I really enjoyed this, I found myself becoming quickly engrossed with the plot and desperate to know what had happened! I loved the setting and thought the plot was quite clever and compelling.

Ahh, this one took me a few attempts to really get into it, but I was also a bit distracted in my personal life, so let’s attribute it to that! I’m glad I pushed through though. This was my first real detective thriller read since I was a teen, maybe, and I was roped in. I’d be interested to follow more from this series. Robert McCaw did phenomenally with this work.

A Brutal Murder and Black Market Deals in the Electrifying Thriller “Death of a Messenger”

An anonymous 911 call leads to the discovery of a body on Pōhakuloa, a U.S. Army training base in Hilo, Hawai’i. The corpse is brutally mutilated in what looks to be a ritual sacrifice, tucked away in the underground passages left by ancient lava flow. Hilo Detective Koa Kāne is no stranger to the history of the Hawaiian Islands. He knows that ancestors were historically buried in the lava tubes, but he’s never encountered a murder scene in one. It’s a confounding case — and the gruesome display makes it clear that a sadistic killer is on the loose.

So begins Death of a Messenger (Oceanview Publishing), Robert McCaw’s electrifying new mystery. The third in his Koa Kāne series, McCaw pulls out all the stops to create a complex murder case that will have readers on the edge of their seats.

As Koa investigates the murder, he follows the trail from the lava tubes to the burial cavern of an ancient Hawaiian king. Legend has it that the location of a king’s grave would be passed down by his family from generation to generation, and would be guarded with the secret keeper’s life. Could it be possible that this practice is still alive and well?

Another clue takes Koa to the Alice Observatory, the world’s largest telescope facility at the top of Mauna Kea. It seems that the killer has connections with the scientists working at the observatory — but this new lead hits too close to home. Koa’s girlfriend Nālani is a technician at Alice Observatory, and now Koa’s worried that she may be in danger.

With so many clues leading in different directions, the murderer’s trail becomes more and more convoluted — and the stakes are growing ever higher. As McCaw spins his spine-chilling tale, Koa and the other Hilo detectives race to track down the killer before it’s too late.

Throughout the story, McCaw’s writing fully immerses the reader into the setting of Hilo, Hawai’i. From the geography of Mauna Kea to the flavors of local cuisine, the author’s descriptions paint the island in incredible detail. To add an extra level of realism, McCaw effortlessly weaves the Hawaiian language into his prose and dialogue.

The novel doesn’t shy away from the complicated politics of modern Hawai’i, either. McCaw handles this aspect with nuance and provides us with fascinating insights into the islands’ cultural conflicts. Tensions are high between native Hawaiian activists calling for island sovereignty, and haoles — white westerners whose ancestors helped colonize the island. The situation doesn’t improve after the murder near the historic burial cavern in the lava tubes, or when another incident occurs on Kaho’olawe, an abandoned Navy bombing range that was once ancestral ground. At both sites, it seems that historic artifacts have been stolen and shipped off of the island through the black market. This could be a new lead in the case — but Koa will have to tread carefully between the two factions, unless he wants the political turmoil to boil over.

Through it all, Koa remains a steady force in the face of this high-stakes murder investigation. Readers feel like they are working side by side with Koa as he works to uncover the killer’s identity and races to stop another tragedy from unfolding. McCaw’s thrilling mystery will have you entranced right to the nail-biting end.

Great thriller that kept me turning the pages. Great story, great writing and characters. Really enjoyable and would read this author again.

5 stars!!! I really enjoyed I don’t want to give anything away! But you need to read it! I appreciated the Hawaiian culture that the author shared with us!

This book captured my attention from the very beginning. It was so fun and a thrill of a book. I had such a fun time with this thriller and definitely recommend it for an engaging read.

A police procedural set on the big island of Hawaii. Use of cultural and geographical aspects of Hawaii are major pluses, but the police work was rather shoddy. A badly decomposed body is found inside a lava tube in a military zone that appears to be surrounded by ancient artifacts, so Chief of Detectives Koa Kane is quick to call in some experts to assist him in the investigation. This makes for some very interesting background material about Hawaiian culture and history, and helps introduce several of the characters into the story. But the story is a bit choppy, and Kane makes some rookie mistakes that leave him floundering for most of the book. This one is pretty uneven. Hopefully will improve with the next installment, there's plenty of potential here.

