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