Discover a dark, thrilling romance that will leave you breathless.

A woman who can experience other people’s traumatic memories is coerced into helping a Chicago homicide detective catch a serial killer.

The Color of Trauma follows Kiera, a memory surgeon with a haunting gift—she can experience and extract other people’s traumatic memories. While she’s spent years helping others, she struggles to confront her own demons. Now, a relentless Chicago homicide detective named Dean needs her unique ability to breach the mind of a coma victim to catch a ruthless serial killer.

As Kiera and Dean uncover crucial clues from the victims' memories, sparks fly between them, and a passionate romance ignites. But with every step closer to the truth, the killer closes in on Kiera, selecting her as his next victim.

The Color of Trauma is a captivating paranormal romantic suspense novel that blends dark themes, psychological intrigue, and a love story that will grip you until the final minute. If you crave unconventional heroines, intense drama, and heart-pounding suspense, then you’ll be enthralled by Hollie Smurthwaite’s thrilling story.

Content warning: Explicit sex scenes, references and depictions of physical and sexual violence (NOT between the protagonists), PTSD reactions, minor drug use, profanity and not just a little.

The Color of Trauma was the winner of the 2020 Soon to be Famous Illinois Author contest, which was judged by librarians.