How good does it feel to read a intriguing, thrilling book? It's just marvelous! I really liked this book because he promised something and deliver. Loved the scenery, loved the detective and liked the mystery. Is a bit gore, but I'm ok with. I want to continue with the series.

What a fantastic story! I have read the other two books in this series and Death of a Messenger is, no doubt, a new favorite.
The suspense is well-maintained until the end. Excellent character portrayal and a murder mystery to keep one of the edge of their seat. The story/series is set in the beautiful state of Hawaii - what more can a mystery lover ask for?
Highly recommended!

Robert McCaw's first book in the Koa Kane series introduces an engaging detective with a dark secret that if disclosed would wreck his career, if not his life. It's a great setup for a book which presents an enthralling view of Hawaiian life, with a plot line that combines ancient burial sites, ritual killings, and Star Wars technology at the renowned Mauna Kea astronomy observatories. A perfect melding of space age technology and age-old culture. The action moves along smoothly, Detective Koa is a vulnerable but appealing protagonist, and fascinating details about Hawaiian life and culture are seamlessly woven into the thriller action.
A highly enjoyable story which is refreshingly informative about a location that is not so commonly featured in detective series. It might be a bit of a cliche to say that the city of Hilo on the Big Island and its geology and native traditions are an important character in the story, but I found the well-rendered setting as appealing as the action. Robert McCaw talks more about his work in an interview on The Joys of Binge Reading podcast.

So, why was it that I enjoyed Death of a Messenger? Because I learned so much! I discovered more about Hawaiian history and culture here than I could have in any history book. The author really delved into local customs and traditions, as well as the stories behind old artifacts. There was a lot of information presented but I didn’t feel overwhelmed and was actually excited for scenes when I would learn a bit more. And it wasn’t just information about Hawaii either. This book also has an astrological theme, which I found great.

But Death of a Messenger is not a history book. It is a story of corruption and a grizzly murder. While the story wasn’t as dark as I usually like my books, the details of the murder itself were enough to keep me intrigued. If you don’t like dark stories, don’t worry; this is more a police procedural story than anything. We learn the outcome of the murder through Kane’s detective work rather than any real connection with the killer. For me personally, that took away from the story a bit. In places, I found things a bit too dragged out and I think the book would have benefitted by cutting 50 pages are so.

It took me a few tries to get into this book, but after a slow start, I began to enjoy the story and Chief Detective Koa Kane . It was an interesting mystery that brought together many aspects of modern Hawaii, not the tourist paradise, but the conflict between the native Hawaiians attempts to preserve their culture as well as the military and scientific importance of the islands. All in all, a solid police procedural. Thanks to Oceanview Publishing for access to a digital arc via NetGalley.

As usual a new Koa Kane Hawaiian Mystery is a call for celebration and 3 well deserved hours of reading bliss. Tensly written with razor sharp dialogues and an incredible plot, this latest whodunit in this fabulous series kept me on the hege of my seat from start to finish. Murder, mutilated body, shady characters, depraved characters, disgusting characters and all the criminal shenanigans taking place in Hawaii! So do I wish for more? Yes, more Koa Kane. So please Mr. McCaw back to work😉👍 To be enjoyed without moderation.

Many thanks to Netgalley and Oceanview Publishing for giving me the opportunity to read this great novel prior to its release date

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Death of a Messenger is not the first Robert McCaw book I’ve read, although it is the first in the Koa Kāne Hawaiian Mystery series. I had earlier read and reviewed Book #3 in the series – Fire and Vengeance. The first two books were on my TBR, so I was quite excited when I received this book for a review. Read on to know more.

