"Marilyn Crier peered in the window, and I knew the past was about to kick me in the ass."

When Marilyn Crier calls surfer-cum-private investigator Noah Braddock, she doesn’t mention that she hasn’t seen him in more than a decade or that she’d despised him when he dated her daughter, Kate, in high school. She does, however, mention that Kate is missing and she wants Noah to find her. . . .

And so begins Killer Swell, the first book in a new mystery series featuring private investigator/surfer Noah Braddock. Author Jeff Shelby knows the surfing world and how to create a wonderfully authentic, vividly alive sense of place. Most of all, he knows how to create a memorable new hero: a man who is sometimes brash, often funny, always strong, and honorable.

With Killer Swell, Shelby carves out a place for himself next to the likes of Randy Wayne White, T. Jefferson Parker, and Carl Hiaasen. Crisp writing, rich details, and an amazing main character make Killer Swell a truly thrilling debut.