Behind Every Face

Author: Charlie Donlea
Genre: Crime Fiction
304 pages
Publisher: Kensington, January 2027

Synopsis
Harmony Falls is a pretty little town in the Pacific Northwest, as bucolic as its name suggests. But Andi Vonn isn’t there by choice. She’s been given a new identity through the Witness Protection Program while she waits to testify against her powerful former employer. Her fiancé, Lucas, was killed before he could do the same, and the explosive case is making national headlines.

Andi has no faith that the FBI will keep her safe. Why should she follow orders from the very people who got Lucas killed? She didn’t even know about her boss’s wrongdoing, yet she’s still facing prison time after the trial. But there’s a key piece of evidence—a flash drive of damning videos—that she can leverage to get immunity, if she can just figure out where Lucas hid it.

The only person who’s as much a target as Andi is Lucas’s brother, celebrated journalist Oliver Whitaker. Holed up in a Maine cabin, he becomes Andi’s long-distance ally as they try and figure out who exactly wants them dead. Meanwhile Andi tries to blend into Harmony Falls without giving herself away, fearing that with every moment, her enemies may be drawing closer.

But then, Harmony Falls may not be quite what it appears to be either. Andi was told that nothing dangerous could find her here. She had no way to know that a nightmare was already lying in wait, ready to silence her forever . . .

My review
Charlie Donlea is back with another exciting crime fiction novel, Behind Every Face. When I’m looking for something fun, entertaining, twisty, and completely absorbing, Donlea is always a go-to author for me. His storytelling has been consistently exciting across all of his books that I’ve read, and this one is no exception.

Behind Every Face is a short, fast-paced thriller that is absolutely perfect when you want to escape into a book for a day. It’s brilliantly plotted, incredibly cinematic, lightning-fast, and so addictive that putting it down was nearly impossible.

What I loved most, though, is that underneath all the action, suspense, and shocking twists, there’s a surprisingly emotional story about family, loyalty, sacrifice, and loss. The heartbreaking relationship between Lucas and Andi adds emotional depth to the mystery, while the bond between the Whitaker brothers gives Oliver’s investigation a deeply personal purpose. He isn’t just chasing a headline, he’s chasing justice.

Charlie Donlea has done it again and he’ll continue to be at the top of my list of authors when I’m looking for a fast-paced, edge-of-your-seat thriller to escape into for the day. If you’re looking for a book that will keep you thoroughly entertained and turning the pages, I highly recommend Behind Every Face. I loved every minute!

Many thanks to NetGalley, Kensington, and Charlie Donlea for an advance copy. All opinions are my own.

My recommendation: definitely worth the read!