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Such Dark Things
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.
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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First published March 20, 2018
43 people are currently reading
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About the author
Courtney Evan Tate
3 books122 followersCourtney Evan Tate is the nom de plume (and darker side) of Courtney Cole, the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the Beautifully Broken series and the Nocte Trilogy, among other fiction. She spends her days dreaming of new characters and story lines and surprising plot twists, and writing them beneath rustling palm trees in Florida.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 188 reviews
April 21, 2018
3.75 Majorly Messed Up Stars 🌟🌟🌟.75
I think the best thing to do with this review is to start out with how it has been marketed.... I would classify this book as Dark Erotica not as a psychological thriller..... there is a lot of graphic sex in this book, and if you do not read erotica you will not appreciate this book.... I read a few reviews from my Goodread’s friends and that was their main complaint... too much sex.... additionally let’s look at what this book was compared to... the movie Fatal Attraction.... OK I can see this Zoe definitely the rabbit boiling type of girl.... but the other comparison is the book TGOTT a book I didn’t even necessarily like... but there is nothing and I mean nothing.... other than the fact that there are female characters in both books that these books have in common.... I think 9 times out of 10 the comparisons to other books or movies don’t do any good for the book... because the expectation is never quite lived up to....
Now onto this book, I actually liked 90% of this book quite a bit....Corrine was a likable character and I really was curious as to what memories she was blocking from her past.... Zoe was the perfect crazy stalker character..... Jude quite frankly was just a weak man.... I believe everyone has the right to forgive somebody for cheating.... but in my book cheating is cheating is cheating is cheating....
I also liked the structure of this book.... told from both Corrine and Jude’s point of view.... we found out about the holes in Corrine’s memory right along with her.... there are some definite twists and turns I did not see coming, and a twist I was expecting that never happened.... probably would have even rated this book a bit higher if it weren’t for the ending... the ending frustrated and nauseated me just a little....
Would recommend to fans of Dark erotica....
*** thank you to the publisher for a copy of this book ***
I think the best thing to do with this review is to start out with how it has been marketed.... I would classify this book as Dark Erotica not as a psychological thriller..... there is a lot of graphic sex in this book, and if you do not read erotica you will not appreciate this book.... I read a few reviews from my Goodread’s friends and that was their main complaint... too much sex.... additionally let’s look at what this book was compared to... the movie Fatal Attraction.... OK I can see this Zoe definitely the rabbit boiling type of girl.... but the other comparison is the book TGOTT a book I didn’t even necessarily like... but there is nothing and I mean nothing.... other than the fact that there are female characters in both books that these books have in common.... I think 9 times out of 10 the comparisons to other books or movies don’t do any good for the book... because the expectation is never quite lived up to....
Now onto this book, I actually liked 90% of this book quite a bit....Corrine was a likable character and I really was curious as to what memories she was blocking from her past.... Zoe was the perfect crazy stalker character..... Jude quite frankly was just a weak man.... I believe everyone has the right to forgive somebody for cheating.... but in my book cheating is cheating is cheating is cheating....
I also liked the structure of this book.... told from both Corrine and Jude’s point of view.... we found out about the holes in Corrine’s memory right along with her.... there are some definite twists and turns I did not see coming, and a twist I was expecting that never happened.... probably would have even rated this book a bit higher if it weren’t for the ending... the ending frustrated and nauseated me just a little....
Would recommend to fans of Dark erotica....
*** thank you to the publisher for a copy of this book ***
March 11, 2018
I'm not exactly sure what I just read but I definitely didn't sign up for an erotica?
This was marketed as a psychological suspense.... but this way completely way off! There were way too many sex scenes in here to be a psychological thriller. I was sitting in bed last night with my fiancé and was laughing about all the horrible and detailed sex scenes. Honestly, I was pretty uncomfortable and in all it was painful to finish this one.
The book started off very very strong and I was excited going into this. I loved getting to know one of our main characters Corrine at first..... who is a very busy physician that works in the ER. Corrine throws herself into her job trying to forget about her past. When Corrine was a teenager, her father killed two people and left her behind. Of course as the reader, you're intrigued to find out what happened to Corrine.
Then, the book takes a serious swing as it starts to focus more on Corrine's husband June. Corrine is so focused on her job and trying to forget her past that she has been neglecting her husband a little bit. Jude is feeling the distance between him and his wife so he starts hanging out with his twin brother Michel more frequently. Michel and Jude spend a lot of time at a little diner for dinners and breakfasts. One morning Michel introduces Jude to a new hot and young waitress Zoe. Except Zoe has some dark and underlying secrets and intentions of her own that Corrine and Jude have no idea are coming.....
Zoe has a serious hard on for June and it takes a downward spiral from there. Ok... seriously can I just say way too many sex scenes. This took away so much of the actual plot. Eh...... this was bad.
And... what really annoyed me. Come on Jude.... are you that much of a victim here?
And... Corrine come on sweetie can you seriously just forget and clap your hands? NO..... characters were a FAIL in this novel.
Let me talk about that ending. What the?!! Are you serious.... NO. This was unbelievable and just added to more of the hot mess to this book.
1.5 stars
Thank you to Netgalley and Harlequin for the advanced arc in exchange for my honest review.
Publication date: 3/20/18
Published to GR: 3/10/18
This was marketed as a psychological suspense.... but this way completely way off! There were way too many sex scenes in here to be a psychological thriller. I was sitting in bed last night with my fiancé and was laughing about all the horrible and detailed sex scenes. Honestly, I was pretty uncomfortable and in all it was painful to finish this one.
The book started off very very strong and I was excited going into this. I loved getting to know one of our main characters Corrine at first..... who is a very busy physician that works in the ER. Corrine throws herself into her job trying to forget about her past. When Corrine was a teenager, her father killed two people and left her behind. Of course as the reader, you're intrigued to find out what happened to Corrine.
Then, the book takes a serious swing as it starts to focus more on Corrine's husband June. Corrine is so focused on her job and trying to forget her past that she has been neglecting her husband a little bit. Jude is feeling the distance between him and his wife so he starts hanging out with his twin brother Michel more frequently. Michel and Jude spend a lot of time at a little diner for dinners and breakfasts. One morning Michel introduces Jude to a new hot and young waitress Zoe. Except Zoe has some dark and underlying secrets and intentions of her own that Corrine and Jude have no idea are coming.....
Zoe has a serious hard on for June and it takes a downward spiral from there. Ok... seriously can I just say way too many sex scenes. This took away so much of the actual plot. Eh...... this was bad.
And... what really annoyed me. Come on Jude.... are you that much of a victim here?
And... Corrine come on sweetie can you seriously just forget and clap your hands? NO..... characters were a FAIL in this novel.
Let me talk about that ending. What the?!! Are you serious.... NO. This was unbelievable and just added to more of the hot mess to this book.
1.5 stars
Thank you to Netgalley and Harlequin for the advanced arc in exchange for my honest review.
Publication date: 3/20/18
Published to GR: 3/10/18
April 18, 2018
5 STARS
I'm speechless, I didn't expect anything like this!I haven't read this author before and I was intrigued about this book when I start reading it!I literally read it in one sitting because I couldn't put it down!I wanted to see what will happen next!I was reading and I was shocked about some parts of this story!
I'm not going to say anything about what is happening it's better if you go blind with this one!I enjoyed the way the story was told!It was a fast paced story full of suspense that kept me on the edge!
This isn't the type of books I'm enjoying reading but for some reason this book catch my attention and I enjoyed it a lot!I would like to read more books like that!It was so different!
I'm speechless, I didn't expect anything like this!I haven't read this author before and I was intrigued about this book when I start reading it!I literally read it in one sitting because I couldn't put it down!I wanted to see what will happen next!I was reading and I was shocked about some parts of this story!
