What do you think?
Rate this book
Cooper Trace FBI Suspense Thriller #1
Shattered Mind
When FBI Agent Cooper Trace is diagnosed with a degenerative brain disease, he finds himself having to keep it a secret and in a final race against time to catch diabolical serial killers—before it’s too late.
When victims of a new killer are found with mirrors shattered around them, Cooper must race to decode the mysterious signature—while grappling with his own new mental state.
SHATTERED MIND (A Cooper Trace FBI Suspense Thriller—Book 1) is the first novel in a new series by mystery and suspense author Ella Swift.
The Cooper Trace series is a gripping and intense crime thriller saga, showcasing an intricate and troubled protagonist. With its non-stop action, suspenseful moments, unexpected turns, and fast-paced narrative, this series will have you hooked well into the night. Fans of Robert Dugoni, Mary Burton, and Rachel Caine are sure to fall in love.
Future books in the series are also available!
When victims of a new killer are found with mirrors shattered around them, Cooper must race to decode the mysterious signature—while grappling with his own new mental state.
SHATTERED MIND (A Cooper Trace FBI Suspense Thriller—Book 1) is the first novel in a new series by mystery and suspense author Ella Swift.
The Cooper Trace series is a gripping and intense crime thriller saga, showcasing an intricate and troubled protagonist. With its non-stop action, suspenseful moments, unexpected turns, and fast-paced narrative, this series will have you hooked well into the night. Fans of Robert Dugoni, Mary Burton, and Rachel Caine are sure to fall in love.
Future books in the series are also available!
148 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 29, 2024
438 people are currently reading
537 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 49 reviews
November 13, 2024
3⭐
Genre ~ police procedural
Series ~ Cooper Trace #1
Setting ~ Washington DC
Publication date ~ March 29, 2024
Est Page Count ~ 148 (25 chapters +e)
Audio length ~ 4 hours 28 minutes
Narrator ~ Jack (Synthesized Voice)
POV ~ multiple 3rd
Featuring ~ brain disease, serial killer
Cooper has a brain tumor that he's keeping a secret from his peers. This doesn't sound a like a bright idea when you're racing to try to catch a serial killer. With that aside I thought he was a good investigator.
Overall, it was fine, but it doesn't really bring anything new to the table. Except maybe that we usually we have a female FBI agent with a missing sister, but this time it's a male. Wow way to switch things up 😂
Not sure if I'll continue on with the series unless they are available as a Hoopla bonus borrow like this one was.
Narration notes:
Jack sounds like a man's name to me, but this synthesized narrator was a woman. What's up with that?
Connect with me ➡ Blog ~ Facebook ~ X
Genre ~ police procedural
Series ~ Cooper Trace #1
Setting ~ Washington DC
Publication date ~ March 29, 2024
Est Page Count ~ 148 (25 chapters +e)
Audio length ~ 4 hours 28 minutes
Narrator ~ Jack (Synthesized Voice)
POV ~ multiple 3rd
Featuring ~ brain disease, serial killer
Cooper has a brain tumor that he's keeping a secret from his peers. This doesn't sound a like a bright idea when you're racing to try to catch a serial killer. With that aside I thought he was a good investigator.
Overall, it was fine, but it doesn't really bring anything new to the table. Except maybe that we usually we have a female FBI agent with a missing sister, but this time it's a male. Wow way to switch things up 😂
Not sure if I'll continue on with the series unless they are available as a Hoopla bonus borrow like this one was.
Narration notes:
Jack sounds like a man's name to me, but this synthesized narrator was a woman. What's up with that?
Connect with me ➡ Blog ~ Facebook ~ X
October 29, 2024
Picked this book because I got an email from Hoopla introducing “bonus borrows.”
The bonus borrows are available during the last seven days of every month (woohoo! 🎉). Also, there seems to be a limited collection of titles that can be borrowed without using the monthly allowed credits, and at the time I accessed the app, there were 13 audiobooks shown as available.
I figured “hey, this is a short book that seems interesting, why not?!”
