Meet the Other Cassandra
Mine solves murders. The other one wants to control your thermostat.
A few weeks ago, I noticed something strange.
Not ‘anonymous letter slipped under my door’ strange. But strange enough to earn a mental sticky note labeled: suspicious.
There was a sudden blip of activity around my Cassandra Sato Mystery series. Nothing huge. Just enough to make me wonder: Why are people suddenly finding my books this week?
Narrator (in Morgan Freeman’s voice): They were not, in fact, searching for her books.
They were searching for the other Cassandra.
The Netflix Cassandra
In early 2025, Netflix released a new German sci-fi series called Cassandra. An AI thriller about a smart home assistant that goes rogue. Think retro wood paneling, glitchy control panels, and an artificially intelligent housewife who really just wants to run your life. You know. Normal Tuesday stuff.
Meanwhile, in Nebraska…
My Cassandra is navigating the joys of academic bureaucracy, cranky coworkers, and the occasional murder in a fictional small town. She drinks coffee, solves crimes, and would rather take on a room full of angry faculty than one rogue thermostat. Preferably before lunch.
Also, she’s not a robot. (Although she has fantasized about one doing her paperwork during syllabus week.)
A Totally Scientific Comparison
To clear up any confusion, I made this handy chart ↓ comparing the two Cassandras.
Spoiler: Only one has academic politics and donuts.
So What’s the Point?
Honestly? There isn’t one. It’s just one of those weird coincidences that makes being an author delightfully absurd.
The character I’ve been writing for years now shares a name with a villainous AI currently taking over Netflix. Two totally different genres, tones, and vibes with one name in common. Netflix Cassandra might be haunting your home, but my Cassandra is the relatable, overworked, mystery-solving underdog you want in your corner (and your Kindle).
If you came here looking for killer robots, I’m afraid you’ll be disappointed. But let’s be real:
“Murder in the Cornfield” has a much better ring to it than “Revenge of the Thermostat.”
And if you love culture clashes, character-driven whodunits, and academic chaos served with a side of sass? Welcome! Meet Cassandra Sato.
Don’t worry. She won’t take over your smart home. Just your weekend reading plans.
P.S. If your smart home starts talking to you in a soothing German accent… that’s not my fault.
Kelly Brakenhoff is the author of 15 books and a seasoned ASL interpreter. She splits her writing energy between two series: cozy mysteries set on a college campus and children’s books featuring Duke the Deaf Dog.
In 2025, two of her children’s books were selected for the CBC Favorites Award Lists, honored by teachers and librarians nationwide for excellence in children’s literature. Parents, kids, and educators love the Duke the Deaf Dog books and activity guides because they introduce ASL and the Deaf community through engaging stories.
And if you enjoy a smart female sleuth, want to learn more about Deaf culture, or have lived in a place where livestock outnumber people, the Cassandra Sato Mystery series will have you connecting the dots faster than a group project thrown together the night before it’s due.
A proud mom to four adults, head of the dog-snuggling department, and grandma to a growing brood of perfectly behaved grandkids, Kelly and her husband call Nebraska home.