I'm not going to say anything about what is happening it's better if you go blind with this one!I enjoyed the way the story was told!It was a fast paced story full of suspense that kept me on the edge!
This isn't the type of books I'm enjoying reading but for some reason this book catch my attention and I enjoyed it a lot!I would like to read more books like that!It was so different!
March 20, 2018
Corinne and Jude have been happily married for over a decade. She's an ER doc and he's a therapist. But recently their marriage is crumbling a bit. She's constantly working and he feels lonely.
Not helping their marriage is the fact that Corinne is currently residing in a mental hospital - Jude found her with her wrists slit.
We go back and forth a bit in time. From two weeks before Halloween until now. It seems that Halloween was somehow the trigger for Corinne. Something really bad happened when she was 18. Her dad was arrested for killing two people. But Corinne was there too - babysitting the killed couple's children. But the police found her standing all bloody in the middle of the whole massacre.
What happened back then? And what is happening now?
WE HAVE NO IDEA!!!! But we SO want to find out.
AND ALSO .... NOTHING IS WHAT IT SEEMS! ☺☺☺
════════════════════════
WOW!
I really had no idea what to expect when I started reading. I know from Courtney's Nocte series that her books can be quite ... interesting and weird and confuzzling. And this book was not so very different. I was intrigued from the very beginning. You just have to keep on reading to find out what happened and what is happening and you - or rather I - wanted Jude and Corinne to live happily ever after.
The story is told in both Corinne's and Jude's POV. I loved that! And I was surpised that I was not at all confused by the constant change in time.
13 Days and 10 hours until Halloween - Jude.
Now - Reflections Mental Hospital - Corinne.
4 Days and 4 hours until Halloween - Corinne.et cetera.
Good way to uncomplicate things for this very easily confused reader. ☺
SUCH DARK THINGS was a really exciting story. It gave this reader a bit of heart and soul pain while reading. I felt for them both and I just wanted everything to be good again. But of course it's not that easy. Very dangerous things are happening in this story.
I wanted to throw the kindle at Jude's head a few times - grrrr! Weakling! But I still loved him and wanted him to find his way back.
(People who are against cheating in books, might not want to read it
And I loved Michel! He's such an amazing brother!
I really enjoyed this book. It was something a bit different - a breath of fresh (psycho) air - in the middle of reading all those sexy new adult or rockstar romances. I loved it. Wouldn't mind seeing it on Netflix one day!☺☺☺
PLEASE READ IT! Don't be afraid of weird reviews or the cover or the blurb. It's an amazing love story. A story about a couple that has A LOT of past and present pain to fight through to get back to that happily ever after that they thought they were living all along.
♡
♡
♡
December 24, 2017
** 1 Goodreads Star**
Have you ever walked into a bookstore and ended up in the wrong section? Or walked into the wrong bathroom by accident? That's how I felt reading Courtney Evan Tate's Such Dark Things . Touted as a mix between Girl on a Train and Fatal Attraction , this book is more like Lolita meets the movie American Beauty . And not in a good way. When I hit about the halfway mark through this book and had read one too many sex scenes, I had to look up the author and description of the book. I am not into adult fiction, nor do I enjoy romance novels. This book was written by someone who is also an adult fiction writer (aka R- to X-rated novels) who is writing this book under a pen name, which I normally wouldn't care about. However, this book clearly does not fit into the "psychological thriller" genre as its publisher states.
That being said, the book started off really strong. The first part of it is devoted to Corrine, who is a busy physician working in the emergency room. She throws so much heart and energy into her job that not much is left for her partner and husband, Jude. Corrine also throws herself into her job to escape her past, one that is murky even to herself. Her father killed her two people, leaving her behind as a teenager. As a reader, I was drawn into this story, wondering what happened that fateful night.
Once the author started focusing on Corrine's husband, however, the book took a sharp detour. Jude is having an affair on the side with a very young woman in her early 20s who later admits to having been molested by her foster father. The young woman, Zoe, argues that she came onto him, which Jude simply takes at face value despite his training as a PSYCHOLOGIST. Zoe exhibits many of the common symptoms of someone who has been severely abused as a child, yet Jude is not concerned. All he cares about is his sexual needs. The amount of ridiculous sex scenes involving Jude and Zoe in this book is so copious that it left me wondering what the heck happened to the plot. I skimmed most of these scenes because they seriously took up SO much of the book, and had little to do with the plot. The scenes were overtly graphic, too, which felt inappropriate in this genre.
I had a lot of hope for this book especially given its strong beginning, but the focus on Jude and his wildly inappropriate (bordering on victimization and abuse in my opinion) relationship with a young woman who has been a victim of abuse her entire life overshadowed the entire book. The ending was just as maddening, and frankly I wished I had stopped reading the book as soon as it started to get raunchy and completely unbelievable.
Maybe this book would work for readers of adult fiction and romance, but this was not for me. Thank you to the publisher, NetGalley, and the author for an advanced reader copy of this book.
You can read more of my reviews on my blog, I Dig Books (and Dirt).
Have you ever walked into a bookstore and ended up in the wrong section? Or walked into the wrong bathroom by accident? That's how I felt reading Courtney Evan Tate's Such Dark Things . Touted as a mix between Girl on a Train and Fatal Attraction , this book is more like Lolita meets the movie American Beauty . And not in a good way. When I hit about the halfway mark through this book and had read one too many sex scenes, I had to look up the author and description of the book. I am not into adult fiction, nor do I enjoy romance novels. This book was written by someone who is also an adult fiction writer (aka R- to X-rated novels) who is writing this book under a pen name, which I normally wouldn't care about. However, this book clearly does not fit into the "psychological thriller" genre as its publisher states.
That being said, the book started off really strong. The first part of it is devoted to Corrine, who is a busy physician working in the emergency room. She throws so much heart and energy into her job that not much is left for her partner and husband, Jude. Corrine also throws herself into her job to escape her past, one that is murky even to herself. Her father killed her two people, leaving her behind as a teenager. As a reader, I was drawn into this story, wondering what happened that fateful night.
Once the author started focusing on Corrine's husband, however, the book took a sharp detour. Jude is having an affair on the side with a very young woman in her early 20s who later admits to having been molested by her foster father. The young woman, Zoe, argues that she came onto him, which Jude simply takes at face value despite his training as a PSYCHOLOGIST. Zoe exhibits many of the common symptoms of someone who has been severely abused as a child, yet Jude is not concerned. All he cares about is his sexual needs. The amount of ridiculous sex scenes involving Jude and Zoe in this book is so copious that it left me wondering what the heck happened to the plot. I skimmed most of these scenes because they seriously took up SO much of the book, and had little to do with the plot. The scenes were overtly graphic, too, which felt inappropriate in this genre.
I had a lot of hope for this book especially given its strong beginning, but the focus on Jude and his wildly inappropriate (bordering on victimization and abuse in my opinion) relationship with a young woman who has been a victim of abuse her entire life overshadowed the entire book. The ending was just as maddening, and frankly I wished I had stopped reading the book as soon as it started to get raunchy and completely unbelievable.
Maybe this book would work for readers of adult fiction and romance, but this was not for me. Thank you to the publisher, NetGalley, and the author for an advanced reader copy of this book.
You can read more of my reviews on my blog, I Dig Books (and Dirt).
May 15, 2020
My gosh, this novel was a wild ride! It was like a train wreck I couldn’t look away from. After my friend, Talon, reviewed this novel at Under the Cover Book Blog, I couldn’t wait to start reading. Basically, if Talon gives five stars to a book I know it is bound to be a great read. Since reading her review, I began seeing this cover everywhere and started noticing more great reviews popping up on Goodreads. Before I scrolled across any spoilers and wasn’t able to go into this story blind, I decided I’d better give it a go immediately.
