Swimming with the Dead: An Underwater Investigation [Paperback]

Kathy Brandt (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 7, 2003

Murder runs deep in a thrilling new series.
An Underwater Investigation featuring C.S.I. diver Hannah Sampson.

Summoned to the sun-drenched beaches of the British Virgin Islands, Hannah Sampson is fully prepared to face unknowable dangers beneath the crystal-clear waters of an idyllic paradise. But the possibility of murder runs deeper and darker than the sea itself. Her police commissioner's son-an expert diver and researcher-was found dead, pinned under the submerged wreckage of a cargo ship. Whatever the victim was looking for, he found.

Whatever he found was the death of him. Now Hannah must discover for herself what lies beneath-a secret that could take Hannah's breath away.

Editorial Reviews

Review

...the kind of mystery that takes hold of you and doesn't let go until the last paragraph. A terrific debut for Kathy Brandt. (Margaret Coel, New York Times bestselling author of Killing Raven)

Product Details

• Paperback: 272 pages
• Publisher: Signet (October 7, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0451210204
• ISBN-13: 978-0451210203
• Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 4.2 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (18 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #798,448 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Kathy Brandt is the author of the Underwater Investigation series featuring SCUBA diver and underwater crime scene investigator, Hannah Sampson. The Denver Post calls the series 'A Plunge into intrigue.' The Caribbean setting was a natural for Kathy. She and her husband have been sailing and scuba diving in the islands for eighteen years. She taught writing at the University of Colorado for ten years before deciding to write full time. Her articles have appeared in Cruising World, Sailing, Yachting, Diver, and many other publications. Clive Cussler says of the most recent book, Under Pressure, 'A terrific writer. The scene with the sharks inside the aircraft is enough to cause nightmares. Well Done!' Kathy assumes that giving Clive nightmares is a good thing. Visit her website: www.ksbrandt.com

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Underwater Danger, October 27, 2003

By 

Mark Baker (Santa Clarita, CA United States) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Swimming with the Dead: An Underwater Investigation (Paperback)

When Michael Duvall's body is found trapped in a sunken wreck in the British Virgin Islands, it is deemed a tragic accident. But when his father, the Denver police commissioner, has his office broken into the day that Michael's personal effects are delivered, something doesn't feel right. So Hannah Sampson is sent to investigate.

A homicide detective and the head of the Denver underwater recovery team, Hannah has the perfect credentials to find out if there's more to Michael's death then meets the eye. At first skeptical, she quickly changes her mind when a car that's been following her tries to run her down her first morning on the islands. But was it Michael's environmental policies? Or had he found something else that got him murder? Hannah's undeniable attraction to one of her top suspects only complicates matters.

This book is obviously a first novel. It doesn't have quite the polish of someone with a few more books under her belt. However, that only takes away slightly from the book. The setting is an area that the author knows and loves, and it shows. I'm ready to hop the next plane down to visit myself. The underwater scenes bring a new world to life. The plot, while a bit uneven, does progress nicely. I had my suspicions, but I only figured things out a little before Hannah did, and the climax was breath taking.

This was an enjoyable debut, and I look forward to seeing the series progress when the next book is released.

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Enjoyable Caribbean Diving Mystery, October 7, 2003

By 

Ronald Capen (Woodland Park, Colorado United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Swimming with the Dead: An Underwater Investigation (Paperback)

Kathy Brandt makes an impressive debut in mystery fiction with her first in a series of books featuring Hannah Sampson, head of Denver's Police Dive and Recovery Team. Denver's Police Commissioner sends Hannah to the British Virgin Islands in the Caribbean to investigate the supposedly accidental scuba diving death of his son, a graduate student doing marine biology research. Hannah's time in this idyllic setting is no vacation, and she is quickly beset by a series of "accidental" mishaps, including a near fatal dive in the sunken ship, Chikuzen, where the Commissioner's son had met his demise. Hannah soon concludes that the Commissioner's son's death was no accident, and her suspect list quickly grows. Along the way to her discovery of the murderer, Hannah comes to appreciate the beauty of the coral reef and begins a romantic involvement with the head of a charter sailboat company.

There is much to like in Swimming With The Dead. Mystery fans will find pleasure in the abundance of plausible suspects and the difficulty of deciphering the perpetrators. At the end of the book the reader can reflect back and see the subtle clues that Kathy Brandt has woven into the story--clues that seemed only innocent occurrences at the time. For scuba divers there are underwater scenes with harrowing escapes for Hannah. Sailing enthusiasts will enjoy the cruise to St. Martin. Conservationists will appreciate the description of the threats to the coral environment and the growing awareness in Hannah of its fragile nature. Best of all, there are more books to come in this series. I can't wait to find out how Hannah adapts to the warm Caribbean island milieu. Highly recommended!

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Murder, diving and sun in the British Virgin Islands, June 16, 2004

By 

Dawn Dowdle "Mystery Lovers Corner reviewer" (Lynchburg, VA USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Swimming with the Dead: An Underwater Investigation (Paperback)

Hannah Sampson is a Homicide Detective in Denver. She is also a member of the Dive and Recovery Team for the Denver Homicide team.

The Denver police commissioner's son, Michael Duvall, was found pinned inside a submerged wreckage of a cargo ship in the British Virgin Islands. He had been living down there and was an expert diver and researcher. Hannah is sent down to investigate. When she first arrives, Chief Dunn was not too receptive. He didn't like her coming in to look over his shoulder and re-investigate Michael's death.

Slowly she is able to gain some people's respect, including Chief Dunn, and helps them get to the bottom of his death - proving it was murder and not an accident. During this time, though, Hannah finds herself in many dangerous situations, above and below the water. At first, everyone thinks they are accidents. Hannah believes they are related to Michael's death and someone not wanting the truth to be known. Eventually Chief Dunn begins to believe this to be true too.

I really enjoyed this book. It is so different from any other mysteries I've read. I am not a diver, but I found the diving portions to be so well written, I enjoyed them. I felt like I was down there with Hannah and seeing everything she saw. It was fabulous!

Hannah is a very likable character. She is a loner and thinks she wants to stay that way until she meets Peter O'Brien. He is a suspect and she has a real struggle because she is so attracted to him. This relationship really adds to the storyline.

I think Kathy has a real winning series! I have also read Dark Water Dive, the second book in the series, and loved it. I highly recommend both books.