I’ll tell you why … BECAUSE IT’S TERRIBLE 😑
The over-the-top FBI agent that just “KNEW” exactly who they were dealing with because he’s soooo smart (ahem, let me drown you with how smart he is … he’s able “to think just like the killer!” ***gasp***) … to the constant sprinkling of “we just gotta catch this guy before it’s too late or before I totally lose my mind,” to the random story insertion of needing to find his missing sister from decades ago …
This book is all over the place.
It was rushed, underdeveloped in every single area (think character development, plot, etc) and hello, was there an editor? At all??
I’m gonna vote no.
Even if short, if a book is terrible, “short” is still a waste of precious book reading time!!
The bonus borrows are available during the last seven days of every month (woohoo! 🎉). Also, there seems to be a limited collection of titles that can be borrowed without using the monthly allowed credits, and at the time I accessed the app, there were 13 audiobooks shown as available.
I figured “hey, this is a short book that seems interesting, why not?!”
I’ll tell you why … BECAUSE IT’S TERRIBLE 😑
The over-the-top FBI agent that just “KNEW” exactly who they were dealing with because he’s soooo smart (ahem, let me drown you with how smart he is … he’s able “to think just like the killer!” ***gasp***) … to the constant sprinkling of “we just gotta catch this guy before it’s too late or before I totally lose my mind,” to the random story insertion of needing to find his missing sister from decades ago …
This book is all over the place.
It was rushed, underdeveloped in every single area (think character development, plot, etc) and hello, was there an editor? At all??
I’m gonna vote no.
Even if short, if a book is terrible, “short” is still a waste of precious book reading time!!
November 7, 2024
Hmmm this was ok. It was very disjointed at times and the resolution sort of rushed at you out of nowhere. The writing could have been more coherent to tie the mystery together especially with the theme of the “Shattered Mind”
June 21, 2024
It was a free Apple book, so my hopes weren’t high. It gave me something to read while I was doing nothing at work, but I didn’t particularly love the plot or the writing. Everything felt rushed, the protagonist was too over the top “smart FBI guy,” and the “shocking reveal” was incredibly predictable.
December 24, 2024
A new series with a detective who has special psychic abilities. He has a good relationship with his coworker and together they work as a solid team. His coworker has real respect for his abilities and he pushes himself to the limit. Once again the missing sister subplot. AHHHHHHHHHHHH. Aside of that a really good read. Some of the concepts in the book are thought provoking. Well researched and well written.
July 26, 2024
3.8, rounded up!
November 7, 2024
This was infuriating as an audiobook.
March 22, 2026
Shattered Mind by Ella Swift: 4/5 stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐
This was a gripping FBI thriller that kept me hooked from the start. Following Cooper, a seasoned detective, and his partner Sloane was enjoyable. I loved their healthy working relationship and felt just as invested as they were in catching the killer as young ladies began disappearing one by one. Cooper’s struggle to stubbornly hide his illness was incredibly believable and relatable, especially given he is a man (they do that stuff) plus his guardianship of his reputation as one of the best on the force. He didn't want them to shelf him. His sister being missing was a great emotional motivation for his passion about his job.
The investigation itself was "juicy" and well-written. I particularly enjoyed the segments involving the victims' dirty little secrets, like the drama with the suspected married boyfriend. The author did a fantastic job with the different suspects and the profiling process; watching Cooper narrow down who did and didn’t fit the profile was fascinating. The chapters from the killer’s perspective were also chillingly effective at showing just how sick he really was.
However, I ended up going with 4 stars instead of 5 because the investigation dragged a tiny bit and then killer reveal felt a bit abrupt. It felt like Cooper just woke up and "magically" realized who the killer was because his "head was right" rather than it being a more organic discovery through the search. I was also a little annoyed that the killer’s name was revealed to the reader in the later POV chapters, as I would have preferred to solve it alongside the detectives. It's just a preference and art is subjective, so somebody else might not have minded.