While browsing Amazon to check out the price (I’m ever a frugal book lover), I discovered two Audible credits with my free-trial. I’ve only ever listened to one audiobook in my adult life and I wasn’t completely sold on the experience. I like it while I’m driving alone, but that rarely happens these days with three boisterous children in the backseat. I decided I’d pop in some earbuds as I cooked and cleaned since they are fairly mindless tasks, killing two birds with one stone. I have to say, I really enjoyed being able to multi-task in this way and will have to “invest” in more Audiobooks in the future. I really enjoyed the dual narration of Such Dark Things with the female perspective of Corinne and Jude’s male point-of-view.
The characters in this story were so painfully real. Corrine gave a voice to women’s insecurities and the intuition we often quiet down to suit our denial. I truly felt for her and like her many times in my own life. She was easy to relate to and exciting to read about (or listen to). Throughout the whole story, I was questioning her reliability as a narrator, which can’t get enough of. I didn’t want to stop listening because I was dying to know more about every facet of her life!
Jude, oh Jude. I can’t even go on about Jude because I wanted to punch his daylights out for most of the book. Not to mention the antagonist of this story – I truly haven’t despised a character this incredibly much in the longest time.
There were parts of this storyline that completely disgusted me, making me wish I was reading, rather than listening to the narration. I think it might have been easier to stomach the particular “dark things” without voices in my head, so to speak. I may have been more apt to give this book five stars instead of four if I had read this, as opposed to listening to the audiobook. It was truly a stomach-turning, blood-curdling novel that will make you question all of the people you let into your life. I have a love-hate relationship with these types of books because I love not knowing what will happen next, but slightly hate the level of anxiety I feel during and after reading. I felt like I was constantly in the dark about what was going on, and even though I was able to figure out aspects of the conclusion, there was one particular twist that had me gasping. I have to zip my lips now because this is an incredibly challenging book to review without spoilers! Overall, I really enjoyed the suspense of the story, the excellent writing, and the emotions the author was able to evoke. If you’re a suspense fan, this novel comes highly recommended.
While browsing Amazon to check out the price (I’m ever a frugal book lover), I discovered two Audible credits with my free-trial. I’ve only ever listened to one audiobook in my adult life and I wasn’t completely sold on the experience. I like it while I’m driving alone, but that rarely happens these days with three boisterous children in the backseat. I decided I’d pop in some earbuds as I cooked and cleaned since they are fairly mindless tasks, killing two birds with one stone. I have to say, I really enjoyed being able to multi-task in this way and will have to “invest” in more Audiobooks in the future. I really enjoyed the dual narration of Such Dark Things with the female perspective of Corinne and Jude’s male point-of-view.
The characters in this story were so painfully real. Corrine gave a voice to women’s insecurities and the intuition we often quiet down to suit our denial. I truly felt for her and like her many times in my own life. She was easy to relate to and exciting to read about (or listen to). Throughout the whole story, I was questioning her reliability as a narrator, which can’t get enough of. I didn’t want to stop listening because I was dying to know more about every facet of her life!
Jude, oh Jude. I can’t even go on about Jude because I wanted to punch his daylights out for most of the book. Not to mention the antagonist of this story – I truly haven’t despised a character this incredibly much in the longest time.
There were parts of this storyline that completely disgusted me, making me wish I was reading, rather than listening to the narration. I think it might have been easier to stomach the particular “dark things” without voices in my head, so to speak. I may have been more apt to give this book five stars instead of four if I had read this, as opposed to listening to the audiobook. It was truly a stomach-turning, blood-curdling novel that will make you question all of the people you let into your life. I have a love-hate relationship with these types of books because I love not knowing what will happen next, but slightly hate the level of anxiety I feel during and after reading. I felt like I was constantly in the dark about what was going on, and even though I was able to figure out aspects of the conclusion, there was one particular twist that had me gasping. I have to zip my lips now because this is an incredibly challenging book to review without spoilers! Overall, I really enjoyed the suspense of the story, the excellent writing, and the emotions the author was able to evoke. If you’re a suspense fan, this novel comes highly recommended.
dnf
March 1, 2021First, READ this synopsis from Goodreads:
"A modern day Fatal Attraction meets The Girl on the Train, by New York Times and USA Today bestselling new adult author Courtney Cole, now writing dark psychological suspense under the name Courtney Tate Evans.
From the outside, Dr. Corinne Cabot is living the American dream: a successful ER physician, she is married to a hardworking and handsome psychologist. Together they own a charming house in the Chicago suburbs. But Cabot has a dark personal past and her memory has holes she tries to fill in. Her sleep is ravaged by recurring nightmares of that night when, as a teenager, she found her father standing next to the bodies of two people he had shot dead. It is what she can't remember about that night that utterly haunts her. Her father is still alive in jail for that terrible crime. At times now, despite her success, she fears she is truly unable to determine what is real and what is not. Then she starts to suspect that something is amiss with her husband and realizes that nothing--and no one--in her life is as it appears." (From Publisher)
THEN, take a look at this cover:
(see above)
NOW, read my review of a DNF (Did Not Finished):
DNF @ 15%
2018; Mira/HarperCollins Canada
When I read the synopsis and the tags associated with this book, I thought I was going to read a domestic psychological suspense (think Fatal Attraction). Instead, this was more of a psychological erotica. I could deal with the erotica (ie: skim that part, lol) if the story was strong and the suspense had you gripped. I gave up at 15% because I knew this book wasn't for me. I think marketing on this book should have been more honest so that people who like the erotica genre are going to miss out on this, and those that want just suspense will be disappointed.
Verdict: If you like erotica with your suspense, this may be the book for you! If you prefer a bit of romance with suspense or just suspense, take a pass.
***I received a complimentary copy of this ebook from the publisher through Edelweiss. Opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.***
"A modern day Fatal Attraction meets The Girl on the Train, by New York Times and USA Today bestselling new adult author Courtney Cole, now writing dark psychological suspense under the name Courtney Tate Evans.
From the outside, Dr. Corinne Cabot is living the American dream: a successful ER physician, she is married to a hardworking and handsome psychologist. Together they own a charming house in the Chicago suburbs. But Cabot has a dark personal past and her memory has holes she tries to fill in. Her sleep is ravaged by recurring nightmares of that night when, as a teenager, she found her father standing next to the bodies of two people he had shot dead. It is what she can't remember about that night that utterly haunts her. Her father is still alive in jail for that terrible crime. At times now, despite her success, she fears she is truly unable to determine what is real and what is not. Then she starts to suspect that something is amiss with her husband and realizes that nothing--and no one--in her life is as it appears." (From Publisher)
THEN, take a look at this cover:
(see above)
NOW, read my review of a DNF (Did Not Finished):
DNF @ 15%
2018; Mira/HarperCollins Canada
When I read the synopsis and the tags associated with this book, I thought I was going to read a domestic psychological suspense (think Fatal Attraction). Instead, this was more of a psychological erotica. I could deal with the erotica (ie: skim that part, lol) if the story was strong and the suspense had you gripped. I gave up at 15% because I knew this book wasn't for me. I think marketing on this book should have been more honest so that people who like the erotica genre are going to miss out on this, and those that want just suspense will be disappointed.
Verdict: If you like erotica with your suspense, this may be the book for you! If you prefer a bit of romance with suspense or just suspense, take a pass.
***I received a complimentary copy of this ebook from the publisher through Edelweiss. Opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.***
March 20, 2018
4.5/5 stars
Such Dark Things is a standalone psychological thriller. It is written by Courtney Cole under the pen name of Courtney Evan Tate.
I absolutely love psychological thrillers. So when I found out that Courtney Cole had written one I knew that I had to read this book.
This book was compelling. This book was captivating. I could not put this book down!
This book has two narrators: Corrine and Jude (a married couple in their mid-30s). The book goes back and forth in time (between NOW and about a month before - this latter time period moves slowly forward to the present).
