Woman Down: A Novel

In this twisty thriller from New York Times bestselling author Colleen Hoover, a frustrated author looks for her muse in a remote hideaway, but what she finds defies all expectations…and reality.

Her words used to set the page on fire. But a viral backlash over her latest film adaptation forced Petra Rose to take a hiatus, resulting in missed deadlines and an overdue mortgage. Branded a fraud and fame-hungry opportunist, she learned the hard way what happens when the internet turns on you. And she’s been uninspired to write ever since.

Now, with her next suspense novel outlined and savings nearly gone, she retreats to a secluded lakeside cabin, hoping to find inspiration. It’s Petra’s last-ditch attempt to save her career―and herself.

Then he shows up.

Detective Nathaniel Saint arrives with disturbing news, his presence igniting a creativity in her she thought long since burned out. Petra’s words return in a rush, and her fictional cop character begins to mirror the very real cop who’s becoming her muse.

Their “research” sessions blur the lines between fantasy and reality. Each glance, every touch pulls Petra deeper into a world she thought she’d never lose herself in again. She’s never felt more alive. But inspiration this powerful comes at a cost.

When Saint starts taking his role in her career a little too seriously, Petra’s forced to confront the chaos she created. But doing so could cost her more than the reputation she’s been trying to salvage. The reputation the world wrote for her―the reputation only she can reclaim.

Dear readers,

Some of you might remember the short story “Saint” from the One More Step anthology years ago. For those who don’t, you’re about to meet it in a much bigger way.

That anthology has since been unpublished, but some of you guys never stopped asking for more of the story. You have somehow managed to keep a little story alive in your hearts, even when it wasn’t officially available. There’s nothing more inspiring for me as a writer than when a reader tells me they want more from characters I created.

I wanted to give these characters the space they deserved, and truly build out the world I’d only briefly touched upon when this short story was called “Saint.”

I took the short story some of you read and poured my heart and soul into expanding it. It has taken me three years to release a book since It Starts with Us. Not because I’ve been rewriting “Saint” for those three years, but because I’ve been trying out new things outside writing. And frankly, I needed some space from a career I was beginning to find more stressful than normal.

But that changed when I dove back into this story. Working on this book gave me back that same joy I felt while writing the original short story. I’ve changed the title and some character names and locations, added scenes, added and changed characters, and even written in new little twists here and there that had no room in the short version. I wanted those of you who have already read it to get what felt like an entirely new and different book with the same underlying story and tones as the short story. I genuinely enjoyed every single second of bringing it to life in this new, complete form.

Just please keep in mind that while writers do take from their own lives, and some of the themes may mirror those of my own life in ways, this is in no way a replica of my journey or my morals, nor is it a reflection of how I feel about my peers or this industry. This is simply a fun journey the characters took me on and nothing more. Please, I beg of you, do not try to make ties between my personal life and this story, as there are none. I’m just a writer writing about a writer—I am in no way advocating for or defending the character’s behavior or thoughts.

It was a joy to put a new spin on “Saint.” I hope you’re ready to get dizzy and enjoy this fun, sexy, sometimes creepy thrill of a ride!

With so much love,

Colleen Hoover