Even though my ADHD had me skimming a few pages here and there to keep up the momentum, I was genuinely terrified toward the end. I really thought Cooper’s illness would get the better of him when he finally faced the killer. Overall, this was a great, intense read and I’ll definitely be checking out more from this author.
This was a gripping FBI thriller that kept me hooked from the start. Following Cooper, a seasoned detective, and his partner Sloane was enjoyable. I loved their healthy working relationship and felt just as invested as they were in catching the killer as young ladies began disappearing one by one. Cooper’s struggle to stubbornly hide his illness was incredibly believable and relatable, especially given he is a man (they do that stuff) plus his guardianship of his reputation as one of the best on the force. He didn't want them to shelf him. His sister being missing was a great emotional motivation for his passion about his job.
The investigation itself was "juicy" and well-written. I particularly enjoyed the segments involving the victims' dirty little secrets, like the drama with the suspected married boyfriend. The author did a fantastic job with the different suspects and the profiling process; watching Cooper narrow down who did and didn’t fit the profile was fascinating. The chapters from the killer’s perspective were also chillingly effective at showing just how sick he really was.
However, I ended up going with 4 stars instead of 5 because the investigation dragged a tiny bit and then killer reveal felt a bit abrupt. It felt like Cooper just woke up and "magically" realized who the killer was because his "head was right" rather than it being a more organic discovery through the search. I was also a little annoyed that the killer’s name was revealed to the reader in the later POV chapters, as I would have preferred to solve it alongside the detectives. It's just a preference and art is subjective, so somebody else might not have minded.
Even though my ADHD had me skimming a few pages here and there to keep up the momentum, I was genuinely terrified toward the end. I really thought Cooper’s illness would get the better of him when he finally faced the killer. Overall, this was a great, intense read and I’ll definitely be checking out more from this author.
March 19, 2026
Shattered Mind is a suspenseful psychological thriller built around a strong and intriguing premise.
Cooper Trace is a gifted FBI agent racing to catch a serial killer, but he’s also dealing with early-onset Alzheimer’s, which adds a unique and emotional layer to the story. The tension works well because he’s not only chasing a killer, he’s also fighting against his own mind.
The suspense is palpable, and the antagonist adds a compelling psychological edge. I enjoyed the overall direction of the story and the urgency it created.
That said, I would have liked to be brought further into Cooper’s thought process. Understanding how he arrived at certain deductions would have strengthened the mystery for me. There were also a few proofreading issues that pulled me out of the story.
Overall, an engaging and fast-paced read for fans of psychological thrillers with complex protagonists.
Cooper Trace is a gifted FBI agent racing to catch a serial killer, but he’s also dealing with early-onset Alzheimer’s, which adds a unique and emotional layer to the story. The tension works well because he’s not only chasing a killer, he’s also fighting against his own mind.
The suspense is palpable, and the antagonist adds a compelling psychological edge. I enjoyed the overall direction of the story and the urgency it created.
That said, I would have liked to be brought further into Cooper’s thought process. Understanding how he arrived at certain deductions would have strengthened the mystery for me. There were also a few proofreading issues that pulled me out of the story.
Overall, an engaging and fast-paced read for fans of psychological thrillers with complex protagonists.
July 11, 2025
Worth the Read
FBI Agents, Cooper and Sloan, are thrown into a strange case involving broken mirrors. Women are found murdered among pieces of broken mirrors. But not cut by them. This drives the agents to research mirrors in cult or religious rituals. But Cooper has a disadvantage. He has been diagnosed with a debilitating condition that threatens his job and his life. Needless to say that doesn’t stop him. After much research on mirrors and the clues from each case they get a picture of what’s going on. Coopers handicap gets in the way from time to time but he is learning to control it somewhat.
The storyline is interesting, but it does get a little wordy from time to time. All in all it’s a pretty good read.
FBI Agents, Cooper and Sloan, are thrown into a strange case involving broken mirrors. Women are found murdered among pieces of broken mirrors. But not cut by them. This drives the agents to research mirrors in cult or religious rituals. But Cooper has a disadvantage. He has been diagnosed with a debilitating condition that threatens his job and his life. Needless to say that doesn’t stop him. After much research on mirrors and the clues from each case they get a picture of what’s going on. Coopers handicap gets in the way from time to time but he is learning to control it somewhat.
