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Paradise Crime Cozy Mysteries #3

Hawaii Time: Cat Cozy Humor Mystery

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From Amazon: Effective steps to building an author platform that can take advantage of free programs and launch any book into visibility and better sales.
Self published or not, today’s authors have to develop their own “platform” for reaching book buyers. This power-packed 20 page booklet with a bonus contains tips based on author Toby Neal’s sales and psychology background and experience with her bestselling crime novels. These secrets maximize social media to build an author platform that can bring fast, wide-ranging visibility and increased sales to any book.

259 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2012

172 people are currently reading
125 people want to read

About the author

Toby Neal

88 books986 followers
Toby Neal was raised on Kauai in Hawaii. She wrote and illustrated her first story at age 5. After initially majoring in journalism, she eventually settled on mental health as a career and loves her work, saying, “I’m endlessly fascinated with people’s stories.”

Toby credits her counseling background in adding depth to her characters–from the villains to Lei Texeira, the courageous and vulnerable heroine in the Lei Crime Series, to the wounds and psychological implications of the heroes of the Scorch Series.

Get TWO FREE full length Toby Neal books by signing up for her newsletter here! http://www.subscribepage.com/TobyNeal...

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5 stars
568 (70%)
4 stars
173 (21%)
3 stars
52 (6%)
2 stars
12 (1%)
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6 (<1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 60 reviews
Profile Image for Becky .
601 reviews17 followers
September 22, 2023
What an awesome end to this great series! Yeah, dang it, I did say end. Neal says it was a planned three part series. She may add more at a later date, which I definitely hope she does, because I absolutely love Kat and her whole crazy ohana. Pua returns, Edith has family issues, and things are getting better between Mr. K and Kat, or are they?
So many things came to completion in this book, but there were plenty of possibilities in which she could write more later on.
It's a fun, funny, action-packed book that you must have!
Profile Image for Sheryl.
142 reviews
September 8, 2023
This was in Kindle Vella format and I love this format. I get the story and it appeases my reading ADD... where if I can't finish a book immediately, I'm done with it.

I enjoyed the characters, even though Kat still has a tendency to go against all her training and try to do everything by herself; but that is my pet peeve about most protaganists.. the "I'll just go into this dangerous situation on my own. I know what I'm doing, and nothing will happen."

I liked how she grew as a person. And, in the end, it was about her family, new and old. And, the door is open for more story about her next adventure in life. :-)

I hope Toby does more books in this format.


47 reviews
September 29, 2023
The final book (for now) in this planned cozy trilogy does not disappoint readers. The plot builds on events from the previous books in the series, so is best read after those, not as a stand-alone.
Kat (an ex-Secret Service agent) has been working with locals who are trying to stop the local Chang family from building and selling properties in a new resort. Complicated by the fact that the recently sacked postmistress is a member of that family!
Characters from other series by Ms Neal show up again - Lei, Pono and Sophie are all people we know well from her other books. Together they manage to stop an assassination attempt on a local, but not before Kat has (once again) put herself in danger - and survives with the help of that same ex-postmistress! But her love life with Mr K is on the up and up - or is it?
Despite Ms Neal telling us in an afterword that this is the final book in the trilogy, I do hope that she finds more adventures for these residents as I thoroughly enjoyed being transported back to the Hawaiian islands. More please Ms Neal.
Profile Image for Lisa G. Hudson.
703 reviews62 followers
September 24, 2023
BETRAYAL, REDEMPTION, SELF-DISCOVERY & LOVE!

Author Toby Neal has gifted readers with another installment of her latest series, the Paradise Crime Cozy Mysteries. What I like most about Hawaii Time is that while it is cozy, it is still a terrific mystery and contains part of an intricate plot that runs throughout the entire series. Also, Neal includes characters from her other two best-selling series, Paradise Crime Mysteries and Paradise Crime Thriller Mysteries. Her story involves the tiny town of Ohia in Maui, Hawaii. Once again, the Chang family has been running one of their illegal cons by offering luxury condos in a gated community. Only the land was not theirs. The government owned it! A small group of townspeople led by a tiny but ferocious older female attorney decides to take on the development and save Old Ohia from New Ohia. Little did she know the trouble she would bring to her front door! Neal fuels this excellent mystery with multiple family betrayals, an unlikely redemption, and the self-discovery that there is more to life than the job for a former SSA who has been working as the Postmaster of Ohia, and she may even have found love!
117 reviews
September 25, 2023
Life has still not settled down for Kat Smith, a Secret Service agent/Postmaster turned super sleuth, in a little area of Maui called Ohia.

