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?

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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

Do you read books in this genre? If so, who do you like to read?

My favorite suspense author is Mary Higgins Clark. I prefer listening to audiobooks over reading print books. I drive a lot, so I get to listen to her books as well as the Timber Creek K9 mysteries and the Finn Fleming Scuba Diving mystery series.

What helps you to write? Do you eat snacks, listen to music?

I typically write in silence in my home office or living room with a Cherry Coke Zero in hand. I’ve attempted to write at the beach while enjoying the white sand and emerald water, but it’s usually too bright outside, making it difficult to see the screen. As a result, I end up jotting down notes on index cards instead.

What is your favorite hymn and why?

My favorite hymn is How Great Thou Art. I have no story as to why it is my favorite, it simply speaks to my soul and draws my thoughts upward.

What is one thing readers would be surprised to learn about you?

To better connect with my main character, I decided to learn scuba diving, motorcycle riding, and gun shooting. These were all new activities for me and quite challenging, but I have now obtained my SDI advanced scuba certification, my motorcycle endorsement, and my concealed carry permit (although I have no intention of shooting a gun outside of the range).

What inspired you to write this book?

I started Dead Weight nine years ago but quit several times and wrote three YA books instead. At the time I started writing the book, my daughter was in the Underwater Crime Scene program at college, and that set my mind spinning with ideas.I began working on Dead Weight nine years ago, but I took breaks from it and ended up writing three young adult books instead. When I first started writing the book, my daughter was enrolled in the Underwater Crime Scene program at college, and that inspired a lot of ideas for me.