I love books set in the Hawaii and, after checking picture of Waikiki, I thought it would have been great to be there.
There's a good sense of place in this novel, an intriguing plot, interesting and fleshed out characters.
It's a solid mystery that kept me turning pages and guessing.
I hope to read soon another book by this author
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

Ghosts of Waikiki caught my eye after spending almost 6 years on Oahu. Reading all of the local terms brought me to reminisce about poi malasadas and different luaus. It was fun to read for me or anyone else knowledgeable about the local words but I'm not sure someone without knowledge would understand lanai, pau, or other words.

Maya goes back to Hawaii, from California, to write a book about a wealthy, influential family. Throughout her time shadowing, there are 2 deaths that end up being murders. Her ex, Koa, a police detective is charged with finding the killer.

I would recommend this book to anyone willing to Google a few words.

#GhostsofWaikiki #NetGalley

Thank you NetGalley, author and crooked Lane books for my ARC of Ghosts of Waikiki

This was my first book by this author
It’s very captivating. I am a real sucker for anything set in a tropical beach themed setting. Hawaii peaked my curiosity. Believable characters, action packed crime story with lots of twists. It was an interesting setting we were off the beaten track in Hawaii, learned a lot about the state's history, I learned a lot of interesting things about Hawaii. I liked the author's writing style. There was a lot of action, local spirit in a dream setting, and a lot of emotions. It was about friends, family, and of love. Enjoyed every moment of this book.

Thank you, Crooked Lane Books for the copy of Ghosts of Waikiki by Jennifer K. Morita. If you like a cute cozy mystery, this might be right up your alley! I loved how it was set in Hawai’i and the food sounded delicious. There were lots of allusions to life in Hawai’i that gave good insight into Hawaiian life.
The murder happened early in the book and there was so much going on it kind of took a backseat to the other events going on. I’m used to thrillers so this was a little time for me, but it was still an engaging read. 3.5 stars rounded up to 4.

In this Hawaiian-set mystery, Maya Wong, a former journalist, takes on a ghostwriting gig for a wealthy family. But when a family member is murdered, her investigative instincts kick in, and she keeps crossing paths with her ex, now a homicide detective.

The book does a great job capturing Hawaii’s beauty, and the mystery keeps things engaging, even if I guessed the killer early. Maya is a solid lead, though some of her decisions felt out of character. Overall, it’s a well-written, enjoyable read with a good mix of mystery, setting, and a bit of romance. Worth checking out!

After more than a decade living & working in California, thirty-something newspaper reporter Maya Wong returns to her native O'ahu to work as a ghostwriter for the prominent Hamilton family's biography. But when the family patriarch is found dead in the swimming pool during her first meeting at the mansion with Parker Hamilton, Maya's reporter instincts kick in & she's determined to find the truth. Detective Koa Yamada, is the lead investigator & Maya's ex-boyfriend. He constantly tries to get Maya to stop digging for clues but her dogged curiosity keeps her on the trail despite several personal attacks & break-ins at her apartment.

The interactions between Maya and her parents, sister and long-time friends, and the Hawaiian cultural and food references makes Waikiki an appealing location for this debut mystery.

I received a digital ARC from Netgalley and Crooked Lane Books. All opinions are my own.

This mystery is set in Hawaii, where Maya, the protagonist, returns after living in California for a time. She has an ex on the island, who has now become a homicide detective. She takes a job working for a rich, established island family, and the job quickly becomes complicated when someone dies almost immediately.

This was a good mystery, but it was fairly easy to figure out who had committed the murder. I feel like the story could have been fleshed out a bit more. I liked the protagonist, but some of her actions seemed a bit naive for her character, such as going into her apartment, which had obviously been broken into. The ending wrapped everything up nicely though, which I enjoyed. There really are no triggers to be aware of; it’s a clean mystery. Overall, a very good first novel.