Corrine and Jude live in Chicago. She is a busy ER physician, who works a lot. He is a therapist, who seems to have a more set schedule. Jude has a twin brother Michel. Corrine has a sister Jackie.
This book is a psychological thriller. The book starts with a prologue. There are two first person POVs. 17 years ago something happened in Corrine's life on Halloween. People died. She has blocked out what happened. This is a big part of the story.
I am not always a huge fan of a story going back and forth in time. But I thought that it worked very well in this book, especially since it was all stuff that happened in the last month.
Corrine was an interesting character. She is paranoid and also worried that she might go crazy.
I definitely enjoy a good thriller. In this book there is so much going on. What happened all those years ago? What is happening now? What is she blocking out? I loved it all.
I found the book intriguing right from the start. But how I felt overall would depend on whether there were any good twists. And how the book ended. I was definitely satisfied with both of these things.
There were a bunch of characters of note. I was really fascinated by Michel. He had such an unusual profession given who he was. Also there was a twenty-something named Zoe who worked at the diner where Jude and his brother ate every day. I could not stand her right from the start.
I was so anxious reading this book wondering what was going to happen next. I was on the edge of my seat. I definitely put some of the pieces together. But honestly there were some things that I did not see coming.
I was dying to know how this story would end. This book was riveting. This book was exciting. This book was crazy. This book was chilling. Honestly I could not put this book down. The end made me cry. Overall this was a really good book.
Thanks to netgalley and HARLEQUIN - Romance (U.S. & Canada)/ MIRA for allowing me to read this book.
Such Dark Things is a standalone psychological thriller. It is written by Courtney Cole under the pen name of Courtney Evan Tate.
I absolutely love psychological thrillers. So when I found out that Courtney Cole had written one I knew that I had to read this book.
This book was compelling. This book was captivating. I could not put this book down!
This book has two narrators: Corrine and Jude (a married couple in their mid-30s). The book goes back and forth in time (between NOW and about a month before - this latter time period moves slowly forward to the present).
Corrine and Jude live in Chicago. She is a busy ER physician, who works a lot. He is a therapist, who seems to have a more set schedule. Jude has a twin brother Michel. Corrine has a sister Jackie.
This book is a psychological thriller. The book starts with a prologue. There are two first person POVs. 17 years ago something happened in Corrine's life on Halloween. People died. She has blocked out what happened. This is a big part of the story.
I am not always a huge fan of a story going back and forth in time. But I thought that it worked very well in this book, especially since it was all stuff that happened in the last month.
Corrine was an interesting character. She is paranoid and also worried that she might go crazy.
I definitely enjoy a good thriller. In this book there is so much going on. What happened all those years ago? What is happening now? What is she blocking out? I loved it all.
I found the book intriguing right from the start. But how I felt overall would depend on whether there were any good twists. And how the book ended. I was definitely satisfied with both of these things.
There were a bunch of characters of note. I was really fascinated by Michel. He had such an unusual profession given who he was. Also there was a twenty-something named Zoe who worked at the diner where Jude and his brother ate every day. I could not stand her right from the start.
I was so anxious reading this book wondering what was going to happen next. I was on the edge of my seat. I definitely put some of the pieces together. But honestly there were some things that I did not see coming.
I was dying to know how this story would end. This book was riveting. This book was exciting. This book was crazy. This book was chilling. Honestly I could not put this book down. The end made me cry. Overall this was a really good book.
Thanks to netgalley and HARLEQUIN - Romance (U.S. & Canada)/ MIRA for allowing me to read this book.
February 4, 2018
I want to just say first and foremost: this book that Courtney has written is gut wrenching and gut turning and real and raw. It’s completely UNLIKE anything I have ever read before. It’s real life and it hurts. I was queasy and I was clenching my teeth and fists together throughout most of the book. This is a book about the kinds of things that can happen every single day. When you aren’t even expecting it. The things that most of us (if you are anything like me) might be terrified of.
I read this book in one sitting. ONE. I didn’t stop until I was done. I couldn’t stop. I WOULDN’T stop. I was a complete masochist with this book because I literally just kept going, kept hurting myself, and kept feeling nauseas. My nerves were SHOT. But did I keep going? HELL YES I DID. Absolutely. And that is what makes this book so wonderful. You don’t want to keep going and experiencing all of this like it is happening to YOU but you do.
The characters didn’t fall flat in any way for me. Throughout this whole book, Courtney provides us with two different point of views. Two different feelings. And two different secrets. You will relate to one of them, I promise. I over-analyzed everything about my life by the time I was done being in these people’s heads. I questioned a lot of motives and psycho-analyzed every aspect of them.
I know that I say it a lot but I mean it with this book. Go in blind. If you read the blurb, do not let it stop you. It’s hard to give this book a meaningful and worthy enough review due to the fact that I do not want to give away anything that pertains to this story.
My only request is you go in with an open mind on this one. Open your mind to two different types of people and two different types of inner dialogue and POVs.
*disclaimer: there is cheating in this book. Now, most of the time that is really hard for me. But Courtney wrote it in a way that made me understand that it was bound to happen. I didn’t accept or approve that it happened, but I understood that it was to happen.
I read this book in one sitting. ONE. I didn’t stop until I was done. I couldn’t stop. I WOULDN’T stop. I was a complete masochist with this book because I literally just kept going, kept hurting myself, and kept feeling nauseas. My nerves were SHOT. But did I keep going? HELL YES I DID. Absolutely. And that is what makes this book so wonderful. You don’t want to keep going and experiencing all of this like it is happening to YOU but you do.
The characters didn’t fall flat in any way for me. Throughout this whole book, Courtney provides us with two different point of views. Two different feelings. And two different secrets. You will relate to one of them, I promise. I over-analyzed everything about my life by the time I was done being in these people’s heads. I questioned a lot of motives and psycho-analyzed every aspect of them.
I know that I say it a lot but I mean it with this book. Go in blind. If you read the blurb, do not let it stop you. It’s hard to give this book a meaningful and worthy enough review due to the fact that I do not want to give away anything that pertains to this story.
My only request is you go in with an open mind on this one. Open your mind to two different types of people and two different types of inner dialogue and POVs.
*disclaimer: there is cheating in this book. Now, most of the time that is really hard for me. But Courtney wrote it in a way that made me understand that it was bound to happen. I didn’t accept or approve that it happened, but I understood that it was to happen.
February 24, 2019
4.5 stars
I've been wanting to read this book for a while, I don't know why I didn't sooner. What finally pushed me to read it was listening to Willow Aster's podcast where this author was a guest and her saying that some parts of the novel were true, it actually happened to her .
Anyway, the book was good, just as I hoped it'd be.
You can read it one sitting, it's fast, thrilling, elicit. Recommend.
I've been wanting to read this book for a while, I don't know why I didn't sooner. What finally pushed me to read it was listening to Willow Aster's podcast where this author was a guest and her saying that some parts of the novel were true, it actually happened to her .
Anyway, the book was good, just as I hoped it'd be.
You can read it one sitting, it's fast, thrilling, elicit. Recommend.
March 21, 2018
Suspenseful, unnerving, and darkly erotic!
Such Dark Things is an eerie, sultry thrill ride that takes you on a journey into the life of the overworked, scarred Dr. Corinne Cabot as she struggles to balance a high-pressure career, a marriage under strain, and the secrets and ghosts from her past that continually haunt her.
The prose is dark and tight. The characters are deceitful, overwhelmed, troubled, and at times despicable. And the plot told from multiple perspectives, uses a past/present style to unravel, piece-by-piece, an intense, gritty tale of manipulation, jealousy, abuse, infidelity, revenge, seduction, and murderous obsession.
Overall, Such Dark Things is a sinister, tension-packed, shocking tale with some explicit sexual imagery that delves into the complex relationship between a husband and wife and highlights the devastating and enduring emotional and psychological effects childhood trauma can have on its victims. It's riveting, disturbing, and undoubtedly hard to put down.
