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4.19 AVERAGE
4.19 AVERAGE
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
medium-paced
Ethan Hall is an emergency room doctor who has left his career as a criminal investigator behind. Even though he had a 100% solve rate, the stress and darkness of dealing with crimes against kids took their toll and now he's helping people in a different way. His former partner with Wisconsin's Division of Criminal Investigation comes to Ethan with a big favor. Pete asks Ethan to investigate the case he has never given up on - the disappearance of high school student Callie Jones ten years ago. Callie is the daughter of the man who is now the state's governor who also wants Ethan to investigate. Although Ethan didn't originally work on the case, he learns he has a tie to the case, which will take many unexpected turns.
There are two timelines in the story - one in the present and one in the time leading up to Callie's disappearance. There are several characters in the story and some will play an important part in Ethan's investigation. I've read a few prior thrillers by Donlea and he is a master at complex cases and unexpected plot turns. This book definitely has a complicated plot, and several surprising plot twists, some I liked and honestly some I didn't. Answers are given to most questions in the story, but one major cliffhanger is left hanging at the end. This surprised me, but I assume a sequel is planned. I like Ethan so if there is, I'd be interested in reading it.
Thank you to Kensington Books and NetGalley for the advance review copy of the ebook. My review is voluntary and unbiased.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I got a ARC of this book. Before reading, i had seen reviews raving about how many twists and turns were in this book and thought, “Come on. How many twists and turns can there be?” The answer to that is—enough that the final twist brought a smile to my face because it was a genuine surprise. That’s the only insight needed into how solid this book was! I will admit, the way some of the pieces fit together was a little complex. But man, this ride was worth it.
challenging
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Charlie Donlea’s newest thriller Guess Again is an intense story of familial secrets, decades old disappearances brought to life, and a serial killer who seems to be in charge of it all.
It’s been several years since I last read a thriller by the author, and I ended up really enjoying Guess Again! If I’m being honest, the beginning was rough and choppy to me, and it was slow to get through. I found myself getting confused by all the POVs, locations, and dates. However, once I was hooked, I absolutely flew through it and had a hard time putting the book down. I read almost half of it during a longer airplane flight and had my hand over my mouth to cover my gasp at one of the plot twists. One of my guilty pleasures is fiction about serial killers, and the plot line surrounding our killer here was fascinating. I feel like this book needs a sequel ASAP. I ended up being super invested and want to know what happens next!
Thanks so much to Kensington for the ARC of Guess Again by Charlie Donlea.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Murder
Moderate: Sexual content, Torture, Grief, Abortion
dark
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
WOW! What a compulsive, non-stop, unputdownable read!
This new novel by Charlie Donlea is a mix of suspense, action and lots of twists that will keep readers riveted! Donlea had me hooked within the first chapter!
Donlea introduces us to Ethan Hall - an ER doctor who previously was a detective with a 100% success rate in his cases. He's a well-developed character and when he's 'encouraged' to help in a 10-year-old cold case of a missing teen, it leads him on a dangerous game of cat and mouse and his own demons come calling.
This story is a thriller lover's dream with a sinister serial killer, atmospheric small-town vibes and many red herrings. The story is layered and told using multiple timelines and POVs with well-timed reveals and short chapters.
If you geek out for thrillers with a sinister side, then you'll want to pick up Guess Again. This book lives up to its name because you'll be guessing and second guessing who is behind the mysterious disappearance.
With misdirection, building tension, great pacing and a memorable character in Ethan Hall, Donlea propelled me out of a reading slump! If you're not yet a fan of Charlie Donlea, you will be once you finish this book.
Disclaimer: Thanks to Kensington for the complimentary digital and paperback advanced copies (and the finished copy!) of this book which were given to me in exchange for my honest review and for including me in the Donlea's Detectives influencer group!
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
dark
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
This was an appropriate name for this book, because it absolutely kept me guessing throughout! I don't even know how to try to summarize it because there's so much happening. A missing girl 10 years earlier, a woman in the present day being held captive, a man who's been in prison for 30 years for killing a cop is somehow connected to these crimes, even though he was in prison when it happened, a spree of killings 30 years earlier that was never solved, lots to keep track of!
*
At first I wasn't sure about this. It seemed like one former police officer was getting credit for solving crimes when the evidence just falls in his lap, or a tech guru he's befriended hacks his way to the answers. But everything ended up being much twistier than that, and some of them completely surprised me.
At first I wasn't sure about this. It seemed like one former police officer was getting credit for solving crimes when the evidence just falls in his lap, or a tech guru he's befriended hacks his way to the answers. But everything ended up being much twistier than that, and some of them completely surprised me.
*
The ending was probably the most obvious part of the book, but that doesn't mean it wasn't satisfying.
The ending was probably the most obvious part of the book, but that doesn't mean it wasn't satisfying.
*
This seems potentially set up for a sequel? If so, I'll definitely read it!
This seems potentially set up for a sequel? If so, I'll definitely read it!
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Publishing for the ARC. As the title suggests you think you have the answers and you are WRONG. Well done and it is set up to continue on. Can’t wait for the next installment…if there is one!