It is the week before Halloween and the gang are gearing up for a big Halloween blow out. When Lani stumbles onto a murder victim whose death seems to be linked to a cold case her father worked on but never solved, the two join forces to bring justice to the victims once and for all.
Murder at Midnight (Sand and Sea Hawaiian Mystery Book 7)
By kathidaley
Lani comes across the body of a man who supposedly died 5 years before, a case her dad worked before he retired. Could this man have survived the fall all those years ago? When her brother Jason is shot everyone thinks it has something to do with the case, but her brothers have side lined her and her father. Lani teams up with her dad to figure out just what happened all those years ago and why had Mr. Cramers body surfaced now. Follow along while Lani tries to find the answers and deals with missing her boyfriend and wondering when and if she’ll ever see him again. I love the intricate way that Kathi weaves her mysteries and had a fun time trying to figure out just what happened.
“Murder at Midnight” earns 5/5 Cold Case Files…Hawaiian-style!
Another engaging story with a favorite character in Kathi Daley’s literary family! Lani Pope has found another dead body—this one at the bottom of a cliff. But, and here is Kathi’s twist, the discovery has Lani perplexed since this body was reported to have died five years ago. No body had been found, and it was Lani’s father first on the scene, finding the murdered heiress, chasing the possible killer, and witnessing that man jump from a cliff. All believed no one could have survived that leap. As this clever mystery unfolds, the jumper, Clifford Cramer, is rumored to have been intimately connected to the victim, Roxanne Bronwyn, and further investigation, uncovers Clifford’s own wife, Anastasia, went missing and her blood was found on the lanai. Lani’s father believed it was all connected, but was forced to drop the ‘going nowhere’ investigation. Five years later? No Clifford, no Anastasia, no killer…case stamped cold! But, Kathi Daley makes sure the cold case heats up with a twisty turn of events: an arm floating in the water, a shocking identification, and Lani’s cop brother, a target? One of the enjoyable characteristics is the fact that Lani will not be sidelined, so she, somewhat covertly, partners with her retired cop dad which more closely explores the interesting and endearing dynamic between her, being the only girl in the family, and her dad. His knowledge of the original case and enlisting the help from his retired cop friends help them sort through the details, revisit witnesses, and hopefully bring a killer to long awaited justice.
Again, I couldn’t put the book down. The cold case overlapping into current events was well written and fast paced with an exciting Kathi Daley signature “Oh, no!” trouble for Lani. The characters are rich, some quirky, some moved from peripheral to the forefront, but still very entertaining in this seventh book. Along with the excitement of the murder investigation, Kathi weaves in other storylines just as intriguing: the ‘ups and downs’ of Lani’s relationship with her boyfriend Luke, Lani’s dream of entering the police academy, dynamics with the rest of her family, and the holidays… Kathi does Halloween very well having everyone prepping for a gathering and the celebration itself. Another signature fun is Kathi always shares some delicious recipes submitted by her fans—Scones with a Flavor Twist, Nan’s Banana Bread, No-Name Cake, and Tropical Treat Bread. All marvelous—the mystery, the characters, the recipes!
Murder at Midnight is the seventh book in Kathi Daily’s Sand and Sea Hawaiian Mystery series. This series is set in Hawaii and the main character is Lani Pope who currently works at a resort as a lifeguard. She is the youngest child in her family and the only girl and the only child not in law enforcement. Also her father is a retired police detective. Her dream is to follow her Dad and her 5 brothers. It is the week before Halloween and Lani’s boyfriend Luke Austin is in Texas helping his family on the ranch after his Dad had an accident. Lani finds a body on the beach. The body is identified as a man that Lani’s Dad saw jump off the cliff and supposedly died. He was responding to a call in which a lady was murdered. Lani and her father get permission to research the past murder. Let me say Lani is thrilled to be working with her Dad. She is so concerned about her relationship with Luke that this is a perfect thing to keep her mind off her romance. Do they solve the murder? Is her love life good? And is there a great Halloween Party? Sorry you have to read the book. The characters are well developed in this book and Kathi Daley always manages to have them feel like close friends. A TRUE MASTER she is at keeping a series going and keeping her readers captivated.
When Lani discovers a dead body on the beach, it reopens a cold case that her father worked on five years ago. But when her brother Jason is shot during this investigation, things get personal. While her brothers work together to find the shooter, they keep her out, considering her still the baby of the family. But they also keep out their father. Lani and her father team up to show they have the brains to solve this case without getting into trouble…they hope. This gives Lani the chance of a lifetime to spend more time with her father and prove herself, all the while keeping busy to forget how much she misses Luke, who is taking care of his injured father back in Texas. This story provided several interesting suspects and motives, with an interesting final twist to the story. I enjoyed the newfound camaraderie between Lani and her father, as well as the overall family togetherness they share. Disclosure: I am voluntarily reviewing this book received from the author.