Excerpt of Deep Dive by Terry Shames

When I wrote Perilous Waters, I thought it was a standalone thriller. My agent said, “No, it’s a series.” After it was published, I had to plan the next book. I wanted Jessie to use her skills as a diver and decided she should be welcomed back to the FBI, on the dive team, after being kicked out in book one. A former FBI agent gave me pointers on how to weave that into the book.

I also wanted the story to center on a World War II secret. But where to set the book? Years ago, I had sailed around the Aeolian Islands, north of Sicily, and it was the perfect setting—a direct route between Italy and north Africa, a treacherous route during the war.

Next, I wanted the dive to be difficult. Researching dive sites in the Islands, I found a site that is considered so tricky that little information is publicized. To dive there, you have to go with an experienced captain. Bingo! I asked an experienced diver what could make the dive so difficult. I learned about volcanic dive sites and the powerful, unpredictable currents that play a huge role in the book.