Thank you to Harlequin Books for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.
All my reviews can be found on my blog at https://whatsbetterthanbooks.com
Such Dark Things is an eerie, sultry thrill ride that takes you on a journey into the life of the overworked, scarred Dr. Corinne Cabot as she struggles to balance a high-pressure career, a marriage under strain, and the secrets and ghosts from her past that continually haunt her.
The prose is dark and tight. The characters are deceitful, overwhelmed, troubled, and at times despicable. And the plot told from multiple perspectives, uses a past/present style to unravel, piece-by-piece, an intense, gritty tale of manipulation, jealousy, abuse, infidelity, revenge, seduction, and murderous obsession.
Overall, Such Dark Things is a sinister, tension-packed, shocking tale with some explicit sexual imagery that delves into the complex relationship between a husband and wife and highlights the devastating and enduring emotional and psychological effects childhood trauma can have on its victims. It's riveting, disturbing, and undoubtedly hard to put down.
Thank you to Harlequin Books for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.
All my reviews can be found on my blog at https://whatsbetterthanbooks.com
March 8, 2018
When I saw Courtney was writing a psychological thriller, I knew I had to have it. And WOW! She did not disappoint!
I knew this book would hit close to home in some aspects and it truly did. My emotions ran the gamut... I was hurt, I felt betrayed and broken, I felt pissed off then astounded and really f’ing surprised. I can’t tell you why other than to say READ THE BOOK!
Here is what I will say...
1. I was like her asking all the questions
2. He was like him, wanting her to be me, saying and apologizing in all the same ways
3. She was like her... the master manipulator...totally conniving, heartless, and twisted
4. God did it hurt
5. Yes, the easy way out would have been to leave
6. But you stay and in the end, you turn out even BETTER THAN BEFORE and while you always remember, it won’t be as painful because you have moved forward
This will all make sense after you read the book... just WOW! DO IT! It is so damn good, so suspenseful and will keep you on the edge of your seat til the very last page. Courtney, I am looking forward to reading more psychological thrillers from you—well done!
I knew this book would hit close to home in some aspects and it truly did. My emotions ran the gamut... I was hurt, I felt betrayed and broken, I felt pissed off then astounded and really f’ing surprised. I can’t tell you why other than to say READ THE BOOK!
Here is what I will say...
1. I was like her asking all the questions
2. He was like him, wanting her to be me, saying and apologizing in all the same ways
3. She was like her... the master manipulator...totally conniving, heartless, and twisted
4. God did it hurt
5. Yes, the easy way out would have been to leave
6. But you stay and in the end, you turn out even BETTER THAN BEFORE and while you always remember, it won’t be as painful because you have moved forward
This will all make sense after you read the book... just WOW! DO IT! It is so damn good, so suspenseful and will keep you on the edge of your seat til the very last page. Courtney, I am looking forward to reading more psychological thrillers from you—well done!
March 20, 2018
Angsty, Gut-wrenching Read!
God. it took me incredibly too long to read this book. I didn't know if I wanted to continue or throw my dang kindle across the room. That, in itself makes this a 4 star read. Believe me, I wanted to stop and say, hey, look, I'm starting to develop feelings for you guys, but I can't take the pain and headache.
Then.
I'm like, wtf is gonna happen. I guess I'll deal with it, I mean, I need to know, effers. But, please. I turned every page with trepidation. Like, OMG, what's gonna happen, yo. As much as this wasn't a romance, it was lustful, enticing, head-scratching madness. I was pissed and consumed.
I figured it out... Somewhat, but that was close to the end. And I still didn't have all the facts. This one is definenty a whirlwind of explosive ends and revelations.
A good read for suspenseful, thriller types!
God. it took me incredibly too long to read this book. I didn't know if I wanted to continue or throw my dang kindle across the room. That, in itself makes this a 4 star read. Believe me, I wanted to stop and say, hey, look, I'm starting to develop feelings for you guys, but I can't take the pain and headache.
Then.
I'm like, wtf is gonna happen. I guess I'll deal with it, I mean, I need to know, effers. But, please. I turned every page with trepidation. Like, OMG, what's gonna happen, yo. As much as this wasn't a romance, it was lustful, enticing, head-scratching madness. I was pissed and consumed.
I figured it out... Somewhat, but that was close to the end. And I still didn't have all the facts. This one is definenty a whirlwind of explosive ends and revelations.
A good read for suspenseful, thriller types!
April 17, 2018
Such Dark Things was not quite what I expected. Don't get me wrong, I liked it but I did not love it.. but in saying that I read it in just a couple of hours.
It tells the story of Doctor Corinne Cabot who is an ER doctor on Chicago. She is married to Jude who is a therapist. Corinne has a dark past, a past that she can't remember much about, other than the fact that her father is in jail for murdering 2 people and she found them. The details otherwise are sketchy. She starts to have nightmares and become paranoid that she is losing her husband.
It is told from various points of view and from various times in the story. There is a lot of explicit language and detail that I was not a big fan of but it fit with the story.
Thanks to Harlequin Australia HQ and NetGalley for my advanced copy of this book to read in exchange for my honest opinions.
It tells the story of Doctor Corinne Cabot who is an ER doctor on Chicago. She is married to Jude who is a therapist. Corinne has a dark past, a past that she can't remember much about, other than the fact that her father is in jail for murdering 2 people and she found them. The details otherwise are sketchy. She starts to have nightmares and become paranoid that she is losing her husband.
It is told from various points of view and from various times in the story. There is a lot of explicit language and detail that I was not a big fan of but it fit with the story.
Thanks to Harlequin Australia HQ and NetGalley for my advanced copy of this book to read in exchange for my honest opinions.
March 20, 2018
I've been a fan of this author ever since she unpended my world with her NOCTE series. I didn't know which side was up, like being inside a churning cage. She has a knack of writing such psychologically twisted stories that'll make you question your realities around you. I distinctly remember walking around in a daze after Nocte, all thanks to my bestie -Laveda's recommendation. I knew I had to jump at the chance of reading this book, as soon as she announced it.
And she doesn't dissappoint at all !!
The strongest steel is forged by the fires of hell. and to prove this adage, Courtney seats us in this book-capsule and takes us inside Dr. Corrine Cabot's mind. As the journey starts INSIDE Corrine's brain, we see that it's frozen, in a time space where she's just 18, standing in a pool of blood, her father standing by two dead bodies, and she holds him responsible for destruction of her family, his mistress Melanie's family and her own consciousness. I do believe her mind is comatose even if her body moves on inertia. Her thoughts are set in concrete shoes, unable to move.
a dissasociateive behaviour-You blocked out what your father did so long ago, and it stands to reason that your brain has developed that as a defense mechanism.
Jude, her husband is helpless in her suffering and her panic attacks and anxiety are triggering vicious nightmares. I can toatlly picture Corrine running through foggy moors of her past, trying to find a way out or make sense of the ominous shapes surrounding her.
The word building is so fantastic, you start doubting what is right in front of you, very much like Corrine & Jude. The mood is very tense & intense. I could feel my pulse thrumming, my heartbeat faster and eyes narrowing. Why are there holes in Corrine's mind? what would it take to fill them? what is this full picture?..aaaaaarghhh!!
It was so frustrating for ME, imagine the quandary of poor Corrine, who's forever just fingertips away from the truth.
I applaud Courtney's masterful endeavour to play mind games of this complex variety.
There are secondary characters who are of utmost importance in the story.
The catalyst is Zoe. She's a vixen, a delectable morsel of temptation, as if created by the devil himself in his own image. A powerful, alluring seductress, who's got her talons in Jude's libido and she's digging deeper and harder, Upping her game in every encounter
Zoe is a modern-day Jezebel. She’s showing me her goods on purpose and trying to make it seem innocent, and this all has the very real possibility of crossing a line.
