Surface Tension

Seychelle Sullivan #1

by Christine Kling

SURFACE TENSION is the first in this five-book suspense series featuring Florida tug and salvage captain Seychelle Sullivan. Working as she does in a man's world, Seychelle has to work twice as hard just to compete. Some have even called her reckless. In her view, she's just doing her job, salvaging boats and people's lives.


FROM BOOKLIST

–Kling packs her debut with nautical detail, interesting characters, a well-tangled plot, and detailed descriptions of both the natural beauty and rampant tackiness of southern Florida. Recommend to James W. Hall fans and to all who like outdoor adventure along with their murder and mayhem. Carrie Bissey
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

SURFACE TENSION

Years ago Seychelle Sullivan had the chance to save a person’s life. But on that summer night in Florida, lost in a world of teenage resentment and loneliness, Seychelle was not able to feel any pain but her own. Today Seychelle captains her father’s forty-six-foot salvage boat out of Fort Lauderdale’s New River. But she’s never escaped that one moment when she could have made a difference and didn’t.

On a steamy Florida morning Seychelle is answering a Mayday call launched from the five-million-dollar Broward yacht called Top Ten. Racing her fiercest competitor for salvage rights, Seychelle has a personal stake in this rescue: Her former lover, Neal Garrett, is the yacht’s hired skipper. But being the first to reach Top Ten leads to a bloody payday. A beautiful woman has been stabbed to death onboard. And Garrett is nowhere to be found.

While the police treat her as the prime suspect, Seychelle begins to unravel a tangled plot centered on a strip club where “all the girls are tens on top.” Seychelle is connecting human predators with innocent victims, and a mystery on land with a mystery buried deep beneath the sea. Now, to find out what really happened to Neal Garrett, Seychelle must retrace his last steps, through two murders and a horrific crime wave, to a final confrontation with someone who may want to kill her . . . or be her salvation.

About the Author

Christine Kling is the author of five nautical thrillers and one anthology of short stories. She lives aboard her 33-foot sailboat Talespinner and travels wherever the wind and free wifi may take her.

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Thriller, Ebooks, Mystery Thriller, Suspense, Crime

291 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2002

About the author

Christine Kling doesn’t just write about the sea — she's lived on it. She and her husband have sailed their boats across the Pacific, Atlantic, Mediterranean, and the Caribbean, and they’ve logged thousands of miles in a converted ambulance/RV when they’re on land. It’s a nomadic life, and it suits her just fine.
That life on the water is what powers her fiction. Her Seychelle Sullivan series follows a female tugboat captain on the Fort Lauderdale waterfront who keeps finding dead bodies in her waters. The Shipwreck Adventures trilogy sends readers globe-trotting through international nautical thrillers full of history, danger, and buried secrets. And her World War II novel, Whiskey Creek, tells the story of a young woman who takes the helm of her family’s boat to patrol for U-boats off the Florida coast.
With more than forty years of “simply messing about with boats” — as Rat said to Mole in The Wind in the Willows — Christine brings the salt air, the engine grease, and the gut-punch of open ocean to every page. When she’s not writing, she’s probably anchored somewhere new with her two Havapoo pups, Razz and Zoë, planning the next adventure.

Reviews

[Louie the Mustache Matos · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've never read this author before and agreed to read it in return for an honest review. I found the author knowledgeable of the Florida setting and the boating lifestyle. For a debut novel, pretty good and smart to incorporate the things she knows. The characters popped with believability. The story swept me up in the narrative and while I read it, I kept getting a Peter Benchley mixed with Sue Grafton vibe. The protagonist is Seychelle Sullivan, the captain of her own salvage tugboat, who while going out on a salvage call realizes that it’s a call being put out by an ex-lover. She doesn't find her ex, but she does find a bloody mess of a crime scene and a lovely, dead corpse. From there she gets embroiled in a murder investigation where she becomes the prime suspect. I liked it a great deal and would read this author again. Good mystery with a unique premise. I always give extra points for an author with a perspective that is antithetical to the genre norm, especially when it is carried out with skill.

[Picky_Book_B1tch]

Too much unnecessary detail slowed this one down and I wasn't willing to slog through it to get to the good stuff. Getting the right amount a detail in the right place, is an art form that can make or break a book. The detail here was overkill. Too bad because I think there was a really good story in there somewhere.

[Dan · Rating 2 out of 5]

The supposedly detail focused detective, despite ample evidence of her innocence, continues to suspect, and accuse the main character. Such foolishness snowballed until I could no longer continue.

