Mahu Surfer: A Hawaiian Mystery

Synopsis (From the Publisher): Mahu is a generally negative Hawaiian term for homosexual, and for police detective Kimo Kanapa'aka, being gay doesn't make for an easy life. Especially when you're publicly outed. Now, semi-retired, Kimo must go undercover and stop a brutal killer. Already three surfers have been shot dead, and Kimo must infiltrate the close-knit surfing community, knowing his only way back to active duty is to catch a killer he may know all too well.

This is Neil Plakcy's second novel featuring Kimo Kanapa'aka. I haven't read his first one but I'm definitely going to Powell's Books and buy it.

From the very beginning, I found Kimo a fascinating and sympathetic character, especially because of the internal struggle that he faces while deciding if the price he has to pay in order to get back into the police force is worth the hurt it will cause his parents and family. Kimo is an honorable man. To lie to his father and mother is almost unbearable. But NOT being able to return to the work he loves and ending the murder spree that is devastating his beloved island home is almost as unbearable as the lie itself.

Plakcy has given us a wonderfully complex, likeable and human character that we look forward to getting to know even better in the future.

Buy this book. Read it. Give it to friends for the holidays; they'll love you for it.