Kirjahaku

"A gem of a mystery, fast-paced and suspenseful." --Catherine Coulter, # 1 New York Times bestselling author No suspects. No persons of interest. Just a girl who was alive one day and dead the next. Some places seem too beautiful to be touched by horror. Summit Lake, nestled in North Carolina's Blue Ridge Mountains, is that kind of place. But two weeks ago, Becca Eckersley, a first-year law student and daughter of a powerful attorney, was brutally murdered there. Now the town is reeling with grief, and the police are baffled. "An exciting debut, with all the right touches, captivating from the first page to the last." --Steve Berry, New York Times bestselling author At first, investigative reporter Kelsey Castle thinks of the assignment as a fluff piece. But the savagery of the crime, and the efforts to keep it quiet, hint at something far more sinister than a random attack by a stranger. As Kelsey digs deeper, despite danger and warnings, she feels a growing connection to the dead girl. And the more she learns about Becca's friendships, her love life--and her secrets--the more convinced she becomes that walking in Becca's footsteps could lead her out of her own dark past... "A swift, outstanding debut." --Robert Dugoni, New York Times bestselling author "Fans of contemporary suspense will enjoy this brisk read." --Booklist

A modern master of suspense, critically acclaimed author Charlie Donlea returns with a taut, gripping novel about the deadly secrets hiding in plain sight . . . The truth is easy to miss, even when it's right in front of us. As a forensic reconstructionist, Rory Moore sheds light on cold-case homicides by piecing together crime scene details others fail to see. Cleaning out her late father's law office a week after his burial, she receives a call that plunges her into a decades-old case come to life once more. In the summer of 1979, five Chicago women went missing. The predator, nicknamed The Thief, left no bodies and no clues behind--until police received a package from a mysterious woman named Angela Mitchell, whose unorthodox investigation skills appear to have led to his identity. But before police could question her, Angela disappeared. Forty years later, The Thief is about to be paroled for Angela's murder--the only crime the DA could pin on him. As a former client of her father's, Rory becomes reluctantly involved with the killer--though he continues to insist he didn't murder Angela. Now he wants Rory to do what her father once promised: prove that Angela is, in fact, still alive. As Rory begins reconstructing Angela's last days, another killer emerges from the shadows, replicating those long-ago murders. With every startling discovery she makes, Rory becomes more deeply entangled in the enigma of Angela Mitchell--and in The Thief's tormented mind. Drawing connections between past and present is the only way to stop the nightmare, but even Rory can't be prepared for the full, terrifying truth that is emerging . . .

A modern master of suspense, critically acclaimed author Charlie Donlea returns with a taut, gripping novel about the deadly secrets hiding in plain sight . . . The truth is easy to miss, even when it's right in front of us. As a forensic reconstructionist, Rory Moore sheds light on cold-case homicides by piecing together crime scene details others fail to see. Cleaning out her late father's law office a week after his burial, she receives a call that plunges her into a decades-old case come to life once more. In the summer of 1979, five Chicago women went missing. The predator, nicknamed The Thief, left no bodies and no clues behind--until police received a package from a mysterious woman named Angela Mitchell, whose unorthodox investigation skills appear to have led to his identity. But before they could question her, Angela disappeared. Forty years later, The Thief is about to be paroled for Angela's murder--the only crime the DA could pin on him. But the cryptic file Rory finds in her father's law office suggests there is more to the case, and Angela Mitchell, than what was fed to the public, the details of which have been buried for four decades. Rory's talents are tested as she begins reconstructing Angela's last days. Making one startling discovery after another, Rory becomes helplessly entangled in the enigma of Angela Mitchell and what happened to her. Drawing connections between the past and present, Rory uncovers dark truths about the reclusive victim, her father, and the man called The Thief that send her down a twisting trail where things may not be as they appear. As she continues to dig, even Rory can't be prepared for the full, terrifying truth that is emerging . . .