[Cathy DuPont · Rating 3 out of 5]

Could have finished this last night, but just wasn't that interested in it so I put it down 25 pages from the end. Why? It sagged the last third of the book and kept sagging until it really got tiresome. Most times I cannot and will not do that. I'll read until after midnight if needed.

If the rating would let me rate the book in thirds, I would give the first two-thirds a 3.5 or 3.75. But no can do.

It started with a bang and a real mystery and kept getting better. Like I said, in the final third it started its decline and toward the ending, just got really messy. A couple of little things were just left hanging in limbo.

I hope by the next novel she's purchased a gun or had training in judo of some kind because she's needing it.

Must say though, tugboat Capt. Seychelle Sullivan (father named the three children after islands) knows her boats. I think I may have learned a little about them myself which is not a bad thing. There were some words I knew such as fenders, starboard side (left or right side, not sure) and dinghys (little boats, right?) but some I never knew such as gunwhale, bulwark and transom. I think a more polished writer (or editor) would have had a short description of the term so that readers (who don't know boats well) could follow along better. On Kindle, it would have been easy (time consuming) but easy to get the definition.

Like I said, the ending was kind of messy, not quite sure why the bad guys did what they did. And they were so, so obvious from early on. The ending just didn't seem clear enough.

But this is Kling's first novel. Unfortunately, I'm not in any hurry to run out and get number two, but certainly wouldn't avoid it either should it come up on Kindle and was free.

I did like her writing style but apparently she had great mentors, James W. Hall and Les Standiford. A clear storyline to the end was what was missing for me. The bonus for me though was that it was placed in Florida, on/around the water. I just love that stuff, bad storyline and all.

[Carmie Callobre · Rating 2 out of 5]

I am kinda familiar with that area of South Florida (part of my childhood vacations) - especially Pompano Beach and the A1A area, and the author was able to bring that area to life as well as make me think about my time spent in Pompano. The sailing background was very good. What I didn't like was how our heroine was beaten up, left to drown, beat up AGAIN, unrealistically single-handedly fights the bad guys - all in like 5 days. She should have been dead by day 2.

[Dianne Parkhurst · Rating 4 out of 5]

good plot and story line. good writing. writer is very knowledgeable of all types of boats. and boating. I liked the book and am now reading her next Seychelles Sullivan novel.I very much enjoyed this book.

[GIZMO · Rating 4 out of 5]

really enjoyed the first 75% of this book but it totally fell apart for me at the end...author tried to stuff too many cats into the bag and it didn't wirk

[Nancy Zimmer · Rating 3 out of 5]

The beginning of the book was well written and had the makings of a good mystery. But the last 1/3 to 1/4 of the book was so “far fetched” that I basically started skimming through the story to just finish the book and find out the conclusion of the mystery. It would have been better if it was at least a little more realistic.

[Joyce · Rating 3 out of 5]

A formulaic start to a new series. Sey is a tug boat captain on a boat she and her two brothers inherited from their father. When she claims an abandoned boat off the coast of Ft. Lauderdale, she finds a young woman’s dead body on it. The Police suspect she is involved with the murder particularly since her ex boyfriend was with the girl when the boat left the dock and he is nowhere to be found. She, naturally, begins to investigate what has been happening. The plot revolves around money laundering, child prostitution, drugs and the other expected south Florida evils. The author’s visuals of the area are spot on. Thanks to the author and publisher for an e-Galley for an honest review.

[Cynthia Raleigh · Rating 3 out of 5]

Surface Tension was an interesting story that started right off with suspense. Lots of information about boats, ships, and the business of the waterways, of which I knew very little, so I did learn something. Seychelle Simpson, the main character, is an adept salvager and knows her way around the Ft. Lauderdale area with her eyes closed. She is an independent, no-nonsense type of woman who took over her father's salvage business after his death, while maintaining her two brothers as absent one-third partners. So I was surprised when she lost her mind and fell for the attentions of a smooth-talking, slimy character. Not only fell for him, but morphed into a silly little thing prone to sighing and adoring looks in his presence. The story went heavy on the catastrophes, crises, and episodes of bad luck for Seychelle, which I do have to say became tedious. After a half dozen or more of these instances, I was just ready for the resolution of the mystery. There were several things that I didn't feel were sufficiently explained, but overall it was a good story. I would like to try another book with this character and see if the wrinkles are ironed out in the next installment.

