Every clue is a countdown.

A typical morning at Sandpiper Bank turns into chaos when an armed man in a clown costume storms in, shattering the calm. He trashes the lobby and executes the bank manager, even after securing the money, hinting at a motive beyond mere robbery.

Maybe money isn’t the root of all evil, after all.

Puzzled by the senseless violence, Sheriff Rebecca West is drawn into a labyrinth of mystery and danger as the bank’s connections to the Yacht Club are revealed. The arrival of the FBI, led by Rebecca’s former instructor, offers a mix of relief and renewed tension. Together, they uncover a string of unsettling links to Shadow Island, each discovery more perplexing than the last.

As Rebecca inches ever closer to the sinister truths lurking within the Yacht Club, she finds herself plunged into treacherous waters. In this world of duplicity and danger, trust is a rare commodity, and the stakes skyrocket beyond the confines of the law.

Rebecca isn’t just chasing clues anymore...she’s fighting to stay afloat in a maelstrom of deceit. But as she delves deeper, she finds herself in the deep end...and sinking fast.

From the intriguing beginning to the electrifying conclusion, Shadow’s Hoax—the twelfth book in the Shadow Island Series by Mary Stone and Lori Rhodes—plays out like a chess match. But in this deadly game, who is the pawn?