S.T. Abby

Also known as C.M. Owens, Kristy Cunning

Dark romance and thriller fiction saw a major shift in reader engagement with the release of The Mindfck Series*, a revenge-driven saga published as self-published ebooks starting in 2016. S.T. Abby crafted a fast-paced blend of psychological drama, romance, and criminal suspense that rapidly gained cult popularity and became a viral phenomenon across digital reader communities.

Career & Background

Born on March 8, 1984, to a family of musicians, the author grew up in a creative environment despite lacking musical or performance talent herself. After deciding against a career in music, she turned her creative focus toward writing fiction. Writing under multiple pen names to distinguish her work across subgenres, she published general romance under her real name, C.M. Owens, reverse harem romance as Kristy Cunning, and darker romantic thrillers under the pseudonym S.T. Abby.

Under the S.T. Abby moniker, she made a significant mark on contemporary romantic suspense, particularly through The Mindfck Series* and its individual installments like The Risk. Her self-published releases built a dedicated global fan base and led to unofficial translations by international readers. The author passed away on July 24, 2021, leaving behind a distinct catalog of dark romantic thrillers and romance novels across her various pen names.

Writing Style & Themes

Writing under S.T. Abby for her darker, suspense-heavy projects, her narratives feature themes of vigilante morality, revenge, and psychological drama. Her storytelling blends intense romantic tension with procedural criminal intrigue and social critique, frequently focusing on complex protagonists driven by retribution.

Her books rely on tight pacing and high emotional stakes, appealing to fans of romantic suspense and dark thrillers. The popularity of her work expanded dramatically through word-of-mouth recommendations on social platforms such as BookTok, where readers embraced her unique balance of dark themes, mystery, and intense emotional narrative arcs.

Major Works

The Mindfck Series* — A five-part dark romantic thriller series following a revenge narrative that became a viral reading phenomenon. First released in 2016 and collected as a single volume in 2019, the series centers on themes of vigilante justice and high-stakes romantic suspense.
The Risk — The first installment in The Mindfck Series*, published in 2016. It introduces Lana Myers and sets up the central cat-and-mouse relationship and revenge storyline that spans the entire series.
Sidetracked — The second book in The Mindfck Series*, published in 2016, continuing the psychological drama and deepening the investigation surrounding the lead characters.
Scarlet Angel — The third entry in The Mindfck Series*, published in 2016, escalating the stakes in the central plot line of retribution and romantic tension.
All the Lies — The fourth book in The Mindfck Series*, published in 2016, bringing further revelations and heightening the danger for the protagonists.
Paint It All Red — The fifth and final book in The Mindfck Series*, published in 2016, delivering the climax to the overarching revenge story arc.

S.T. Abby

Also known as C.M. Owens, Kristy Cunning

Career & Background

Writing Style & Themes

Major Works

The Mindfck Series* — A five-part dark romantic thriller series following a revenge narrative that became a viral reading phenomenon. First released in 2016 and collected as a single volume in 2019, the series centers on themes of vigilante justice and high-stakes romantic suspense.
The Risk — The first installment in The Mindfck Series*, published in 2016. It introduces Lana Myers and sets up the central cat-and-mouse relationship and revenge storyline that spans the entire series.
Sidetracked — The second book in The Mindfck Series*, published in 2016, continuing the psychological drama and deepening the investigation surrounding the lead characters.
Scarlet Angel — The third entry in The Mindfck Series*, published in 2016, escalating the stakes in the central plot line of retribution and romantic tension.
All the Lies — The fourth book in The Mindfck Series*, published in 2016, bringing further revelations and heightening the danger for the protagonists.
Paint It All Red — The fifth and final book in The Mindfck Series*, published in 2016, delivering the climax to the overarching revenge story arc.

S.T. Abby

Also known as C.M. Owens, Kristy Cunning

Career & Background

Writing Style & Themes

Major Works

The Mindfck Series* — A five-part dark romantic thriller series following a revenge narrative that became a viral reading phenomenon. First released in 2016 and collected as a single volume in 2019, the series centers on themes of vigilante justice and high-stakes romantic suspense.
The Risk — The first installment in The Mindfck Series*, published in 2016. It introduces Lana Myers and sets up the central cat-and-mouse relationship and revenge storyline that spans the entire series.
Sidetracked — The second book in The Mindfck Series*, published in 2016, continuing the psychological drama and deepening the investigation surrounding the lead characters.
Scarlet Angel — The third entry in The Mindfck Series*, published in 2016, escalating the stakes in the central plot line of retribution and romantic tension.
All the Lies — The fourth book in The Mindfck Series*, published in 2016, bringing further revelations and heightening the danger for the protagonists.
Paint It All Red — The fifth and final book in The Mindfck Series*, published in 2016, delivering the climax to the overarching revenge story arc.

S.T. Abby

Also known as C.M. Owens, Kristy Cunning

Career & Background

Writing Style & Themes

Major Works

The Mindfck Series* — A five-part dark romantic thriller series following a revenge narrative that became a viral reading phenomenon. First released in 2016 and collected as a single volume in 2019, the series centers on themes of vigilante justice and high-stakes romantic suspense.
The Risk — The first installment in The Mindfck Series*, published in 2016. It introduces Lana Myers and sets up the central cat-and-mouse relationship and revenge storyline that spans the entire series.
Sidetracked — The second book in The Mindfck Series*, published in 2016, continuing the psychological drama and deepening the investigation surrounding the lead characters.
Scarlet Angel — The third entry in The Mindfck Series*, published in 2016, escalating the stakes in the central plot line of retribution and romantic tension.
All the Lies — The fourth book in The Mindfck Series*, published in 2016, bringing further revelations and heightening the danger for the protagonists.
Paint It All Red — The fifth and final book in The Mindfck Series*, published in 2016, delivering the climax to the overarching revenge story arc.

S.T. Abby

Career & Background

Writing Style & Themes

Major Works

The Risk

The Mindf*ck Series

S.T. Abby

Career & Background

Writing Style & Themes

Major Works

The Risk

The Mindf*ck Series

For authors

Elsewhere

S.T. Abby

Career & Background

Writing Style & Themes

Major Works

The Risk

The Mindf*ck Series

S.T. Abby

Career & Background

Writing Style & Themes

Major Works

The Risk

The Mindf*ck Series