In 2001, two months before the 9/11 attacks, well-known author Cameron Young is found dead in his home in the Catskill Mountains, and all evidence point to his being murdered by his mistress, Victoria Ford. However, before the case could be tried in court, 9/11 happened and Victoria was one of the many who were inside the Twin Towers on the day of the attacks when the buildings went down. The Cameron Young murder case was abandoned but never formally closed.

Twenty years later: As the efforts to identify the victims of the attack from the remains collected from the rubble of the buildings continue, DNA testing of bone fragments collected from the site of the attack confirms Victoria as one of the many who perished on 9/11. Thirty two –year old Avery Mason, anchor of a popular television show finds an interesting subject in Victoria for her segment on true crime and unsolved cases and travels to New York for further research. She meets with Victoria’s sister Emma who saved Victoria's final voice message, sent while Victoria was still trapped in the collapsing building, claiming that she was innocent. Victoria embarks on a deep search for details on Victoria’s life and the case and in the process meets up with Victoria's attorney Roman Manchester, her best friend Natalie Ratcliffe who is a best-selling author and Walt Jenkins, a retired (forcibly) FBI Agent who was employed by the New York State Bureau of Criminal Investigation at the time of the murder and was heading the Cameron Young murder investigation. As Walt and Avery dig deep into the case files and study the evidence, they discover discrepancies that were previously overlooked. Was Victoria guilty of Cameron’s murder or had she been framed? Avery is driven and ambitious and aware that Victoria’s story would be a great boost for her career but it is also apparent that Avery’s trip to New York is not just for work and she too has a hidden agenda. Jenkins assists her by sharing details about Victoria’s case but unbeknownst to Avery he was recently brought back into the FBI and is assigned to investigate Avery and her movements in New York on account of Avery’s past – a past that Avery has taken pains to hide even changing her name to hide her true identity so that people could not make the connection to events in her past. Why is the FBI keeping tabs on Avery? Will Jenkins uncover the truth behind Avery’s true motives for coming to New York?

Charlie Donlea’s Twenty Years Later is a well-paced, gripping thriller that kept me hooked till the very last page. There are multiple threads to the story but the author does a great job of keeping the chapters short, the narrative moving and bringing it all together. There is a bit of repetition but not so much that you would lose interest. Of all the sub-plots I found Walt Jenkin’s backstory and reasons for being forced out of the FBI to be the weakest. The romantic angle also felt a bit forced and was unnecessary. The details of the forensic techniques involved in determining the identity of 9/11 victims were very informative. The story is full of twists and turns, a few of which did not surprise me but some I simply did not see coming! The final twist was brilliant and overall, I enjoyed the novel. This was my first book by Charlie Donlea and I look forward to reading more of his work in the future. ( )

This book took forever to finish and not in a slow burn way. A murder from twenty years (2001) ago is revisited (2021). A famous author found dead and the mistress accused who dies in the 9/11 attacks. A burned out retired detective who originally investigated the case (Walt) and a television personality (Avery) intent on a story are on a collision course investigating the past and revisiting the murder evidence. A parallel story about Avery's past takes up most of the book and the conclusion to the story kind of left a loose end. ( )

I am a Charlie Donlea fan, and this was another solid thriller from him. I was genuinely shocked by a few of the twists! Loved the final gut-punch. There were a LOT of threads in this book, though - it got a little over-complicated at times. I didn't have a problem with his using 9/11 as a jumping-off point, and there really wasn't much in the novel about the day itself. The DNA identification of victims is a super interesting framing device for a novel like this. I never really feel connected to Donlea's characters; I don't think that's his strong suit. Thriller plots are, that's what I came for, and I'm satisfied! ( )

This is intriguing until the end. Walt Jenkins is a retired FBI agent with a painful past when he is assigned to a case in New York involving a missing man who spearheaded a sophisticated Ponzi scheme involving billions of dollars that financed his lavish lifestyle. Avery Mason is a successful investigative journalist, a well known television personality and the daughter of the missing man. She is in New York to examine the details of the murder of a prosperous author for her television program, while surreptitiously obtaining an illegal passport. Since Walt was the agent in charge of the author’s murder, their paths cross with unexpected consequences. Adding to the mystery, the suspected murderer facing indictment is Victoria Ford, who was identified as a victim of the 9/11 terrorist attack on the World Trade Center.

There are numerous surprises in this book. The ending is particularly riveting. This is my first novel by Charlie Donlea, and I look forward to reading more by this accomplished author. ( )

Investigative Journalist, Avery Mason, is the new host of popular television show American Events, after the beloved former host tragically died while on assignment. Avery has big shoes to fill, and she’s done an incredible job filling them. She’s consistently boosted the show’s ratings, bringing revenue to the network and feels she deserves better compensation. But the show’s execs are not willing to pay Avery what she feels she’s worth. Too bad because she has another ratings killer in the works. Maybe they’ll change their minds after she breaks a story that fell under the radar twenty years prior when the twin towers went down in New York City, killing a prime suspect, Victoria Ford, in a murder investigation. Avery’s seemingly simple forage into Victoria’s past turns up even more newsworthy details. Victoria’s sister, Emma Kind, believes her sister was innocent, and she wants the popular Avery Mason to clear Victoria’s name. Avery is on it, but she’ll need the help of detective Walt Jenkins, who was involved in the investigation decades earlier. But Avery has her own carefully concealed secrets and she has to be cautious not to let her guard down, especially since she’s falling for the handsome detective. Avery has an uneasy feeling about Walt, but she doesn’t know what to make of it. Will Avery get her story, or will she be the one making headlines?

Charlie Donlea continues to impress me. Twenty Years Later had many plot twists and turns that I didn’t see coming. I’m always amazed by how the author weaves his characters into the storyline. Initially I’m wondering how a particular character is relevant to the story, but he or she always plays a significant role. The way he develops the narrative fascinates me, and Twenty Years Later is no exception. Also, Donlea’s books have a slight edge but they’re not over the top. In other words, this is not Christian Fiction but you won’t be pummeled by excessive swearing and violence. His stories are suspenseful and give you anticipatory vibes that carry through to the surprising, thoroughly fulfilling ending.

Twenty Years Later is another Donlea winner with a conclusion that blew me away. Loved it.

I received a copy of Twenty Years Later from a Goodreads giveaway. All opinions about the book are my own. ( )