Genre:
Mystery

Length:
352 pages

Blurb:
Detective Koa Kāne is called in to investigate a murder when a body is discovered in a lava tube at Pohakuloa, the army’s live-fire training area. In his many years on the force, Koa has seen a lot of horrific sites, but the mutilated body with signs of a ritualistic killing is one of the worst. Koa is determined to find the person capable of such horror while forced to fight against an ineffective ME, hostility from both nativists and westerners, and personal demons born of his own past actions. With grave robbers, thieves, astronomers, and nativists falling into the suspect pool and everyone concerned to the case sharing more lies than truth, Koa needs to use every skill, intuition, and bit of experience to find out who the victim was, why he was murdered, and who is behind the heinous mutilation.

Overall Rating:
7 out of 10

Plot:
8 out of 10

Characterization:
9 out of 10

Primary Element:
8 out of 10 for its mystery

Writing Style:
5 out of 10

Part of a Series:
Yes. This is Book #1 in the Koa Kāne series, followed by Off the Grid and Fire and Vengeance.

Highlighted Takeaway:
The depth of information regarding traditional Hawaiian practices and traditions. Like other books in the series, Death of a Messenger stays true to showcasing the various facets, past and present, of the region in which it is set.

What I Liked:
Death of a Messenger is a classic whodunnit. Or, as Captain Holt of Brooklyn Nine-Nine says, a ‘who has done this’. A series of suspects, all of whom have motive, keeps the story moving and the reader, guessing.

What I Didn’t Like:
Maybe it’s because this is the first book in the series, but I noticed that it had a lot of “tell, not show” instead of it being vice versa. There were random mentions of back stories when, instead, the point being overly-repeated could have simply been shown in character development after a couple of mentions. I found the writing style in those segments really strange and off-putting, and think the story could have done a lot better without the excessive repetition. (Much like this paragraph, you may be thinking!)

Who Should Read It:
Anyone who likes mystery, learning about new places (Death of a Messenger does not stray far from reality in setting and history), and suspense will enjoy this Koa Kāne story. In spite of its few shortcomings, it is an interesting read.

Who Should Avoid:
Anyone uncomfortable with gore or violence – while not over the top, there is some violence in Death of a Messenger that can be a bit too graphic for those who are uncomfortable with it.

Read It For:
Koa Kāne. The leading character in the series is a relatable, likable, and kind-hearted person, with enough shades of gray to make you want to follow his story.

A good whodunit story with plenty of Hawaii's history included. The cast of characters were interesting with Koa has the main one. I liked the book.

Death of a Messenger is a modern murder procedural set in Hawaii and the first book in the Koa Kāne series by Robert McCaw. Originally released in 2015, this reformat and re-release by Oceanview is 336 pages and available in ebook format.

This is a well written procedural with an ensemble cast including a sympathetic protagonist with a very complex past. There's a great deal of archaeology and Hawaiian history written into the storyline as well as the complications arising from inter-departmental friction (the remains of a ritualistic murder victim were discovered on military land). I enjoyed Koa Kāne's competence and intelligence while his team are resolving the murder and related looting/antiquities crimes.

There is some rough language and a fair number of graphic descriptions (the original corpse is ritually mutilated and the author pulls no punches). The scenery and island historical background are well interwoven into the storyline and I found it compelling.

Four stars. Recommended for fans of modern procedurals and forensic mysteries.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

Death of a Messenger is a twisty whodunnit, investigated by Chief Detective Koa Kane and his team.  At first I found it quite challenging to get into and didn't know whether I'd enjoy it, which is surprising for me with the nature of the story at the beginning.  However, I think because its set in Hawaii, I found a lot of the words difficult to pronounce which slowed down my reading and made it a bit stilted.  Obviously this is to be expected in a novel set somewhere wonderful and exotic but it didn't 'grab me' from the beginning as others do.

Although after about the first 10-15%, I was hooked!  The story is complex and twisty, and will keep you guessing.  I literally had no clue as to who the killer was!  McCaw interweaved some bits together which I absolutely loved.

I really enjoyed the historical and archaeological side of this story (for anyone that knows me that's obvious!).  It was fascinating to learn bits about the history and traditions of Hawaii - a place that, if I'm honest, I know little about.  The fact that the story incorporated looting of archaeological sites is something that is all too real and a frustration for those of us that want to learn about the past.