You know her name. You know her face. You know those eyes... Ten years after she was exonerated for the slaughter of her family, the girl the tabloids called "Empty Eyes" is the only one looking for the truth in this propulsive thriller from #1 internationally bestselling author Charlie Donlea. "Excellent...Engrossing...This searing look at the legal system, entitlement, and exploitation is not to be missed." - Publishers Weekly, STARRED review "Draws readers in from the first heart-stopping pages and doesn't let go until the end." - Mary Kubica, New York Times bestselling author of Local Woman Missing Alex Armstrong has changed everything about herself--her name, her appearance, her backstory. She's no longer the terrified teenager a rapt audience saw on television, emerging in handcuffs from the quiet suburban home the night her family was massacred. That girl, Alexandra Quinlan, nicknamed Empty Eyes by the media, was accused of the killings, fought to clear her name, and later took the stand during her highly publicized defamation lawsuit that captured the attention of the nation. It's been ten years since, and Alex hasn't stopped searching for answers about the night her family was killed, even as she continues to hide her real identity from true crime fanatics and grasping reporters still desperate to locate her. As a legal investigator, she works tirelessly to secure justice for others, too. People like Matthew Claymore, who's under suspicion in the disappearance of his girlfriend, a student journalist named Laura McAllister. Laura was about to break a major story about rape and cover-ups on her college campus. Alex believes Matthew is innocent, and unearths stunning revelations about the university's faculty, fraternity members, and powerful parents willing to do anything to protect their children. Most shocking of all--as Alex digs into Laura's disappearance, she realizes there are unexpected connections to the murder of her own family. For as different as the crimes may seem, they each hinge on one sinister truth: no one is quite who they seem to be . . .

When DNA results reveal a disturbing connection to the mysterious disappearance of a famous baby nearly three decades ago, a forensic scientist's increasingly perilous search for answers draws her to an unsettling small Nevada town in this engrossing, propulsive new novel from the internationally bestselling author of Twenty Years Later. For fans of Alice Feeney, Karin Slaughter, Riley Sager, and Megan Goldin. Thirty years ago, Baby Charlotte vanished. Today, she's still in danger. When Dr. Sloan Hastings submits her DNA to an online genealogy site for a research assignment, her goal is to better understand the treasure-trove of genetic information contained on ancestry websites. Brilliant and driven, Sloan is embarking on a fellowship in forensic pathology, training under the renowned Dr. Livia Cutty. Sloan has one reservation about involving herself in the experiment: she's adopted. Grateful for a loving home, she's never considered tracking down her biological parents. The results of her search are shocking. Sloan's DNA profile suggests her true identity is that of Charlotte Margolis, aka "Baby Charlotte", who captured the nation's attention when she mysteriously disappeared, along with her parents, in July 1995. Despite an exhaustive search, the family was never seen again, and no suspects were named in the case. Sloan's discovery leads her to the small town of Cedar Creek, Nevada, the site of her disappearance. It also leads her to Sheriff Eric Stamos. The Margolis family's influence and power permeate every corner of Harrison County, and Eric is convinced that in learning the truth about her past, Sloan can also help discover what happened to Eric's father, who died under suspicious circumstances soon after he started investigating the case of her disappearance. Slowly, over the course of a stifling summer, Sloan begins getting to know her relatives. Though initially welcoming, the Margolis family is also mysterious and tight-lipped. Not everyone seems happy about Sloan's return, or the questions she's asking. And the more she and Eric learn, the more apparent it becomes that the answers they both seek are buried in a graveyard of Margolis family secrets that some will do anything to keep hidden--no matter who else has to die...

Set in a small, picturesque North Carolina town, #1 international bestselling author Charlie Donlea's debut suspense novel tells the haunting story of a murdered law school student, the reporter assigned to her story--and the intimate connection that comes when the living walk in the footsteps of the dead... "A gem of a mystery, fast-paced and suspenseful." --Catherine Coulter, # 1 New York Times bestselling author on Summit Lake No suspects. No persons of interest. Just a girl who was alive one day and dead the next. Some places seem too beautiful to be touched by horror. Summit Lake, nestled in North Carolina's Blue Ridge Mountains, is that kind of place. But two weeks ago, Becca Eckersley, a first-year law student and daughter of a powerful attorney, was brutally murdered there. Now the town is reeling with grief, and the police are baffled. At first, investigative reporter Kelsey Castle thinks of the assignment as a fluff piece. But the savagery of the crime, and the efforts to keep it quiet, hint at something far more sinister than a random attack by a stranger. As Kelsey digs deeper, despite danger and warnings, she feels a growing connection to the dead girl. And the more she learns about Becca's friendships, her love life--and her secrets--the more convinced she becomes that walking in Becca's footsteps could lead her out of her own dark past...

