The third mystery featuring Hawai'ian detective Kali Mahoe and the darker side of the paradise that is the Hawai'ian islands. This one features the murder of a young woman that has undercurrents of various rituals like fire-walking and witchcraft but may be hiding the real reasons and intent behind the murder. Kali and her team, her uncle/captain Walter and officer Hara must decipher the reasons why this young woman was murdered since the perpetrators are starting to go after the people Kali cares for as well as intruding on her home.
Me being me, I went back and read the first two mysteries as well, which can be read as stand-alones but I prefer to start at the beginning. I really enjoyed all three novels, they feel well researched in regards to the native Hawai'ian practices and rituals while being respectful and the author inter-twines them well with the mystery (however my knowledge of this area is not great and a native may feel differently). I like all the characters and am looking forward to reading another book featuring Kali & crew.

Thank you Netgalley for this ARC for an exchange for an honest review.

Very interesting book, I really enjoyed it.

Set in Maui, this fascinating detective story takes the reader from the coast into the mountain rainforest. It looks like someone has been trying to practice ancient Hawaiian rituals, and the result is a dead girl. This is a gripping read!

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed as in this review are completely my own.

I thoroughly enjoyed the first mystery in this series and loved this one as it brought on me a trip where police procedures, investigation, and magical lore mixes.
Kali is a an expert in Hawaii lore and magic and a clever detective. She and her team will solve a bizzarre, cruel murder that features all the elements of a ritual and a possible ritual killing.
It was a fast paced story that I read in a sitting and couldn't put down. There's a cast of interesting characters, the dark side of paradise and the mythology of Hawaii.
The mystery is solid, I didn't guessed any twist or the solution and it kept me on the edge till the end.
Even if it's the third in a series it can be read as a stand alone.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

The Lava Witch is the third modern procedural mystery in the Dark Paradise series by Debra Bokur. Released 31st May 2022 by Kensington, it's 304 pages and is available in hardcover and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the e-book format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links and references throughout. I've really become enamored of e-books with interactive formats lately.

I've enjoyed seeing this series develop. There's a strong female main protagonist who is intelligent, active, and direct. She's driven and not defined by her romantic interests. She's an interesting dichotomy, both a logical, science based investigator, as well as the granddaughter (and heir) of a well respected Native Hawai'ian spiritual leader and historian. She has a good rapport with her colleagues and uses their strengths to investigate and solve crimes.

The opening murder in this installment is quite bizarre and ritualistic. It's a modern procedural and as such, there is some moderately graphic content; mostly in the descriptions of the crime and crime scene. Language is mildly PG, a few "damns" and nothing worse.

It's well written throughout and the descriptions of places and settings are very well done and easy to imagine. Although it's the third book in the series, it works very well as a standalone. The author is adept at providing necessary backstory information without dumping too much info on the reader at once. The mystery is self contained and the plotting is satisfying and complex. The major storyline is moderately foreshadowed, but there were some surprises at the denouement.

Four stars. Capably written with a strong and sympathetic protagonist, and set in gorgeous surroundings which feature significantly in the action. This would be a good choice for public library acquisition, for fans of the genre, and for mystery bookclubs (or for a buddy read).

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

The Lava Witch by Debra Bokur is instalment three in the author's Dark Paradise Mystery series and my first. Witchy vibes feature in this twisted suspense-filled tale. A young woman has been tortured before being killed and Kali Māhoe, a detective with the Maui Police Department, goes to investigate. A great read which has whetted my appetite enough to pick up the first two books.

I received a complimentary copy of this novel, at my own request, from Kensington Books via NetGalley. This review is my own unbiased opinion.

An interesting procedural that blends modern murder with Hawaiian folklore. Someone murdered Maya Louise Holmes in a dramatic and gory way that shrieks ritual murder to Maui Det. Kali Mahoe. This isn't the Hawaii in the travel posters. It's a darker more ominous Hawaii. Was Holmes killed because of her work? Or was she chosen for another reason? And what the heck was the band of witches that some saw flying through the woods? Kali works with her uncle and others to sort through the legends and folklore to get to the truth. No spoilers from me. I learned a great deal from this,, which was a standalone for me despite being the third in a series. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. Not a cozy, for sure and a very good read.

When requested I was unaware this was the 3rd in the series. It does read well as a standalone and kept me interested. There was a nice blend of Hawaiian folklore and mythology.

Witchie vibes, Hawaii and a dark twisted suspense filled story had me hooked, this book was so good I couldn’t put it down. I was constantly thinking about when I could dive back in for more.

“The Lava Witch” by Debra Bokur is the third book in the Dark Paradise Mystery series. The series follows Hawaii Detective Kali Mahoe through some of her cases. Kali has all the characteristics that I love to find in a female main character. She is strong, independent, smart, and well respected in her field and community! I also love reading about mysteries and crime procedures in places that other people view as paradise! This crime mystery was unpredictable and had some great twists! I liked that this book could be read as a stand-alone, but it makes you want to go back to read the first two books in the series if you have not already!

Thank you @netgalley and @kensingtonbooks for allowing me to read this book ahead of publication in exchange for my honest review.