Although Kat has gotten the hang of running the post office, it is challenging without an assistant to help and the resentment of the locals for Kat's part in having the previous Postmaster, Pua Chang, arrested for illegal activity.

There's also the problem of someone wanting revenge for Kat thwarting their attempt of lethal interference with a local. With that, Kat's off on another crime prevention adventure, helped by her neighbors, the local Red Hat Society, friends Sophie, Pono and Lei, and of course, cranky cat, Tiki.
Profile Image for Shirley.
120 reviews5 followers
September 28, 2023
This is the third of Neal’s Paradise Crime Cozy Mysteries and like the other two, I couldn’t put it down. I’m honestly loving the characters, stories, and setting. This is the last in the trilogy but I sure hope the third won’t truly be the last.

Kat is the main character and manages the Ohio Post Office on Maui in addition to being a sleuth on the island. Tiki, a stray cat in the area, has adopted Kat and is a fun character in the story for cat lovers. Like Neal is known for, characters from some of her other novels like Lei, Sophie, and Pono are woven into this story. They all seem to fit like a glove.

Be prepared to curl up with this book and enjoy a good story with many laughs along the way.
220 reviews
September 25, 2023
Once again Toby has me reading a book and forgetting about everything else in the “real world”! I love this book and I love the characters. The many times I laughed and the many times I held on for the ride were an added benefit! The storyline kept me turning the page to see what other antics the main character would get herself into and also the fun of the dealing with the cat she inherited upon her move into her new job. Hopefully we will get more of the main character in other books to come since this is the final book in the trilogy. Would love to see all the characters again!
Profile Image for BJ.
465 reviews5 followers
September 26, 2023
I've been 'banished' to Ohia, Hawaii!
I’ve really enjoyed the Paradise Crime Cozy Mysteries. I love how Toby Neal has woven favorite characters from her other series into Kat’s story, while creating new favorite characters. Mr. K is especially delightful, as is Opal, the store owner, in her bright muumuus and Crocs. One of Neal’s strengths is her depiction of the scenic and cultural aspects of Hawaii. There’s certainly suspense, as the Chang Family is prominent, but there are laughs and romance, too. I’m transported right into her stories and relish the experience.
Profile Image for Nadine.
224 reviews5 followers
September 23, 2023
Love the final book in this trilogy but sorry to see it end. The characters have become ohana as they say in Hawaii to me and I will miss them. Kat has a hit out on her as well as on Edith by Edith's granddaughter along with one of the Changs. Mr. K has gotten closer to Kat and is handling her "touch" problems fairly well as in getting Kat to let him know when important things happen like getting run off the road by a black SUV, etc. But on another note I look forward to more Sophie, Stevens and Lei, and Marcella adventures in the future. I am a happy member of Ms Neal's ARC team and asked to give an honest review of her books and I can't get any more honest than this!
7,776 reviews50 followers
September 27, 2023
Ohia, seems to be the perfect place for Kat, with plenty of mayhem and murder
Delightful addition with Aunt Fae coming to help Kat, changing to tank tops and
a member of the Red Hat ladies. Laughs are many in this cozy mystery plot to enjoy.
Given arc for my voluntary review
Profile Image for Martha Foster.
114 reviews4 followers
November 14, 2025
An enjoyable end to this trilogy, and I’m glad to hear there’ll be more Hawaiian cozy cat stories to come!
1,309 reviews16 followers
September 20, 2023
This last book of a trilogy is a bittersweet adventure for me. Even saying a temporary goodbye to these delightful and quirky characters is difficult. I look forward to reading more of Kat and Keone and hope those stories come fast and often. The sooner the better as I have come to care a lot for these characters and their stories. Highly Recommended.
Profile Image for Diane Tosney.
207 reviews2 followers
September 7, 2023
Very cute cozy mystery. I love the characters and hope there will be another new series featuring K & K investigations with appearances by some of our favorite characters like Lei, Pono, Sophie, etc.
Profile Image for Naomi.
4,819 reviews142 followers
August 7, 2013
I agree with some of the reviewers who state that this is information which can be found on the web. EXCEPT...these are methods which worked for the author, are tried and true, is incredibly concise AND is in a one stop book. Given how large the web is...general consensus is that the author gets information overload with all that web information.
Profile Image for Bill Tillman.
1,672 reviews81 followers
September 12, 2012
Wow in 20 pages Toby tells it like it is! What to do to make your upcoming ebook a smash hit. No easy formula but brass tacks step by step how-to on making your baby a hit. READ IT, over and over. Then go for it.
66 reviews2 followers
September 29, 2023
Kat Smith is busy as the new Postmaster of Ohia, a small community near Hana on the island of Maui in the state of Hawaii. She has been playing catch-up to the former Postmaster, Pua Chang who left her job due to improper actions. You just can't traffic in marijuana via the post office when you are Postmaster.

