After Me - Deborah Coonts

After Me

By Deborah Coonts

  • Release Date: 2016-12-27
  • Genre: Mysteries & Thrillers
Score: 4.5
4.5
From 539 Ratings

Description

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

Reviews

  • A nice read .

    5
    By Komedoman
    A little repetitive, but a nice read . Like a trapped animal , you can endure a great deal of pain to survive .
  • Wow

    5
    By mbarb57
    A great story from the beginning to the end. I didn’t see the end coming and I have been reading mysteries since Nancy Drew was a kid. Lots of twists and a great read!
  • Fun read

    5
    By Pam96706
    A fun, fast paced story that was interesting if not entirely believable. Isn’t the suspension of reality the whole reason behind reading a good book?
  • After me

    5
    By ralphmar
    I spend many hours reading and can say without a doubt this was one of my fastest reads. It was well thought, well written and absolutely one of the best reads of the year
  • After Me

    5
    By whitedog7
    Starts kind of in the middle of Kate’s story. Snippets of her previous life keep coming thru old age dementia. Turns out she is at the center of a huge theft of diamonds and many people want them back. Lots of brutality and murders. Surprise bad guys in the end. Read it right thru one day to find the culprit.
  • After Me

    4
    By QRali
    Great book good book with an interesting story line. Kept me guessing.
  • After me

    5
    By sc74friday
    Loved the book. Great thriller.
  • After Me

    5
    By Auria2016
    Intriguing & beguiling! This author weaves emotional landscapes & breathes compelling three dimensional characters into being. Very difficult to put this novel down once you’ve startedgn
  • Fantastic

    5
    By anonymousJRMc
    I truly enjoyed this story. The mixture of medical and hide and seek mystery was compelling. I shall be reading. Ore in the series. AnonymouslyJRMc
  • After me

    5
    By juliereign
    If this was Deborah Coonts first novel, you would never know. This was a page turning thriller, romance, mystery and murder all in one. Great unique story that was impossible to put down. I would recommend anyone with lust for action books to read. Thank you Deborah for your fantastic skill of putting a reader on their toes till the next page.