The storyline is interesting, but it does get a little wordy from time to time. All in all it’s a pretty good read.
October 29, 2024
1.5.
I really wanted to love this book. Not so much. I round up instead of down because I finished it rather than dumping it because I was interested in finding out the killer. That being said, it was obvious, and I already guessed.
Lots of inaccuracies with law enforcement. And was the main character a profiler or a psychic? He "already knew" basically everything, which cut the authors legs out from under them. There could have been great misdirection and other avenues to go down, but the main character was constantly telling us, "No, that's not it. It's something else" with no work, effort or believable reason why. This lead to constant missed opportunities.
I really wanted to love this book. Not so much. I round up instead of down because I finished it rather than dumping it because I was interested in finding out the killer. That being said, it was obvious, and I already guessed.
Lots of inaccuracies with law enforcement. And was the main character a profiler or a psychic? He "already knew" basically everything, which cut the authors legs out from under them. There could have been great misdirection and other avenues to go down, but the main character was constantly telling us, "No, that's not it. It's something else" with no work, effort or believable reason why. This lead to constant missed opportunities.
December 22, 2024
2.5 stars 🌟 but, I couldn't round it up to a 3. It just didn't meet the basic standards for the run of the mill average book for me.
Even short books can carry a well written plot that is not fragmented or shallow. This book had no character development. It also had too many beginnings of other mini stories without giving any information prior to what was happening or following up, leading to confusion. As for the main story itself, it was mediocre.
It was free, so I can't complain too much. I would say I'd rather have spent my time on something else, though. That said, perhaps browse a bit more and save this as a last resort.
📚📚
Even short books can carry a well written plot that is not fragmented or shallow. This book had no character development. It also had too many beginnings of other mini stories without giving any information prior to what was happening or following up, leading to confusion. As for the main story itself, it was mediocre.
It was free, so I can't complain too much. I would say I'd rather have spent my time on something else, though. That said, perhaps browse a bit more and save this as a last resort.
📚📚
March 1, 2026
Shattered Mind is a gripping, fast paced read that kept me constantly guessing. As a die-hard science fiction fan, specifically of the tech and supernatural varieties, I was immediately drawn in by the story's subtle sci-fi edge. This light touch mystery blended perfectly with the suspense. Beyond the plot, the character dialogue was entertaining, sparking a few laugh-out-loud moments. I enjoyed this book.
July 10, 2024
Gripping Tale
I needed a break from all the romance books and read Shattered Mind. What a surprise. Very intense and definitely worth reading. Suspense right to the end. If you want a book with murder and intrigue and think you can sleep at night after reading give this book a try. Now hope I don't have nightmares...lol. Great story.
I needed a break from all the romance books and read Shattered Mind. What a surprise. Very intense and definitely worth reading. Suspense right to the end. If you want a book with murder and intrigue and think you can sleep at night after reading give this book a try. Now hope I don't have nightmares...lol. Great story.
September 3, 2024
intense, credible FBI suspense thriller
Finally I am reading a start to finish with thrills and solid explanations of an FBI profiler agent, coping with an unsolved past family disappearance and a new impairing situation to put him on risk of not doing his job well as a profiler who catches sick serial killers . Well written and a solid read
Finally I am reading a start to finish with thrills and solid explanations of an FBI profiler agent, coping with an unsolved past family disappearance and a new impairing situation to put him on risk of not doing his job well as a profiler who catches sick serial killers . Well written and a solid read
October 11, 2024
The story was okay but the writing style kept pulling me out of it which was a huge distraction. I liked the premise but he only seemed to struggle with the illness when he was in the middle of something for work which was too unrealistic. Plus this made it seem like he was already dealing with the end stage when he was supposedly in the beginning stages.
March 15, 2026
Odd choice for protagonist.
