I have read this book and reviewed it for Fresh Fiction, but they have not released the review yet. When they do I will provide this to you. I enjoyed the read.

The Fire Thief by Debra Bokur is the first book in the police procedural Dark Paradise Mystery series. While this mystery series has character development that carries over from book to book for those wanting to follow the entire series the cases involved are solved within so they could be read as a standalone if choosing to do so.

When the police captain, Walter Alaka’i, finds the body of a young teenage surfer he firsts suspects that the death is a surfing accident. However it begins to become clear that this death was no accident at all so Walter gives a call to his niece, Detective Kali Māhoe so she can begin to work the case. While Kali is a detective in Maui she is also is also a kahu which is a spiritual leader in her Hawaiian community so her methods can be a bit out of the ordinary but Kali is always determined to close her cases and find her killer.

I have to admit the first draw to this series was the fact it was set in Hawaii and if I can I love to pick up books set around the world as I have a love virtual travel and enjoying a setting as much as a story. This new series of course gives a look at a darker side to the islands but it did bring the setting to life so I was very glad of that. The main character in this one is certainly a character that stands out on her own and it was interesting getting to know her and follow along as she investigated. While this first book of the series landed at three and a half stars for me I feel like I was left wanting to know more and return for the next book.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

Bokur’s mix of island folklore in a contemporary murder mystery had me turning pages faster than you can say “Agatha Christie.” I absolutely adored the characters and the setting.

This book is a cross between a police procedural and a cozy mystery. It is supposed to be at least; however, it works better as an immersive experience of Hawaiian culture. It has a dual person narrative which could have been tapered to a single person if the focus was only on the mystery, but that is where this book differs.
One of the narrations, the smaller part, is done by Walter. He is an older member of the community as well as law enforcement. It's through his eyes that we see the changes on the islands, the hierarchy and the interactional differences by people of a younger, more hip type (like his second in command). He provides context and introduces us to the case, but the story is all about his niece, Kali.
Kali is a contradiction that depicts the new age in Hawaii. She is part of the old as well as the new. With this distinction, she can show us a lot about the culture, the practices and the undercurrents in the people. It is more about her finding her footing in her roles. The mystery itself I will not go into because multiple parts may or may not come together towards the end. I liked visiting a whole new place and will come back for the next book. There is a lot of promise, but my rating reflects more about the lack of investment I had in the plot of the mystery. When the end was revealed, I did not feel anything for it. I was more interested in Kali's personal life and the possibilities for the next installment.
I received an ARC thanks to NetGalley and the publishes but the review is entirely based only on my own reading experience.

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.

Kali is a Hawaiian culture expert and police detective on Maui. She is investigating the murder of a teenager and also the theft of solar panels from homes. Are they connected somehow? This mystery is filled with Hawaiian lore and culture, which makes it educational as well as entertaining. I appreciate that it's written mostly from the perspective of the native Hawaiians, and includes some of today's issues for the island people. It's my impression, however, that the network of locals is much stronger than it seems in this novel--the main characters (the police officers) seem unfamiliar with many of the island residents (e.g., the people who collect ancient artifacts, the family of the dead teen). Interestingly, there's also just a hint of romance, as Kali struggles to move past the death of her fiance. I'm guessing that will become more prominent in the next novel in the series, which I look forward to reading!

An engrossing and entertaining story with a great MC and a fascinating plot.
I loved the well thought characters, the plot that flows, the lore and history of Hawaii.
The mystery was solid and kept me guessing.
It was an intriguing read and I can't wait to read other stories in this series.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.

Thank you, Kensington Books and NetGalley for this arc.

I give this book ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️. A young man was found dead that everyone thinks was an accident until detective Kali Māhoe was summoned by her uncle and came upon a conclusion of this being like sinister killing. As she began to investigate further, she will have to deal with her history and the many legends the islands have before more killings happen.

This book shows many Hawaii history that I haven’t heard of, so I was excited about that. I am fascinated by tons of references used and even the whole lore. I like Kali! I hope to see more of Kali’s adventure in this series. The story is captivating, and I enjoyed reading it.

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!

Really enjoyed this first book in the series. I hope happy ever after is in the future for Kali as she seems to need it to round out her teachings. Excellent start.