Twenty Years Later

📘 About This Book

“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 Timesbestselling author

📖 Summary

Charlie Donlea delivers a propulsive and gripping thriller in Twenty Years Later, a 370-page work of fiction published in 2021 that explores the dark intersections of media ambition, long-buried secrets, and cold case investigations. The narrative centers on Avery Mason, a prominent television reporter and host of the true-crime program American Events. Avery is a master at identifying the exact subjects that captivate a viewing audience, understanding what turns a tragedy into ratings gold. Her professional life is built on public exposure, but behind the scenes, she is hiding her own dark past in plain sight, carefully guarding secrets that could derail everything she has built. When she sets her sights on a gruesome murder from decades in the past, her ambition drives her to uncover the truth behind a case that the original investigators long ago abandoned. This particular murder mystery is laced with intense elements of tragedy, betrayal, and dark human complexities that make it irresistible to the public. As Avery dives deeper into the historical crime, utilizing modern advancements such as new DNA technology to reexamine the evidence, she realizes that the investigation is far more dangerous than she initially anticipated. To truly make sense of the present day and solve the lingering mysteries of the case, she must learn to listen to the echoes of the past. The story moves at a relentless pace, blending the high-pressure world of modern broadcast journalism with the eerie, unresolved atmosphere of a decades-old homicide. Donlea crafts a suspenseful puzzle where every revelation brings new hazards to light, forcing Avery to confront not only the realities of the crime she is investigating, but also the vulnerability of her own hidden life. Fans of psychological suspense and twist-laden thrillers will find themselves immersed in a tale where secrets refuse to stay buried and the pursuit of truth carries a heavy price.

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