USA Today and #1 international bestselling author Charlie Donlea merges high-concept suspense and stunning twists with all the binge-able intrigue of your favorite true crime podcast, building to an explosive conclusion you'll never see coming... The Girl of Sugar Beach is about to become the most-watched true crime docuseries in TV history... Is she a killer? Or the victim of a shocking fail of justice? The Girl of Sugar Beach is must-see TV--a riveting, true-life mystery that unfolds over twelve weeks and centers on a fascinating question: Did Grace Sebold murder her boyfriend, Julian, while on a Spring Break vacation, or is she a victim of circumstance and poor police work? Grace has spent the last ten years in a St. Lucian prison, and reaches out to filmmaker Sidney Ryan in a last, desperate attempt to prove her innocence. As Sidney begins researching, she uncovers startling evidence overlooked during the original investigation. Before the series even finishes filming, public outcry leads officials to reopen the case. Delving into Grace's past, Sidney peels away layer after layer of deception. But as she edges closer to the real heart of the story, Sidney must decide if finding the truth is worth risking her newfound fame, her career . . . even her life.

On the secluded campus of the prestigious Westmont Prep school, students are playing a dark, deadly game. And for its players, there's no way to win--or survive... Inside the walls of Indiana's elite Westmont Preparatory High School, expectations run high and rules are strictly enforced. But in the woods beyond the manicured campus sits an abandoned boarding house, infamous among Westmont's students as a late-night hangout. Here, only one rule applies: don't let your candle go out--unless you want the Man in the Mirror to find you . . . One year ago, two students were killed there in a grisly slaughter. The case has become the focus of a hit podcast, The Suicide House. Though a teacher was convicted of the murders, questions remain. The most urgent: why so many students who survived that horrific night have returned to the boarding house--to kill themselves. Rory is working on the podcast with Lane, recreating the night of the killings in order to find the elusive answers. But the more they learn, the more convinced they are that the sinister game inside Westmont Prep hasn't ended. It thrives on secrecy and silence. And for its players, there may be no way to win--or to survive . . .

"Excellent...Donlea tells a propulsive tale." --The New York Times Fans of Verity by Colleen Hoover won't want to miss this thrilling suspense novel from the #1 internationally bestselling author of The Girl Who Was Taken Hiding her own dark past in plain sight, a TV reporter is determined to uncover the truth behind a gruesome murder decades after the investigation was abandoned. But TWENTY YEARS LATER, to understand the present, you need to listen to the past... The New York Times Best Thrillers This Season E NewsRecommended Books OverdriveBiggest Books of the Month Avery Mason, host of American Events, knows the subjects that grab a TV audience's attention. Her latest story--a murder mystery laced with kinky sex, tragedy, and betrayal--is guaranteed to be ratings gold. New DNA technology has allowed the New York medical examiner's office to make its first successful identification of a 9/11 victim in years. The twist: the victim, Victoria Ford, had been accused of the gruesome murder of her married lover. In a chilling last phone call to her sister, Victoria begged her to prove her innocence. Emma Kind has waited twenty years to put her sister to rest, but closure won't be complete until she can clear Victoria's name. Alone she's had no luck, but she's convinced that Avery's connections and fame will help. Avery, hoping to negotiate a more lucrative network contract, goes into investigative overdrive. Victoria had been having an affair with a successful novelist, found hanging from the balcony of his Catskills mansion. The rope, the bedroom, and the entire crime scene was covered in Victoria's DNA. But the twisted puzzle of Victoria's private life is just the beginning. And what Avery doesn't realize is that there are other players in the game who are interested in Avery's own secret past--one she has kept hidden from both the network executives and her television audience. A secret she thought was dead and buried . . . Accused of a brutal murder, Victoria Ford made a final chilling call from the North Tower on the morning of 9/11. Twenty years ago, no one listened. Today, you will. "Breathtaking pacing and clever plot twists." --Publishers Weekly "An entertaining thriller...surprises lurking around every corner." --Kirkus Reviews "A superb storyteller." --Robert Dugoni, New York Times bestselling author

