Charlie Donlea’s ninth thriller, Guess Again, demonstrates why he has become a commanding voice in contemporary psychological suspense. Building on the foundation established in his previous works like Summit Lake, Don’t Believe It, and Twenty Years Later, Donlea crafts a narrative that operates on multiple levels of deception, each more intricate than the last. This latest offering showcases his evolution as a storyteller who understands that the most effective horror often comes not from what we don’t know, but from discovering the terrible truth about what we thought we did.
The premise appears deceptively straightforward: a decade-old cold case involving seventeen-year-old volleyball star Callie Jones, who vanished without a trace from the small Wisconsin town of Cherryview. When dying detective Pete Kramer implores his former partner, Ethan Hall—now an emergency room physician—to take one final look at the case, what begins as a favor to an old friend evolves into something far more sinister and personal.
The Architecture of Deception
Donlea’s narrative construction in Guess Again resembles a carefully orchestrated symphony of misdirection. The author employs a multi-timeline approach that weaves between the summer of 2015 when Callie disappeared and the present-day investigation. This structure serves not merely as a storytelling device but as a mechanism for controlling information flow, allowing Donlea to plant seeds of doubt and redirect suspicion with surgical precision.
What sets this novel apart from typical missing person mysteries is Donlea’s understanding that every revelation should simultaneously answer one question while raising three others. The investigation into Callie’s disappearance becomes a labyrinthine journey through small-town secrets, fractured relationships, and the dangerous psychology of obsession. The author demonstrates remarkable skill in maintaining narrative tension while managing an increasingly complex web of interconnected mysteries.
The inclusion of Francis Bernard, the imprisoned serial killer who becomes an unlikely source of information, introduces an element that elevates the story beyond conventional crime fiction. Through this character, Donlea explores themes of manipulation, power dynamics, and the corrupting influence of knowledge. Bernard’s scenes crackle with psychological tension, as readers witness a master manipulator orchestrating events from within the confines of solitary confinement.
Character Development and Psychological Depth
Ethan Hall emerges as a compelling protagonist precisely because of his flaws and internal contradictions. His transition from law enforcement to medicine represents more than a career change—it’s an attempt to heal rather than merely solve, to save lives rather than investigate their destruction. Donlea skillfully portrays Ethan’s reluctant return to investigative work, capturing the psychological toll of confronting the darkness he tried to leave behind.
The supporting cast demonstrates Donlea’s ability to create characters that feel authentic rather than merely functional. Detective Maddie Jacobson brings her own traumatic history to the investigation, creating a partnership built on shared understanding of violence’s lasting impact. Lindsay Larkin, Callie’s former best friend turned successful businesswoman, represents the complexity of grief and how it can transform individuals in unexpected ways.
Perhaps most impressively, Donlea manages to make Callie Jones a vivid presence despite her absence from the main narrative. Through flashbacks and other characters’ memories, she emerges as a fully realized individual rather than simply a victim—a young woman caught between parental expectations, personal desires, and the suffocating pressure of small-town fame.
Technical Mastery and Atmospheric Control
Donlea’s prose style in Guess Again strikes an effective balance between accessibility and sophistication. His sentences flow with natural rhythm while maintaining the precision necessary for psychological thriller work. The author demonstrates particular skill in crafting dialogue that reveals character while advancing plot, with conversations that feel authentic while serving the story’s larger purposes.
The Wisconsin setting functions as more than mere backdrop—it becomes an active participant in the narrative. Donlea captures the claustrophobic nature of small-town life, where everyone knows everyone else’s business, yet profound secrets can still fester beneath the surface. The oppressive summer heat that permeates the investigation serves as both literal environmental factor and metaphorical pressure cooker, intensifying the emotional stakes as the mystery unfolds.
The pacing demonstrates masterful control, with Donlea understanding when to accelerate the narrative and when to allow tension to build through careful character development. The novel’s structure permits moments of reflection between action sequences, creating a rhythm that keeps readers engaged without overwhelming them with constant plot developments.
Strengths That Elevate the Genre
The novel’s greatest strength lies in its psychological authenticity. Donlea avoids the common thriller trap of creating characters who exist solely to advance plot mechanics. Instead, his characters act from believable motivations, even when those motivations lead to destructive choices. The exploration of obsession—both healthy and pathological—feels genuine and disturbing.
The mystery’s resolution demonstrates impressive plotting sophistication. When the truth about Callie’s disappearance emerges, it feels both surprising and inevitable—the hallmark of effective mystery writing. Donlea plants clues fairly while maintaining misdirection, respecting readers’ intelligence while still managing to confound expectations.
The psychological thriller elements work particularly well because they emerge organically from character relationships rather than being imposed artificially. The manipulation and mind games feel like natural extensions of the characters’ personalities and circumstances rather than plot contrivances.
Areas for Critical Consideration
Despite its numerous strengths, Guess Again occasionally struggles with pacing in its middle sections. Some investigative sequences feel slightly extended, and certain character interactions could benefit from tighter editing. The novel’s complexity, while generally well-managed, sometimes threatens to overwhelm the central narrative thread.
The resolution, though satisfying, requires significant exposition to clarify the intricate connections between various plot elements. While this information proves necessary for understanding the complete picture, the delivery occasionally feels heavy-handed compared to the subtle revelation techniques employed earlier in the novel.
Additionally, some secondary characters remain somewhat underdeveloped, existing primarily to serve specific plot functions rather than feeling like complete individuals. This is particularly noticeable given the depth and complexity of the main characters.
Literary Context and Comparisons
Guess Again stands confidently alongside recent works by established thriller authors like Tana French, Gillian Flynn, and Laura Lippman. Donlea’s approach to psychological suspense shows particular kinship with authors who understand that the most effective scares come from human psychology rather than external threats.
The novel’s exploration of how past trauma shapes present action echoes themes found in works like Sharp Objects and In the Woods, while its small-town setting and focus on community secrets recalls the atmosphere of Big Little Lies and Little Fires Everywhere.
Final Verdict
Guess Again represents Charlie Donlea at the height of his storytelling powers. This is psychological thriller writing that respects both genre conventions and reader intelligence, delivering a narrative that satisfies on multiple levels. While not without minor flaws, the novel succeeds brilliantly in its primary mission: creating a compelling mystery that explores the dangerous territory where past and present collide.
For readers seeking sophisticated psychological suspense that prioritizes character development alongside plot mechanics, Guess Again delivers exceptional value. Donlea has crafted a novel that will satisfy both casual thriller readers and those seeking more literary depth in their suspense fiction.
Similar Reads You’ll Enjoy
If Guess Again captivated you, consider these comparable titles:
- The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides – Psychological manipulation and unreliable narration
- Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn – Small-town secrets and damaged protagonists
- In the Woods by Tana French – Atmospheric mystery with complex character psychology
- The Blackbird Season by Kate Moretti – Community secrets and multiple perspectives
- Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng – Past events reshaping present lives
Guess Again confirms Charlie Donlea’s position as a master craftsman of psychological suspense, delivering a reading experience that lingers long after the final page is turned.
