Size: 5.00 x 9.00 in
Mahu---a generally negative Hawaiian term for homosexuals---introduces a unique character to detective fiction. Kimo Kanapa'aka is a handsome, mixed-race surfer living in Honolulu, a police detective confronting his sexual orientation in an atmosphere of macho bravado within the police force.
A man of intelligence, strength, honesty, resourcefulness, and intense dedication to the people of Hawai’i, Kimo is a hard-boiled hero you will never forget. This case will take him from the sun-splashed beaches of Waikiki to elegant hilltop neighborhoods—and into the darkness of the human heart.
Fast-paced, intricately plotted, thoroughly enjoyable, Mahu is a sexy, surprisingly moving mystery about discovering oneself as much as catching a killer.
Plakcy is a four-time finalist for the Lambda Literary Award. This is the first in the series.
He was tall and thin, gawky as a giraffe, his head shaved so that only a blond stubble remained. He almost passed me, then leaned up close to my ear and whispered, “I like it rough.” His tongue grazed the outside of my ear.
I shivered, and pushed away. Suddenly I knew I had to get out. If I didn’t I’d do something, I wasn’t sure what. I might follow the giraffe into a back room, or punch his lights out, or tear off my clothes and jump up onto a table and dance. I dropped my empty bottle on a table and nearly ran for the door.
READ MOREOutside, I stood next to a lamp post, gulping moist warm air. A wave of traffic passed on Kuhio Avenue, and a guy in a Miata with the top down cut off a Ford Explorer to make a sharp left. The Ford blasted his horn. My heart was racing again and my hands were shaking. The door to the club opened, and the giraffe stepped outside. I caught his eye, shook my head, and walked around the corner. I found a place in the shadows and slumped against the wall, facing the back door of the club.
The giraffe didn’t follow, and I was grateful. It was nearly three, and I was due on the second watch at eight in the morning. If I went home now, I could sleep for a couple of hours, and then get out onto the surf by first light. Just me, my board, and the ocean, and I could feel better. I knew I could.
COLLAPSEMystery Book News wrote:“Plakcy keeps the waves of suspense crashing!”
Betty Shimabukuro on Honolulu Advertiser wrote:“Hits all the right notes as a mystery.”
“Kimo brings needed diversity to the genre, and the author handles the island setting well.”
