Rusty Star by Jonathan Kuiper

Genre: Mystery / Detective Fiction

Age:16+

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A disgraced Navy commander. A haunted past. A private investigator searching for redemption.

Russell Stokes once wore the Navy uniform with pride. Decorated for valor in Afghanistan but scarred by guilt and a drinking problem, his career is crumbling. Rumors and scandals force him toward resignation, leaving his future in doubt.

On terminal leave and searching for direction, Stokes turns to moonlighting as a private investigator. But trouble follows him everywhere. A reckless choice, a dangerous affair, and a brutal bar fight leave his reputation in ruins. Then a mysterious woman pulls him into a case that could mean redemption—or drag him even deeper into darkness.

Rusty Star is the first book in a trilogy that follows Russell Stokes. This is a gritty private investigator mystery that blends crime, suspense, and redemption. Perfect for fans of hard-boiled detective fiction, military thrillers, and flawed heroes navigating their way forward.

Contains mature themes and situations; recommended for adult readers.

Coming February 10, 2026!
Double Cross: A Stokes Case #2

Three ghosts. Two murders. One man running out of second chances.

Haunted by the death of the woman he loved, former Navy investigator Russell Stokes is barely holding it together when an old service friend drags him into the cold. Tommy Delaney is wanted for a brutal double murder in northern New Hampshire—and he insists he’s innocent.

​Heading north, Stokes finds more than he bargained for: a town that guards its secrets, a trail of blood, and a plea from his former mentor, Rear Admiral Radner, to find Grace—the missing daughter of Stokes’s estranged former commanding officer, whose actions forced him to resign his commission.

As the murders and Grace’s disappearance twist together, Stokes is forced to confront loyalty, guilt, and corruption in ways he never imagined. Every choice tests his conscience, every lead reveals a betrayal, and every step brings him closer to the truth—and to the ghosts he can’t outrun.

Double Cross: A Stokes Case Novel is a gripping, fast-paced New England thriller of loss, redemption, and the thin line between justice and obsession.