Mahu (Mahu Investigations, #1)

by Neil S. Plakcy

Overview

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.

What the critics have said about the Mahu Investigations:

"Plakcy keeps the waves of suspense crashing!"               In LA Magazine

"Hits all the right notes as a mystery."                              Mystery Book News

"Kimo brings needed diversity to the genre, and the author handles the island setting well."                                                           Honolulu Star-Bulletin

"Spotless pace, intriguing plots twists, and an earnest depiction of challenges faced by people transitioning out of the closet."              Honolulu Advertiser

"Recommended to a wide audience."                                  Reviewing the Evidence

Product Details

BN ID:	2940156274956
Publisher:	Samwise Books
Publication date:	12/26/2018
Series:	Mahu Investigations
Sold by:	Draft2Digital
Format:	eBook
File size:	550 KB

About the Author

Neil Plakcy is the author of over thirty romance and mystery novels. He lives in South Florida with his partner and two rambunctious golden retrievers. His website is www.mahubooks.com.

Read an Excerpt

"I think you should give this up," my father said. "There are other things
you can do where they won't care about you. Be a decorator. A hairdresser.
Something like that, that mahus do."

"I don't want to be a decorator. I want to be a cop."

"Well, you can't be," my father said, yelling. "They don't want you. They
can't be any clearer than they have been."

And:

I was expecting clouds, rain, wild thunder. Instead there were flashbulbs
and the clamor of news people. "Detective Kanapa'aka," a Chinese reporter
said. "Is it true you're being suspended from the police force because of
your homosexuality?"

I was stunned. How could they have found out so quickly? I just stared at
the guy, my mouth agape. "Detective, have you hired an attorney yet?" a
Hawai'ian guy, who I recognized from my brother's station, asked. "Will you
be suing the police force for reinstatement?"

"Do you think this is a discrimination case?" asked another.

I just stood there. They called out more questions, but I couldn't answer
them and I couldn't seem to move.

What People are Saying About This

Daniel M. Jaffe

"In the character of Kimo, the author has created an eminently likeable hero-sexy and savvy yet sensitive and innocent, the kind of man's man you just want to hug. I found myself rooting for him from the get-go, and I finished the book hoping this to be only the first in a series of detective novels about a character so lifelike that I could imagine calling him friend"
—Author of The Limits of Pleasure

Les Standiford

"HAWAII HAS NEVER LOOKED BETTER OR BEEN MORE INTERESTING. Neil Plakcy's novel combines the tension of the most adroit police procedural with the depth of characterization, sensitivity, and careful writing that any novelist might envy. The attempts of one Honolulu cop to untangle the mystery surrounding the murder of a man whose body is found outside a gay bar while at the same time struggling to understand the intricacies of his own sexuality creates A COMPELLING AND COMPLEX STORY."
—Author of Havana Run and Meet You in Hell