Murder in Maui: A Leila Kahana Mystery

MURDER IN MAUI: A Leila Kahana Mystery is a police procedural medical mystery novel set in the lush, deceptively idyllic tropical paradise of Hawaii. Maui County homicide detective and composite sketch artist Leila Kahana is the protagonist. A Hawaiian native, Leila follows in the footsteps of her grandfather who was the County of Maui police chief. She is tough, smart, sexy, and outspoken. Leila's partner is Detective Sergeant Blake Seymour, separated from his wife and pushing to make lieutenant. Leila and Seymour investigate the execution-style murder of two prominent doctors in an upscale condominium. Larry Nagasaka and Elizabeth Racine are found lying naked in bed in a pool of their own blood. It is learned that they are married, but not to each other, and that the doctors belong to a prestigious medical association. Assisting the detectives in the case are fellow members of the homicide squad, Detectives Trent Ferguson and Rachel Lancaster, run by Lieutenant Paul Ortega who is contemplating retirement. As they interview suspects and collect evidence, more doctors belonging to the medical association are murdered, making it clear to all that they have a ruthless and determined serial killer on their hands. Leila, attempting to step out of the shadow of her grandfather and prove her worth to a skeptical Polynesian mother, is determined to solve this case, made more difficult as all the victims have skeletons in their closets. Leila's romantic involvement with Seymour, in spite of her conservative upbringing and the fact that he still pines for his soon-to-be ex-wife, complicates matters. What sets this series apart--aside from the lush setting of Maui and its distinct areas that are prominent in the book such as Wailuku, Lahaina, Kihei, and Napili--is the colorful main characters as they painstakingly go through the process of stopping a ruthless killer, with everyone a suspect.

R. Barri Flowers is a bestselling, award winning author of more than fifty books, including mysteries, thrillers, romance, young adult, true crime, and criminology. Recent mystery fiction titles include MURDER IN HONOLULU: A Skye Delaney Mystery, DARK STREETS OF WHITECHAPEL: A Jack the Ripper Mystery, DEAD IN THE ROSE CITY: A Dean Drake Mystery, KILLER IN THE WOODS, STATE’S EVIDENCE: A Beverly Mendoza Leal Thriller, JUSTICE SERVED: A Barkley and Parker Mystery, and teen mysteries, DANGER IN TIME and GHOST GIRL IN SHADOW BAY. Recent true crime titles by the author include SERIAL KILLER COUPLES, THE SEX SLAVE MURDERS, and MASS MURDER IN THE SKY: The Bombing of Flight 629. Mr. Flowers is the recipient of the Wall of Fame Award from Michigan State University’s renowned School of Criminal Justice. He has appeared on the Biography Channel’s Crime Stories and Investigation Discovery’s Wicked Attraction series. The author is busy at work on his next mystery novel, SEDUCED TO KILL IN KAUAI. Connect with R. Barri Flowers online through Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn, MySpace, CrimeSpace, and at www.rbarriflowers.com.