The Color of Trauma
The Psychic Colors, #1
by Hollie Smurthwaite
Date of Publication: August 30th 2021
Publisher: Hollie Smurthwaite
Cover Artist: Sarah Hansen at Okay Creations
Genre: Paranormal Romantic Suspense, PNR
ISBN:978-1737118916
ASIN: B09B2QWV52
Number of pages: 358
Word Count: 95,000 words
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Experiencing another's past could end her future . . .
Kiera Brayleigh is a memory surgeon. In the ten years since her “gift” manifested, she’s helped dozens of women deal with trauma by removing their horrific memories—burns, rapes, tortures. It pays well, but she holds those moments, making her a fiery mess. The bizarre request from a Chicago homicide detective is the last thing she needs.
Detective Dean Matthson is burdened with an uncanny ability to get inside the minds of criminals. In a dead-end hunt to capture a serial killer, he risks his hard-earned reputation by doing the unthinkable: recruiting a memory surgeon to probe the mind of a comatose victim.
Kiera might appreciate the cop’s dimples and his commitment to the job, but only an idiot would agree to experience a rape-murder victim’s last memories. Kiera, it turns out, is that idiot. Dean’s dedication and calming presence challenge Kiera’s distrustful nature, and she finds herself falling for Dean even as he struggles with his own demons.
Can two broken people find love?
When the killer discovers Kiera’s on the case, he realizes she is exactly what he needs to relive his kills. Dean and the killer both close in on their targets, and it becomes a race to catch the monster before he catches Kiera.
The Color of Trauma is a thought-provoking paranormal romantic suspense novel with an unconventional heroine, dark themes, and psychological drama.
“I’m not sure
how much Ms. Morten has shared with you, but—”
Kiera lifted a
finger; thankfully, her index. “Dr. Patty told us you had questions about
memory reading as it might apply to one of your cases. Read memories aren’t
admissible in court. You’re wasting your time.”
“I don’t need
evidence like that,” Dean said, deciding not to point out that Patty hadn’t
graduated yet and wasn’t, technically, a doctor.
“Whew,” the
blond he didn’t recognize said. “It’s one of the frustrating things about what
we do.” The memory surgeons all winced when she spoke, though the blond didn’t
appear to notice.
“What’s your
name?” he asked.
She beamed. “Amy
Carter.”
“Do you mind telling
me what’s your specialty?”
“Bitching and
complaining,” Kiera replied in a tight voice.
Amy’s lips
compressed, but she didn’t say anything. Was Kiera the group’s bully? Was that
how she controlled the narrative? Everyone looked to her, even Patty.
Kiera sighed.
“Dr. Schwartz is the expert in the field. Look into his research. Gilfoile and
Roberts are hacks, and the rest don’t know shit but still want to capitalize on
the memory-surgeon thing.”
He wrote down
“Schwartz” in his notebook, surprised at her generosity. “Thank you.”
She stared at
him with those blue eyes that didn’t blink enough. “That all?”
“Not quite.”
“Yeah, I
figured.” She shook her head. “They don’t fully understand how memory works, so
it’s going to be a while before they figure out how we’re able to access
people’s memories and how they can be removed and kept in someone else’s mind.
We can’t help you with the science stuff.”
“I’m more
interested in how it works from a practical standpoint.” He directed his
questions at everyone else, but the only one looking directly at him was Kiera.
Fine. If he won her over, the others would follow. “I’m trying to ascertain what
you can and can’t do.”
“Why?”
No time to
finesse. With his attention still on Kiera, he handed Brittany Kolchek’s
picture to Ramon and asked him to look and pass it on.
“I’ve never seen
her before,” Ramon said. “Is she missing?”
Dean waited
until everyone had viewed the photo, because he didn’t want to give them the
opportunity to refuse.
Beth looked
last, and she studied Brittany for several seconds. “She seems nice.” Then she
walked the photo back to him.
“Her name is
Brittany Kolchek,” he said. “She’s in a coma.” As a group, they cringed, even
Kiera. Good—they cared. “The doctors say she won’t wake.”
“You don’t want
information. You want one of us to jump into her memories,” Kiera said, her
face as hard as her voice.
“We believe she’s the third victim of a serial
killer targeting young women. All three scenes have little physical evidence.
This might be our only chance to catch a break.” When nobody spoke or moved, he
added, “He’ll kill again.”
Author Info
Hollie Smurthwaite is a paranormal romantic suspense author of The Color of Trauma and The Color of Betrayal. The Color of Trauma was the winner of the 2020 Soon to Be Famous Illinois Author Project in adult fiction. She lives in Chicago with her husband, son, and too few pets. In past lives, she's been a checkout clerk, massage therapist, office manager, recruiter, magazine staff writer, pepper spray hawker, and belly dancer.
Website: https://holliesmurthwaite.com
LinkTree https://linktr.ee/hollie_smurthwaite
Twitter: https://twitter.com/H_Smurthwaite
Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/2336027206
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hsmurthwaite/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HollieSmurthwaiteAuthor/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hollie-smurthwaite-03376516b/
Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/author/hollie_smurthwaite
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/75834809-hollie-smurthwaite.png)
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