On Kat's arrival in Ohia she meets a very handsome man named Keone (Mr. K). He is a pilot for a commuter airline and has become a very good friend. A few more of her new friends include the Red Hat ladies. A lively and lovely group of seniors charged with a variety of tasks to help others. You will also meet Opal and Artie (he is blind), and they own and manage the small market adjacent to the Post Office. One of the benefits of the Postmaster is the rustic cabin that comes with the job. It also comes with a host of additional occupants: Tiki the feral cat with her personal entrance and exit and a paw the better to scratch an annoying visitor. Tweedledum and Tweedledee the resident geckos above the stove, and let's not forget our stunning and large cane spider living in the shower aptly named Miss Prissy.

What could possibly go wrong in this small feel good community? This is a corner of Paradise and who would want to stir up trouble? If you enjoy murder, mayhem, and a surprise or two you will not be disappointed. The characters and creatures are worthy of your time and you might find a new place to vacation! Remember, New Ohia is a brand new development just a short distance away from the hub of town - the Post Office. Not to be found on any map.

As an ARC reader, it is my pleasure to read and share my unsolicited comments, so don't miss the boat as Toby Neal has another winner on her hands. Hawaii Time is book 3 in this series and worth your time!
1 review
October 20, 2023
Toby Neal is such an amazing author, her stories are fun and exciting, love the local flavors, each

Hi everyone and God Bless all..
Just wanted to say,I always see and read poems on here about NAM..WELL I'M SURELY NO POEM WRITTER,but sometimes I get into this mood just to write down my experiences while I served in NAM FROM NOV-68 TO July of 70,Now when I do write down a so called poem, usually only takes like 15 minutes and all I do is go back over my spelling and it's still horrible..lol.. Anyhow here's one I wrote around a month ago,and honest I hold no harsh feelings if many feel my poem is without interest or just not that good,but it comes from my heart...
...............................VIETNAM........................,....
Bleeding out a soldier pleads
I don't want to die alone
Now reaching for his mother
Knowing he's 10 thousand miles from home
While his eyes began to flutter fast
As he slowly drifts away
All his brothers kneel by his side
As the medic began to 🙏 pray
Another one my dear Lord
Please tell me why must this be
And why must we kill each other
For senseless points of greed
The night's are filled
With so much death
I'm left numb to the point
To where I have nothing left
But if I can only make it
For just another 43days
I'll be on that freedom bird
And finally on my way
Back to the world
A place we Vets call home
Back home with my loved ones
Free from this WAR.,.
..............................................................................
I SURE HOPE EVERYONE ENJOYS...

BUBBA..
9--23--28
10 reviews
September 29, 2023
HAWAII TIME by Toby Neal is the third in this trilogy and honestly, it just keeps getting better. As an avid fan of her work I love her ability to weave suspense, humor, romance, familiar characters, and believable plots magically together to create a story that is riveting and hard to put down. She does not disappoint...ever. In HAWAII TIME she brings Sophie, Lei, Pono, Marcella, Kat, Keone, and so many other multi-dimensional characters into the story creating a beautiful tapestry of interesting, sometimes nerve-wracking adventures. In addition, with her background as a therapist she provides
unique insights into the some of the character's struggles, humanizing them and, at times, even providing the reader with an element of empathy for their personal challenges and efforts to overcome them. Finally, with this novel being set in Hawaii, Ms. Neal provides a cultural lens that proves to be not only charming but very realistic. If you are already of fan, brace yourself for another wonderful story. If you are just finding Toby Neal as an author, you have lots and lots to look forward to!
Profile Image for Sam Rob.
33 reviews
September 25, 2023
I loved this final instalment in the Paradise Crime trilogy, the storyline is nicely wrapped up with a great opening for further books an option.

My favourite character is still grouchy psycho-cat Tiki (that says more about me than the book, I suspect) but it was wonderful to catch up with Lei and her family, Marcella and Sophie, and get to know Pono's wider family, including Mr. K. as well as meeting some new characters and exploring others already known from this series in more depth. The importance of ohana- by blood or found- is beautifully explored throughout the series.

As in the first two books, the storyline zips along at a good pace and the spirit of Hawaii infuses the whole. The series is lighter than others in Ms. Neal's back catalogue, hence the 'cozy' moniker, but the mystery element is as strong and the humour frequent. Kat is another of her strong but human female leads who faces difficulties to surmount with varying degrees of success.

