After Me

Deborah Coonts

Dec 2016 · The Kate Sawyer Medical Thriller Series Book 1 · Chestnut Street Press

About this eBook

Twenty million in diamonds missing.

Kate Sawyer, a cop in witness protection, holds the key.

If she could only remember.  

Early-onset Alzheimer’s clouds the past. Stem cell therapy is working to clear it.

But time is running out for Kate.

One night she finds a dead man in her bathtub with a note stuck in his pocket.

I know what you’ve done.

Her cover blown, Kate runs, the clock is ticking. People close to her are being killed.

Shadowy memories tease her. Some she recognizes. Others don’t seem familiar at all.

Running from people she can’t remember, dogged by a past lost in the haze, Kate discovers no one is who they appear to be, perhaps not even herself.

After Me is a dark psychological thriller on the cutting edge of medical science, perfect for those who like scientific what-ifs...with a ray of hope.

AN INTERVIEW WITH DEBORAH COONTS

After making a name for yourself in another genre, why switch genres now?

My first series featuring Lucky O’Toole is a light, romantic mystery series. At the time, my life was pretty dark, so I enjoyed the laugh-out-loud snark of Lucky and her pals.

But, now life is a bit brighter and I find the darker side, my love of thrillers calling to me. I’ve always loved thrillers, especially psychological thrillers, medical thrillers, women in jeopardy chase books, that sort of thing. Fast-paced storylines with deep, well-rounded characters—I wanted to add my name to the list of writers who have delved deep into these waters.

You’re a lawyer, so why the medical tie-in?

I’ve always been a science geek. When I first went to college, medical school was my target. Alas, life got in the way, but it didn’t dim my interest in the field. And today, technology is honing a sharp edge in the medical field raising lots of possibilities for cures. But where there is a good use there is also a bad use—the yin and the yang. Nothing ever comes without a price. Great for storytelling.

PRAISE FOR After Me

"Fantastic! Coonts combines her trademark strong characters and clever plotting with one of the freshest concepts in suspense--a heroine with early onset Alzheimer's who literally can't remember why everyone wants her dead. Buckle your seatbelt for a wild ride!" - Lisa Gardner, #1 New York Times bestselling author

"A firecracker of a thriller--with an ingenious premise, non-stop suspense and terrific writing. But it's the heroine who makes this such a winner--a heart-breakingly damaged loner who's got 'soon-to-be-a-major-motion-picture' written all over her." - Hank Phillippi Ryan, Anthony, Agatha, and Mary Higgins Clark award-winning author

"Everyone who loves Deborah Coonts's Lucky series knows that she is a master of the humorous mystery; now everyone will watch Coonts make her mark in the darker world of suspense. After Me hooked me from page one. After Me is the hallmark of a great thriller: strong voice, twisting mystery, and a compelling heroine." - Allison Brennan, New York Times bestselling author

"Relentlessly paced, After Me is the compelling quest of a woman's inspiring quest to survive...and a haunting reminder of the great truth: we are what we remember. It's Coonts's most gripping book yet." - Vicki Pettersson, New York Times & USA Today bestselling author

"Deborah Coonts' After Me is the perfect thriller: a protagonist is being chased by those driven to make her pay with her life for a deed she may or may not have done, and truly cannot remember. Coonts's masterly use of memory flashback gives her heroine, Kate Sawyer, just enough revelatory insights into her own private hell to draw her readers into this purgatory with her. The premise is harrowing. The reveal is explosive. And the ending is redemptive. In other words, this is not just a satisfying novel; you'll find it a memorable read." - Josie Brown, author of The Housewife Assassin series

"Deborah Coonts has given us an incredibly original story. Enjoy!" - Catherine Coulter, #1 New York Times bestselling author

"From the white-hot opening sentence - complete with dead body - Deborah Coonts introduces Kate Sawyer, a highly original and different character. From first page to last, you will be caught up in Kate's world, her struggles, her victories, her fear, and her own battles leaving her uncertain what is real and what is not... or who she can trust... even herself. Kate is a new type of heroine in ways that cannot be described; you have to read this book. One can only hope Ms. Coonts will take a suggestion from a certain British Secret Agent and Kate Sawyer will return!" - Will Graham, author of Spider's Tango, Spider's Dance, and Spider's Kiss

"After Me is a fast-paced page-turner with a plot that will keep you on the edge of your seat. In this taut romantic thriller, no one is who they seem--least of all, Kate Sawyer. Kate must piece together a past she can't remember--a past that holds the key to her staying alive. Coonts has a sure winner!" - Barbara Freethy, #1 New York Times bestselling author

"I love Kate Sawyer! Deborah Coonts has created an unforgettable character and thrust her into a fascinatingly unique and dangerous situation. I want more!!!" - Debra Webb, USA Today bestselling author

Ratings and reviews

The very definition of 'thriller'.. great on pacing, though I really couldnt wait through setting descriptions to get to the juicy parts.. Kate's frustration through her 'ordeal' and the complications because of her condition was palpable..I could relate to her confusion and helplessness.. who to trust, what to think.. gosh! What a life! New appreciation for those fighting this disease.. and kudos to the author <3 <3

I read this story in a couple of days, always eager to steal away a bit of read time between the every day tasks. I was looking for a tale that grabbed me and kept me interested. This was it. The characters seemed believable, real people, doing regular (& not so regular) stuff. I was drawn to care for about them, their strengths, and frailties. And to be suspicious of every one of them! Bravo!

Any one who deals with memory problems. This Book is a Thriller , that Has a B. A. Woman who is fighting not only for her life , but her past. I Loved it.

About the author

Deborah Coonts swears she was switched at birth. Coming from a family of homebodies, Deborah is the odd woman out, happiest with a passport, a high-limit credit card, her computer, and changing scenery outside her window. Goaded by an insatiable curiosity, she flies airplanes, rides motorcycles, travels the world, and pretends to be more of a badass than she probably is. Deborah is the author of the Lucky O’Toole Vegas Adventure series, a romantic mystery romp through Sin City. Wanna Get Lucky?, the first in the series, was a New York Times Notable Crime Novel and a double RITA™ Award Finalist. She has also penned the Kate Sawyer Medical Thriller series, the Brinda Rose Humorous Mystery series, as well as a couple of standalones. Although often on an adventure, you can always track her down at www.deborahcoonts.com.