre." —Seattle Book Review on The Suicide House
"Part 1970s serial-killer thriller and part contemporary Chicago crime novel, this deceptively quick read has something for everyone." —Booklist on Some Choose Darkness
"In Donlea's skillful hands, this story of obsession, murder, and the search for truth is both a compassionate character study and a compelling thriller." —Kirkus Reviews on Some Choose Darkness
"You can't blame Charlie Donlea if the ending of his novel makes your jaw drop. The title alone Don't Believe It is fair warning that his characters are no more to be trusted than are our initial impressions of them." —The New York Times Book Review on Don't Believe It
"Don't Believe It displays excellent craftsmanship, from the way sentences are constructed to the serpentine plot. The prose sings. Sentences are short and punchy. Word choices are specific and impeccable. The story captivates. The central mystery unfurls in layer after layer of falsehoods and deception. It's easy to get hooked on the book's heady cocktail of highly rated television and high stakes subterfuge." —ForeWord Reviews
"With a soaring pace and teasing plot twists, Charlie Donlea's debut mystery is like a cool drink of water with a twist of lemon. It's refreshing to find a book that has such a well-developed plot and excellent writing to back it up." —BookPage on Summit Lake
“A complex novel of crime and sleuthing with plenty of suspense … a superb storyteller…likeable characters, a harrowing escape, and multiple mysteries. Great characterization, plenty of investigations, some suspenseful moments, and an action-packed ending make this a recommended book.” —Mystery & Suspense Magazine on Those Empty Eyes
2019-03-18
Forensic reconstructionist Rory Moore knows her odd quirks and obsessive habits are a strength when she's re-creating a crime, but when she investigates a 40-year-old serial-killer case, even she isn't sure she can handle what she's uncovering.
Rory works for the Chicago Police Department, reconstructing homicides. She's so good at her work that Detective Ron Davidson not only tolerates her preferences (no touching, little eye contact, minimal social interaction), but allows her frequent breaks to recover from her total immersion in her work. One day Davidson asks Rory to meet with the father of a murdered young woman. Rory's calming hobby is repairing china dolls, and the father wants his daughter's doll repaired as a memento. But as Rory explores the woman's murder, she gets pulled into the case of The Thief, a suspected serial killer who murdered young women in Chicago in 1979. Then, after Rory's attorney father dies, she finds that he had been representing The Thief, who is about to be paroled. Alternating in time, the story follows Angela Mitchell, a woman with autism who becomes obsessed with studying the murders in 1979; and, in 2019, Rory, as one discovery leads to more surprises and questions. Donlea (Don't Believe It, 2018, etc.) so vividly describes the tension the two women feel that the reader stays tense, too, as the stories escalate. He's also so careful about describing his characters' particularities that neither woman is portrayed as bizarre (although the people around them may think they are) but rather highly intelligent, tormented women determined to find the truth.
In Donlea's skillful hands, this story of obsession, murder, and the search for truth is both a compassionate character study and a compelling thriller.