The proverbial Angel and demon on the shoulders having a perpetual war of words tugging at Jude's conscience, would be hysterical if it wasn't so pathetic.
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.
Michel is another fabulous character, a priest and Jude's twin. He's the sane, sensible one who cares deeply for the couple . Many a times giving Jude a wollop on his head or holding Corrine's hand .
The story is TOTALLY unique and mindbending, meandering from unbelievable hallucinations to uncontrollable intentions. Jude is "Royally Fucked", if I want to be honest.
But WAIT!!! Nothing is what it seems at all, it's Courtney Cole book after all. So tighten your seat belts, Courtney-capsule will move at warp speed in side Corrine's mind, heart, soul and psyche and you'll be wondering if you're walking on earth or hanging from the sky.
A rush of adrenaline later,the fog clears and you'll be standing beside a grave.😭😭
Talk about UNEXPECTED ironies of God!!
Loved...Loved...Loved the book, you will too, I guarantee !
5 Ribbons Of Fate stars
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And she doesn't dissappoint at all !!
The strongest steel is forged by the fires of hell. and to prove this adage, Courtney seats us in this book-capsule and takes us inside Dr. Corrine Cabot's mind. As the journey starts INSIDE Corrine's brain, we see that it's frozen, in a time space where she's just 18, standing in a pool of blood, her father standing by two dead bodies, and she holds him responsible for destruction of her family, his mistress Melanie's family and her own consciousness. I do believe her mind is comatose even if her body moves on inertia. Her thoughts are set in concrete shoes, unable to move.
a dissasociateive behaviour-You blocked out what your father did so long ago, and it stands to reason that your brain has developed that as a defense mechanism.
Jude, her husband is helpless in her suffering and her panic attacks and anxiety are triggering vicious nightmares. I can toatlly picture Corrine running through foggy moors of her past, trying to find a way out or make sense of the ominous shapes surrounding her.
The word building is so fantastic, you start doubting what is right in front of you, very much like Corrine & Jude. The mood is very tense & intense. I could feel my pulse thrumming, my heartbeat faster and eyes narrowing. Why are there holes in Corrine's mind? what would it take to fill them? what is this full picture?..aaaaaarghhh!!
It was so frustrating for ME, imagine the quandary of poor Corrine, who's forever just fingertips away from the truth.
I applaud Courtney's masterful endeavour to play mind games of this complex variety.
There are secondary characters who are of utmost importance in the story.
The catalyst is Zoe. She's a vixen, a delectable morsel of temptation, as if created by the devil himself in his own image. A powerful, alluring seductress, who's got her talons in Jude's libido and she's digging deeper and harder, Upping her game in every encounter
Zoe is a modern-day Jezebel. She’s showing me her goods on purpose and trying to make it seem innocent, and this all has the very real possibility of crossing a line.
The proverbial Angel and demon on the shoulders having a perpetual war of words tugging at Jude's conscience, would be hysterical if it wasn't so pathetic.
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.
Michel is another fabulous character, a priest and Jude's twin. He's the sane, sensible one who cares deeply for the couple . Many a times giving Jude a wollop on his head or holding Corrine's hand .
The story is TOTALLY unique and mindbending, meandering from unbelievable hallucinations to uncontrollable intentions. Jude is "Royally Fucked", if I want to be honest.
But WAIT!!! Nothing is what it seems at all, it's Courtney Cole book after all. So tighten your seat belts, Courtney-capsule will move at warp speed in side Corrine's mind, heart, soul and psyche and you'll be wondering if you're walking on earth or hanging from the sky.
A rush of adrenaline later,the fog clears and you'll be standing beside a grave.😭😭
Talk about UNEXPECTED ironies of God!!
Loved...Loved...Loved the book, you will too, I guarantee !
5 Ribbons Of Fate stars
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March 21, 2018
Fatal Attraction- "I Will Not Be Ignored!"
This was billed as a psychological thriller.
Back cover blurb, "a horrific recurring nightmare is threatening to steal her sanity."
But it's more 'Fatal Attraction' and a marriage with intimacy issues.
I can't recommend this book. It started off strong. A marriage in crisis and an overly aggressive waitress, Zoe, pursuing Jude. It quickly deteriorated into Jude getting into a bizarre extra marital affair, and Corrine with her endless panic attacks.
The sex scenes were laughable. Sapphic lovers having sex in public and a homeless man making sure nobody was around to watch. Uhm, What? The part with Joel and Zoe in his car was cringe worthy and what Zoe did with the condom after he uhm finished in it was nasty.
If the author spent more time with the father in jail and skipped all the bad sex scenes it would have made a better read.
I won this on Goodreads giveaway.
If i didn't win i wouldn't have bought it.
Skip this.
"I like it rough. I like choking, and bondage and i like being spanked. I'm a bad girl Jude. A very bad girl." -Zoe
Good for you.
This was billed as a psychological thriller.
Back cover blurb, "a horrific recurring nightmare is threatening to steal her sanity."
But it's more 'Fatal Attraction' and a marriage with intimacy issues.
I can't recommend this book. It started off strong. A marriage in crisis and an overly aggressive waitress, Zoe, pursuing Jude. It quickly deteriorated into Jude getting into a bizarre extra marital affair, and Corrine with her endless panic attacks.
The sex scenes were laughable. Sapphic lovers having sex in public and a homeless man making sure nobody was around to watch. Uhm, What? The part with Joel and Zoe in his car was cringe worthy and what Zoe did with the condom after he uhm finished in it was nasty.
If the author spent more time with the father in jail and skipped all the bad sex scenes it would have made a better read.
I won this on Goodreads giveaway.
If i didn't win i wouldn't have bought it.
Skip this.
"I like it rough. I like choking, and bondage and i like being spanked. I'm a bad girl Jude. A very bad girl." -Zoe
Good for you.
August 14, 2025
Psychological Thriller, Suspense, Dark Erotica
Narrated by Kate Zane, Graham Halsted
Length: 9 hrs and 42 mins
Release date: 03-20-18
Corrine, 35, has a very stressful job in the emergency room. Often her days are long so she gets home late, her husband Jude already sleeping. Jude as a psychologist has been quite understanding about Corrine's demanding career but he longs to start a family as they are both in their mid 30s. Corrine carry trauma from her childhood-her father killed two people-, events that occurred on Halloween night 17 years ago and still haunt her. She feels more and more afraid that she has inherited her father's craziness when she start seeing and hearing weird things.
At the diner Jude enjoys to eat, he meets flirty waitress Zoe. Sexy and young waitress openly flirt with every guy at the diner, but Jude seem to be her favorite target...
I was drawn into the story and I was wondering what had happened to Corrine that night 17 years ago when she was 18. When author started to add Jude POV also, the story started to get annoying and frustrating. Yeah, so many dark things!
Narrated by Kate Zane, Graham Halsted
Length: 9 hrs and 42 mins
Release date: 03-20-18
Corrine, 35, has a very stressful job in the emergency room. Often her days are long so she gets home late, her husband Jude already sleeping. Jude as a psychologist has been quite understanding about Corrine's demanding career but he longs to start a family as they are both in their mid 30s. Corrine carry trauma from her childhood-her father killed two people-, events that occurred on Halloween night 17 years ago and still haunt her. She feels more and more afraid that she has inherited her father's craziness when she start seeing and hearing weird things.
At the diner Jude enjoys to eat, he meets flirty waitress Zoe. Sexy and young waitress openly flirt with every guy at the diner, but Jude seem to be her favorite target...
I was drawn into the story and I was wondering what had happened to Corrine that night 17 years ago when she was 18. When author started to add Jude POV also, the story started to get annoying and frustrating. Yeah, so many dark things!