These books are a fairly quick but very satisfying read.
Profile Image for Linda.
Author 10 books168 followers
October 10, 2023
This is the third book in a trilogy I can only call a Guilty Pleasure. I loved being in the imaginary town of Ohia next door to Hana on the remotest stretch of coast on Maui. Living in a shack steps from a beach where I could take a dip in the moonlight is my kind of heaven. So what I am living with a couple of geckos and a cane spider as big as a tea cup, and a feral cat that has conceded to be my roommate. Not to mention a hunky Hawaiian guy who is sweet and thoughtful. Oh my, could I ask for more. Add a little murder and intrigue here and there and you’ve got me hooked Thank you Toby for letting me has such a fun romp in the Islands without spending a dime on airfare.
74 reviews2 followers
October 22, 2023
Kat Faces Death

When former Secret Service agent Kat Smith ends up reassigned as the Postmaster of a small Hawaiian village, facing life and death situations has become almost daily challenges. Toby Neal's third book in the PARADISE CRIME SERIES has Kat connecting with other popular female crime fighters Lea and Sophie. Add the good and bad characters of Hawaiian Chang crime family, and the reader doesn't know where this story will go. The same goes for the personal relationship virgin Kat must face with Mr. K! Will their lives blend or will they go their separate ways?
Profile Image for Rebecca .
205 reviews1 follower
August 2, 2024
Home Is Where The Heart Is

Or Hawaii, whatever comes first!
Finally Kat becomes more comfortable in Ohia. She realizes she’s grown to love the place ❤️.
Now if the issues with New Ohia would just go away things would be better.
But I’m sure she’ll make that happen along with the pets he’s coming to get attached to.
Can’t get enough of Kat and Keone! Doesn’t he sound like a dream. Ohia sounds like somewhere I’d love too. Oh to dream!
Love ❤️ 💕 these books. Start with Coconut Wireless and find out!
Profile Image for Bonnie Irwin.
860 reviews17 followers
April 14, 2024
Kat get herself involved in another investigation, this time a threat against one of the red hat ladies. The Chang family lurks in the background, and Kat learns what Lei already knows, that some of the members of the crime family can be allies. I like the way Neal interlaces characters from all three of her series, creating a powerful sisterhood of strong women, each of whom has had to overcome some great challenges which have served to make them stronger.
722 reviews7 followers
June 26, 2024
These 3 stories are so heart-warming on many levels. The author has created characters with rounded personalities -- vulnerable, fierce, loving, angry -- and the plots unfold as we get to know the characters. I could so appreciate Kat, sent away from her Secret Service job because she protected herself from sexual harassment, and trying to find herself in a basically alien environment. And slowly offering her abilities to her new community. I loved these stories!
148 reviews1 follower
September 25, 2025
Another Good Cozy Mystery

I enjoyed this book very much. The story of Island Aloha Spirit. Kat is hooked on Island life in her small village. The story held my attention. It was scary when Kat took her ride in back if the black SUV. I was glad it ended well. The love between her and Mr K was sweet. I also like that the village embraced the relationship with Edith and Josie. I look forward to the next adventure.
Robert Ericksen
Profile Image for Lee Brothers.
1,385 reviews15 followers
September 21, 2023
This book had me laughing out loud. Kat is over 6 foot and I'm not nearly that tall but I also have size 11 shoes. And being born and raised In Florida I tried to surf but my body was not portioned for that. So I understand what Kat was going through trying to surf! This is such an awesome book I loved it!!
158 reviews4 followers
September 28, 2023
I loved this newest adventure. This book's plot is very twisted with a great surprise. It was great to spend time with Kat and her ohana which grows with each book. Lei, Pono, Sophie, and Marcella all make an appearance, but we also get to meet more residents of Ohia, Hana, and elsewhere. I can't wait to see what happens next with Mr. K.
5 reviews
September 30, 2023
Hooray for a wonderful trilogy. Couldn't wait for Hawaii Time to be released.

I have so many mixed emotions since finishing Hawaii Time. I truly got involved with all the amazing characters. A trilogy just had me wanting many more. Thanks Toby for sharing your amazing talent with us.
24 reviews
October 4, 2023
Bummer, I finished the book!

Mahalo for creating this new series. I really enjoyed it and hope you have Kate going on many, many more investigations. If this series ever becomes a movie or TV series, I know the perfect actress to play Kate. Tori Anderson! She also happens to play a Kate on NCIS Hawaii. Though she's not 6', Kate is close at 5'9".
8 reviews
November 20, 2023
Love this series!

Was in Maui this summer, and so enjoyed visiting this area, especially as I was halfway into book 2 while there. Left Maui 24 hours before the wildfires in Lahaina, and am heartbroken for the loss of life and culture . thank you for adding to my knowledge and appreciation of Hawaii.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 60 reviews

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