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An Introduction to "Retribution"
Retribution begins with an insidious attack on Chief Detective Koa Kāne’s brother. Then, it gradually escalates into an all-out attack on the Hilo law enforcement community, threatening to destroy Koa and all those close to him.
Review of Duplicity by Shawn Wilson
Raymond Chandler said, “The character that lasts is an ordinary guy with some extraordinary qualities.” By that standard, Shawn Wilson’s protagonist, Brick Kavanagh, a sometimes-retired Washington, DC homicide detective, is an enduring character.
Review of The Body Falls by Andrea Carter
When Viola said, “I am not what I am,” in Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night, she might have described Andrea Carter’s latest book, The Body Falls. Andrea has created a wonderfully diverse cast of dishonest and deceitful characters. Misdirection abounds, and few readers will fail to be surprised by the ending.
An Author and COVID
The coronavirus has changed the world for nearly everyone as we try to control our fears, avoiding large indoor gatherings, work from home, and endure the whiplash of periodic lockdowns. As the author of three Hawaiian mystery stories—Death of a Messenger, Off the Grid, and Fire and Vengeance—I am fortunate to be able to continue working from home much as I have in the past.
Themes of Fire and Vengeance
Fire and Vengeance is a murder mystery. First and foremost, I hope readers find it entertaining, especially in this coronavirus era, when we all need relief from the grim realities of life. This novel, like the others in the Koa Kāne mystery series, plays with several of my favorite literary themes. While they are not unique, I’ve woven these themes into my narratives and hope this blog post provides some insight into the development of the Koa Kāne mysteries.
Eclectic Books for Curious Readers
For me, it is always an enormous treat to find a well-written novel with an engaging story and even more fun to share my discoveries with other readers. Here are some of my recent finds.
She Never Sleeps for Long
All of the Hawaiian Islands and many seamounts to the northwest emanate from a hot spot in the middle of the Pacific tectonic plate. Deep beneath the ocean, magma rises through the earth’s mantle, cutting through a weak spot in the plate, and eventually forming a mound on the seafloor. If enough magma accumulates, the top rises above the ocean’s surface to become an island. All the while, the Pacific plate moves relentlessly to the northwest, slowly carrying the new island away from the hot spot and creating space for the next one. The process has been going on for millions of years.
An Introduction to "Off The Grid"
Aloha. In this post, I want to tell you a bit about my book, Off The Grid, just as though we were together at a book talk at your favorite bookstore. Off the Grid, like my first novel, Death of a Messenger, is set on the Big Island of Hawaiʻi . . . not the tourist Hawaiʻi . . . but the authentic down to earth reality that is Hawaiʻi.
A Volcano in Transition
The press covered the May 2018 eruption of the Kīlauea volcano in great detail, reporting the shift in lava flows from a barren area near Hawaii Volcanoes National Park (HVNP) to the residential community of Leilani Gardens, the destruction of roughly 700 homes, and the subsequent collapse of Halemaʻumaʻu, Kīlauea’s central crater. The press also highlighted the new lava deltas that extended the land area of the Big Island, and recently reported on an intriguing new development since Kīlauea stopped erupting—the presence of water in the crater. Little, however, has been written about the possibility that ancient, but similar events, were captured in Hawaiian oral history or that those legends may hint at explosive future events.
Book Reviews
In this blog, I list some of my favorite books and give a brief analysis and overview of the titles. Learn about some of my favorite reads, including books from Karen Rose, Joy Ellis, and Jane Harper.
Black Sand
Pele, the Hawaiian goddess of volcanic fire and fury, has given the Big Island of Hawaiʻi a new black sand beach at Pohoiki. This small miracle arose from vast destruction, like many events of volcanic origin.
Black sand beaches are beautiful, rare, and frequently short-lived. Lacking a natural base of sand and vulnerable to future lava flows, their longevity is tenuous at best. So the appearance of a new black sand beach is cause for celebration!