The other thing I truly loved were some of the characters.  I love Koa - he's a fantastic character; a wonderful man but with his own secret past that haunts him.  Despite this, he is a good and loyal guy and you can't help but love him.  Hook and Nalani are also fantastic - I loved them both.  There are some proper shady characters in this too! Getting to know more about them was brilliant and bought a good edge to the story.

Obviously a book set in Hawaii is going to be fantastic and this is true to form.  It's definitely encouraged me to do some more digging into Hawaii and I loved googling the places to bring them to life for me!

So overall, a brilliant whodunnit mystery with plenty of twists and fantastic characters.  It may take a little while to get into but I would encourage you to persevere - it's definitely worth it. There are more Koa Kane books in the series and I'm definitely be up for reading more about him - especially since I loved him so much!  So if you're looking for a mystery in a different setting then check this out!

Rating 3.5

A complex and unusual murder mystery with a unique setting

Hawaiian Detective Koa Kane is called to investigate a grisly murder – a mutilated body discovered at an army training area after an anonymous phone call is made to the police. The victim is difficult to identify and bears disturbing marks indicating an ancient ritual sacrifice. Further investigation uncovers an unknown archaeological site nearby and leads Kane to wonder if the victim had stumbled across a rare historical secret people will kill to protect. As he delves further into the investigation, he uncovers links to grave robbers, political activists, and astronomers. He must use all his wits to solve the case whilst dealing with various forms of adversity in his professional and personal life.

This was a very enjoyable, fast-paced crime thriller with plenty of twists and turns throughout. The plot is complex and well-crafted but never becomes confusing, and I was easily able to keep track of all the characters and their relationships with each other. There are a good handful of convincing suspects in the case, and the author does an excellent job of sprinkling clues and red herrings throughout the story, making the reader second-guess and double back as much as the detective does. Kane himself was a likeable character who clearly has a strong sense of right and wrong, and many of the secondary characters also came across as well-imagined and exciting. I also learnt a lot about Hawaii from this story. The author includes many interesting references to its history and culture that were refreshingly different from the idealised version of Hawaii portrayed in most films.

Whilst he was engaging and likeable, I do have to admit that I found the character of Kane a bit of a cliché. Many of his character traits were remarkably like the standard lead police detective that is regularly found in these sorts of crime thrillers. One aspect of his past also seemed to be mentioned quite frequently to 'build his personality'. Still, throughout the book, it didn't really seem to influence him in any substantial way (although this may have been expanded upon in future instalments).

In conclusion, this was an enjoyable crime thriller that transports the reader to Hawaii's idyllic state and then shows you its dark side. I would be interested in reading more about the characters in this book.

Daenerys

Elite Reviewing Group received a copy of this book to review.

Koa Kane is drawn into the investigation of a body within a lava tube that has a ritualistic aspect to it. There are concerns about the archaeological site the body was found in, which has strong ties to Hawaiian culture. This means the roster of suspects includes grave robbers, activists, and even astronomers, and he already has too many obstacles to overcome. How the body was killed is less of a problem than why: was his secret so dangerous it will get others killed?

Hawaiian myth and culture is steeped throughout this novel, as well as Koa’s back story. Even for those that didn’t read the prior novel, his history is mentioned several times across several chapters. It slows down the flow of the investigation, and there are many interesting characters for Koa to interview. Once we get past that a few chapters in, the pace picks up and then I was drawn into the story more. There is the murder to look into, as well as the archaeological site, the astronomers on the mountain, and the politics involved with both. Major players in the search are tied to the ancient Hawaiian royal lineage and the movement to reclaim Hawaii for Hawaiians.

I enjoyed seeing the story unfold, and that it's about the small details to get to the bottom of the mystery. Koa pays attention to those details, from the way people react to each other, to missing items, to misshapen areas that hide clues and illegal activities. It's something of a surprise when we get to the ending and all those clues come together and we're told what had happened. This was a book that drew me in and captured my attention, and I raced to get to the end. Very tensely done, and I look forward to future books featuring Koa Kane.

Fun read with lots of twists and suspicious characters. I refused to trust anyone, and it's a good thing, as several characters were involved in different schemes throughout the book. I also learned that Hawaii can have blizzards in their highest mountains!