TREACHERY TIMES TWO

4 stars out of 5

This is the second book I've read in this four-book (so far) series featuring Hilo, Hawaii's Chief Detective Koa Kane, and like that other one, I enjoyed it very much. I'll admit it takes a little more effort to read these because I'm almost totally unfamiliar with our 50th state, its customs and, perhaps most important, those people names that often contain multiple apostrophes. But that's not necessarily a bad thing; to me, it means the books are of almost as much importance as a learning opportunity as for entertainment.

This one has two storylines, primary of which is the accidental discovery of a woman's body in an old cemetery that's been partially unearthed in a volcanic eruption. Problem is, the body isn't from an old burial; clearly, it's a recent murder, and whoever did the deed went to some lengths to conceal her identity. As he begins to look into the case, though, Kane's past comes back to haunt him in a big way; suddenly, he's forced to confront the possibility that the murder he committed 30 years ago will come to light. If it does, it's almost certain to ruin his career and, he thinks, his relationship with the woman he loves.

Investigation of the woman's body leads to a local defense contractor working on a highly classified project under the direction of an Elon Musk-type billionaire (is it just me, or are Musk clones showing up way too often in mystery/thrillers these days)? Anyway, it soon becomes clear that corporate powers-that-be haven't been totally honest in their explanation of the dead woman's job, prompting Kane and his crew to dig a little deeper. As it turns out, she played a much greater role at the company than the company is willing to admit - leading to questions as to which side which person is on.

Amid all this, Kane has to deal with the grandson of the man he murdered all those years ago - a death that was at the time ruled a suicide. The grandson, an attorney, claims the investigation back then was shoddy (which, pretty much, it was), and he's looking for the truth about his beloved grandfather (who was, by all other accounts, a rather nasty fellow). When somebody takes a potshot at Kane, the question becomes, who took it and to which case does it relate? From that point on, the action heats up considerably, as do Kane's angst and hand-wringing over his years-ago actions. But the woman's death isn't much easier to solve - at least not without some pretty tense moments. All told, it's another attention-holding adventure, and I once again thank the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to read and review a copy.

Treachery Times Two by Robert McCaw (Oceanview Publishing, January 2022); 353 pp.