"Draws readers in from the first heart-stopping pages and doesn't let go until the end." - Mary Kubica, New York Times bestselling author of Local Woman Missing The bestselling author of Twenty Years Later and master of modern suspense is back with a brilliantly twisting, skillfully plotted thriller perfect for fans of Jeneva Rose and Colleen Hoover's Verity. Alex Armstrong has changed everything about herself--her name, her appearance, her backstory. She's no longer the terrified teenager a rapt audience saw on television, emerging in handcuffs from the quiet suburban home the night her family was massacred. That girl, Alexandra Quinlan, nicknamed Empty Eyes by the media, was accused of the killings, fought to clear her name, and later took the stand during her highly publicized defamation lawsuit that captured the attention of the nation. It's been ten years since, and Alex hasn't stopped searching for answers about the night her family was killed, even as she continues to hide her real identity from true crime fanatics and grasping reporters still desperate to locate her. As a legal investigator, she works tirelessly to secure justice for others, too. People like Matthew Claymore, who's under suspicion in the disappearance of his girlfriend, a student journalist named Laura McAllister. Laura was about to break a major story about rape and cover-ups on her college campus. Alex believes Matthew is innocent, and unearths stunning revelations about the university's faculty, fraternity members, and powerful parents willing to do anything to protect their children. Most shocking of all--as Alex digs into Laura's disappearance, she realizes there are unexpected connections to the murder of her own family. For as different as the crimes may seem, they each hinge on one sinister truth: no one is quite who they seem to be . . . "Engrossing...not to be missed." -Publishers Weekly STARRED REVIEW

From the #1 internationally bestselling author of Twenty Years Later, a twisting, impossible-to-put-down novel about the deadly secrets hiding in plain sight . . . Some choose darkness.Others are chosen by it. Forensic reconstructionist Rory Moore sheds light on cold-case homicides by piecing together crime scene details others fail to see. Cleaning out her late father's law office after his burial, she receives a call that plunges her into a decades-old case . . . In the summer of 1979, five Chicago women went missing. The predator, nicknamed The Thief, left no bodies or clues behind--until police received a package from a mysterious woman named Angela Mitchell, whose unorthodox investigations appeared to unmask the killer. Then Angela disappeared without a trace. Forty years later, The Thief is about to be paroled for Angela's murder. But the cryptic file Rory finds in her father's law office suggests there is more to the case. Making one startling discovery after another, Rory becomes helplessly entangled in the enigma of Angela Mitchell and what happened to her. As she continues to dig, even Rory can't be prepared for the full, terrifying truth that is emerging . . .

On the 10th anniversary of a teenage girl's disappearance, her cold case breaks open in dangerous ways...and threatens to tear apart her small Wisconsin town all over again in the masterfully twisty new psychological suspense novel from the internationally bestselling author of Twenty Years Later. For fans of Riley Sager, Anna Downes, Alex Finlay, Stacy Willingham, and Karin Slaughter. Ten years ago, 17-year-old high school volleyball star Callie Jones vanished from her quiet Wisconsin lake community. A highly publicized search followed but her body was never found. The case went cold, but the echoes still linger. Ethan Hall, a former renegade detective turned ER doctor, left law enforcement to escape the horrors of the kid crime division. But on the tenth anniversary of Callie's disappearance, his former partner, Pete Kramer, makes a desperate request. Pete is the veteran detective who originally investigated the case. Now he's dying, and to ease his conscience and get closure for the Jones family, he needs Ethan to return to the haunting work he left behind--and solve what happened to Callie, once and for all. Word soon spreads and everyone in the small town of Cherryview feels a rush of hope that answers will finally be found. Amid a sweltering heatwave, Ethan's investigation gains momentum, but reexamining old evidence won't be enough. He needs a new way into the case, no matter how dangerous or unconventional. Soon Ethan's methods draw him deeper into a twisted psychological game. Because there is much more to the nightmare of Callie's disappearance than he imagined, including a connection with his own dark past . . . and secrets that are still worth killing for.