Why choose a character who is developing dementia for your detective? This book was unbelievable because the protagonist is arrogant yet whines to himself constantly. It's unreasonable that a conscientious person whose job requires excellent recall wouldn't inform his boss and co-workers of his diagnosis.
Why choose a character who is developing dementia for your detective? This book was unbelievable because the protagonist is arrogant yet whines to himself constantly. It's unreasonable that a conscientious person whose job requires excellent recall wouldn't inform his boss and co-workers of his diagnosis.
March 18, 2026
1.5/5 audiobook for free from chirp
Note to self, never listen to a synthesized or AI voice in an audiobook. There. Was no inflection this no suspense buildup or emotion. The story was flat. The storyline was simplistic, a guy obsessed with mirrors was killing women. The FBI profiler had a chronic illness. Nothing exciting.
Note to self, never listen to a synthesized or AI voice in an audiobook. There. Was no inflection this no suspense buildup or emotion. The story was flat. The storyline was simplistic, a guy obsessed with mirrors was killing women. The FBI profiler had a chronic illness. Nothing exciting.
June 7, 2024
Great read
This was a riveting book. I had slight anxiety at the thought of putting it down and had to read it in one sitting. Looking forward to the next book. Couple of little errors in grammar which drives me nuts but I do highly recommend
This was a riveting book. I had slight anxiety at the thought of putting it down and had to read it in one sitting. Looking forward to the next book. Couple of little errors in grammar which drives me nuts but I do highly recommend
August 1, 2024
Fictional Story and Characters Ring True
This is good writing. The author lures the reader in until one is immersed in the world of Cooper, Sloan, Alison, and an amped up serial killer.
This is good writing. The author lures the reader in until one is immersed in the world of Cooper, Sloan, Alison, and an amped up serial killer.
August 8, 2024
suspenseful
This book kept me guessing and in suspense til the end. There were a lot of grammatical errors but was able to skirt around them. They did not interfere with the plot. Good read!
This book kept me guessing and in suspense til the end. There were a lot of grammatical errors but was able to skirt around them. They did not interfere with the plot. Good read!
March 2, 2026
I thought oh a short book I'll read it in a day or 2 but nope took me almost a week to claw my way through it. Every single time I'd try to read it, it would put me to sleep. It didn't flow just felt all over the place. Nothing to suck you in and keep you reading. It had promise but just fell flat
March 5, 2026
CHIRP AUDIOBOOK
The storyline was just okay, but the monotone female narrator didn’t help… It should have been read by a masculine voice, as the main character (Cooper) would have been more believable.
The storyline was just okay, but the monotone female narrator didn’t help… It should have been read by a masculine voice, as the main character (Cooper) would have been more believable.
March 13, 2026
Cooper is having a meltdown!
When Cooper, an extremely talented FBI agent experiences PTSD he seeks help at a psychiatric institution. His intuition tells him something strange is going on there. A very interesting story.
When Cooper, an extremely talented FBI agent experiences PTSD he seeks help at a psychiatric institution. His intuition tells him something strange is going on there. A very interesting story.
April 27, 2024
so so
This is a decent story line, but grammatical and spelling errors were quite distracting.
I can’t recommend it. It needs a good editor.
This is a decent story line, but grammatical and spelling errors were quite distracting.
I can’t recommend it. It needs a good editor.
June 7, 2024
Good, fast moving book. Looking forward to reading the next one.
Read
June 12, 2024Good book
If you like suspense, this book has FBI, police and serial killer. Mirrors is his thing that gives this serial killer strength.
If you like suspense, this book has FBI, police and serial killer. Mirrors is his thing that gives this serial killer strength.
June 30, 2024
Absolutely LOVED this book. Definitely a series I’ll be finishing. My only note is an editing error in which a character named Eric halfway through changed to Erik. Not a huge thing, just a note!
Read
July 10, 2024Audiobook
July 12, 2024
Awesome!
This book kept my attention until the end! Fantastic, you need to read!! You will be on the edge of your sit!
This book kept my attention until the end! Fantastic, you need to read!! You will be on the edge of your sit!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 49 reviews