Do you love Miss Marple? Have you ever envisioned her as a Hawaiian woman solving an ancient murder mystery that involves human sacrifice and haunted islands? Look no further, this is the book for you!!

Winnie Te Papa is invited to the small island of Kaumaha as part of a committee to discuss and decide on the matter of its sale to a local hotel mogul. Everything goes smoothly and the decisions are made in seemingly record time, but of course something goes horribly awry in the night. Mrs. Te Papa awakens to find a member of the Lathrop family dead, and a controversial historical site blown to bits. But who did it? She intends to find out, and she'll have to sift through quite a tangled web of family feuds, vengeful spirits, mobsters, blackmail, and secrets to do so.

I really enjoyed this one! The setting is a fictitious small island off the coast of Big Island, settled by a Massachusetts missionary and his family in the 1850s. There is still contention between that family and the Hawaiian natives that live on the island, and this is really the premise for the whole book. I didn't foresee the Lathrop family secret (yikes!), and there were several other little twists and turns throughout the story that were very satisfying.

Overall, this was a really fun little mystery with great characters and a unique setting. It's a very fast paced read, and the last scene (truthfully the whole concept of "the other side of the leaf") will stay with me for a long time to come. Loved it!

Thank you to Doug Burgess, Sourcebooks Landmark, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this ARC!

This was an interesting blend of mystery and historical fiction. In the present day, there is controversy over the sale of a Hawaiian island and one of the opponents is murdered. The novel delves into the history of the island and the various people involved. A little overly ambitious perhaps, but I enjoyed the setting and learning a little Hawaiian history.

Imagine a lush Hawaiian island (or look up pictures if, like me, you haven't yet had the pleasure of visiting one): sandy shores, rugged hills and mountains, greener flora than seems possible. In A Legacy of Bones, this paradise is the backdrop for a history of loss and pain that will define not only the Lathrop family's legacy, but the fate of countless islanders. Many thanks to Sourcebooks Landmark for the chance to read an ARC.

It might seem counterintuitive to name such a beautiful locale Kaumaha Island (or Misery Island, est. 1850), but when readers delve into Doug Burgess's tale, the evidence stacks up, leaving little room for doubt. From blatant massacres to carefully devised, underhanded treachery, every resident—elitists and locals alike—shoulders a history stained by more than just the hardships caused by racial and cultural traditions and beliefs clashing on a limited playing field. However, when a stick of TNT literally blasts open a full-scale investigation, a chilling murder and even more corruption is unveiled and threatens the stability of the many already tenuous divides between the island's inhabitants.

One aspect of A Legacy of Bones that I found particularly compelling (and yet also potentially problematic) is that the story is laid out in two parts, told as a dual timeline that underscores the well-known adage that's just begging to be repeated when one considers the implications of the Lathrop family and its all-encompassing legacy: "Those that fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it." The past certainly informs the present in this case, and as the plot unfolds, readers will not only follow the investigation taking place in the present alongside cultural experts, developers, protesting citizens, and even a few local gangs, but will learn exactly what happened before to bring us all to this point. The resulting mesh can be difficult to follow, especially when someone might be unfamiliar with Hawaiian legends, the practices of Japanese and Filipino immigrants, the way white plantation owners operate, etc. In short, this long-term power play won't be the type of book that readers can idly enjoy. It will require them to use as much mental bandwidth as possible so they don't miss a beat. If they pay close enough attention, they may even be able to successfully predict whodunit.

The cast of characters is a colorful one, as we might expect when so many cultures need to be accounted for. In this regard, Burgess manages a unique balancing act that some might not always pick up on in the dual storyline. While so much of the plot centers on specific social and cultural perspectives, there is always another, perhaps more often marginalized voice quietly interjecting during the murder investigation, or coloring the lens through which we experience the past. Just as there is a lot of information to keep track of in order to fully grasp the nuances of the plot, this method of inclusion and cultural representation creates a mosaic of tones that all gather around Burgess's written voice and style. For this reader, that helped skirt around the trap that so many authors fall into: clinging to their own experience and injecting their storytelling methods with it, often at the expense of the finished manuscript.

Reminiscent of Agatha Christie works and hard-hitting dramas like Ozark, A Legacy of Bones is a hefty exploration of right and wrong, human instinct and morality, history and suspense, one's legacy and one's sympathy—all cocooned within the heady embrace of a gorgeous landscape so many associate with romance and relaxation without considering the grit of everyday life building beneath the surface, ready to explode at a moment's notice.

What drew me to this book was the rich Hawaiian history and important cultural lessons. The idea of a murder mystery on top of that sealed the deal.

DNF - It's really as simple as this being a case wherein I thought I would be meeting something different amongst the pages than what was actually inside this book. I really like the cover art & so was drawn to this title but, it's not for me.