[Jay Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

An exciting story of a lady skipper of a tow boat in Florida. Her former boyfriend, her family and several local criminals keep her jumping as she deals with an expensive salvage, her brother's financial issues, a long-standing guilt trip concerning her mother's suicide, and a policeman who sees her as being guilty of every crime that occurs in the area. The style of writing is clear and straightforward, but it helps to have some knowledge of the Florida east coast area. The reader gains information along with Seycelle as she investigates the murder of a young women and the disappearance of her ex-boyfriend. The tension builds as she uncovers what lies beneath the original crime. There is no shortage of bad guys, including some that are psychopathic. Seychelle is innocent and trusting enough to fall into dangerous situations and potential heartache. This is a quick read, but very entertaining.

[C.E. Grundler · Rating 5 out of 5]

A smart, tough, believable female protagonist, a tugboat captain running a salvage business in Fort Lauderdale, that sounds like my kind character. The story wasted no time diving right into the action and I was immediately hooked. Seychelle comes to life on the pages as both capable and likable, intelligent and take-charge, and Kling does a superb job of presenting scenes in vivid detail, both visually and emotionally, without slowing the story for one second. Without question, Kling knows her territory, both regionally and with boats, and this knowledge made this story all the more enjoyable. Her writing flows in a smooth, un-distracting way that draws the reader right in there with her characters, which is perfect as this is a highly-character driven story. The characters themselves, from Seychelle to her friends, foes and beyond, are all well-fleshed out and multi-dimensional. The dialog is natural and believable, with a subtle range that distinguishes each of the various characters quite nicely. The plot is well paced; it unfolds in layers that weave together in a way that kept me guessing, and though I had my suspicions there were a few surprises that did a nice job of sneaking up on me. And the end wraps everything up in a very satisfying way – there’s no question I’ll be reading more from Christine Kling!

[Candy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I got this book for free from Pixel of Ink or Kindle Nation, can't remember. I don't usually read suspense stories but this one caught my attention solely because it was based in Florida not too far from where I'm from.
From the very beginning, the novel grabbed my attention and kept it all the way to the end. Kling's writing flows like the sea where the mystery begins.
However, I agree with one reviewer about how often the main Character, Seychelle, gets hurt and I found myself feeling that somewhat unbelievable. But there are people who've been through as much or more in real life, so I decided to believe that Sey was really that much of a tough cookie.
Overall good book and definitely recommendable. In fact, I'm going to read the remaining two books in the series.
CORRECTION: There are three more books in the series.

[Jeanne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Surface Tension is the first in a series of mysteries by Christine Kling that are set on the Atlantic coast between Miami and Fort Lauderdale. Seychelles owns a tug/salvage business and captains her boat. She gets pulled into solving a murder that she happened upon, but which also helps her resolve unfinished business in her life.

You might want to read this if, like my husband, you're a boat fan. That's not necessary, though, as the nautical scenes are not difficult to follow. He argues that this is largely a Kinsey Millhone mystery (Sue Grafton), which makes sense: different coast, but both strong, single women with occasional love interests, trying to work through their childhoods, trying to do the right thing – and frequently getting hurt for the privilege.

This is not a book that will inspire or enlighten you. It is a good summer read, though, which I always appreciate.

[Suzanne Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a native Floridian, the descriptions of Florida were fantastic. I could see it all in my mind's eye. The plot was a real "page turner." I simply could not put the book down until the end. Add to that, the hint of romance and this was a real pleasurable read. Story does have some language and violence in it. However, the main character, Seychelle and her boyfriend, B.J. are well-developed. I felt like they were my friends. The evil characters at the same time had me wishing the worst for them. I found the final chapter a bit of an odd addition, but understand the author's need to tie Seychelle's thoughts about her mother together. For anyone interested in a good crime/mystery story, this is a super choice. I recommend it.

[Mark · Rating 3 out of 5]

This page turner is a four star read except for a few plot turns that snapped my suspenders of disbelief a bit too hard.

Solid writing and a story that leaps into gear makes “Surface Tension’ hard to put down. Even better, most characters are well developed and the storie's primary conflict is complex and truly horrifying, generating great sympathy for characters and high stakes that feel real.

“Surface Tension’ delivered a tense, emotional rollercoaster story that I won’t soon forget. I'm looking forward to the author's 'Circle of Bones', next up on my reading list.

