From New York Times bestseller Courtney Cole, writing as Courtney Evan Tate, comes the psychological thriller that will keep readers up turning pages long into the night, SUCH DARK THINGS! “Written in breathless style, this page-turner relies on quick thrills, surprise twists…[for] readers seeking a fast entertaining tale…”(Publishers Weekly). Grab your copy of SUCH DARK THINGS today!
A HORRIFIC RECURRING NIGHTMARE IS THREATENING TO STEAL HER SANITY…
Dr. Corinne Cabot is living the American dream. She’s a successful ER physician in Chicago who’s married to a handsome husband. Together they live in a charming house in the suburbs. But appearances can be deceiving—and what no one can see is Corinne’s dark past. Troubling gaps in her memory mean she recalls little about a haunting event in her life years ago that changed everything.
She remembers only being in the house the night two people were found murdered. Her father was there, too. Now her father is in prison; she hasn’t been in contact in years. Repressing that terrifying memory has caused Corinne moments of paranoia and panic. Sometimes she thinks she sees things that aren’t there, hears words that haven’t been spoken. Or have they? She fears she may be losing her mind, unable to determine what’s real and what’s not.
So when she senses her husband’s growing distance, she thinks she’s imagining things. She writes her suspicions off to fatigue, overwork, anything to explain what she can’t accept—that her life really isn’t what it seems.
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“Fans of domestic thrillers with an unreliable narrator will gobble this one up…Recommended for all thriller/suspense collections.”
–Booklist
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I scan through my texts.
None from Corinne. I’m oddly disappointed, even though she never texts me during the day. The ER keeps her too busy. But still. I thought she might text after this morning’s sex.
One from Michel.
How are you doing?
And several from a number I don’t recognize.
Hi there. It’s Zoe from Vilma’s.
Damn it.
I swallow, and I read her other texts.
You left your credit card at the café this morning.
Do you want to meet me so you can have it back ASAP?
I feel a jolt. First, fuck. I left my card someplace? I can’t even remember the last time I did that. How irresponsible. I practically don’t have a credit limit, so a thief could have a field day with it.
Second, how weird that she’s texting me. So weird.
I can just pick it up from Vilma in the morning, I answer. Thanks for letting me know.
I see the three bubbles on my text screen signifying that she is answering. So I wait without putting my phone down. The idea of who is on the other end of the phone gives me a jolt, a thrill, even though my initial thoughts about the girl weren’t flattering. She might have clear daddy issues, but she has an ass you could bounce a quarter off of. It strokes my ego that she’s texting me.
I actually have the card with me. I didn’t want anything to happen to it. I’m in town running errands. I could meet you for lunch?
Another jolt.
She wants to meet for lunch? Is this for real?
What a kind offer, I answer and my heart literally pounds. But I would never impose on you like that. If you’re working tomorrow, I’ll pick it up then.
There are three bubbles. She’s typing.
But nothing comes through.
I wait.
The three bubbles are still there, then they disappear.
Still nothing.
I can’t help but picture her in her overly-tight waitress uniform. The bright blue complemented her skin tone, and her tits were busting out of the top. The skirt was short, and it’s quite possible that she made it that way on purpose.
For a minute, being a red-blooded man, I picture that ass bent over a chair, her uniform skirt hitched up to her hips. Her lacy panties would be shoved to the side…and I think she’d be shaved.
I indulge for just a second, then I push the images out of my head. It’s a fantasy. That’s all.
I’m normal.
I love my wife.
I miss my wife.
Corinne is my world.
I jam my phone into my pocket as my door opens with my next patient.
“Mr. Ford,” I greet the elderly man in front of me, the one with OCD who is at this very moment wiping his feet on the carpet as he walks to wipe away all germs from his shoes. He does it a thousand times a day. “I’m so glad to see you. How have you been?”
He takes a seat in the chair across from me, careful to keep his right foot crossed over the left, and for the next hour, I’m immersed in the world of an obsessive man. This week, his new habit is stepping on a particular stair-step on his porch precisely four times every time he goes home.
We discuss coping mechanisms, and the chemical reasons that OCD could be at play in his brain, and when we’re nearly done, I find him staring at the portrait of Corinne and me sitting on my desk.
“You’re a lucky man,” he tells me, and his cloudy eyes are pensive. “I lost my Helen a decade ago. I haven’t been the same since.”
No, he hasn’t. His OCD emerged that year, when he was lost in grief.
“I am lucky,” I agree. “My wife is a brilliant woman.”
“She’s a looker, too,” Mr. Ford observes, and I try to see the picture through the fresh eyes of a stranger.
Corinne’s eyes are bright and blue, her hair long and blond. She’s thin, she’s trim, she’s tall. Her legs are long, her smile bright.
She is a looker. Sometimes I forget that.
Probably because I haven’t seen her in days and days.
I hide my stress. My patients don’t get to hear my very real and very human problems.
We finish our session and Mr. Ford leaves, and I wrap up my notes. When I’m finished, I’m surprised to realize that it’s lunchtime.
