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 … 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 has given us an incredibly original story. Enjoy!” – Catherine Coulter, #1 New York Times bestselling author
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“So disconcerting, losing oneself – like being lost in the fog, no landmarks, nothing familiar, no map back to me.”
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What an excellent thriller – this one hides more twists and turns than a nest of snakes. And that’s an especially apt description, which you’ll find out once you start reading…
I know I don’t normally give a blurb, but this was my introduction to the book and it sets the stage for my review nicely, so here goes… “Kate Sawyer, a former NYPD undercover cop, injured badly in a takedown gone terribly wrong, is living in Portland, Oregon, safe in the Witness Protection Program, while she undergoes experimental stem-cell treatment for a genetic case of early-onset Alzheimer’s. Safe, that is, until she returns home to find a dead man in her bathtub with a note reading: I know what you’ve done. Her cover blown, the clock is ticking, people are dying, and no one is who they seem to be. Everyone seems to think Kate knows where $20 million in diamonds is stashed. If she could only remember.”
And if that doesn’t catch your eye, how about this first sentence (I’m a fanatic for great first sentences, remember): “The body dumped in my bathtub was a warning; that much I got.” How’s THAT for a set-up? Believe me, it only gets better from there…
From the opening lines, there is clearly more going on than we (both the reader AND our protagonist, Kate) can comprehend. That feeling of foreboding, of being one step behind and trying desperately to catch up, lasts throughout the book and is one of its most stellar elements. As Kate struggles to figure out who she is, who is after her, and – most importantly – why it’s all happening, the reader is immersed in a dangerous, dark, lonely world where no one is what they seem. Not even Kate.
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“…in the wrong hands, all science is terrifying. But, the flip side, as with everything in the Universe, is brilliant.”
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There is fascinating science here. I worked in pharmaceuticals once upon a time, and worked on Alzheimer’s disease as a specific project for a number of years, so I’m more than familiar with the tangles of Kate’s brain and the mess they leave in their wake. It was marvelous to read about the scientific future Coonts envisions, and the hope and promise it offers for those who suffer from the devastation of losing themselves. I can only hope she is on track with her optimistic take on what future scientists will be able to do in this arena – stem cells do, after all, seem to hold great promise in many fields…
But more than that, there is a fascinating story. How did Kate wind up in Portland? What did she leave behind? What kind of person is she and – perhaps more importantly, as far as the mystery is concerned – was she? Every page contains a new question, and few contain answers – at least not satisfying ones. And as the treatments for Kate’s Alzheimer’s progress, and more memories are freed from hiding places within her brain, it often seems that more questions are being revealed than answers. The denouement is perfectly managed, an exquisite blend of suspense, revelation, and lingering doubt that satisfies without spoon-feeding.
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“Why can’t people be who you want them to be?”
“Not their job…”
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I was nervous in the beginning, a little afraid that this would feel too redolent of Memento or Before I Go To Sleep – both of which were marvelous examinations of the power of memory to shape our lives and the tap-dancing-among-land-mines life lived by those who can’t trust their minds (or memories) to help them navigate the world… There were a few moments that felt reminiscent, but never any that felt derivative. This is an utter original, building on the suspense and scare-factor of other works on similar themes, without ever relying on them. It’s a marvelous book and I can’t recommend it highly enough!
My review copy was graciously provided by the author.
Kate Sawyer has several problems. She has a rare form of early-onset dementia and she is also in the WITSEC program. How can she solve the problems that seem to be pursuing her from her past if she can’t remember what she did?
The book was very different and Kate’s struggles with her memory were almost another character in the book. At times, it became painfully tedious while she repeatedly tried to remember. But, the story was fast paced, with plenty of twists to satisfy the reader. All in all, it was entertaining and kept my interest. Since that is why I love to read, I g
This second installment of this series was excellent. It continued a unique storyline and the characters continued to develop as we learn more about them. The story had many twists and turns and kept me interested and engaged until the end. I look forward to the next book.
good to the end A 5 PLUS
Very good book! It was a little hard to follow at first until you knew all the characters and how they interacted with each other.
Early onset Alzheimer’s creates an interesting twist to a “Who-done-it”.
Enjoyable read.
Loved it! Couldn’t put down and read it in one day! Good Job!
Really let’s you see into the world of a person losing her identity to alzheimer’s. Heart-rending!
Thrilling, you never knew what was coming next. This book keeps you reading past supper time and then past bedtime.
This is an edge of your seat, not sure what will happen next, emotional roller coaster journey filled with dangerous and engaging charters, heart racing twists and heartbreaking struggle to understand what is real and who can be trusted…… Great reading!
Good book in all of its trials for the main character, but then finally she starts to remember and pieces starts to fall into place with the help of those who are interested in actually helping her. Good ending!
Will read more of the series
One of the best mysteries I’ve read.
When I went to sleep at night all I thought about is waking up in the morning and reading it more. I can wait to read the next one!
What a great idea for a story–one of best fiction books I have read!
Great book, grabs you from the beginning and takes you for a thrilling ride. Couldn’t put down!
The most original book both in premise, format and storyline I have recently read. Quite an insight into mental and medical processes and consequence.
Wonderful mystery. A very unique story line with a strong female lead character.
2 words – profanity + far fetched
Interesting premise; I find characters with memory loss frustrating but I admire the courage of the main character. I couldn’t finish the book – too to follow the action and how the main character deals with the memory loss and who are the good and bad guys.