The scenery may be beautiful, but dangerous secrets are buried beneath paradise in this first thriller featuring Maui detective Kali Māhoe. Under a promising morning sky, police captain Walter Alaka’i discovers the body of a teenage surfer bobbing among the lava rocks of Maui’s southeastern shore. Closer inspection reveals something far more sinister than the results of a savage wave gone wrong. … wrong. Now that Alaka’i is looking at a homicide, he solicits the help of his niece, Detective Kali Māhoe. Kali sees evidence of a strange ritual murder, a suspicion reinforced by a rash of sightings of a noppera-bō—a faceless and malicious spirit many believe to be more than superstition. When a grisly sacrifice is left on the doorstep of a local, and another body washes ashore, Kali fears that the deadly secret ceremonies on Maui are just beginning. As the skies above Maui grow darker, and as she balances reason and superstition, Kali can only wonder: Who’ll be the next to die? And who—or what—is she even on the trail of? “Bokur’s welcome debut nimbly contrasts the Hawaii of sun and golden beaches with its less well-known underbelly of poverty, discrimination, and crime. Fans of strong female cops will look forward to Kali’s further adventures.”—Publishers Weekly “The Fire Thief has all the elements of a great mystery—crackling tension, brisk pacing, a vibrant setting, and a flicker of paranormal . . . or is it?” —Wendy Corsi Staub “An exciting blend of Hawaiian folklore and mystery. From page one to a stirring finish, Debra Bokur delivers a real page turner here.”—Tracy Clark
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An exciting blend of Hawaiian folklore and mystery. From page one to a stirring finish, Debra Bokur delivers a real page turner here. And Kali Māhoe, wonderfully rich, complicated and compelling, is the real deal. I can’t wait for her next adventure.
The Fire Thief will make you an instant fan of its rock-solid protagonist, Kali Māhoe.
Debra Bokur’s The Fire Thief has all the elements of a great mystery — crackling tension, brisk pacing, a vibrant setting, and a flicker of paranormal… or is it?
I enjoyed this book from beginning to end. Exciting story and vivid characters made this a page turner because I cared about the people and what would happen next.
With her series debut, The Fire Thief, Debra Bokur explores the hidden back roads of Hawaii and grabs you from page one with an island procedural full of twists and turns while introducing a phenomenal and unique protagonist in Detective Kali Māhoe — tough, flawed, and perceptive. This clever and addictive novel surprises at every turn, so grab your sunglasses and enjoy the ride.
It was fun to read a mystery taking place in Hawaii. The beauty of Hawaii was described throughout the book. The story itself was well-written and engaging. Will definitely read the sequel.
Love Hawaii and love reading about familiar places there.
Suspenseful and surprising
Filled with Hawaiian mythology.
Want to read a sequel. Great characters and plot.
A teenage surfer is found dead under suspicious conditions. Kali is a detective who investigates the case along with her Uncle Walter. As more people end up dead, the case takes twists and turns. It takes place in Hawaiii and it includes information about Hawaiian culture. A good book! I received this gook from the Publisher as a giveaway book!
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Fantastic book! Great characters and character development. Wonderful storyline
Kali Mahoe is the niece of the Police Captain and the grand-daughter of one of Hawaii’s most respected spiritual leader. Now that her grandmother has passed, she has become the new kahu .. rooted in legends and healing. And she is also a Detective with local law enforcement.
When the Police Captain finds the body of a young surfer boy floating on Maui’s shore. At first thought, this was an accidental drowning … except there’s no water in his lungs, he has a huge gash in his head, and inside that gash is a shark’s tooth.
And that’s not the only body that washes ashore.
To uncover a motive and find the killer, Kali leans on her skills at logic and detection. She finds she must balance superstition and reason, logic and detection. Kali can only wonder: Who’ll be the next to die? And who—or what—is she even on the trail of?
This is the first in what seems to be an exciting new series featuring an unusual detective in Hawaii. As a true Hawaiian, she has an entertaining background. I loved how stories of old, legends, superstitions are blended into this mystery. The author has done a great job in describing the beautiful scenery of the islands.
The mystery has twists and turns that revolve around secondary residents ….most who are quirky and a few with secrets. When another crime takes place, Kali manages to investigate both crimes as they begin to emerge as one. I look forward to following Kali into her next adventure.
Many thanks to the author / Kensington Books / Netgalley for the digital copy of this mystery. Read and reviewed voluntarily, opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.
A new series from Debra Bokur. It is set in Maui where a murdered man is found and a ritual killing is suspected. Detective Kali must solve the crime and find out who did it before more bodies drop. I loved the inclusions of history that was in this book made for interesting reading. A great storyline with wonderful characters and scene setting. will put this series on my to keep reading list.
Hawaii, law-enforcement, spiritism, cultural-exploration, murder-investigation, suspense
Amazing! Degreed cultural anthropologist/spiritual leader of her people/police detective Kali Mahoe works the case of a promising young man who was murdered and also the felonious thefts of solar panels by lore savvy thieves. I loved the imagery of the island lore as well as the personalities of the characters. Some nasty bits but no worse than some other ritualistic remains. Sometimes I’d get lost in the lore and have to go back to catch a thread of the investigation, but then I’m a history geek. There is exceptional due diligence recorded and the evidence is all trial ready. The publisher’s blurb is a pretty good hook and I don’t do spoilers, but I loved it and look forward to the next one!
I requested and received a free ebook copy from Kensington Books via NetGalley. Thank you!