Shell Games: A Cook Investigations Novel

By Krysta M

Former police captain Ellie Cook didn't choose retirement-it was forced on her after nerve damage, trauma, and a case that nearly killed her. Now she works the Oregon Coast as a private investigator, trying to rebuild her life one case at a time. In Shell Games, Ellie takes on her first major investigation: a missing young woman whose disappearance exposes a network of lies stretching from Seaside's winter beaches to the quiet backrooms of local businesses.

As Ellie digs deeper, she battles chronic pain, addiction, PTSD, and the fallout of a complicated relationship with her former therapist, Alexa Mendoza. Supported by Seaside Police Chief Jesse Tran and EMT Joe Park, Ellie uncovers a truth darker than she expected-and realizes someone is watching her far more closely than the case should allow.

Gritty, emotional, and grounded in real coastal Oregon, Shell Games launches a new detective series where justice is messy, healing is not linear, and the hardest battles are the ones fought inside. Perfect for fans of character-driven crime fiction, flawed heroines, and coastal noir.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: B0G5X8SYFT
• ISBN13: 9798277950678
• Release Date: December 2025
• Publisher: Independently Published
• Length: 506 Pages
• Weight: 1.91 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.0" x 7.0" x 10.0"