[Cynthia Maddox · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first in a series by Ms. Kling. I've read them all and they're all equally well written. She knows how to tell a good story and keep you riveted to the end of the tale. The entire series focuses on Seychelle Sullivan and her misadventures with her salvage boat. Ms. Kling certainly knows nautical and you can almost smell the sea when you open the covers. If you've ever visited the region, you won't have any trouble visualizing it as you read and you'll be caught up in a great story.

These are enjoyable books to read.

[Nikki Soulsby · Rating 3 out of 5]

Second time through this book. The author gives a great deal of insight on the boating industry in Florida, and keeps it simple enough that a novice can appreciate the craft. This was my first suspense novel when I read it in high school and I really enjoyed it. Kling certainly covers most of her bases, but there are some basic police practices that go completely undone. If you are looking for a light adventure this is a good one. Nothing gruesome, or too heated. I would say that Seychelle is likeable if a bit too independent (and that from a die hard feminist).

[pls7560gmail.com · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very strange and improbable story. One bad decision after another would surely end ones life when dealing with the vial and hateful men in this story. The independent sleuthing with zero training on how to handle these violent men is highly unlikely. The overall story and basic plot has merit but needs some tuning up to make it more viable.

[Jay · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent. I had read Bitter End, #3 in the series and enjoyed it. I like mysteries and being a Navy vet, like books with a sea flair. Christine Kling has a talent for incorporating both. I've got the 2nd in the series standing by.

[ajoyim · Rating 5 out of 5]

A most excellent 5 star read but, this almost got 4 stars because of all the wrong moves and wrong signals, I mean it was all I could do to not want to smack her upside the head and then maybe give her a hug

[Martin Pingree · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was fun ! Great murder mystery in beautiful Florida with a woman salvage tug captain and lots of bad guys and good guys. Great story and great characters, one of those I couldn't put down.

[Sandie Herron · Rating 3 out of 5]

Seychelle Sullivan runs a marine tow business in Ft. Lauderdale that she inherited from her father. Her job is mostly towing megayachts. Her former boyfriend, Neal Garret, is captain of the Top Ten, a 92-foot yacht owned by the man who runs several upscale strip joints in town. When a mayday call comes from the Top Ten and the voice is that of a woman, Seychelle drops everything to pull the yacht out of the surf and save it from being pounded to flotsam. However, Neal Garret is missing, and the woman is dead.

Detective Victor Collazo wants to know what Seychelle found on that boat when she arrived. Collazo appears convinced that Seychelle might have killed the mayday caller, and he is certain that Seychelle knows what happened to Neal Garrett, though he is officially presumed dead. Seychelle instructs her attorney to file a salvage claim, which brings a smooth-talking lawyer to her door offering well below what the salvage was worth. He suggests she take the offer from the mysterious owners of the Top Ten or else.

Soon Seychelle’s friends and relatives are threatened or beaten. Seychelle’s business turns sour as rumors are spread about her abilities to tow. Seychelle is in way over her head, but her stubborn streak keeps her pushing to find out what Neal Garret was doing that fateful day and to protect her friends, her business, and herself.

While the plot was interesting, there were facets that were hard to believe. One particular chase scene was extraneous to the plot; her unquestioned entrance to a secured naval station was implausible. Seychelle vacillated from a strong-willed woman to a damsel in distress. South Florida is rife with drugs, money, and sex, but in this case, it was a bit hard to swallow that Seychelle would end up enmeshed with it all in the space of a few days. Additionally, time lines were distorted and details changed from scene to scene. Particularly offensive was Seychelle’s description of her overweight attorney. The off-skew description of many bodily appearances permeated the book.

The author knew her boating. I won’t even begin to understand all the terminology used. While I am sure it was accurate, it assumed a certain knowledge of boats and the water I didn’t begin to fathom. Therefore, I think I lost some of the descriptive part of this novel by not comprehending it all. Some of that very descriptiveness slowed the action down in parts, making the plot progression uneven.

All of that said, I believe Christine Kling has a good start with her first novel. Many of the flaws I note could easily be changed in her sophomore effort. I hope that Seychelle Sullivan returns in another south Florida caper.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Seychelle Sullivan runs a tug service that she inherited from her Dad in Ft. Lauderdale Florida. Her brothers co-own the boat but she does all the work. One brother is a sea guy sailing everywhere. The other is a gambler, married with kids and causing trouble. He wants to sell the boat to pay off his debts and causes business arrangements to be cancelled, hoping to force bankruptcy and a faster sale of the business. He's beaten up but Sey insists on trying to raise enough to buy him out of her life instead.

