I read this book through "NetGalley" Read Now program. This is the 2nd story in this series and it is the introduction of the Kao character.

This book begins with Kao being called to a scene at a Army Firing Range where a body has been discovered in a lava tube. The body has been mutilated in a ritualistic way causing the body to be had to identify. Koa during his time at the scene initially and the next day makes a discovery regarding grave robbing. A friend of Koa's son has been arrested at another location and been charged with taking of native antiquities and is discovered later to be associated with Koa's current case.

The story takes a lot of twists and turns as the book progresses. It also brings into play Koa's girlfriend and the victim's girlfriend as well. The interaction of the investigators and the suspects is well laid out, however you will be hard pressed to discover the individuals responsible. This will all play out in the end. You need to read this book, you won't be disappointed.

this was a great mystery, the characters were great and I really enjoyed the cover to the book. I look forward to more in this series.

A gorgeous setting. A grisly murder. A morally ambiguous cop. Death of a Messenger is a mystery in which a detective finds an mutiluated corpse in a lava tunnel and must identify the victim before he can identify the killer or killers. Was it a ritual killing or just made to look like one? There are plenty of suspects with plenty of motives.

This story has was quick to start and had plenty to keep a reader engaged. I love reading about exotic locations and learning about unique cultures. Learning about lava tubes, culturally significant artificts, legends, and even day-to-day life in Hawaii was very enjoyable for me.

On the other hand, there are some problematic stereotypes regarding the Japanese medical examiner and even Koa’s girlfriend, Nālani. It’s at least a generation too late for this to pass without a bit pushback. There are some insensitive asides from Koa, and while these scenarios are all unfortunately too realistic, it doesn’t necessarily endear the protagonist to the reader; however, I think there are a lot of ways diversity is portrayed in a meaningful light in a hundred different ways in this book. Jimmy, for instance, seems to have dimension and strength. Parts seemed a bit abrupt, like when he’s discussing the death of his father's killer but are revisited in closer detail later later on.

I’d recommend this book for anyone who likes dark mysteries with a side of science. It’s a fun way to get a little taste of astronomy, mythology, archaelogy, cosmology, geology and criminology delivered as part of a well-balanced good old who done it. If you like novels that are from the same pool as Kathy Reichs’ novels, you’ll love Death of a Messenger.

Thanks to Robert McCaw and Net Galley for allowing me to read a pre-publication copy of this novel.

Death of a Messenger by Robert McCaw is a very good novel in the crime thriller genre. If Nordic Noir is your ice thriller fix, then this novel, set in the tunnels and hot areas of Hawaii, should give you your fire fix at the same high standard. We learn a lot, not only about the island, but also the people who live there, their history and some excellent plotting which leads us on a twisty path towards a thoroughly satisfying resolution of ‘who did what’.

This book is the third in a series about the main protagonist, though this release is a prequel. A worthy effort, and certainly worth your time, effort and money. A great read.

I really enjoyed this book! The first 60% or so felt a little slow but the background that was given and the influence of Hawaiian culture was present and that to me, was the biggest selling point. I thought the writing was beautifully done and this was a very enjoyable read for me. Character development was strong and you start to really feel for the main characters, mainly Koa Kane. I would recommend this book! Thank you net galley for the e-reader copy and allowing me the chance to review!

I originally requested for this to be sent to be due to its Hawaiian culture reference and its relation to mystery and murder, and I was not disappointed! I thoroughly enjoyed this read - although it was slow to start, it did pick up around half way through and I couldn’t put the book down!
I was glad to see that the Hawaiian culture and lifestyle was preserved in this read, seeming authentic and not too overplayed. This novel was a mini Hawaiian history and culture lesson that provided a fun mystery twist alongside its intention. I learned a lot about Hawaii (culture, lifestyle, history, phrases and translations!) and I had fun reading it too! Will definitely recommend to fellow culture readers!

"𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘢𝘳𝘮𝘺 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘣𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘺 𝘬𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘥 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘳𝘦𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘴 𝘥𝘶𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘳. 𝗔𝘁 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝘀𝘁, 𝗜 𝗵𝗼𝗽𝗲 𝘀𝗼."⁣
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Thank you @NetGalley and OceanView Publishing for a free eARC in exchange for an honest review!⁣
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𝗠𝘆 𝗥𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄⁣
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The quote above quelled all excitement for the rest of the story. To give some background, Koa and an army representative are complaining about the only medical examiner on the island (that happens to be of Japanese descent). They then have a good laugh about it. It comes off racist and unacceptable. The fact that Koa later on addressed racism directed at himself made me feel like he was a total hypocrite.⁣
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Another issue I found in the book is sexism. Every female character is portrayed as weak in some way, especially reporting sexual harassment by a coworker or dealing with a cheating spouse. I felt like it was unnecessary to the plot since Koa would be interviewing them later for other reasons.⁣
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What I did really enjoy was the immersion into Hawaiian culture. The details of the area make you feel like you're traveling around right next to Koa. The search for the murderer has many twists and turns with an ending I didn’t predict, and I think it would be wonderfully suited for an action movie. With another careful revision to remediate I'm sure my enjoyment of the book will greatly increase. ⁣

The premise and locations are great but the pace is so slow. About 3/4 of the way it picked up and was interesting until it's conclusion. I'm familiar with Hawaiian culture so that was my favorite part. The language, terms the land...
Thank you netgalley and the publisher for this arc

Death of a Messenger is a mystery crime thriller set on the island of Hawaii. With the natural island beauty as a backdrop, Chief Detective Koa Kāne sets out to find the sadistic killer of a young astronomer who worked at the Keck Observatory on Mauna Kea. From the stark beauty of Mauna Kea, to the grittiness of the fishing docks to the myriad of interactions between sovereign rights proponents and haoles (westerners), Koa must navigate a path to find the killer. Ancient burial sites are uncovered and the lucrative business of grave robbing of ancient archeological treasures is exposed. McCaw has a great collection of characters who interact with Koa and help make the book more than just another crime procedural. This is an enjoyable thriller which keeps you turning the pages - made even better by the author’s deep knowledge of Hawaii and its history. A truly 5-star read!!!

Since we’re not allowed to travel (especially here in Brazil), I had to get creative when it comes to exploring new cultures and places. That’s how I ended up reading “Death of a Messenger” by Robert B. McCaw.
This cop whodunnit story has the power to combine the islands of Hawaii, ancient artifacts, volcanoes, native separatists, racial and political tensions.
Detective Koa Kane is called to the scene of a grisly murder, with all the details an ancient ritual could ask for. Although I enjoyed discovering Hawaiian heritage along his journey, I had some trouble engaging with the characters.
Most of them didn’t seem fully developed, and I sorta hoped they were, so then I could really cheer for Koa and be surprised by the following events of the book.
Overall, “Death of a Messenger” is a good mystery/thriller, fast-paced and cohesive. I’m just not really sure I’d like to read other stories with Koa cause he just seemed too flat for me.

314 pages

4 and 1 / 2 stars

Detective Koa Kane, complete with his own demons, is called to the scene of a horrible death and mutilation in a lava tube on a live fire range that belongs to the military. The scene is very odd. With the help of local archeologist Jimmy Hikorea, they examine the body and explore the cave. It turns out to be much larger than they thought and with some very interesting finds in it – including some high tech surveillance equipment. Could it be that the man ran afoul of some artifact thieves?

The incompetent, arrogant “baby doctor” coroner makes some sweeping declarations about the death. Fortunately, Koa has a military pathologist to clear up the facts.

Meanwhile he is dealing with anxiety over his impending surgery on his neck. He must have it done or lose his feeling in one of his arms. He hates getting “older.” (Don't we all.) And his is only in his 40's.

When Koa begins his investigation he isn't yet aware that he is in for a crash course in grave robbing, antiquities sales on the black market and murder. Some people he would less suspect turn out to be into the illegal activity.

This book is steeped in native Hawai'ian folklore. I really liked the “old tales” and I found the discussion of lava tubes fascinating. This book is very well written and jam packed with information the reader gets to learn along the way to discovering what happened to the murdered man. Although I've never been to Hawai'i, I felt like I was there with the lush scenery and the exploding volcanoes. (/shiver.) I liked Koa and his friends I met along the way to his solving this case. This is my first Robert McCaw novel and I immediately went to Amazon to look for other books written by him.

I want to thank NetGalley and Oceanview Publishing for forwarding to me a copy of this very interesting book for me to read, enjoy and review.