Ginny pokes her head in. “Hey, boss. I’m going out for lunch. Should I bring you something back?”
I could meet you for lunch?
Unbidden, the texted words flash through my mind, and guiltily, I push them away. Fuck, man. Not cool.
“I’m good,” I tell Ginny, and I think my words have a double meaning. I’m good. I don’t have straying thoughts about a woman who isn’t my wife. Not real straying thoughts.
Ginny leaves, and I grab my jacket, and as I do, my phone buzzes, and I think my wife might’ve texted me back.
I’m startled when I see that I’m wrong.
It’s not Corinne.
It’s a picture.
Of Zoe.
I was right. She’s shaved.
My heart thuds as I stare at the nude picture.
Her tits are big and full and her thumb is brushing her nipple, her other hand caressing her shaved vagina. Her eyes are big and turned to the camera in a sultry gaze, and she’s completely and absolutely naked.
Are you freaking kidding me?
I swallow hard, and it’s not like I haven’t been hit on before. I have. But this is different. It’s so blatant, so outrageous, and frankly, in some hidden and shameful spot, it turns me on.
Fuck, man.
I’m sorry, I’m married, I reply, typing with shocked wooden fingers.
Because I’m good. The stiffness in my crotch doesn’t count.
Three bubbles.
That’s fine, she answers. Do you want a girlfriend?
Sweet Jesus.
She can’t be serious. Is her generation so blatant and direct?
No, I answer. Sorry.
Three bubbles.
Hmm. We’ll see.
Courtney Evan Tate’s SUCH DARK THINGS – Tour Schedule:
April 16th
Aurora B’s Book Blog – Interview
Devilishly dirty book blog – Review & Excerpt
Smut Book Junkie Reviews – Review & Excerpt
The Book Hammock – Excerpt
April 17th
Book Freak – Review
Bookish Proclivity – Review & Excerpt
Ficwishes – Excerpt
What Is That Book About – Excerpt
April 18th
★ Chiara’s Book Blog ★ – Excerpt
Read more sleep less – Review & Excerpt
Suey Library – Review
The Bashful BookWhore – Excerpt & Interview
April 19th
A Literary Perusal – Excerpt
Brandy Paige Roberts Blogger page – Excerpt
Feel the Book – Excerpt
TBR Book Blog – Review & Excerpt
April 20th
Audio Killed the Bookmark – Review
Books According to Abby – Excerpt
Roxy’s Reviews – Review & Excerpt
April 21st
After Dark Book Lovers – Review
Brittany’s Book Blog – Review
KDRBCK – Review & Excerpt
April 22nd
Angela’s Opinion – Excerpt
Evermore Books – Excerpt
Lattes & Paperbacks – Review & Excerpt
April 23rd
Becky on Books – Excerpt & Interview
Linz Readz – Review & Excerpt
Little Read Riding Hood – Review & Excerpt
V’s Reads – Review & Excerpt
April 24th
M&J’s book blog – Review & Excerpt
Quesarasera Book Blog – Review & Excerpt
Talkbooks – Review & Excerpt
April 25th
All Things Dark & Dirty – Excerpt
Books, Booze, & Brunch – Review
Devilishly Delicious Book Reviews – Review & Excerpt
April 26th
Adventures in Writing – Excerpt
Jax’s Book Magic – Excerpt
Literary Misfit – Review & Excerpt
Mom’s Secret Book Blog – Review
No BS Book Reviews – Review
The Book Hookup – Review & Excerpt
The Fairest of All Book Reviews – Review & Excerpt
April 27th
Cinta Garcia de la Rosa – Excerpt
Just Me & My Kindle – Excerpt
Miss Riki – Review & Excerpt
Next Book Review – Review & Excerpt
Sassy Moms Say Read Romance – Review & Excerpt
Shh Moms Reading – Excerpt
Smokin’ Hot Reads Book Blog – Review & Excerpt
April 28th
@all_encompassing_books – Review & Excerpt
A Book Nerd, a Bookseller and a Bibliophile – Review & Excerpt
Book Lovers Hangout – Review & Excerpt
Books A-Brewin’ – Excerpt
Bout-a-Book blog – Review & Excerpt
I am a Book Hoarder – Review
Rainy Day Reviews – Review & Excerpt
Red Hot + Blue Reads – Review & Excerpt
Shakespeare’s Wench Book Blog – Review
Tfaulcbookreviews – Review
About Courtney Evan Tate:
Courtney Evan Tate is the nom de plume for New York Times bestselling author, Courtney Cole. Courtney Evan Tate is her darker side… the side that explores shadowy places.
Courtney lives in Florida with her husband and kids. She has a passion for raising drug addiction awareness, the Marine Corp (her middle son is a Marine) and being introspective on the human condition.
To learn more about her, you can visit www.courtneycolewrites.com.
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Thank you for sharing! ~Jessica, InkSlinger PR
You’re welcome 🙂