SHAVE ICE PARADISE

A young woman investigates a mystery involving the death of a relative in this novel set in Hawaii.

Seiler presents Gina Mori, a fierce young woman whose elderly Aunt Nalani has just died. Nalani’s body was found in a sinkhole, and the circumstances surrounding her death are suspicious. Although Gina is initially sent to simply find Nalani’s missing handbag, she launches her own investigation into the tragedy. It is while Gina is tracking down the bag that she comes across Julius, a stream biologist known as Curly. He and Gina wind up forming quite a pair. Gina also has a friend in the police department, a war veteran named Carla Moreno. Moreno faces a tough time on the force, as both a rookie and a woman, but her tough-as-nails demeanor ultimately makes her well suited for the job. But even when Gina, Curly, and Moreno combine their efforts, the question remains: Who would want to kill an elderly woman? To find the answer, the three must follow a winding path through Hawaii as they gather clues. Elements as nuanced and varied as the necessity of an Environmental Impact Statement, fine dining, and satirical letters to a local newspaper all play a part. Gina, an intrepid heroine, encounters quite a cast of characters along the way. The intrigue is enhanced by the players themselves, who, at times, may not turn out to be who they say they are. While the yarn is indeed kept spinning, there are a few less-than-thrilling tangents. For instance, food often comes into play in ways that are not entirely necessary. Whether the dishes originate from a Greek van or a local cafe, characters tend to make predictable comments about the cuisine. Not much is gained by someone exclaiming “Oh, this is delicious!”—particularly when there is a possible murder to solve. Nevertheless, even with all the disparate parts, everything manages to smoothly come together in the end.

While slow at times, this adventure journeys to many unexpected places in the Aloha State.