The Lava Witch
May 2022 · A Dark Paradise Mystery Book 3 · Kensington Books
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About this ebook
The grim hard facts of a bizarre ritual murder collide with local legends of sorcery and possession for Maui detective Kali Māhoe.
In a remote, mountainous area of a Maui forest near Haleakala volcano, the naked body of a young woman is found hanging from a tree. The devil is in the details: the woman’s nostrils, mouth, and lungs are packed with lava sand. Her hands are bound in twine. Her feet are charred and blackened, suggesting a fire-walking ceremony. Detective Kali Māhoe’s suspicions are immediately aroused. It has all the signs of a ritual torture and murder.
But Kali’s investigation soon leads her down a winding trail of seemingly unconnected clues and diverging paths—from the hanging tree itself, a rare rainbow eucalyptus, to rumors of a witch haunting the high areas of the forest, to the legend of the ancient Hawaiian sorceress Pahulu, goddess of nightmares. Casting a shadow over it all—the possibility of a Sitting God, a spirit said to invade and possess the soul.
Aided by her uncle Police Captain Walter Alaka’i, Officer David Hara, and the victim’s brother, Kali embarks down the darkest road of all. One that is leading to the truth of the mountain’s deadly core and a dark side of the island for which even Kali is unprepared.
In a remote, mountainous area of a Maui forest near Haleakala volcano, the naked body of a young woman is found hanging from a tree. The devil is in the details: the woman’s nostrils, mouth, and lungs are packed with lava sand. Her hands are bound in twine. Her feet are charred and blackened, suggesting a fire-walking ceremony. Detective Kali Māhoe’s suspicions are immediately aroused. It has all the signs of a ritual torture and murder.
But Kali’s investigation soon leads her down a winding trail of seemingly unconnected clues and diverging paths—from the hanging tree itself, a rare rainbow eucalyptus, to rumors of a witch haunting the high areas of the forest, to the legend of the ancient Hawaiian sorceress Pahulu, goddess of nightmares. Casting a shadow over it all—the possibility of a Sitting God, a spirit said to invade and possess the soul.
Aided by her uncle Police Captain Walter Alaka’i, Officer David Hara, and the victim’s brother, Kali embarks down the darkest road of all. One that is leading to the truth of the mountain’s deadly core and a dark side of the island for which even Kali is unprepared.
Ratings and reviews
5.0
1 review
Janice Tangen
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March 29, 2022
Hawai'i, law-enforcement, murder, murder-investigation, torture, procedural, cultural-exploration, cultural-heritage, spiritual-leader, legend, family, friendship***** Talk about plot twists! And lots of information about Hawai'ian indigenous history/culture most of us mainlanders can only read about. The publisher's blurb is well done and certainly had ME hooked! It's a fast moving and engrossing story that I found hard to put down. I count this one as another win for the author! Police detective Kali Mahoe is a degreed cultural anthropologist/spiritual leader of her people. I loved the imagery of the island lore as well as the personalities of the characters. 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. This is not an unbiased review because I enjoyed the first ones so much and eagerly awaited this one. You don't need to read the other books first, but you'll probably want to read them afterward. I got mine in audio so I could hear the unfamiliar words pronounced correctly. I requested and received a free temporary ebook copy from Kensington Books via NetGalley. Thank you!
About the author
Debra Bokur is an author, journalist, editor, screenwriter, and illustrator. Her work has appeared in a variety of domestic and international media outlets, including National Geographic Traveler, Islands, Spa Magazine, Experience Life Magazine, Natural Home, Yoga Journal, Global Traveler, and Women’s Adventure. She is a recipient of the 2015 Lowell Thomas Travel Journalism Award. A member of the Society of American Travel Writers since 2002, Debra was part of the original team of travel correspondents at Jetsetter.com. Learn more at DebraBokur.com.
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