Death in Hilo

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ITW Finalist Eric Redman is back in this thrilling second installment of his Hawaiian murder mystery series, perfect for fans of Anne Hillerman.

When bodies start piling up and the list of suspects growing long, Detective Kawika Wong must dig into his own past to solve a Big Island murder.

It’s been twelve long years since Detective Kawika Wong was tasked with solving the brutal murder of the infamous real-estate developer Ralph Fortunato—a case that led to more bodies than answers and a slew of complicated and ancient secrets, a case that made his career. Now, the once rookie detective is next in line to be Honolulu’s next Chief of Police. But all is not well on Oʻahu or the Big Island.

For weeks, Kawika and his team have failed to catch an elusive serial killer known as the “Slasher.” He strikes quickly and efficiently, and he doesn’t make mistakes. But when a freshly decapitated body is found at a previous dump site, Kawika’s gut tells him something isn’t quite right. Who is this victim, and why does Kawika feel that this one doesn’t belong to the Slasher?

To make matters worse, a hungry young journalist, Zoë Akona, is investigating the questionable outcome Kawika and his then-superior Terry Tanaka produced in the Fortunato case, and her snooping leads to an official review that jeopardizes everything Kawika’s worked so hard for.

But Detective Wong knows that, no matter what, he must find a second murderer even while the “Slasher” continues to strike. The investigation takes him back to the Big Island – and to the long-dormant case the reporter Zoë Akona won’t leave alone.  Kawika is about to discover what happens when the secrets of the past catch up with the promises of his future.Praise for Death in Hilo:
“Redman juggles the plotlines nimbly, creating palpable stakes for Wong . . . Fans of Naomi Hirahara’s Leilani Santiago Hawai‘i Mysteries should give this a spin.”
—Publishers Weekly

“Redman has produced a novel with a complex layered plot where the elements and characters twist around each other like the double helix of human DNA.”
—Post Alley

“Redman does an excellent job portraying Hawaiʻi in a clear-eyed way that most writers don’t.” 
—James Kestrel, Edgar Award winning author of Five Decembers

“Another irresistible investigation into the dark heart of Hawai‘i. From the first page you’re drawn into the web, and when Redman tightens his grip, escape is impossible.”
—Charles Ardai, award-winning author of Gun Honey

“A fast-paced mystery with a rich sense of place . . . Kawika Wong is a complex and flawed character, who seeks justice . . . A great read!”
—Frankie Bow, author of The Musubi Murder

“Redman’s second installment of the riveting Kawika Wong series exposes the seedy side of paradise with its culture clashes and social class divides . . . A timely and fascinating story—a thinking person’s mystery!”
—D. M. Rowell, author of Never Name the Dead

“An intricately plotted follow-up to Redman’s first mystery.”
—Jane Lasswell-Hoff, author of Bones of Paradise, A Big Island Mystery and The Trees of Banyan Drive

“Marvelously entertaining and passionate, yet fascinating and educational at the same time.”
—Frederick Allen, author of Reckoning with Race

“With deeply-drawn characters and a setting as beautiful as it is mysterious . . . This is the sequel that fans of Bones of Hilo deserve.”
—Scott Blackburn, author of It Dies with You

“Redman’s weaving of the narrative was as intricate as a lauhala mat, developing characters and spinning stunning surprises that hold you until the very end and leave you wanting more.”
—Kawika Branch

Praise for Bones of Hilo:
“Will stay with you.”
—James Fallows, bestselling co-author of Our Towns

“A fantastic tale of the greed and passion that have written Hawaii’s history.” 
—Jonathan Moore, Hammett Award-nominated author of Blood Relations

“Redman creates unique and interesting characters.”
—Karl Marlantes, bestselling author of Matterhorn

“This is crime fiction of a very high order.”
—Charles Ardai, award-winning author of Fifty-to-One

“A deep dive into the history of Hawiian culture with a taut mystery, an anguished, ethnically-fraught love story and clever police procedural.”
—Chris Knopf, award-winning author of the Sam Acquillo Hamptons mysteries

“[The] backstory [is] fascinating and timely.”
—Kirkus Reviews

“Hawaiian history and culture and the state’s fight against development are this story’s critical elements.”
—Library JournalEric Redman is a Seattle-based writer, lawyer, and climate activist who for decades has loved the Big Island of Hawaii, its history, and its people. He is a former contributing editor of Rolling Stone and has written for the New York Times, Washington Post, and many other publications. He wrote the nonfiction best-seller The Dance of Legislation. His first work of detective fiction, Bones of Hilo, was an International Thriller Writers award finalist for Best First Novel; this is his second.US

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