When you're living a lie, can you trust anything?Ten years ago, Alexandra Quinlan was the prime suspect in the massacre of her entire family. Her face was on every television show and front page, and she was given a nickname by the media: Empty Eyes.Now, Alex Armstrong has reinvented herself and devotes herself to securing justice for others. But when Laura McAllister, a young student journalist, disappears just as she's about to break a major story about sexual assault and cover-ups on her college campus, Alex is drawn into a new case that will threaten the life she's built.As Alex digs into Laura's disappearance, she realises that there are unexpected connections to the murder of her own family. As different as the crimes may appear, they each hinge on one sinister truth: no one is quite who they seem to be…An explosive and unputdownable crime thriller you won't be able to put down. Perfect for fans of Harlan Coben, Mary Kubica and Karin Slaughter.Praise for Those Empty Eyes 'Draws readers in from the first heart-stopping pages and doesn't let go until the end' Mary Kubica‘Thrilling, complex story that will leave your jaw on the floor!’ ????? Reader review‘Truly, a perfect book. I will never stop recommending books by Charlie Donlea.’ ????? Reader review‘So twisty. I think I just found a new author to binge.’ ????? Reader review‘Well-written and fast-paced… with so many strong female characters. An outstanding, suspenseful thriller.’ ????? Reader review‘Those Empty Eyes had me turning pages late into the night, then getting up early to get back to the story. I found myself racing to finish only to be sad that it was over.’ ????? Reader review‘I was hooked from the start until the very end. Loved the characters, story and writing style.’ ????? Reader review‘Speechless! This has to be my favorite read of the year so far. Charlie Donlea is my new favorite author. I really got into this book and lost all track of time.’ ????? Reader review‘This book was phenomenal! If you are looking for an extremely intense, adrenaline rush of a story that will have you on the edge of your seat and turning the pages at lightning speed, then you NEED to read this!’ ????? Reader review‘WOW! I didn’t see the ending coming. This was by far the best book I’ve read in quite awhile. Really caught me off guard.’ ????? Reader review‘The book that helped me get my reading mojo back. Read it cover to cover in a day and loved every page.’ ????? Reader review

Thirty years ago, Baby Charlotte vanished. Today, she's still in danger.When Dr Sloan Hastings submits her DNA to an online genealogy site as part of a research assignment for a fellowship in forensic pathology, her life is thrown into turmoil.Sloan's DNA profile suggests her true identity is that of Charlotte Margolis, aka 'Baby Charlotte', whose case captured the nation when she mysteriously disappeared along with her parents in 1995. Despite an exhaustive search, the family was never seen again and no suspects were named in the case.Sloan's discovery leads her to the site of her disappearance and to the Margolis family. Though initially welcoming, the family is also mysterious and tight-lipped. Not everyone seems happy about Sloan’s return, or the questions she’s asking. The answers she seeks are buried in a graveyard of Margolis family secrets that some will do anything to keep hidden…A tense and unputdownable crime thriller. Perfect for fans of Stacy Willingham, Mary Kubica and Karin Slaughter.Praise for Charlie Donlea'Draws readers in from the first heart-stopping pages and doesn't let go until the end' Mary Kubica‘Thrilling, complex story that will leave your jaw on the floor!’ ????? Reader review‘Truly, a perfect book. I will never stop recommending books by Charlie Donlea.’ ????? Reader review‘So twisty. I think I just found a new author to binge.’ ????? Reader review‘Well-written and fast-paced… with so many strong female characters. An outstanding, suspenseful thriller.’ ????? Reader review‘Those Empty Eyes had me turning pages late into the night, then getting up early to get back to the story. I found myself racing to finish only to be sad that it was over.’ ????? Reader review‘I was hooked from the start until the very end. Loved the characters, story and writing style.’ ????? Reader review‘Speechless! This has to be my favorite read of the year so far. Charlie Donlea is my new favorite author. I really got into this book and lost all track of time.’ ????? Reader review‘This book was phenomenal! If you are looking for an extremely intense, adrenaline rush of a story that will have you on the edge of your seat and turning the pages at lightning speed, then you NEED to read this!’ ????? Reader review‘WOW! I didn’t see the ending coming. This was by far the best book I’ve read in quite awhile. Really caught me off guard.’ ????? Reader review‘The book that helped me get my reading mojo back. Read it cover to cover in a day and loved every page.’ ????? Reader review

