WELCOME
Gripping suspense. Heartfelt truth. Hope that endures.
I write stories that challenge, inspire, and keep you turning the pages—whether in young adult fiction or high-stakes adult suspense.
Step Into the Pages of a New Adventure
ABOUT ME
Meet the Author Behind the Writing
Author. Adventurer. Mom of 8. Gigi to 6.
Scuba diver. Motorcycle rider. Lifelong learner.
Kathy Cassel is the author of more than a dozen fiction and nonfiction books for preteens and teens, published by Tyndale House Publishers and Legacy Press. Her Christian Girl’s Guide series earned an iParenting Award, and her debut teen novel Freerunner was a 2021 Selah Award finalist. Her more recent YA novels, Catching Hope and A Thousand Lies, continue to draw praise—A Thousand Lies was a finalist for both the Selah Award and the Indie Award.
Kathy is passionate about writing realistic, issue-based teen fiction that entertains while offering hope and healing.
She also writes for adults and is launching her Christian suspense series with Dead Weight, the first title in the Abbi Kincaid series. The series follows 24-year-old Abbi, a member of an underwater crime scene investigation team.
To bring authenticity to her characters, Kathy has learned many of their skills—she’s tried whitewater rafting, earned scuba certification, and even rides a motorcycle. (But she draws the line at skydiving!)
Kathy holds a B.S. in Elementary Education from Grace College in Winona Lake, Indiana, and an M.Ed. with a reading specialty from the University of North Dakota. Her life journey has taken her across three continents while her husband served in the U.S. Air Force. She now lives in the Florida Panhandle, and her travels deeply inspire the diverse settings and characters in her books.
She and her husband have eight children—five of whom are adopted, including three from Haiti and two from the United States—and six wonderful grandchildren. Kathy’s favorite moments are the ones filled with family, adventure, and a touch of the unexpected.
FEATURED
Dead Weight
“Every dive has risks. This one could cost her life.”
When Officer Abbi Kincaid earns a coveted place on the Bay County dive team, she expects routine recovery dives—not to surface with a corpse. But her first mission leads straight into a deadly mystery when another body is pulled from the Gulf, both victims eerily connected to a long-ago salvage operation.
As Abbi searches for answers, she must also confront the unresolved loss of her brother. Could his death be tied to the murders? With survivors of the old dive turning up dead and another diver missing, the clock is running out.
Trapped in an underwater cave with a killer and dwindling air, Abbi faces the hardest choice of her life: who to save, and what kind of person she’s willing to be.
If you love fast-paced suspense, authentic police detail, and a heroine forced to confront both danger and her own fears, Dead Weight will keep you turning pages late into the night. Don’t just read a mystery—dive into one.
Every dive has risks. This one could cost her life.
Secrets don’t stay buried—especially at seventy feet below.
A body on the ocean floor. A killer who won’t stop. A cop running out of air.
She thought it was a routine dive. She was wrong.
Faith, fear, and a fight for survival—deep beneath the waves.
OUR BLOG
Latest Blogs
Charlie Kirk–My Thoughts
When I realized Charlie Kirk was the same age as the middle of my children—four older, four younger—it suddenly became personal. I hadn’t even heard of him before, but the more I saw, the more I recognized what a rare role model he was: thoughtful, steady, and willing to learn. His life leaves us with a challenge—are we mature enough to respect differing opinions without anger or hate?
Books Make the Best Travel Companions
Books make the perfect travel companions—whether you’re on a beach, a road trip, or a rainy retreat. Escape into a great story and take the journey even further.
What If You Relate Better to Fictional Characters Than Real People?
Ever felt closer to book characters than real people? Discover why that connection is valid, powerful, and maybe exactly what your heart needs — until you find your real-life people.
Do You Relate Better to Fictional Characters Than Real People?
It's possible. Sometimes there's that one unforgettable character that would be your best friend if only she could step off the page. I count on teens being able to relate to my characters when I write my books. Each of the stories feature a female main character who...
How to Find a Book You’re Sure to Like
In the US, there are thousands of books published each day, including self-published books. With that many new books added to books already in print, how can you find the perfect book for you? Check your favorite genres for authors you might have overlooked or new...
Why Reading Aloud to Your Preteen is a Game-Changer
We all know how crucial it is to read to preschoolers. It helps them develop vocabulary, understand stories, and introduces them to the magical world of books. But guess what? The same magic works wonders for preteens too! Why Read Aloud to Your Preteen? Your...