"It was a long, thrilling tale, and don’t ask me how I managed to stay patient while waiting to discover the identity of the killer. I was tempted to skip to the last page, but I restrained myself."

The novel tells the gripping story of Maya Wong, a former journalist turned writer, who is experiencing a difficult period in her career. Suddenly, an exciting opportunity arises, and like a drowning person grabbing a lifeline, she accepts. Maya takes on the role of ghostwriter for a book about a land developer family and travels to Hawaii, where the family resides. Coincidentally, Hawaii is also her hometown, which appears unchanged despite the passage of time. As Maya becomes entangled in the family's affairs, a prominent family member dies, and although she hasn't reported in years, her investigative instincts resurface. She also reconnects with her ex, and despite having no intention of reuniting, the homicide investigation keeps bringing them together.

Will she successfully complete the book, or will she become consumed by events that seem unrelated but are somehow connected to her?

The novel is beautifully written, with events unfolding chronologically and the word choice both precise and accessible. The vivid descriptions allow readers to visualize the stunning Hawaiian scenery. The plot is well-structured, and each character is richly developed. The editing and grammar are impeccable, leaving no room for complaints.

However, the main character occasionally frustrated me. Despite being introduced as clever, brave, and impatient, she sometimes makes foolish decisions. While these actions drive the plot forward, they made her less likable to me. Nevertheless, I recommend this story to anyone seeking a thrilling read with a subtle touch of romance.

Unemployed journalist Maya Wong is lured back to her homeland of Hawaii with the offer of being a ghost writer on the history on the island’s foremost, though controversial, family. Her return after more than a decade in San Francisco is met with excitement by her friends, and about time by her family.

When the patriarch of the Hamilton family is pulled from the home swimming pool and pronounced DOA at the local hospital, events start to spiral, and Maya is soon caught up in the investigation when the death is deemed suspicious.

This is a very niche, cultural novel, perfect if you want to understand the roles and traditions of the state, with lots (and lots!) of references to the culture, food (so much food 😱) and traditions of Hawaii. For me the constant repetition and references were too overwhelming.

An ok debut, though not necessarily one for me.

2.5*

Thank you NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books.

Terrific read set in hawaii the novel is filled with local flavor, ohana and a less than likeable family filled with secrets. As the layers are exposed it is a story if good vs evil and reminds readers of what is truly important

This thriller/murder mystery was just the book I needed. There are so many things I loved about it. The setting was one. I’ve read so many books set in Hawaii, and one day I plan to make it there. This book just further instilled that desire. From beautiful beach settings to the rich cultural history that’s mentioned, I’m ready to see this paradise in person. I also couldn’t help falling in love with the MC and her supporting cast. Some of them were rough around the edges, and sometimes that made them all the more endearing. Sometimes it made them annoying, but I feel like it all balanced out. I also thoroughly enjoyed the story and the mystery aspect. It captivated my attention and kept me entertained to the end. I had hunches as to the murderer closer to the end, but I don’t feel like it took anything from the reveal. I really hope we get to see more books from Jennifer and hopefully more from Waikiki. I need more of Maya and Koa.

Trigger Warnings include: murder, drowning, drugs, alcohol consumption, gore, gun violence, physical violence and manipulation

Thank you to Netgalley and Crooked Lane Books for the opportunity to read this eARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

First time reading this author. I fell into the mystery right away and loved all the ins and outs of the investigation! Loved all the local Honolulu spots in the story and felt right at home trying to solve the mystery myself. Nicely done.

A promising blurb and a cool cover: I was really curious and grabbed the book. And right from the start: Wow, what an exciting crime novel with a great protagonist. And in Hawaii, on the road with locals. That was really good!

