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ccreadsss 's review for:
Guess Again
by Charlie Donlea
Release: July 29, 2025
Author: Charlie Donlea
Publisher: Kensington
Rating: 5 ★
A decade after high school volleyball star Callie Jones vanished without a trace from her small Wisconsin lake town, her case remains unsolved and the community still haunted. Ethan Hall, once a detective in the child crimes unit and now an ER doctor, is reluctantly pulled back into his old world when his former partner—now terminally ill—asks him to reopen the investigation for the sake of the family’s closure. As word spreads through Cherryview, hope is reignited. But in the middle of a brutal summer, Ethan quickly realizes that solving the case will take more than revisiting the past—it will require digging deep, taking risks, and confronting painful truths, including a disturbing link to his own past. The closer he gets to the truth, the more dangerous the game becomes.
Charlie Donlea continues to prove why he’s one of the best in the thriller genre. Guess Again is a fast-paced, twist-filled mystery that grabbed my attention right from the start and didn’t let go. The story follows Ethan Hall, a former detective turned ER doctor, who is pulled back into his old life when asked to solve a cold case involving the missing daughter of Wisconsin’s newly elected governor. With a 100% solve rate in his former career and a deeply personal connection to the case, Ethan’s return to investigating quickly becomes more than he bargained for.
The plot is layered and intricate, full of red herrings and shocking twists—some I saw coming, but many completely blindsided me. Donlea does a great job weaving past and present timelines while maintaining the suspense throughout. I appreciated the short chapters and fast pacing, which made this a super quick read despite its complexity. There are a lot of characters to keep track of, and while not all of them felt deeply developed, the sheer momentum of the story kept me engaged.
The final twist is one of the most memorable I’ve read in a while—Donlea really leans into the title here. Just when you think you’ve got it figured out… guess again. The ending was intense and left the door wide open for a possible sequel, which I’m definitely hoping for.
If you’re into cold cases, serial killers, or thrillers with a psychological edge and a touch of emotional depth, Guess Again should be on your list. It’s easily one of the most compelling thrillers I’ve read this year.
Favorite Quote:
"she found a bench near the water, took a seat, and pretended to scroll through her phone while she looked for anyone who might have followed her. She saw no one. Finally, she stepped back onto the walking path and made her way to a little free library. The stand looked like a large birdhouse.. The triangular structure was perched on an oak pole and housed a variety of free books for anyone to take."