Dead Things: An utterly gripping romantic thriller perfect for fans of intoxicating love stories and dark romance from the author TikTok sensation Still Beating!

by Jennifer Hartmann

A forensic assistant is pulled into the wilderness by a beguiling fugitive accused of murder in this taut, emotionally-charged romantic thriller, as the author of the Booktok-viral survivor romance Still Beating explores how love can take root in even the darkest places.

Dead bodies always tell the truth. You just have to listen.

As a forensic assistant, I live among the dead—cataloging wounds, dissecting silence, searching for the truths people try to hide. It’s the only place I’ve ever trusted what’s real. Until Miller Banks.

We once worked side by side. He was the brilliant forensic pathologist I idolized. The man I watched with adoring eyes, certain there was nothing he couldn’t solve.

Then the murders started. Seven bodies on my table. And every trail led back to him.

Miller vanished three years ago, presumed dead. But he isn’t in the grave. He’s in the woods. And now, so am I.

He swears he won’t hurt me. That he didn’t kill those people. That he needs me to see the truth no one else would. I call him a monster.

Yet the longer I’m bound to him, the more the lines blur—between guilt and innocence, truth and obsession, predator and protector. Because sometimes the one who holds you captive … is the only one who can set you free.

Genres: Romance, Thriller, Dark Romance, Romantic Suspense, Adult, Contemporary, Dark

Kindle Edition

Expected publication February 25, 2027

About the author

Jennifer Hartmann resides in northern Illinois with her own personal romance hero and three children. When she is not writing angsty love stories, she is likely pondering all the ways she can break your heart and piece it back together again. She enjoys sunsets (because mornings are hard), bike riding, traveling, bingeing Buffy the Vampire Slayer reruns, and that time of day when coffee gets replaced by wine. She loves tacos. She also really, really wants to pet your dog.

Reviews

[Shannon Farley]

Ahhh! ❤️ A new Jennifer Hartmann book! Cant wait for this! 🥰 Will be counting down the days till Feb 23rd, 2027

[Nicole Holdaway]

I would give this 6 stars if I could. It had me in its grip from the very beginning. Jennifer Hartmann creates this incredibly atmospheric, unsettling story that leaves you with a constant sense of worry & dread. It’s the perfect blend of thriller, romance, and dare I say horror?!…I was uneasy reading this one & that was the point. It’s dark, gruesome, dreadful, hair raising, but also tension filled, emotional & tragic. The storyline was so intricate & the web that was woven and how it all tied together was very well thought out. What an incredible talent this author has for writing stories that are beautiful and emotional while the storyline that’s taking place is dark, tragic & intense.
This one is gripping, haunting, and impossible to put down. I also loved the ending, it was so authentic to the story!

[Stacey Ferrell]

Dead Things completely pulled me in from the first page. Equal parts psychological thriller and romance, this story had me questioning everyone and everything. I figured out the main twist fairly early on, but the author still managed to throw in a couple of curveballs I never saw coming.

"Only the dead tell the truth" couldn't be a more fitting tagline. In a story where trust is constantly tested, you'll never know who to believe. Dark, addictive, and impossible to put down, this is a must-read for anyone who loves thrillers with a touch of romance.