So, and now a little more about the plot. The story is written from the first-person perspective of Maya Wong, who is in her early 30s, a native Hawaiian with Asian roots, and who returns to her old home after many years in California. She came to California 12 years ago and worked as a journalist, but in the internet age things are not going well for print media, and when Maya gets a job as a ghostwriter, she ends up back in Waikiki. She is supposed to help the local construction giant Parker Hamilton write his biography. Maya has mixed feelings: as a local, she is aware of Hamilton's sometimes dubious construction deals, but hey, the job is well paid and you have to make a living somehow. In any case, the family and old friends are happy about her return, and Maya is quickly integrated again.
When her client's father is found dead in the swimming pool at her first official job meeting, Maya's old reporter instinct is awakened and she quickly finds herself in very dangerous investigations - and is also constantly confronted with the one person she actually doesn't want to meet: Detective Koa Yamada, her ex-boyfriend......

My reading impression: Super exciting story. Believable characters, cool crime story with lots of twists. For me, this was an interesting setting; we were off the beaten track in Hawaii, learned a lot about the state's history, and there were interesting insights into the construction and land development industry. It really captivated me from the first page.
I also really liked the author's style. Linguistically a bit more elegant than a lot of what I usually read in English. Very clear, structured expression, and yet very lively - perhaps I notice this more as a non-native speaker than other readers; I actually had to look up a few words, but it hardly affected the flow of the reading.
As the author, like her main character Maya, also worked as a freelance journalist, the feeling / atmosphere is of course authentic; that comes across perfectly.
Yes, everything was right for me here; there was a lot of action, a lot of local spirit in a dream setting, a lot of emotions - friends, family, and of course love - all thumbs up!

Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the review copy!

debut-novel, cozy-mystery, Hawai'i, local-law-enforcement, romantic, ex-boyfriend, journalist, families, family-dynamics, family-expectations, family-history, friendship, murders, investigations, multigenerational, multicultural, ghostwriter, entitled-attitude, wealthy, developers, lawyers, cultural-differences, cultural-diversity, cultural-exploration, suspense, threats, amateur-sleuth*****

The patriarch didn't just have a heart attack and drown, he was murdered.
Maya Wong is a semi-employed newspaper reporter who is back home in Hawai'i after her career took a dive. She is under contract to ghost write a biography of a high-profile family possibly involved in a shady development deal, but things literally take a dive there, too. She is seeing a stateside property lawyer when the death occurs and is surprised on finding that the lead detective is Koa Yamada, her ex-boyfriend from years ago.
Besides the murder investigation and the juggling of overprotective men, she has matchmaking a grandma, parents, and sister!
The background of the islands is atmospheric, the characters are so believable, the investigation is well plotted and has just enough sneaky twists. Loved it and hope for a series!
I requested and received a free temporary EARC from Crooked Lane Books via NetGalley. Thank you!
November 19, 2024 #GhostsofWaikiki #NetGalley

Note: Thank you to NetGalley, Crooked Lane Books, and Kristi Jones for the advanced reader copy of the book. What follows is my unbiased review of the book.

Ghosts of Waikiki is a good mystery novel, perfect for summer reading. It has just about everything it needs for light reading while at the same time keeping me turning the page. Not to mention, the setting in Hawaii is perfect for a mental vacation while reading.

Maya Wong is an unemployed newspaper reporter who lands a job ghostwriting a novel back in Hawaii where she grew up. She hasn't been back home in some time but has misgivings about reacquainting herself with her old friends, particularly her ex-boyfriend Koa.

The Hamiltons are a powerful and wealthy family on the island. Maya was hired to ghostwrite the biography of Parker Hamilton in hopes that it would help boost his son, Steven, to a career in politics. During one of the days at the Hamilton mansion, the patriarch of the family, Charles Hamilton, is found floating in the pool of what at first appears to be a heart attack.

However, Maya soon seems to be the target of a serial mugger. It's a little too much of a coincidence for Koa, who is now a police detective. He soon insinuates himself in Maya's life as he tries to protect her and she resists. Meanwhile, she also comfortably falls into her old life with her friends and family, all the while trying to solve the mystery of what happened to Charles Hamilton.