March 13, 2018
Such Dark Things
By: Courtney Evan Tate (Courtney Cole)
4 Stars
Well my goodness….Just closed the kindle on this psychological suspense novel. I’m still sitting here with my mouth wide open. What the heck did I just read?
Dr. Corinne Cabot-a over-worked, running on fumes, barely surviving as an ER doctor in an understaffed hospital in Chicago. Never getting a chance to leave at a decent hour, always trying to save the next person who comes through the door of the ER. Her marriage is suffering but it’s her coping mechanism after suffering through what she witnessed at a young age.
Mr. Cabot is a therapist, working normal hours and home each night to have dinner with himself. How many nights he’s thought how wonderful it would be to have his wife home to spend the evenings with. He understands she has had a rough life. But how much can a person take… This isn’t what he signed up for when he said through sickness, till death, I do.
The one constant in his life is the diner he goes to for the majority of his meals. They know him there, they know what he orders, they are on first name basis with him.
While I couldn’t put this book down, I at times wanted to smack both these characters upside the head. Knock some sense into each one of them. I understand no marriage is perfect, but… grow some balls and say NO. Better yet…don’t put yourself in the situation!
But….like I said, I couldn’t stop reading this one… The twists and turns and the got to figure this one out was pounding in my head. You are left turning the pages so quickly just so that you can have your answers. And boy do you get them!!!
In the end, it was a good book that had me guessing until the end!
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By: Courtney Evan Tate (Courtney Cole)
4 Stars
Well my goodness….Just closed the kindle on this psychological suspense novel. I’m still sitting here with my mouth wide open. What the heck did I just read?
Dr. Corinne Cabot-a over-worked, running on fumes, barely surviving as an ER doctor in an understaffed hospital in Chicago. Never getting a chance to leave at a decent hour, always trying to save the next person who comes through the door of the ER. Her marriage is suffering but it’s her coping mechanism after suffering through what she witnessed at a young age.
Mr. Cabot is a therapist, working normal hours and home each night to have dinner with himself. How many nights he’s thought how wonderful it would be to have his wife home to spend the evenings with. He understands she has had a rough life. But how much can a person take… This isn’t what he signed up for when he said through sickness, till death, I do.
The one constant in his life is the diner he goes to for the majority of his meals. They know him there, they know what he orders, they are on first name basis with him.
While I couldn’t put this book down, I at times wanted to smack both these characters upside the head. Knock some sense into each one of them. I understand no marriage is perfect, but… grow some balls and say NO. Better yet…don’t put yourself in the situation!
But….like I said, I couldn’t stop reading this one… The twists and turns and the got to figure this one out was pounding in my head. You are left turning the pages so quickly just so that you can have your answers. And boy do you get them!!!
In the end, it was a good book that had me guessing until the end!
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March 16, 2019
I really liked the sound of the blurb on the back cover. I was expecting a suspenseful psychological thriller, but the final product doesn't fit the bill. I liked the first quarter of the book. I wanted to unravel the mystery surrounding Corrine and I preferred her perspective chapters. The further I got into the story, though, the more it began to focus on Jude and it became more explicit than I cared for. Corrine started off as such a promising character, but ended up as a disappointment. Overall, it turned into one big mess and I really didn't need that.
January 19, 2021
Thanks to my friend Miri, this was another good cheating book. Not in the traditional cheating drama sense, but it was more of a gritty and suspenseful read with some seedy details of the affair.
I think the ending was unrealistic because the stalking ow was such a loony but the wife’s response to the affair was spot on. She clearly had PTSD from the affair and her past and that was depicted well.
I think the ending was unrealistic because the stalking ow was such a loony but the wife’s response to the affair was spot on. She clearly had PTSD from the affair and her past and that was depicted well.
March 20, 2018
I’ve tried to write this review a few times and failed as this book had me in a twist. I just couldn’t get the words together so I guess I’ll have to give it a shot.
Told in the past and present we are told this story through the two main characters, a married couple, Corinne and Jude. Corrine is a busy ER doctor and Jude is a therapist who feels he’s not spending enough time with his wife.
This is a fast paced well told story full of suspense. There’s a lot going on and the twists and turns were brilliant. A fab read. I’m looking forward to reading more from this author.
Told in the past and present we are told this story through the two main characters, a married couple, Corinne and Jude. Corrine is a busy ER doctor and Jude is a therapist who feels he’s not spending enough time with his wife.
This is a fast paced well told story full of suspense. There’s a lot going on and the twists and turns were brilliant. A fab read. I’m looking forward to reading more from this author.
February 20, 2019
there are so many issues with this book.
that said, i would've liked to read corinne's story in another writer's hands; she had some depth and her sessions with her psychologist were character appropriate and showed glimpses of what could've been in someone else's work.
that said, i would've liked to read corinne's story in another writer's hands; she had some depth and her sessions with her psychologist were character appropriate and showed glimpses of what could've been in someone else's work.
March 27, 2018
4.5 stars!
Need a change of pace? This is it….a psychological romantic thriller. Such Dark Things by Courtney Evan Tate will have you clawing at the edge of your seat for more. For my reviews I typically have a couple of quotes for you, well this time you are out of luck….I was so engrossed over the past 2 days that I never stopped to highlight, I just couldn’t stop reading.
There is SO MUCH that I want to tell you, all of the things that I feel that you need to know, that you should know. But where can I even begin without giving anything away. It’s such an intricately woven story, you will need to pay attention to every…and I mean EVERY detail you are given. Pay attention to every clue that the characters give you to try and put the pieces together.
Hmmmmm, so how can I do this?
Let’s chat first about our leading characters, Jude and Corinne. He’s a therapist and she’s an ER doctor. They have been married for sometime and know each other so well. Corinne is struggling with demons from her past and Jude is struggling with the changes he is seeing in Corinne as she battles them. While I read I battled with who I sided with! They each try to validate their actions, why they do the things they choose. Sometimes I agreed and sometimes I didn’t, it was my own internal struggle.
Another person you are going to meet is Michel, Jude’s identical twin brother. He is a priest, but in a cool modern way. He was a buddy you could hang out with but also trust him with your deepest secrets.
There is also Lucy, Corinne’s confident at work, a nurse she has become friendly with the past year. Lucy is always there for Corinne to talk to and she helps her when she is down.
And lastly we have Zoe. The sexy young waitress. A temptress who is persistent. She wiggles her way into the lives of the others characters and all hell breaks loose. And now my lips are sealed….no more info from me!
You will not regret grabbing Such Dark Things, a psychological romantic thriller is JUST what you need, trust me!!!
Need a change of pace? This is it….a psychological romantic thriller. Such Dark Things by Courtney Evan Tate will have you clawing at the edge of your seat for more. For my reviews I typically have a couple of quotes for you, well this time you are out of luck….I was so engrossed over the past 2 days that I never stopped to highlight, I just couldn’t stop reading.
There is SO MUCH that I want to tell you, all of the things that I feel that you need to know, that you should know. But where can I even begin without giving anything away. It’s such an intricately woven story, you will need to pay attention to every…and I mean EVERY detail you are given. Pay attention to every clue that the characters give you to try and put the pieces together.
Hmmmmm, so how can I do this?
Let’s chat first about our leading characters, Jude and Corinne. He’s a therapist and she’s an ER doctor. They have been married for sometime and know each other so well. Corinne is struggling with demons from her past and Jude is struggling with the changes he is seeing in Corinne as she battles them. While I read I battled with who I sided with! They each try to validate their actions, why they do the things they choose. Sometimes I agreed and sometimes I didn’t, it was my own internal struggle.
Another person you are going to meet is Michel, Jude’s identical twin brother. He is a priest, but in a cool modern way. He was a buddy you could hang out with but also trust him with your deepest secrets.
There is also Lucy, Corinne’s confident at work, a nurse she has become friendly with the past year. Lucy is always there for Corinne to talk to and she helps her when she is down.
