Mahu

4.5 stars
Ono (means yummy or good). Pogs! Boogie boards! Oahu! I wanna go back. There's nothing like getting to the end of a book and wanting to continue. Unfortunately, I only just ordered the rest of the series this morning, so it'll be at least a week .... >sigh
At first, I thought the writing a little choppy and slow, but it soon picked up and smoothed out, sweeping along like a perfect wave under a surf board, making the story fly in a almost perfect ride. (For the record, the closest I ever got to surfing was a boogie board, which holds its own magic.)

I like Kimo, the protagonist, who, at the start of the story is in denial of his orientation, dating women one after another, trying to find the one who would make him happy until the show more night he walks into a gay bar, witnesses a murder, and finds his old life unraveling along with the lies and the denials. Along the way we meet his parents, who, though confused, prove to be the most supportive people he could have, his brothers, Haoa and Lui, who are not happy at their youngest brother's unexpected revelations, and his best friend, Harry. The brothers soon come around (thanks in part to their wives) and help at a critical juncture in the story.

At its heart, this book is about a guy who is just beginning to discover himself. He's a homicide detective and proud of the fact, but dismayed by the possible loss of his job due to prejudice (note this book was originally published in 2005; hopefully, things have improved since then in reality). He's ostracized by his boss and his colleagues and finds himself in hot water for some missteps at the beginning of the case he and his partner, Akoni, are investigating. To make things more confusing, Kimo finds he's attracted to one of the suspects in the case.

There's a nice mix of personal angst, family unity of all sorts, unexpected support from unexpected places, walking around Waikiki, surfing lore, lovely Hawai'ian words, and the music of the islands. This is a definite reread. show less

Kimo Kanapa’aka’s world turns upside down in MAHU. At 32, the hero of Māhū has reached the pinnacle of his profession, detective on the Honolulu Police Department’s homicide squad, based at the Waikīkī station. But a difficult murder case, as well as turmoil in his personal life, is about to threaten everything he has worked for.

A life-threatening drug bust in chapter 1 makes Kimo realize that it’s time to stop lying to himself. He’s drawn to the Rod and Reel Club, a gay bar in Waikīkī, where he has a couple of beers and begins the long process of accepting his attraction to other men. Leaving the club, though, he stumbles onto two men dropping a dead body in an alley, and he launches himself into a nightmare where his show more private life becomes public news.
Kimo’s pursuit of this case takes him from the seamy underside of Chinatown to the elegance of million-dollar homes in Maunalani Heights, from gay bars where young men stride naked down runways to bloody crime scenes.
(From Neil’s site. Posted with permission.)

This was defnitely a different read for me, not an ebook and not strictly a romance, but I could not resist picking it up. Surfing, cops and a mystery were a rather huge temptation and I am certainly glad I did.

Kimo was an incredibly engaging character. It was not that he leapt off the page but rather quietly shared his story with honesty, feeling and flaws. I can only imagine the struggle a man in his position and occupation would go through coming to terms with his sexuality and also the public nature of this disclosure to his family and colleagues. But Kimo, even when he is low, had this very strong sense of self and with it a quiet confidence. He is sharp, intelligent and has an honorable feel about him that I found very readable. He’s also sexy as hell and this doesn’t hurt either!

The relationships Kimo has with his family were well drawn and the dynamics that are played out in the book are a huge part of what made this so enjoyable. I am quite sure if I had a problem with a sister we’d sit down and discuss it but not Kimo and his brother. There is a scene about half way through, a scuffle, that had me laughing, rolling my eyes and thinking - boys! Even his relationship with his mum and dad was something quite special.

I loved the setting of Hawaii and the descriptions were evocative, drew me in and made me wish I was there. In one part of the book Kimo gets up early one morning to surf after a hard night, ‘… it’s like you can imagine some god pulling back the night revealing the day for you.‘ Big, beautiful sky and sea. My bags were packed! The island feel of the book was appealing due to living in a pacific country myself. I think I have said before that most books I read are set in the continental US and while Hawaii is a state it still feels like somewhere closer to home and I could identify with some of the cultural references. I also found some of the history that slips into the story fascinating.

This was such an enjoyable read and there are two more books in the series with another coming in 2009. I was also interested to see that there are some Kimo-rotica in several anthologies which you check out at Neil’s website. The version of Mahu I read is now out of print but is being re released in March of 2009 by Alyson Books. It has a gorgeous new cover to match later releases in the series.

Definitely a book for the summer and I cannot wait to read more about Kimo Kanapa’aka. Fingers crossed my lovely bookstore in the city has book 2!
Check out more of my reviews on my blog http://sharrow.wordpress.com/ show less

I had to double-check the publication date several times; it was impossible to believe that [b:Mahu|779640|Mahu (Mahu #1)|Neil S. Plakcy|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1389237645l/779640._SX50_.jpg|3338838] was actually published in the 2000s. The attitudes, homophobia, fashion, and technology were taken out of the early 1990s at the latest. It was actually just a couple of flip-phones and desktop computers from the 1980s. But if you don’t mind reading it as an historical, this is an excellent debut police procedural.

Stars: 4.5

This was a really well told mystery. I bought the first 3 volumes as a single ebook, so the only surprise was the amount of graphic gay sex in it. This wasn’t a problem, but like many books graphic sex scenes are not needed for it to a good book, and this was a really good book. I only mention the sex because if your not expecting it, it could be a surprise. The only reason I didn’t give it 5 stars is that it was a little overly long. I look forward to reading other books in the series as the main character Kimo is very likable!

Closeted gay cop in Hawaii, Kimo Kanapa'aka, accidentally witnesses a body being dumped outside a gay bar. Not wanting anybody to know he was at the bar, he phones in an anonymous tip off, thus setting in motion a series of events that out him on TV and uncover the secret lives of family and friends after he is assigned to the case.

A quick, entertaining read. I must admit I did find the scene where the murderer confesses very implausible.

Kimo Kanapa'aka is a homicide detective in Honolulu, Hawaii. Having once entertained ideas of a professional surfing career, Kimo joined the police force rather than his father's business. His growing awareness of his sexuality is pushed to the forefront when he witnesses suspicious activity outside a gay bar. Kimo's fear of being outed leads him to cover up his presence at what turns out to be a murder scene. The subsequent investigation leads Kimo to his homosexuality in the glare of the public spotlight. The interactions with his family, friends, and colleagues take center stage as Kimo moves forward with solving the murder. A well told story with interesting characters and lots of local color.

I liked the story and the writing a lot. The crime part was a little weak, but there were a lot of interesting character. Theres is not a big romance part in it, but maybe later in the series there will be more about Kimo's love life. This one tells the story of his coming out while working a case as detective. It is very well written and it is easy to sympathize with Kimo.