A strong grasp of the Hawaiian language and cultural history would be a plus for anyone who reads this mystery. Detective Kawika Wong was born in Hawaii but was raised in Seattle after his parents divorced. He did spent summers with his father in Hawaii but built his career in Seattle. That is, he built it until he was overzealous and fired by the police force there.

Kawika got a job with the police force in Hilo partly because his boss is a friend of his father who becomes his mentor. When a developer is found murdered on the fifteenth tee at a golf course on a popular resort, Kawika is given the case in part because the other case occupying the force has to do with drug dealers throwing people off a cliff for the sharks to feed on them.

The developer is Ralph Fortunato who had a previous failed career as a developer in Washington State. He was killed with an authentic historic spear which was left in his body. The body was discovered by Patience Quinn who is a journalist who is trying to get over her recent divorce. They soon learn that there fathers were friends and they had played together as children. Now they are beginning a romantic relationship which wouldn't be a problem except for the fact the Kawika already had a girlfriend who is getting her Ph.D. and plans to write her thesis in Hawaiian. She has a goal of restoring some decimated landscape. She is also Kawika's expert on all things Hawaiian as is his father.

There are lots of suspects including pro-Hawaiian groups that are angry that Fortunato destroyed a historic site in his quest to develop the land he bought. There are also concerns about his business practices. His second in command is also coming to realize that Fortunato may not be on the up and up and has been busy hatching plots of his own.

Between Kawika's juggling two different women and trying to find his place in two different cultures, he manages to explore and uncover all sorts of secrets on his way to solving the murder. I was a little disappointed about the resolution of the mystery though. ( )

I love stories set in Hawaii they bring back fond memories of my time vacationing there. Eric Redman story transports us to the Big Island and plunges us deep into a murder mystery in Hilo and other locations on the island as we follow Detective Kawika Wong in his attempts to get at the bottom of the gruesome murder of real estate developer Ralph Fortunato found with an ancient Hawaiian spear having impaled him, the mogul was found dead on a signature golf course and resort.

This fast-paced story grabs the attention from the start. When one murder becomes two then three and angry indigenous people come into play as well as the power of the press you have a compelling story filled with lots of Hawaiian details and mostly intrigue....Kawika finds danger at every turn on his perilous journey that stretches from the Big Island to Washington State and back. Along the way he uncovers a cache of secrets reaching far back. I was on pins and needles from start to finish, not wanting any harm coming to this loveable protagonist. What a great story that held my attention from the opening words and held me captive till the very end.

Mr. Redman’s imagery is outstanding, the cultural and history is well researched not only both are informative but they are expertly blended into the plot. Kawika is an excellent although flawed protagonist I found it hard not to love him, he really entertains.

This is a good book, hopefully a start of a series. If so I am looking forward to reading more.

I was given the opportunity to read this ARC from Crooked Lane Books via Netgalley in exchange for an honest and unbiased review. ( )

artifact, family-dynamics, fraud, friendship, framed, fanatics, Hawaii, historical-places-events, historical-research, historical-setting, history-and-culture, law-enforcement, linguistics, murder, murder-investigation, relationship-issues, Washington state*****

Detective Kawika Wong has a Hawaii cop for a father and a mother from Washington state married to a judge, which meant that he spent his school years on the mainland and summers in Hawaii. And he loves the old school mystery detectives and Poe. The imagery is to die for (sorry) but some of the gore and minimal erotica is disquieting. But the exceptional and quite realistic characters as well as the plot make it all to the good. I was riveted despite the length! I geek history and this one is just full of well researched cultural and social history with a side order of the linguistics of the islands' language. I came for the mystery (and Hawaii) but stayed for the mystery, characters, history, and some intangibles.
I requested and received a free temporary copy from Crooked Lane Books via NetGalley. Thank you! ( )