Quite simply put, A Legacy of Bones has good intentions but tries to do too much. This leaves it feeling kind of muddled. An ancestor of the Lathrop family purchased the island of Kaumaha generations ago and current patriarch Ogden has run it into the ground, leading him to sell out to businessman Tanaka to come in and build a new resort. Problems occur immediately, starting with the fact that his mother Eleanor owns the land itself, and his niece Lani has issues with the family’s impact on the community living on the island that she has been more a part of. The solution is to bring three arbitrators, a judge, an anthropologist familiar with the island and family, and Hawaiian cultural expert, Mrs. Te Papa. Soon one of the people attending the hearing is dead, and Mrs Te Papa is putting her sleuthing skills to the test to figure out if it was murder, and who would have a motive. Unfortunately this investigation ping pongs all over the place, instead of following a cleaner line of thought. It also takes the reader into tangents involving people on the island. These tie into whether or not Mrs. Te Papa’s comrades should be considered suspects or not, but complicate the story. Complicating it further is the journal flashbacks to the Lathrop ancestor that built on the island. Blech. Ultra religious white man who considers the community savages for not believing in Christianity. Once again, something that ties into the main story, but detracts from it at the same time and allows someone who took voices away to have a major voice in the story. While everything eventually plays out in a way that mostly makes sense, it was kind of hard for me to care by that point. I think a mystery set in Hawaii that focuses on local culture is a great idea, but this one just has too much going on for me. A complimentary copy of this book was provided by the publisher. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Ogden Lathrop wants to sell the piece of property that his family has owned since King Kamehameha got rid of this land by selling it to the Lathrop family. Ogden is so excited by this deal, but the women of his family feel the exact opposite. Lani, one of the Lathrop women, has Hawaiian ancestry and Lathrop ancestry. She feels very conflicted, but decides she will protect the land and the people who live on this island.

There is a statue where Ogden wants to sell the property, and Lani goes over there one day. She dies from an explosion, but it also looks very suspicious. Was she murdered or did she accidently die? Detectives investigate and find out that the statue and its surrounding area was a burial sight for many years. Since this seems to be a sacred spot, can this property even be sold or it is protected?

I absolutely love Hawaiian history and culture, so I was very excited to read this book, but this book did fall short for me. I enjoyed reading the historical side of this book, but this book really lacked character development and any sort of feelings.

I went into this book expecting loads of Hawaiian histories, histories that I know are rich in culture but I know little about, and while this book DOES deliver on those histories, the surrounding events cloud those histories and bits of culture in a way that feels incongruous to the books plot/description and does a disservice to them as well.

A wealthy, legacy family fallen on what can only be described as hard times through.. mismanagement? of the island that is their legacy, seeks to sell their manor home and the island to a developer who will create a hotel/resort paradise, while also displacing those native to the island. Not all of the family are happy about the deal and part of sticking point to selling out to the developer is a statue to one of their ancestors, which is placed upon a site of supposed historical importance to the area.

If it sounds a bit confusing, it is and can be. Because the family cannot agree on anything, three of our characters are called to the island to act as arbitors, or at least give their pros and cons to the sale of the island based on their expertise. it is in these three characters that we truly meet our guide throughout the story, Mrs. Te Papa, and it is with her that I find the most fault.

Mrs. Te Papa, unless I'm grossly under representing her, is a cultural expert. She is native Hawaiian and the history and culture of the islands and its people are her calling. That alone excited me. But, as it turns out, she's also the most amazing amateur detective. I learned after reading, through an interview with the author, of his Agatha Christie and Miss Marple connections in the book. I have to say I dont get a strong sense of either, except perhaps with the Miss Marple aspect, but every action and "clue" and "connection" Mrs. Te Papa makes just feels convenient to the point of being farfetched.

The many layers of mystery--who did it, why, who did the other thing, why, etc--took me around in circles, and never close enough to the true history I wanted to understand. The closest you get is an old diary that two of the characters read, and that gives the best insight into what happened on the island. But the rest of it just feels contrived and convenient.

My review will appear in the February 2023 Historical Novel Review. Enjoyed it, but wouldn't call it a historical novel.

This was a little out of my comfort zone, but I was drawn to this book and I'm sooo glad that I gave in. This was a wonderful book full of mystery and intrigue. I normally don't like where a civilian is the one solving the crimes, but in this case it really worked. Mrs. Te Papa was definitely the right choice. I plan to look it up, but I'm not sure how much of the story is historically accurate, but even if Reverend Lathrop wasn't real, I think it did a good job of showing how the Native Hawaiians felt about their colonization and the missionaries that swarmed the islands. I liked that there were several mysteries beyond the main murder mystery. I was worried that there were so many different strands that something was going to be left unanswered, but Mrs Te Papa wrapped everything nicely and even added a bow on top!

I loved this book and couldn't recommend it more. Very well written and easy to read I highly recommend.

This is a fantastic murder mystery and a spooky ghost tale with important cultural links!

I’ve heard of the Menehune before, but this was my first introduction to the Legend of the Night Marchers.

Author Doug Burgess explores the racial and cultural divide in Hawaii through the issues between the villagers on fictitious Misery Island and the haole elite, the Lathrop family. The villagers consisted of the natives, as well as the Japanese/Filipino immigrants, all of who were plantation workers, and the Lathrops who were the white plantation owners. Readers don’t get too far into the conflict before noticing some parallels in recent Hawaiian history concerning the sugarcane operations. The heart of the issue for both is the land-ownership divide. Burgess points us towards the Māhele and the toppling of the Hawaiian monarchy. He does it in such a way that readers can’t help but see parallels in similar situations on their own turf. If you didn’t know beforehand, you’ll come away with a better understanding of why the idea of owning the āina was such a difficult concept to grasp and also come away with a deeper appreciation for the Hawaiians and their attitude towards their land.

Some of the characters will remind you of Agatha Christie's novels. Mr. Po reminded me of the eccentric Hercule Poirot and Winnie Te Papa reminded me of Miss Marple. Regardless, the well-rounded characters are authentic and engaging. I enjoyed the references to the ‘walkers’ who patrol the Waipi’o Valley at night! The plot is well-paced with a great balance of intrigue and suspense and is obviously penned by an author who loves history.

This book would lend itself well to book clubs as it reminds us of the importance of building worker struggles across ethnic, racial and national divides while maintaining the true flavour of the islands.

This is a ‘meaty’ book and one read-through won’t do it justice! I’m packing it in my suitcase for our Hawaiian vacation next week.

I was gifted this copy by Sourcebooks Landmark and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.