Twenty Years Later: A Riveting New Thriller

Two crimes, one story and great characters bring to life an amazing thriller that doesn’t leave anything to chance. This was my first book by the author and will not be my last. The writing was great, the plot seems to be obvious and is anything but and the result is a really good thriller that left me wanting to start all over again after the epilogue.

Easy read. Good story. Unexpected twist and turns. Overall enjoyable mystery. I will check out other books by this author as a result. I do recommend for those who like this genre.

This is my first reading of a Charlie Donlea novel. It certainly did not disappoint! The story is quite riveting with several unexpected twists! It is very hard to put it down and keeps one turning from one page to another.

Absolutely loved this one. It’s layered, messy, twisty, and full of POV juggling that actually pays off. the audiobook is excellent. Every thread snaps together at the end. 😘 This book is packed with secrets, lies, and “wait… WHAT?!” moments — the kind where you pause, stare at the wall, and then immediately keep reading. The characters are flawed in all the right ways, the reveals are wild, and I genuinely didn’t see the ending. 🤯 If you like thrillers that make you work a little and reward you big, this one is a ride. Characters: ⭐⭐⭐⭐½ Messy, layered, secretive — and I loved piecing every one of them together. Plot: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Twists inside twists inside twists. Writing Style: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Fast, sharp, and addictive. I blinked and 200 pages disappeared. World Building / Atmosphere: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ New York, 9/11 threads, forensic labs, rum bars, secret cabins — the vibe was immaculate. Pacing: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Never slowed. Not once. Constant motion like a thriller treadmill I willingly ran on. Structure: ⭐⭐⭐⭐½ Multiple POVs, multiple timelines, and somehow it all clicked exactly when it needed to. Resolution: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Jaw dropped. Mind blown. I thought I was ready…I was not. Overall Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ A fully loaded thriller with layers you actually have to pay attention to — and it pays off. One-Word Summary: Layered

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4/5) I really enjoyed Twenty Years Later by Charlie Donlea because I tend to gravitate toward stories that feel rooted in real events. That element immediately pulled me in and kept me curious about where the story was headed. There are quite a few characters to keep track of, but it made the mystery even more engaging since I was guessing all the way until the very end. And that twist? I definitely did NOT see it coming or expect it to be who it was. Overall, this was a compelling and entertaining read that kept me invested from start to finish. I’ll absolutely be checking out more of Charlie Donlea’s work in the future. XO 💋

This was an enjoyable book that had some writers quirks that bothered me. The writer jumped between characters (which I like) but would spend two or three paragraphs repeating what had just happened in the characters prior chapters. It was a little annoying as I was actively reading the book and was well aware of the actions of the book. It is a new twist on the 9/11 tragedy, without going into the tragedy greatly however I think inserting a fictional character into this mass event can be off putting for some people. As a person who is fairly removed from the tragedy, I can enjoy the piece of fiction but I can see where it would be insensitive to others who experienced the tragedy more directly. There is some large scale name dropping (such as the OJ Simpson trial) that can be easily researched and proved that these characters aren’t real. That would be a large sticking point to consumers of true crime who know all the details to see a fictional character be tangentially related to cultural changing events with no ability to verify it. An enjoyable read for me but I can see where this piece of work would not be suitable for all readers and could become a polarizing piece of work

Excellent! Fabulous character development and story. I would recommend

.Charlie Donlea is my go to author now! I cannot put these books down. He draws you in and does not let go!! This book in particular is my favorite. It brings in some mystery, romance, and a twist at the end that I never saw coming!!!! MUST READ!

I just had the best time reading this novel and did not want it to end. This is a brilliant thriller that keeps you guessing about events that happened twenty years previously. A chilling cold case murder of a man found hanging in his home, is about to make the headlines again. As rising star of newsmagazine programme, “American Events” Avery Mason, digs into the events of two decades ago, she uncovers some sinister secrets she hadn’t bargained for. I absolutely love the way this story is plotted, there are so many threads all interweaving together, and as the mystery unfolds, we are exposed to plenty of twists and turns, which are executed really well. I also loved the flawless writing style, the short chapters and the way the story moves between the key characters and dates. Just when I thought I’d seen every possible twist, the story delivered a mind blowing ending that genuinely left me reeling. This is a taut, tense thriller, with a fascinating cast of characters and an explosive and compulsive storyline, and one I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend. 5 glorious stars.

Loved this! Amazing story! Twists I did not see coming. That is all I’m saying. Read this book!

Ainda estou lendo e gostando.

I really enjoyed this book. Initially I thought it was not going to be to my liking when it set the scene. However, it got me in and throughout the book I kept thinking about the different scenarios and what really happened. Of course, there was a twist and great twist. First time I have by Charlie Donlea and I will certainly look forward to reading other books written by him.

Really good book