This is the second installment in a thoroughly enjoyable series, and once again, Valerie and Kristen prove to be a delightful and dynamic duo. I’ve come to appreciate Leslie Karst’s storytelling, having also enjoyed another of her engaging series.

Following a once-in-a-lifetime vacation in Hilo, Hawai‘i, retired caterer Valerie Corbin and her wife Kristen decide to make a permanent move to the picturesque—though occasionally stormy—Big Island. As they begin settling into their new community and forming connections, Valerie is invited to join a local bar trivia team after one of its members mysteriously disappears. When the missing individual is later found deceased, Valerie becomes determined to support her new friend and uncover the truth.

This fast-paced mystery was both entertaining and compelling, and I found myself fully immersed in the unfolding investigation.
#WatersofDestruction #NetGalley

Delicious Cosy Mystery ..
The second in the Orchid Isle Mystery series and caterer Valerie has a drowning to investigate. Valerie and wife Kristin had anticipated a relaxing move to a beautiful island home and, whilst they’ve made friends, they are also faced with an impossible situation when a body is discovered at the base of a waterfall. Val determines to investigate. A delicious cosy culinary mystery set in Hawaiian waters with a well crafted cast, a frothy plot and a well imagined backdrop.

Waters of Destruction is the second book in An Orchid Isle Mystery series and I enjoyed this story a lot. Valerie and her wife Kristen, have moved to Hilo from California and are ready to enjoy their retirement. During a get together with Kristen's friend Isaac and his girlfriend Sachiko, she asks Valerie if she would be able to fill in as an emergency bartender until she can hire someone new. Hank, her previous bartender has gone AWOL and not been in for over a week. Valerie agrees, but shortly after starting, Hank's body is found in the Wailuku River. They come to the Gecko to talk to the staff and are particularly interested in an argument Hank and Sachiko had the night before he disappeared. Isaac knows that she would never have hurt anyone, so asks Valerie if she will see what she can find out while at work. She reluctantly agrees, but is worried when he tells her not to let Sachiko know.

Once again Valerie is investigating. She does a great job of asking questions and getting information without appearing to be no more than a nosy person. Besides the investigation, we see Valerie and Kristin settling in to their new home, meeting people, going to the market, cooking and drinking as taking up paddling as a new activity. Kristin is a retired construction carpenter, so to keep busy, she ends up helping a friend of Isaac put a lanai on her house. As busy as they seem to be, Valerie has no problem snooping around on the side. She always has lots of hypothesis, some seeming to be a bit off the wall, but it helps her to put the pieces together. One of her new friends is a police officer, not a detective, but she bounces ideas off of her. I thought I knew who the culprit was, but once again, I was incorrect. I figured out who it was at the same time as Valerie. The final showdown has her in danger, but having a cop as a friend, she had her back. This was an enjoyable story with great characters, a wonderful setting, a well written plot and a mystery that kept me guessing. I will definitely be watching for the next mystery set in Hilo with this fun group of people. Who knows, I might just get to Hilo again and visit all the places mentioned in this book.

Val and Kristen have, supposedly, retired to the big island in Hawaii. But soon, Kristin is helping a woman who is rehabbing her home and Val ends up working at a friend’s restaurant. While Val is intent upon helping for the short term, she finds the suspicious that of the person she has replaced intriguing. Did Sachiko murder the man? If not, who did? That’s how Val intends to find out. But as one of her coworkers serving up murder? And his Val next?

This was an absolutely fun read exclamation point I love the setting, I love the character, and I love the mystery. I will definitely be back for more in this series, as it was completely engaging and well written.

Though I’m happy with my little house in the midwest, while reading the compelling WATERS OF DESTRUCTION, I did find myself dreaming of a home in Hawai’i. Drinks on the lanai, shared food (grindz) with friends, that aloha spirit is so tempting. The glossary at the end of the book is even quite interesting, and ‘um (him, it, them) is close to what I have been proposing as a neutral personal pronoun.
. . . but then there’s the matter of a body going over a falls, floating from the Wailuku River (clearly posted as dangerous for swimming). When the police questioning seems to center on their friend Sachiko, Valerie steps in to informally investigate, and agrees to fill in part time as bartender at the Speckled Gecko. She and wife Kristen also join up with a rowing team, partly to help investigate. Kristin also helps a friend build a lanai; their retirement will be anything but dull, for realz.
A hard book to put down, except for family time. TV had to just wait as I reverted to non-stop reading habits of my earlier days.

