About the Book
Book: Dead Weight: An Abbi Kincaid Suspense Novel
Author: Kathy Cassel
Genre: Suspense
Release date: August 29, 2023
When Florida Panhandle police officer Abbi Kincaid obtains a coveted position on the Bay County dive team, she has no inkling her first mission will be anything but routine. Recovering a murder weapon eighty feet below the ocean surface is a simple assignment until Abbi finds herself face-to-face with a mutilated body.
Then a fisherman pulls up a second body, and the similarities set off a search for a connection between the two murder victims. The quest leads to the murky world of high-stakes underwater salvage and treasure-hunting. But what instigated this killing spree, and why now?
A horrific new trail of evidence is uncovered, and Abbi begins to wonder if her beloved brother Brad’s recent death is unrelated or whether he is yet another victim of this predator, even as she wrestles with age-old questions of why God allows good people to die.
When one more salvage diver goes missing, Abbi is pulled into a dangerous mission to rescue him. Trapped by the killer in an underwater cave, Abbi can no longer keep running but must face her worst fears head-on. With time and air running out, can she find a way to save not just herself but the others trapped with her? Does she have the strength, courage, and faith to do so before time runs out?
Click here to get your copy!
About the Author
Kathy Cassel is the author of more than a dozen fiction and non-fiction titles for preteens and teens, including 2021 Selah Award finalist Freerunner, Catching Hope, and 2023 Selah Award finalist and Christian Indie Award finalist, A Thousand Lies. Dead Weight is her first adult suspense novel and the first book in the Abbi Kincaid Suspense series.
Kathy has lived on three continents with her USAF husband, has eight children, five adopted of them adopted, three from Haiti, and six grandchildren. To better relate to her characters, she enjoys learning their skills such as whitewater rafting, scuba diving, and riding a motorcycle, but draws the line at sky diving.
More from Kathy
In 2015, my daughter Jessica and I had the idea to write an underwater crime scene series. She was in the FSUPC’s underwater crime scene program, but I had never dived. I kept asking her questions about scuba techniques to make the scenes authentic, but I didn’t have a feel for it. So I took the four-hour intro to scuba class. I did not expect to like it because I am a bit claustrophobic and also didn’t think I had enough air to clear my mask. But in reality, I did fine. In fact, I liked it enough that I signed up for Padi Basic on the spot.
Jessica and I worked on the book, and I continued learning to dive, ending up with my SDI open water advanced with some specialties. But it turns out we didn’t know what we were doing when it came to writing a fiction novel. So I enlisted the help of a fiction coach. We basically started the whole book over.
But by this time, my daughter and her husband were starting a family, and she decided to go to nursing school instead of going into law enforcement. Meanwhile, I pressed on alone with the book.
I decided that since my main character rode a motorcycle, it might be helpful to try that, too, so that the scenes where she rides would sound realistic. That was not without its own challenges, but I eventually got my certification, bought a cycle, and also learned to shoot a gun.
So, because of Abbi, I learned to dive, ride, and shoot!
The plot had changed drastically by now. I became so overwhelmed that I quit three times! During those times, I wrote three YA novels (Freerunner, Catching Hope, and A Thousand Lies). But I always knew I’d return to the underwater crime scene story. And I did. I kept pushing, and finally, with the help of my fiction coach, I finished the book. I hope you enjoy it.
Interview with the Author
- How do you select the names of your characters?
One of my favorite parts of preparing to write a novel is choosing names. I enjoy listening to names and writing down interesting ones for later use. I also refer to lists of top names for the year the character would have been born. After that, I do a Google search to ensure that I haven’t chosen the same name as a famous movie star or serial killer
- What comes first, the plot or characters?
Character, although I always know their situation when I create them. For instance, in my first YA novel Freerunner, I started with the idea of a character who had been molested by her grandfather and asked What would happen if the grandfather who abused her showed back up in her life? For A Thousand Lies I started with just the idea of a teen girl who finds out her parents aren’t really her parents.
- Who is the author you most admire in your genre?
My favorite all time suspense author is Mary Higgins Clark. I love her writing, and I love that her books are clean reads. I was heartbroken when she passed.
- What do you like to do when you are not writing?
To better relate to my character who is a scuba diving, motorcycle riding police officer, I learned to ride a motorcycle and got my endorsement. I also learned to scuba dive, something I didn’t think I’d be comfortable doing, but now have my SDI advanced certification, and I learned to shoot a gun in a range only). I do those activities when I have spare time. But I am also a flea market vendor and that takes time also.
- If you could invite one person to dinner, who would it be and what would you cook?
If Mary Higgins Clark were still alive, I’d love to hear how she came up with her plots and characters. I would call out for Chinese because I’d be scared I’d burn everything.
Blog Stops
Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, December 16
Bizwings Blog, December 17
Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, December 18
Stories By Gina, December 19 (Author Interview)
For Him and My Family, December 19
Betti Mace, December 20
Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, December 21
Simple Harvest Reads, December 22 (Author Interview)
Texas Book-aholic, December 23
Artistic Nobody, December 24 (Author Interview)
Book Looks by Lisa, December 25
Locks, Hooks and Books, December 26
Fiction Book Lover, December 27 (Author Interview)
Leslie’s Library Escape, December 27
Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, December 28
Blogging With Carol, December 29
Giveaway
To celebrate her tour, Kathy is giving away the grand prize of a copy of the book and a $40 Books a Million gift card!!
Be sure to comment on the blog stops for extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.