I liked Maya a lot. She's at a crossroads in her life, having spent ten-plus years away from home. She thought she was happy living in a small basement apartment alone until she returned to the comfortable environs she grew up in. It's something many people can relate to, especially if they've ever left home and wondered if it was the right thing to do, or wished they had. She's extremely relatable. With another man in the picture, she's resisting Koa's attempts to get back in her life, but she is enjoying having her friends around again.

My one complaint would be everything seemed to be very predictable. There were few real surprises in the story. I had a suspect in mind early on, and though I was wrong, I can't say I was surprised when it was revealed. The Hamiltons themselves seem to be caricatures of the evil colonist family with little depth to them. The red herring here also had a tie t the family that would have been better had it been fleshed out more.

Jennifer Morita has done a great job depicting the non-tourist part of Hawaii and what it feels like. There are some good themes running through Ghosts of Waikiki about family and community. I enjoyed reading it and recommend it for light summer reading. It was a lot of fun.

“The Ghosts of Waikiki” by Jennifer K. Morita is the story of a young woman reporter who is unemployed and returns to her hometown in Hawaii to ghostwrite the memoir of a wealthy real estate developer. She soon learns that he is from one of the founding families of Hawaii, and before she can even begin the Patriarch of the family is murdered. With her newspaper reporter instincts and natural curiosity she becomes involved in the investigation and sets herself up as a target.
The story is simply written with lots of visibility into the societal issues, traditions and culture of Hawaii. This book will appeal to all who are looking for a fresh new voice in the true crime genre.

Thank you NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Maya is a journalist and when the newspaper in California that she writes for closes, Maya returns home to Hawaii. Luckily she was able to get job to ghostwrite the biography for Parker Hamilton. The Hamilton family is powerful land developer in Hawaii. But when Parker’s father turns up dead in the swimming pool, everyone is a suspect.

The lead detective is Koa Yamada, who also happens to be Maya’s ex. And that relationship was a lot of fun to watch.

From the familiar local scenes to the local culture and slang to the romance that never died to the fast paced thriller – this book yet all the checkboxes for me!

I LOOOOVE a book that takes place in Hawaii! And the descriptions of places where spot on although the names were changed. And the culture and slang were perfect – love the local style potluck party.

So good – RECOMMEND!

Ghosts of Waikiki by Jennifer K. Morita Thank you NetGalley for the chance to read this fun and interesting book. I enjoyed all the characters especially as related to their Hawaiian heritage. The mystery played out very well. Maybe we can expect more if this is a series. Which I would love.

A very well-written exciting murder mystery featuring two very engaging characters. I admired Maya’s grit and determination along with Koa’s powerful desire to do his job, but also to protect “the one that got away.” I also loved revisiting many favorite stops on Oahu! (I would also love another book featuring these characters.) I received an ARC from NetGalley, and the opinions expressed are my own.

Review will be updates on GoodReads and Amazon prior to publication.

I was swept straight into Jennifer K. Morita’s debut novel “Ghosts of Waikiki.” I could not believe this was a debut. The author can count me as a fan and I cannot wait for her next book.

Maya Wong is an unemployed writer who left Hawaii for the Mainland but came back home to ghostwrite for Parker Hamilton. I was pulled right into Maya’s story and what she wasn’t telling us. The Hamilton family are rich developers who helped colonize Hawaii and one of them is murdered. Bring in, ghosts (people who cannot or do not want to be found), murder, exs, family, drama, and a small island where everyone and everything are intertwined and you have yourself a compelling story you cannot put down.

I would recommend this book. I couldn’t put it down and needed to know what happened next. Any true crime or mystery fan will enjoy this novel. I appreciated all the Hawaiian words and terminology. It helped to connect the reader to the characters and the island. One recommendation would be a glossary for Hawaiian words, phrases and items not commonly known.

Thank you to Crooked Lane Books and NetGalley for this advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.