“Water Grave” Marks the the Initial Volume in Novelist Mitchell S. Karnes’ Compelling New Detective Abbey Rhodes Mystery Series
Veteran novelist Mitchell S. Karnes and WordCraftsPress are pleased to announce the release of Water Grave, the debut novel in the intriguing new Detective Abbey Rhodes Mystery series.
Water Grave is already capturing the attention of readers, with the paperback landing at Number 46 on Amazon.com’s Hot New Releases in the Christian Mystery & Suspense category and the ebook debuting at Number 55 on Amazon.com’s Hot New Releases in Christian Suspense chart and at Number 82 on the Christian Mystery & Suspense chart.
Fledgling Homicide detective Abbey Rhodes investigates the murder of a young East Nashville pastor found dead in the bottom of his church baptistery. Paired with Sam Tidwell, an apathetic, aging detective just biding his time until retirement, Abbey must convince her partner the obvious suspect is not the real murderer. In the process, Abbey must overcome her deep prejudice against churches and a dark secret that anchors her present to a painful past. As Abbey and Abe discover the pastor’s plans to eliminate the church’s corruptive elements and implement a new vision, their list of suspects multiplies and includes church leaders, whom the young pastor considered friends.
To crack the case of the Water Grave, Detective Abbey Rhodes must investigate in the one place she swore she would never again set foot… the church.
“I never set out to write a Christian mystery,” author Mitchell S. Karnes declares, “but the story leaned heavily that way as the protagonist’s elaborate backstory developed. I was serving as a bivocational pastor in a small Baptist church. As I was walking through the sanctuary, the church’s baptistery caught my attention. Immediately, an image of a pastor floating in the water streamed through my consciousness, and the story took flight.”
“Unlike the majority of my tales, the main character of Water Grave was female—a petite but strong detective with a dark past—a past that originated in the church. That’s when the tagline formed in my mind: When a young pastor is found dead floating in the church’s baptistery, detective Abbey Rhodes must investigate in the one place she swore never to return…the church.”
“I love a good whodunit,” says Mike Parker, publisher at WordCrafts Press, “and Mitchell has delivered a first class detective story that features a smart, spunky, tough yet tragically fragile protagonist in Detective Abbey Rhodes. He manages to peel back layer after layer of the mystery of both the murder and Abbey’s backstory, allowing the reader to discover each one’s secrets in a slow burn mystery that incrementally turns up the heat as you turn the pages.”
“Water Grave is the first volume in a planned six-book series,” Mitchell adds. “In this book I wanted to introduce the overall theme of honesty—with yourself and others. Own the truth, or the truth will own you.
Abbey’s past surfaces bit by bit, and as she struggled to deal with its reality, she was forced to make this difficult choice: own it or let it own her. I want the reader to confront the truth. We cannot change unless we take ownership of our past, present, and future. Once we decide to own the truth, we are left with an even more difficult question: Now what?
As a counselor, I could easily give the answer I want the reader to come to, but those commitments are weak and fleeting. Each reader will react to the truth, and as we all know there are many types of reactions: denial, deflection, anger, blame, or change. I hope they will see Abbey’s growth and follow her lead.”
From the Novel
“He fell right there.” I pointed to the circle of blood. “This is where the murderer scooped him up and dragged his limp body to the top of the stairs.”
“I agree with you in theory,” Detective Tidwell said. “But why toss him in the water?”
“It was personal,” I answered. “What better way to punish a pastor than by dumping his body in the church baptistery? After all, Protestants call baptism the death of the old self—a water grave.”
“So,” Tidwell continued, “we’re looking for someone who either hated the pastor specifically or someone who just hates Christians in general.”
They both triggered something deep within me. I’d struggled with thoughts of revenge in the past. In a way, I could understand the killer’s motive. In my dark fantasies as a young girl, the pain I would have inflicted was always fitting and very, very, personal. Revenge often is. I, too, would have sent a powerful message or an image that would let others know, without a doubt, why he was killed. I, too, secretly shared a deep hatred for the church and its hypocritical people… especially my father.
Unfortunately, no matter what I tried, the past didn’t disappear. And now, of all places, I had to deal with a murder and a setting that brought it all home.
About the Author
Mitchell S. Karnes is a husband, father of seven, and grandfather of nine. Mitchell uses his experience and insights as a minister, counselor, and educator to write and speak on challenging issues and concerns with an ever-growing audience. He has published five novels, three short stories, a one-act play, and numerous Bible study lessons.
Through two separate battles against Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, God has given Mitchell a new perspective on life that challenges him to create stories not only to entertain audiences but call them to action. Mitchell’s mission is to reach and reconcile those who have been disillusioned with God and His church and inspire the church to live out the love of Christ Jesus in a broken and hurting world.
Connect with Mitchell online at:
mitchellskarnesauthor.com
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