Två bortförda flickor. En kommer tillbaka, en gör det inte. Kvällen då de försvinner deltar de nyblivna studentskorna Nicole Cutty och Megan McDonald i en fest på stranden i småstaden där de växt upp, Emerson Bay i North Carolina. Polisen drar igång en massiv sökinsats, men dagarna går och allt hopp verkar vara ute tills Megan lyckas fly ur en bunker djupt inne i skogen. Ett år senare har bestsellern om hennes svåra prövning gjort Megan till en celebritet. Boken berättar en historia om mod, beslutsamhet och triumf. Bortsett från en oläglig liten detalj: Nicole är fortfarande försvunnen.Nicoles äldre syster Livia är läkare och mitt inne i sin praktikanttjänst i forensisk patologi. Hon väntar sig att Nicoles döda kropp när som helst kommer att hittas så att systerns öde ska gå att fastställa. Men i stället finner hon en första ledtråd när hon obducerar någon helt annan en ung man med kopplingar till Nicoles förflutna. För att få veta mer om den ödesdigra kvällen tar Livia kontakt med Megan. Det visar sig att andra flickor också har försvunnit, och Livia blir allt mer säker på att det finns ett samband mellan de olika fallen.Megan vet mer än hon har avslöjat i sin bok. Glimtar av minnen hon gradvis lyckas frammana tyder på något långt mer monstruöst än det hon öppet berättat om. Och ju djupare hon och Livia gräver, desto starkare inser de att den yttersta fasan ibland består av att finna precis det man har letat efter ...

En oskyldig flicka som spärrats in av misstag eller en beräknande mördare utan något att förlora?Flickan på Sugar Beach är tevehistoriens mest publikdragande dokumentär en outhärdligt spännande utredning av ett autentiskt brottsfall. Varje sommarfredag kommer ett nytt avsnitt av en pågående utredning där producenten Sidney Ryan försöker avgöra om den blivande läkaren Grace Sebold verkligen mördade sin pojkvän Julian under en resa till Karibien eller om Grace blev ett offer för omständigheterna och för en illa genomförd polisutredning.Grace har tillbringat tio år i fängelse på paradisön Saint Lucia, och får i ett sista desperat försök att bevisa sin oskuld kontakt med dokumentärfilmaren Sidney Ryan. När Sidney börjar gräva i fallet avslöjar hon överrumplande bevismaterial, alternativa misstänkta och problem med tidsförloppet, allt förbisett i den ursprungliga polisutredningen. Dokumentärserien får grönt ljus, samlar allt fler tittare, och tvingar myndigheterna att återuppta fallet mot Grace. Men medan Sidney arbetar sig fram mot de sista episoderna får hon oväntat ett brev som hävdar att hon håller på att begå ett fruktansvärt misstag.Sidney har övertygat världen om att Grace är oskyldig. Nu börjar hon undra om hon istället har hjälpt en kallblodig mördare att undkomma rättvisan. Och när Sidney gräver sig allt djupare ner i Graces förflutna avslöjar hon lager efter lager av lögner, tills hon ställs inför frågan om det är värt att riskera allt för sanningen sin nyfunna berömmelse, sin karriär, till och med sitt liv. "Skyll inte på Charlie Donlea om romanens slut får dig att tappa hakan. Redan titeln har Varnar läsaren för att lika lite tro på romangestalternas utsagor som på sitt första intryck av dem." - New York Times"Snabbt tempo, fängslande och oemotståndlig. Tillfredsställer både suget efter skildringar av sanna brott och mer därtill." - POPSUGAR Australia "En dagsaktuell thriller som stegras till ett chockartat slut. Tro inte på det kommer tveklöst att tilltala både de som gillar dokudramer om autentiska brott och de som uppskattar författare som Mary Kubica eller Shari Lapena." - Library Journal"Dagens spänningsläsare kommer att uppskatta den här effektfullt berättade historien." - Booklist Charlie Donlea finns med på USA Today s bästsäljarlista. Hans böcker har översatts till över ett dussin olika språk i femton olika länder. Han bor i Chicago med sin fru och två barn och håller för närvarande på att skriva sin nästa roman.