Shell Games - Rogues, Smugglers, and the Hunt for Nature's Bounty

A unique blend of natural history and crime drama, Shell Games by Craig Welch is a riveting tale of rogues, scoundrels, and the hunt for nature’s bounty in the tradition of The Orchid Thief. A stranger-than-fiction true story centered around a larger-than-life character who pursued a larger-than-life clam—the Geoduck—and then led wildlife police on a two-year-long chase, Shell Games is enthralling and remarkable from page one on.

One detective. One audacious poacher. A cat-and-mouse game for a prize worth millions.

Wildlife Smuggling: Follow the trail of the bizarre geoduck clam from the depths of Puget Sound to the lucrative black markets of Asia. Undercover Investigation: Go inside the dangerous two-year chase as wildlife police work with informants to infiltrate a sophisticated poaching ring. A Larger-than-Life Criminal: Meet the audacious poacher at the center of the story—a charismatic rogue who plays a high-stakes game with law enforcement. Investigative Journalism: In the tradition of The Orchid Thief, this work of gripping narrative nonfiction exposes the surprising criminal underworld thriving in America’s pristine waters.