Mystery fans who would like a little arm-chair travel should be sure to pick up this entertaining and fun second entry to a great mystery series. Readers could certainly pick this up having not read book one, however book one is a great introduction to the series, so be sure to check it out as well!

There’s much to enjoy here! First is the setting – it is absolutely beautiful and described so vividly, I felt like I was there. The mystery is twisty and even when I had my eyes on the suspect, I wondered how Valerie was going to prove it. The take-down at the end is intense!

Once again, I also appreciated that Valerie was an older protagonist. She’s strong and thoughtful and lets herself feel her feelings. I would definitely want to be friends with her!

A solidly written second book in a series that I thoroughly enjoyed. I’ll be keeping my eyes open for book three.

(Side note: do not read while hungry…thankfully there are recipes in the back!)

An intriguing murder mystery with an atmosphere-rich Hawai’ian setting!

Waters of Destruction is the second book in author Leslie Karst’s excellent and atmosphere-rich Orchid Isle Mystery series featuring two malahinis (newcomers) to Hilo, Hawai’i, retired transplants from Southern California, Valerie Corbin and her wife, Kristen. When one of the bartenders goes AWOL at the restaurant where she works, Sachiko asks Valerie, a former caterer, if she could fill in for a couple of nights until a permanent replacement is hired. But when the missing bartender is found dead, and Sachiko becomes the police’s number one suspect in his murder, Valerie agrees to snoop around among the restaurant staff for clues as to who really killed him.

Valerie and Kristen have made the big move to Hilo, bought a great old home, and are in the delightful process of outfitting the kitchen, locating the perfect pieces of furniture at garage sales, and generally settling into their new life. They are a fun couple with both common and divergent interests, and they are wonderfully adept at coordinating with each other. Since the murder in the previous book, Kristen has come to terms with Valerie’s interest in getting to the bottom of the mysteries, especially to help out their new friends.

The story is full of vibrant descriptions of the island and island life that are so vivid I felt I was seeing things firsthand, and I enjoyed the recipes featured after the story was over. I loved how the author included a glossary of the various Hawai’ian words and phrases that peppered the dialogue throughout the story at the end of the book. However, she did a great job with context or short explanations when a new word came up.

While the eventual victim is missing at the start of the book, it takes a while for his death to be discovered. In the meantime, the author cleverly introduces the staff at the restaurant where he worked and the members at the rowing club where he was competing for the position on the team for an upcoming race, while Valerie carefully prods them for their opinions about the man. Her questions are to the point, but she always strives to be low-key so as not to alarm anyone or keep from appearing too interested in the answers. I enjoyed how she finally came to the right conclusions, and the final face-to-face between her and the murderer was intense but, ultimately, successful. It pays to make friends. I look forward to this couple’s further adventures.

I recommend WATERS OF DESTRUCTION to cozy mystery readers, especially those who would enjoy a Hawai’ian setting or realistic LGBT representation.

My first book by Leslie Karst was intriguing.  A married couple, both retired, new to the area. 

It was at times hard to follow because of the language difference, but Karst was kind enough to attach a glossary at the end of the book as well as recipes for some of the food and drinks mentioned.  

The story is told in the POV of one of the characters. This is mainly a suspense, with some interaction with the wife. 

I like how the author paces the story. It seems to end quickly and cleanly. 

I liked the secondary characters, and they were beneficial to the story. 

I will continue to follow this author in the future.

Aloha to cozy sleuthing and great cocktails in Hawai
Retiring to Big Island (hence the name of the series: Orchid Isle) is a dream come true for caterer Valerie and former carpenter Kristen. Leaving the bustle of LA they now have to adjust to the relaxed, small-town of Hilo.
Connecting with neighbors and folks in Hilo Valerie is asked to help out at a local restaurant as bartender after their bartender Hank first went missing and then turned up dead: Valerie can’t resist to do a bit of cozy sleuthing and poking around.
What I love about this series is the local atmosphere - I have visited Big Island and Hilo on several occasions and Karst pinpoints life on Hawai‘i, the laid-back life-style and the Pidgeon English spot-on. It’s so vivid that it felt like visiting again - the Avocados on the local market, the drumming rain on the roof, the multicultural folks and the tropical flowers.
I loved the creative cocktails Valerie is coming up with and there is a collection of recipes at the end of the book.
The sleuthing is cozy and moves slowly - all fitting for the backwater setting.

This book can be read as a stand-alone.