I struggled with this book. I was pretty disappointed because I felt like there was so much potential with this ritualistic murder and the Hawaiian myths and legends and then it never really seemed to actually tie into anything. It kind of jumped all over the place and felt disjointed at times. It took me 15 chapters to figure out that Walter and Hara were two different characters. I just really struggled to place everything together. I felt like the reason for murder was pretty generic compared to the crime. And then random things would pop up in the book and I felt like I should already know what was happening there. I wanted to give this book 2 stars, but I'm going to give it 3 because it is the second in the series and I'm going to assume the disjointed parts were explained in book 1. I definitely would not recommend this as a standalone novel as it's hard to follow. I didn't realize this was the 2nd in the series until I was already halfway through the book.

Nice way to visit Hawaii. Expected a little more about the islands. Story was mediocre. ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair review.

Kali Mahoe is called to the scene of a murder and it appears to be one tied to a ritual, but which one, she does not know. Soon she is chasing her suspects alibis, means, motives and opportunities. Who killed this promising you woman and why? More over, what if the rumor of a witch practicing in the area are true? Kali aims to unravel the clues, lies and rituals to solve the case, even when her own safety is at stake.

This is the first book I have read in this series and I am hooked! The pace was just right, the whodunit well written and the Hawaiian lore and history was woven in so well. The characters are well developed and the writing is solid. Going to read the first two books and wait for the fourth to come out. It’s that good!

This is book 3 in the Dark Paradise series, and the follow up to The Bone Field and The Fire Thief. Once again, local legends and belief are well represented as part of the key points to the story, and the foundation for some of Kali's actions. But things are not what they seem, and as kali and Walter keep digging into the victim's life, they realize shining stars only shine because of the dark sky behind them, and there is darkness everywhere they look, and finding the actual killer may be harder than they thought. It's a page turner that will make you want to go back and read the other 2 books, s be prepared for a binge read, if you haven't started this series yet!

The Lava Witch by Debra Bokur is a plausible mystery with believable characters. I liked learning the Hawaiian words for things, but it did get tedious after a while and would draw my attention away from the story.

I would rate this a 3.5 out of 5 stars. A good mystery, good writing, and an enjoyable afternoon read.

#TheLavaWitch #NetGalley @KensingtonBooks

The Lava Witch is set in a remote mountainous area of Maui Forest near Haleakala volcano where the body of a woman is found hanging from a tree.

The detective on the case thinks there is a lot of similarity to a ritual torture.

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.

Enjoyed reading this book and look forward to reading more by this author.

“The Lava Witch” by Debra Bokur is a thrilling and intense murder-mystery novel that weaves Hawaiian folklore with Maui’s darker and more vicious secrets. In this fast-paced and highly addictive read, readers are pulled into a world full of illusions, deception, and the mysterious inner workings of gods and goddesses.

In this third book of the Dark Paradise Mystery series, detective Kali Māhoe is called to a popular hiking route in the mountains near Haleakala. A woman has been found hanging from a tree with her wrists bound and her feet charred. Kali believes these are all signs of a ritual with the intent to torture and kill.

The deeper Kali digs into the mystery surrounding this woman’s death and who might possibly have the motives to kill her, the more she gains the attention of the killer (or killers) involved. Suddenly, her home no longer feels like a place of safety and the people around her are getting hurt. It’s clear that whoever’s responsible for the death of this woman, and the rumors arising about a witch haunting the forest will stop at nothing to keep their secrets hidden.

Though “The Lava Witch” is the third installment to the Kali Māhoe series, it can be read as a standalone. As a forewarning to picking up this book, make sure all plans are canceled because the events will easily consume readers from start to finish. It is an unpredictable story with an excellent crew of characters. Kali is a favorite due to her headstrong nature and strong empathetic connection to others which make her an incredible detective and an easy person to relate to. Bokur allows readers to be swept up in a murder mystery but also gives those sweet, personal moments in which Kali’s personality is able to shine the brightest.

The addition of Hawaiian folklore and mythology adds a lot of depth and divine superstition around the murder mystery that takes place. It's a great way for readers who are unfamiliar with these myths to learn a bit more about the culture of Maui. Paired with the death of a young woman in the woods, it adds a paranormal element to the story itself that makes it impossible to figure out what is happening on Maui and who might be responsible for the chaos.

Those who enjoy mythology, murder mysteries, and a sweet escape are going to be captivated by Kali and the disturbing mystery behind a young woman’s brutal and torturous death. Be on the lookout for Kali’s next mystery on May 31st, 2022 when “The Lava Witch” officially hits the shelves!

A big thank you to both NetGalley and Kensington Books for providing me with a free e-arc of this novel and the opportunity to share my honest opinion in this review.

I really enjoyed this mystery, Debra Bokur really brings the setting to life, and despite the horrible nature of the murder really makes me want to visit Hawaii.

I love trying to figure out whats going on along side Kali as she is tying to put all these puzzle pieces together. This crime seems to have some sort of spiritual aspect, and Kali is definitely the one to solve the crime. Its fast paced and you wont want to put it down until the very end.

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!

This ARC was provided to me via Kindle, Kensington Books and by #NetGalley. Opinions expressed are completely my own.

I quite appreciate a title keeps me entertained and engaged throughout, mission accomplished.


Characters are well written, formed and play off others. . They come to life making it relatable.