The first review I sent for this book was meant for another book,sorry about that. The Lava Witch was an addictive and fast paced book which I would highly recommend. The characters and the plot kept you guessing right till then end. This was the third book in a series and have downloaded the first 2 books as I enjoyed this author very much.

Homicide Detective Kali Māhoe investigates the torture murder of a young woman on Maui, close to her own home. This is a well written serial with suspense and well-developed characters. The reader is introduced to Hawaiian legends, their meanings and influence on present day Hawaiians. I anxiously await the next book in this series. I received an ARC from NetGalley, and the opinions expressed are my own. #TheLavaWitch #NetGalley.

The Lava Witch, is the third in the Dark Paradise Mystery Series, but it reads well as a standalone novel. I like it enough to consider going back and reading #1 and #2. There are enough hints as to the background of Kali Māhoe, a detective with the Maui Police Department. Kali is also a kahu, a spiritual leader in her Hawaiian community, so designated by her grandmother.

Kali has been called to a bizarre crime scene where a young woman has been tortured and killed. Because of her ties to the spiritual aspects of Hawai’i, her methods are somewhat unorthodox, in this case guided by stories in a book written by her grandmother. Kali is also haunted, damaged by the killing of her long-time boyfriend by drug dealers.

I enjoyed the atmosphere and how author Bokur made the glamorous islands dark and forbidding. There were lots of twists and turns in the plot as well.

I really enjoyed this book! The cover is really pretty, too. I haven't read the other book(s) in this series, but this worked just fine as a stand alone. It had "Moana" vibes but with a creepy twist and set in Hawaii. I loved reading about the Hawaiian settings and culture. Definitely made me want to take a vacation -- even with the creepy elements.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the digital ARC. All opinions expressed are completely my own.