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.

I really enjoyed this and loved the issues that were addressed in it. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this ARC!

I tried with this book but DNF. Takes all the usual tropes of a plucky journalist turned detective coming home to mixed emotions, the romantic complications, shady land developers, etc etc. The writing is fine but I just wasn't interested in the story. I guess the hook here is the Hawaii setting, which definitely rings true and it is something different (at least to me - I can't think of many books I've read which are set there but I'm sure there have been plenty), but the setting is constantly beating itself over the reader's head. Constant reminders, references to the food, locations and so on. It felt overdone.

As I said, I didn't finish this book so take this review with a pinch of salt. Maybe it's just me. Maybe if I was sitting on a beach or by the pool, I'd be more generous about it. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC.

During the first few chapters I wasn't sure if I would keep reading or not (couldn't see where the story was headed) but the the storyline gelled, got very interesting, and became a page turner. I.liked all the characters, except for the arrogant rich people, especially the spunky writer and her old friends. This was a really fun read and I will be looking for other books by this author.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for letting me review the book
I loved the main character of Maya and felt the plot was fast paced and engaging.
I loved the setting and focus on multiculturalism which is true of the state the book is set in and also loved the face that even in paradise you have evil

GHOSTS OF WAIKIKI tells the story of unemployed newspaper reporter Maya Wong, who reluctantly returns home to Hawaii to ghostwrite the memoir of a dodgy real estate developer. Before she can settle into the assignment, a man dies under mysterious circumstances and Maya gets plunged into the middle of a murder investigation. Maya clashes with the lead homicide detective, who happens to be her ex-boyfriend, while finding herself in the sights of the killer as she digs for the truth before she becomes the next victim.

Ghosts of Waikiki by Jennifer K. Morita is an entertaining murder mystery chock full of contemporary issues in Hawaii, including the impact of tourism and out-of-state investment that is pricing the locals out of paradise.

Unemployed journalist Maya Wong reluctantly returns to her native Hawaii to ghostwrite the memoir of dodgy real estate developer Parker Hamilton. But when Charles, the Hamilton family patriarch, dies under suspicious circumstances, Maya can’t resist involving herself in the investigation. The deeper she gets involved, the more she clashes with the lead homicide detective, her ex-boyfriend Koa, and the greater risk Maya runs in becoming a killer’s next victim.

I rarely read murder mysteries featuring amateur detectives because they are often not very realistic. But this one is an exception given the lead character, Maya Wong, is a journalist and her investigative skills as a reporter and her connection to the family realistically applies to the case at hand. She also has an intimate connection with the lead police detective, which gives her access to information about the official investigation even though he continually warns her to stay out of it. But Maya’s curiosity, stubbornness, and the habits she picked up as a news reporter means she just can’t resist getting and staying involved. She quickly learns the only thing more dangerous than hunting a killer is being hunted by one, but Maya persists in trying to find out who killed Charles Hamilton.

I really enjoyed the set-up of this novel. When her California newspaper goes out of business, out of desperation, Maya takes a job ghostwriting the memoir of a controversial real estate developer. This produces angst for her on many levels. As a native Hawaiian who left home for the mainland to pursue a career as a journalist, she feels uncomfortable working with a man she knows does more harm than good for the locals. His huge developments not only force local mom and pop businesses to go under, but developers like Parker Hamilton make it difficult for the locals to buy homes. It’s like she is working for the arch-nemesis of her own people. In addition, Maya must deal with the stress of dealing with the friends and family she left behind when she departed for the mainland.

Maya’s ethical dilemma over writing the memoir gets eclipsed quickly when the patriarch of the Hamilton family, Charles Hamilton II, dies under suspicious circumstances and the cops soon suspect foul play. Unable to resist her past news hound instincts, Maya searches for clues to the killer’s identity, drawing the killer’s attention, and making herself a target. But even when things get dicey, Maya can’t let it go. It almost turns into a full-on cat-and-mouse game, with her never seeming to be fully aware of just how precarious her situation is.

Like most amateur detective murder mysteries, this one aims for the right vibe rather than perfection, but overall, it stays believable. The authentic local Hawaiian manner of speech adds authenticity and makes the characters more relatable to readers. Morita’s endearing writing style reminds me of another California crime fiction writer who has become a recent favorite of mine. I feel she is an exciting fresh voice in crime fiction we’ll be hearing more from. Ghosts of Waikiki is a strong debut which I very much enjoyed reading and recommend to fans of mystery and detective fiction. I hope to meet the character Maya Wong again soon.

Crooked Lane Books, an imprint of The Quick Brown Fox & Company LLC, will publish Ghosts of Waikiki on November 19, 2024. I received an advance review copy of the book from the publisher via NetGalley used for this review, which represents my honest opinions.

I’d like to start off by saying I was pleasantly shocked by how great this debut novel was. This novel was engaging and wonderfully written while shedding light on social justice issues happening in Hawaii such as colonization, ecological destruction, endangered sacred sites, etc. I really enjoyed the attention to multiculturalism and intersectionality. Whereas all of these things were addressed in the book, it was not overwhelming. The author stuck to her main storyline surrounding the crime that had taken place, while using these themes as a way to immerse you in the culture of Hawaii, very eloquently I might add.
This was a very fast read for me. Though I thought the story started off a little slow, it really began to pick up a few chapters in and I devoured it in 2 days staying up until 2 am accidentally as I was so immersed in the story.
I really hope that we get to see more of Maya. I really developed a connection to this character. I’m also interested in seeing how things go with Koa. I think this book could be a wonderful stand alone novel, but I would also love to see it turn into a series. I really love the characters, the setting, and the overall atmosphere of this book. I’m even attempting to make butter mochi this weekend!
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this book and look forward to more work by this author. I would recommend this to anyone who likes a good true crime novel or enjoys cultural reads. As a social worker who loves a good mystery, this book checked all my boxes. I’d like to thank the author and publisher for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

4.5 stars

This was a great read -- I can't believe it's a debut novel! I was sucked in immediately. Maya is a likeable and interesting character. The mystery is good and kept me reading until the wee hours.

I've been lucky enough to visit Waikīkī and it was neat recognizing certain areas/landmarks. And malasadas from Leonard's? My mouth is watering!

I would love if there were more books featuring Maya. Even if there aren't, I will definitely read whatever Jennifer K. Morita writes next.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Crooked Lane Books through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Thank you, Crooked Lane Books.