I received an ARC via netgalley. The review is left voluntarily

It’s been a few months since we last checked in with Valerie and Kristen, and in that time, they’ve completed their move to Hawai’i. While they are trying to settle into their new life, Valerie agrees to help out their friend Sachiko who needs a bartender at the restaurant she manages. The old bartender has disappeared, but when his body turns up, the police start looking at Sachiko as a suspect. Can Valerie figure out what really happened to him?

Since Valerie and Kristen were fighting in the first book, I had trouble buying into their relationship. I’m happy to say they were getting along better here, and I enjoyed spending more time with them. The rest of the characters were great as well, and I hope we see many of them again. The plot appeared to be wandering a bit at the beginning, but everything came into play on the way to the surprising climax. Some of the characters do use Pigeon English, but I didn’t have trouble following their dialog. There is a glossary in the back if you want to learn more as well as five recipes to enjoy after you’ve finished. The setting came to life, and it was the next best thing to getting to visit myself. This is a fun second book for when you want a tropical retreat filled with murder.

In Waters of Destruction Valerie and her wife Kristin have just moved to Hilo, Hawai'i after vacationing there and solving a murder--covered in the first book of the series, Molten Death, which I haven't yet read. While they are still settling in, one of their new and only friends on the island asks Valerie to help out as a bartender. Sachiko is the manager of a restaurant, and her previous bartender has disappeared. Eager to find something to keep herself busy in her retirement, Valerie agrees. She soon finds herself entangled in another murder mystery when Hank, the missing bartender, turns up murdered and Sachiko is one of the prime suspects.

One of the things I liked about the book is the way Valerie and Kristin make new friends while investigating the murder. Valerie becomes involved with others at the restaurant, and both women join a paddling group to learn more about Hank's potential enemies there. Turns out Hank wasn't a great person, and more than one of his acquaintances had motive to kill him. But as they learn more about Hank, the two women also find themselves gaining new friends and hobbies.

The descriptions of Hilo and surrounding areas are wonderful, and on a gray wintry day just the thing to brighten up my own surrounding area!

While I did like all the new friends Valerie and Kristin were making, it was a little difficult to keep up with so many different characters. And sometimes the hinted at complications or issues with the characters sort of fizzled out--I know a good mystery has to have red herrings, but maybe there were just a few too many here.

Overall this is a great story, one I enjoyed reading. As I mentioned earlier, I had not read the first book in the series before reading this one, which was not a problem at all. Karst did a great job of including quick and unobtrusive details from the first book. I will, however, be reading that first book as soon as I can get my hands on it!

I received a free ARC of this book from NetGalley.

Valerie finds herself tending bar at her friend's restaurant because the bartender has gone missing. When he turns up dead and Valerie's friend is the main suspect, she begins to ask questions. Hawaiian paradise doesn't seem so tranquil when a murderer is out there and just might be working with you! Well written story with plenty of action and red herrings to keep you guessing. I enjoyed this book, the setting and characters. Another great series for the author!
I was given an advanced copy of the book in exchange for a review.

When Hank the bartender goes missing, Val agrees to step in to help her friend Sachiko. After all, she's a new resident in Hilo having more there with her wife Kristen and their little dog and making a community is high on her priority list. But then Hank is found murdered. Sachiko is a suspect, and Val sets out to investigate. The murder part is classic cozy but the setting and the characters- retirees in Hawaii- are what set this and its predecessor apart. Thanks to netgalley for the ARC. I'm a fan.

WATERS OF DESTRUCTION is the second book in the Orchid Isle Mysteries by Leslie Karst. With the gorgeous setting and multi-cultures of the Big Island of Hawai’i as the backdrop, this newest release brings the reader a twisty murder to solve along with colorful characters to keep the story entertaining. Protagonist Valerie and her wife, Kristen, are a retired couple, newly moved to the island. I love that they’re women of a “certain” age, yet grab life with vitality and gusto. They are also extroverts, intent on creating new friends and social circles in their new home. The author accomplishes this by having the pair get involved in local activities, like learning how to paddle outrigger canoes. This also become a plotline in the mystery while, at the same time, I found the descriptions of the sport (and culture) intriguing. The beauty and wildness of the island is also brought to life on the pages and I doubt you can find a more perfect setting for a mystery!

When Valerie’s new friend, Sachiko, asks her to help at a local restaurant, bartending, she finds out it’s because one of the bartenders has disappeared. And when Sachiko is implicated in his murder, Valerie becomes involved in the investigation. I appreciated Kristen is much more supportive of Valerie’s investigating this time, and even tries to help find answers. Their questioning takes them out on the waves of the ocean to the rocky banks of a magnificent waterfall to friendly neighborhood bars. As they delve deeper into the background of the victim, it becomes apparent more than one person had issues with him. The plot moves at a pleasant pace and evokes the charm of island life. As the story unfolds, the clues drop into place and all my questions were answered. I greatly enjoyed my armchair trip to Hawai’i and the chance to hang out with wonderful characters!