To that end she sees an opportunity to rescue a multi million dollar craft, but has to race a bigger ship to the site. Her competitor is a disreputable guy. The ship she rescues belongs to a corporate entity whom she needs to track down in order to negotiate a fee. It is sailed by her ex boyfriend, who is now missing but his blood and current girlfriend are on the boat. The girlfriend is dead.

Sey has to fend off the homicide cop, the owners lawyer who keeps lowballing her fee, and someone who is looking for her ex. She thinks he's still around because her stash is stolen and the ex is the only one who knows where it is hidden. She is attracted to both her deckhand BJ and the local runaway shelter Head Administrator.

A second death is one of her rescue people now living at the shelter while she puts her life together.

I was really interested in the amount of detail, beyond the plot, is provided about the business of craft rescue.

[Toni · Rating 5 out of 5]

Drama on the Sea

Seychelle Sullivan is a tough, independent pilot of her own salvage tug, working out of Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. She lives alone by choice and runs her salvage business in a no nonsense manner. At least until she becomes embroiled in murder, the sex trafficking underworld, drug dealers and general mayhem.

When she arrives to help a large yacht that is adrift, she finds the body of a young woman and no one else aboard. Since the captain of this yacht used to be her lover, she feels a certain obligation to find out what happened. But the more she works to find answers, the more the police begin to suspect her for the murder of the young woman as well as for the disappearance of the yacht captain.

Loaded with suspense along with twists and turns that keep you guessing right up to the end. I was totally enthralled with this book. Excellent writing, strong characters, and a story that hooks you from the beginning. I highly recommend this book. I found it reminiscent of the drama of Clive Custer books.

[Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

I obtained this free e-book from Amazon and I am writing an honest review. Seychelle is a salvage boat captain barely eking out a living in the coastal waters of Florida. While doing repairs on her boat she hears a MAYDAY call out from a 92 foot super yacht that so happens to be captained by her ex-lover and his girlfriend. She figures she is closer to the distressed call than the Coast Guard and rushes to the site. She is first on the scene and is shocked to find the girlfriend dead with a knife protruding from her body a lot of blood everywhere and no other person on board. That is the start of the downhill slide when people she cares about start popping up dead and the police are looking to pin it all on her.

[Linda Frisbie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good book, easy to follow

I liked this book for some light reading. I'm really tired of the news, the covid 19, the election, protests, riots, conspiracy theories, QAnon, Antifas, BLM and killings, that this book captured my interest and I finished it in a day. It had drama, romance interest and suspense, which negates my saying it was light reading. But in today's world, and all the upheaval, this book made it seem manageable, had a hero or two, and it brought conclusion to the chaos, something I want in real life. It brought the feeling of living in south FL, the money, the boats, drugs and sex, family dynamics was all in there. I enjoyed the main character and her grit.

[Thomas St. John · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed the first 180 pages or so, then it just dragged a bit with one calamity after another. I know it's a suspense novel, but characters like James Long were predictable and cliche. The novel could have used a 50-page edit and made much tighter. Being from Hollywood, Fl, I really enjoyed the local color and references. By the way, Flossie's just closed for good a few weeks ago. Some of the other locales are long gone or replaced, but the nostalgia was nice. I would give it a 3.5 if I could. I really wanted to read the following installments, but I made the mistake of looking ahead at the future plotlines and they just didn't catch me. However, "Surface Tension" did bring back fond memories of Travis McGee and Hall's Thorn novels.

[Naznin Azeez · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good & suspenseful storyline. The story is about Seychelles Sullivan, an independent (a little too much actually) woman who has taken over her father's salvaging business. The writer knows a lot about boats and the water but she tends to forget the fact that the readers might not be as knowledgeable. It was a bit tiresome looking up the boating jargon used throughout the book.

Some parts of the story is either not explained very well or is too unrealistic. That's why I have cut down a star for this book. Awesome & apt book title though!. Overall, it's a book worth reading. If you know boats, all the better..

[Mike Harris · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book, despite the significant focus on a seafarer's lifestyle which did not appeal to me personally (readers who love boats will love it). The plot was a different matter. To me, Christine Kling has written a complex & highly believable thriller that drew me back to read a few more chapters each night. My biggest disappointment was reading the first chapter of her next book, merely because it felt tame after Surface Tension's big finale.
Just a heads up for sensitive readers. The story descends into a pretty dark place. The book could do with a warning of some kind, as some of the content toward the end was intense and will likely affect some victims of abuse.