Publication Date: May 26, 2026
When psychiatrist Emma Tyler learns that a former patient has died from suicide, unease settles in fast. The woman had been frightened. Guarded. And in their final sessions, she shared secrets that still haunt Emma.
Unable to quell her concern, Emma is drawn back into the life her patient left behind. A volatile marriage. A history riddled with lies. And a growing sense that her curiosity has not gone unnoticed. When a chance encounter brings an unexpected ally into her life, Emma clings to the feeling of safety he offers, even as her instincts warn her otherwise.
Because someone is paying attention.
As Emma digs deeper, the threat around her sharpens, closing in on her and her young daughter. The closer she comes to the truth, the more she is forced to confront a chilling possibility. The danger she fears may not be waiting in the shadows. It may already be inside her life.
Dr. Emma Tyler refuses to believe one of her patients committed suicide in spite of evidence to the contrary.
O.J. Lovaz chronicles Emma’s efforts in Prettier When Still, a slow-burning story of psychological suspense.
Threatening notes and break-ins indicate she is on the right path; she lacks concrete evidence pointing to another culprit. However, that changes when she teams up with private investigator Chuck Dunbar.
Emma becomes a target in a deadly game of cat-and-mouse. The author does an excellent job of bait-and-switch, delivering an effective plot twist that illustrates how evil lurks in the shadows.
Prettier When Still showcases a therapist haunted by the possibility that she made a deathly mistake.
 
O.J. Lovaz writes psychological thrillers that explore guilt, obsession, and the darker corners of human behavior. He is the author of Silent Pretty Things and Prettier When Still. With a background in psychology, Lovaz draws on a deep fascination with the human psyche to create stories that linger long after the final page.
He lives in Minneapolis with his wife and daughter.