Not only are there several (delicious) bonus recipes at the back of the book, but there is also a glossary of Hawaiian and Pidgin words and phrases. Ms. Karst captures the flavor of the island using vernacular to fit the characters, and I appreciated being able to reference the glossary for clarification when needed.

I was provided with an advance copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I could only read one chapter of this book. Nothing grabbed my attention or encouraged further reading. This seemed sort of like those short, formal stories you read in high school. I need books that grab my attention. Not my kind of read.

Thank you NetGalley. After visiting Hilo Valerie and Kristen are retiring there. Val offers to help out when a bartender leaves their friend without his help. His body is found a couple of days later. Who can be responsible for this crime. Val continues helping out while Kristen is helping a lady with some building to keep her occupied. Val is trying to kind out who might have done this crime. They take up paddling with some ladies. the story leads us around to who could he or she be that and why?

5/5 stars: This is the second entry in Karst's Orchid Isle Mystery series, which is a 2SLGBTQIA+ Senior Sleuth Culinary Cozy Mystery that follows a retired caterer who finds herself swapping relaxing with her retired carpenter wife for sleuthing for a killer in tropical Hilo, Hawai'i after a good friend's implicated in a bartender's drowning death. As she dives into the murky waters of the case, she'll uncover plenty of secrets and lies but she'll have to work fast to catch the killer. With plenty of twists and turns, Karst has masterfully crafted a mystery that deftly balances the suspects, clues and red herrings and will leave you pondering the whodunit until the final reveal. Heartfelt and humorous, Karst's writing and character work are stellar; the characters are well-rounded and complex while remaining incredibly likable. It's a joy to catch up with Valerie, her wife Kristen and their friends at the Speckled Gecko and the folks of Orchid Isle. I adore sixty-something's Valerie and Kristen's lovely married life and relationship and their adorable mixed-breed rescue dog, Pua. Additionally, Karst's descriptions of the tropical loveliness of Orchid Isle and Hilo environs are incredibly sumptuous. Oh and you'll for sure want to try out the absolutely yummy recipes included! While you could read this as a stand-alone, you'll gain so much more by reading the series from the beginning; so be sure to pick up book one, Molten Death.

I received this eARC thanks to NetGalley and Severn House in exchange for an honest review. Publishing dates are subject to change.

Retired caterer Valerie Corbin and her wife Kristen have bought a house in Hilo and are enjoying their explorations of their new neighborhood. Local restaurant manager Sachiko and her partner Isaac are among their new friends. When Sachiko begs Val to fill in for a missing bartender, she agrees to help.. It's also a way to pass the time & meet new people. Tragically, Hank's body is found at the bottom of a waterfall a week later and police are interested in his interactions with Sachiko before his death. Val agrees to help find out more about Hank & help clear Sachiko of the crime.

This was another enjoyable book set in an idyllic locale with dangers lurking below.

I received a digital ARC from Netgalley and Severn House. All opinions are my own.

This is a well written mystery and I enjoyed the fact that it was set in Hawaii. It was nice to learn something about a place I’ve never been. Unfortunately I never felt any kind of connection with the main characters.

sapphic-marriage, retired, amateur-sleuth, boatraces, customs-and-belief-systems, contemporary, friends, friendship, glossary, investigations, local-law-enforcement, local-gossip, local-legends, missing-persons, murder, pet-dog, recipes, small-town, small-business, unpleasant-victims, unputdownable*****

Sixty-something Valerie (former caterer) and her wife Kristen (skilled carpenter) have retired from SoCal to Hilo but find the need to continue with being useful and are also interested in new activities. One of those is Valerie fill-in bartending at the local restaurant as the current one seems to have done a runner. Turns out she likes the job and the missing bartender was picked out of the ocean dead several days later. Let the investigating begin (and enjoy the travelogue, too)!
There is a lot of nomenclature and local Pidgin, so I would definitely recommend reading the glossary first, so you don't go down that rabbit hole like I did.
I requested and received a temporary uncorrected ebook file from Severn House via NetGalley. Avail Apr 01, 2025.
#WatersofDestruction by @lesliekarst #OrchidIsleMysteriesBk2 @severnhouseimprint
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