And lastly we have Zoe. The sexy young waitress. A temptress who is persistent. She wiggles her way into the lives of the others characters and all hell breaks loose. And now my lips are sealed….no more info from me!
You will not regret grabbing Such Dark Things, a psychological romantic thriller is JUST what you need, trust me!!!
March 26, 2018
I have been a fan of Courtney Cole's earlier work and loved her edgy series Nocte, so when she messaged saying she had a new one out under a different pen name. I jumped at the chance to read it as it sounded like something up my alley. It starts off with Corrine Cabot who is a doctor ending up in a psych ward with the idea that she tried to kill herself. The thing is that Corrine is a medical doctor and knows the "real" way to kill herself if she wanted and nothing is adding up for her. Is she going crazy like her father who is in jail for killing his mistress and her husband? I have to admit this book in parts made me angry especially the fact where Corrine loved her husband Jude and though she worked for heaps and they didn't get to see each other. He starts having a guilty affair with Zoe - a young new waitress. I was like seriously Jude, go home and tell your wife how you feel, don't just have an affair or cheat on your wife. Corrine doesn't deserve him, especially when they all try to make Corrine seem like she is truly paranoid. About 3/4 through the novel, I was getting very frustrated with the characters and had an idea of what had happened to Corrine. As I was 3/4 the way through, I had to keep reading through, and I pushed my way through to the end. The ending, I was in two minds about as I know if you put yourself in the situation or have been in a situation where someone has cheated on you, it does make it harder if you are going to try and fix the relationship as the trust has disappeared.Speaking from personal experience their will always be a niggle in the back of your mind when things start to lag, or something doesn't feel right, you have the "what if" scenarios running through your head all the time.
March 2, 2018
When I heard that Courtney Cole was writing a psychological thriller, I was all in. The I read the blurb, and I couldn't wait to get my hands on this one.
Such Dark Things is a twisted thriller with a bit of romance added in. There are some situations that appear in this book that those who read Courtney Cole's other books may not be able to handle in this book. It's why she chose to publish this under a pen name. So please keep that in mind if you decide to read this.
This book hooked me from the start. It's told from two POVs - Jude and Corrine's. They are a married couple; he's a psychologist and she's an ER doctor. And it's from the both the past and present with the past leading up to the present.
Seventeen years ago on Halloween, Corrine witnessed her father kill two people but she remembers nothing about that night except standing next to the two dead bodies. Her father is serving time in prison for the murders and she's been fighting demons from that night ever since.
Corrine is very dedicated to her job and spends alot of her time there. It also helps her from focusing on her nightmares that comes around this time of year. As Corrine is struggling to get a hold of her nightmares, she feels her husband is pulling away from her. Jude knows that Halloween is a very difficult time of the year for Corrine so he always gives her extra space to work through it. But he finds himself seeking out the attention of a younger woman. She gives him the attention that he's missing from Corrine. And once he makes that first mistake, she makes it impossible for him to stop.
Courtney throws a lot of twists and turns into this story. I really enjoyed watching how everything played out. Every single character is unique and plays a significant role. Jude's brother Michel, Corrine's sister Jackie and best friend Lucy are all intricate in Jude and Corrine's life.
Such Dark Things was riveting and captivating. While I did figure out a thing or two, I was still surprised by a few shocks that Courtney threw in and had my jaw dropping. I am really hoping that Courtney continues to write in this genre because she wrote one hell of an spellbinding read.
Such Dark Things is a twisted thriller with a bit of romance added in. There are some situations that appear in this book that those who read Courtney Cole's other books may not be able to handle in this book. It's why she chose to publish this under a pen name. So please keep that in mind if you decide to read this.
This book hooked me from the start. It's told from two POVs - Jude and Corrine's. They are a married couple; he's a psychologist and she's an ER doctor. And it's from the both the past and present with the past leading up to the present.
Seventeen years ago on Halloween, Corrine witnessed her father kill two people but she remembers nothing about that night except standing next to the two dead bodies. Her father is serving time in prison for the murders and she's been fighting demons from that night ever since.
Corrine is very dedicated to her job and spends alot of her time there. It also helps her from focusing on her nightmares that comes around this time of year. As Corrine is struggling to get a hold of her nightmares, she feels her husband is pulling away from her. Jude knows that Halloween is a very difficult time of the year for Corrine so he always gives her extra space to work through it. But he finds himself seeking out the attention of a younger woman. She gives him the attention that he's missing from Corrine. And once he makes that first mistake, she makes it impossible for him to stop.
Courtney throws a lot of twists and turns into this story. I really enjoyed watching how everything played out. Every single character is unique and plays a significant role. Jude's brother Michel, Corrine's sister Jackie and best friend Lucy are all intricate in Jude and Corrine's life.
Such Dark Things was riveting and captivating. While I did figure out a thing or two, I was still surprised by a few shocks that Courtney threw in and had my jaw dropping. I am really hoping that Courtney continues to write in this genre because she wrote one hell of an spellbinding read.
December 24, 2020
EVERYONE in this book was acting like Corinne was crazy for suspecting her hubby was cheating on her...even people who knew for a fact that he was cheating were gaslighting her...that really bugged me but otherwise it was a solid read
...Just read in someone's review below that the author said in an interview that some of this happened to her, her husband cheated on her with a crazy stalker...wow, how awful :( bad enough in fiction but for it to happen in real life is so much worse
...Just realized that this author is the same author of "MINE" by Courtnry Cole...I think this is her Suspense pen name
...Just read in someone's review below that the author said in an interview that some of this happened to her, her husband cheated on her with a crazy stalker...wow, how awful :( bad enough in fiction but for it to happen in real life is so much worse
...Just realized that this author is the same author of "MINE" by Courtnry Cole...I think this is her Suspense pen name
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 29, 2018
Hmmm. I don't even know where to begin with this review. Normally I can come up with words but I seem to be all out of them. One thing I can say is that the author was able to pull out some of the strongest emotions I have experienced while reading a book. I don't think I have felt so much hate or anger toward a book and even characters. Top that with fear, sorrow, and overwhelming love and you have yourself a book I absolutely became engrossed in. This book just isn't about all of those though. It's about healing and forgiveness.
I would go a little more into the book as a whole but I feel like you need to go into this one blind. I didn't even read the blurb to be honest. So I will say that this is some of this writer's best work (when comparing to her Courtney Cole pen name) in my opinion. I'm a fan and now will be stalking for the next book. It's been too long.
I would go a little more into the book as a whole but I feel like you need to go into this one blind. I didn't even read the blurb to be honest. So I will say that this is some of this writer's best work (when comparing to her Courtney Cole pen name) in my opinion. I'm a fan and now will be stalking for the next book. It's been too long.
September 22, 2018
Sono senza parole. SONO SENZA PAROLE! I miei feels! Che romanzo MERAVIGLIOSO, che autrice STRAORDINARIA! È il quarto libro che leggo di Courtney Cole, ed è un altro 6 stars ♥ UNBELIEVABLE!
► ACQUISTA CON 1-CLICK ◄
► ACQUISTA CON 1-CLICK ◄
October 10, 2018
Started off strong with death and mystery but then it started to jump around and the intensity died away.
March 21, 2018
4.5 stars
Wow!! The wait was worth it for this one!!
I starting reading a lot of physiological thriller/suspense books this year & this one is definitely at the top of it. I just love Courtney's writing, and this story did not disappoint. The twists and turns were brilliant and I just loved Jude & Corinne.
I highly recommend this book, I read it in one day :)
Wow!! The wait was worth it for this one!!
I starting reading a lot of physiological thriller/suspense books this year & this one is definitely at the top of it. I just love Courtney's writing, and this story did not disappoint. The twists and turns were brilliant and I just loved Jude & Corinne.
I highly recommend this book, I read it in one day :)
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