Going for Kona

What Doesn't Kill You #4

by Pamela Fagan Hutchins

An alternate cover edition can be found here.

2014 USA Best Book Award Winner, Fiction: Cross Genre Going for Kona has it all: unforgettable characters, an epic love story, and a page-turning mystery that will keep you guessing until the last page.

When her husband is killed in a hit-and-run bicycling accident, it takes all of Michele Lopez Hanson’s strength not to burrow into their bed for the rest of her life. But their kids need her, and she promised herself she’d do the Kona Ironman Triathlon in Adrian’s honor, and someone seems to be stalking her family, so she slogs through the pain to keep herself on track. Her dangerously delirious training sessions become a link between her and Adrian, and she discovers that if she keeps moving fast enough to fly, she can hold onto her husband—even as she loses her grip on herself and faces her biggest danger yet.

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Ebooks, Amazon, Mystery Thriller, Cozy Mystery, Romance

278 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 20, 2014

About the author

I'm a USA Today bestselling mystery/suspense/thriller author and a big horse and sled dog enthusiast.

My hunky husband and I ride our beloved draft cross horses way up in the frozen north of Snowheresville, WY, where we run a rustic, off-the-grid lodge on the face of the Bighorn Mountains. When I'm not writing or riding, I'm passionate about wilderness sports, always with a couple of rescue dogs, bear spray, a mountain lion knife, and my Judge. NO ANIMALS HAVE BEEN HARMED IN THE MAKING OF THIS LIFE ADVENTURE (but don't sneak up on me).

I've made some lists and won some awards, yada yada. Amazon Charts Top 25 bestseller. USA Today Bestseller. The Silver Falchion for Best Adult Mystery WINNER (Fighting for Anna), the WINNERS for USA Best Books Fiction: Cross Genre (Hell to Pay, Heaven to Betsy), and others. With books "in print" of over 3,000,000, readers seem to enjoy the books—I think they have exceptionally good taste. {insert goofy grin here} Lots of them follow my show Wine Women & Writing, too, where I fangirl my favorite authors and interview them for your listening and viewing pleasure. Subscribe free at http://bit.ly/PamelaWWWR <--case sensitive.

You can read my series in any order or as standalones, but they're a lot of fun if you do them like this:

* Detective Delaney Pace (coming soon!): Her Silent Bones, Her HIdden Grave, Her Last Cry, Her Forgotten Shadow, Her Burning Lies, and Her Cold Heart.

* Patrick Flint Wyoming-based series (PG):
Switchback, Snake Oil, Sawbones, Scapegoat, Snaggle Tooth, Stag Party, Sitting Duck, and Skin & Bones. #9 coming in 2026.

* The Jenn Herrington Wyoming Mysteries (PG-13):
BIG HORN, WALKER PRAIRIE, and RED GRADE coming in 2026.

* What Doesn't Kill You Super Series:
1.Caribben-based Katie Connell (PG-13): Saving Grace, Leaving Annalise, Finding Harmony, and Seeking Felicity
2. Texas-based Emily Bernal (PG-13): Heaven to Betsy Earth to Emily, Hell to Pay
3. Texas-based Michele Lopez Hanson (PG-13): Going for Kona, Fighting for Anna, Searching for Dime Box
4. Wyoming-based Maggie Killian (R, language): Live Wire, Sick Puppy, Dead Pile (plus shorts Buckle Bunny and Shock Jock)
5. Caribbean-based Ava Butler (R, sexual situations): Bombshell, Stunner, Knockout

I also have a children's book series featuring Poppy, the world's best grandfather, and Petey, his blind Boston terrier.
Free starter library https://pamelafaganhutchins.com/maili...

If after all that you still want to learn more about my books, my podcast, or me, then God Bless Ya.

There are many ways: My website and its blog. The aforementioned newsletter. Email me: Pamela at PamelaFaganHutchins dot come. And you can follow me around the web:

Website: https://pamelafaganhutchins.com
BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/pamel...
Pamela's Posse for Readers: https://www.facebook.com/groups/pamel...
Facebook http://facebook.com/pamela.fagan.hutc...
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/author/pamelafa...
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pamela_faga...
Twitter http://twitter.com/PamelotH
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/pamelafaganh...
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/pamelafaganhu...
Threads: https://www.threads.net/@pamela_fagan...
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/pamelafaganhu...

And, finally, to learn more about my fellow SkipJack Publishing authors, visit: http://skipjackpublishing.com/.

Reviews

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Going for Kona by Pamela Fagan Hutchins by a 2014 publication. I was provided a copy of this book by the author in exchange for an honest review.

This book reads like an honest portrayal of a woman whose mostly balanced life careens of course after a terrible tragedy and her drop into an abyss she seems unable to pull herself out of and her ultimate triumph as all the questions she faces about her life, her future, her past comes full circle and she finds she has the strength to carry on surrounded by the her family, friends and the spirit of her husband who will always be with her.

Michele and her husband Adrian were in the midst of a book promotion when Adrian was struck down by a hit and run driver. The investigation into his death puts Michele's son, her co-workers, and her friends on the hot seat. Internet rumors swirl causing Michele to face a few moments of doubt concerning her seemingly perfect marriage to Adrian. The only thing that is keeping Michele tethered to the here and now is her determination to attend the Ironman competition Adrian was training for. By sheer force of will she pushes herself beyond her limits and finds a connection in the training to her husband, who she imagines is there with her, will be there at the competition, and she will once more have him with her at Kona. But, in the meantime, it comes to light the hit and run is not an isolated hit and Michele's family could be in danger.

There is an awful lot going on in this book and there were a few moments when it became too much. I found myself clinching my jaw muscles a few times. Adrian's death caused a ripple effect with Michele's climb into her own tormented cocoon, leaving out her son and his need to grieve and his need to have his mother take notice of him. If you have sons , this portrayal of Sam is very accurate all the way down to that “boy smell”.
The only complaint I had was how “busy” the story got with the training, teenage angst, mysteries, detectives, parents, ex-husbands, step-daughters, and work obligations. I was just a little overwhelmed by it.
However, the story's pace evens out in the last half of the book and soon things are more in focus. Why was Adrian targeted? Who was this woman who had fixated on Adrian? Was Adrian hiding things from Michele? And of course the Ironman competition. Each question gets an answer and although they are not all satisfying, there are realistic and some are so very sad. For me this was something beyond a mystery novel. It was poignant, sad, sweet and touching. Michele does come away from everything with all her faculties. Her mental, physical and emotional state will all heal, she will learn much about herself in this journey, but she will also have an untarnished memory of Adrian and his spirit will guide her into the next phase of her life without him. ( grabs tissues)
Pamela can write humor, mystery, suspense, and after reading this one, I believe literary fiction and drama could be something she excels in. This is not a conventional mystery novel and I enjoyed reading something that avoided the formula. Overall this one get a 4.5 rounded to 5

[Cindy B. · Rating 3 out of 5]

The plots and main character are interesting. Like the narrator.

[Debbie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. Thanks Pamela for the opportunity!

I thoroughly enjoyed this book!! It was much different from her Annalise series, but it was still great. I loved the fact that I had been to a lot of the places in the book and was very familiar with a lot of it as the main character lived in Houston. I always like books that are based somewhere that I've been. It's like revisiting those places again.

The story was very entertaining with some mystery, intrigue and suspense involved as well. It was a fast, easy read. Because it was a document, I couldn't tell where I was in the book and I kept thinking she was going to leave some loose ends, but everything was all sorted out in the end and made for a fun and entertaining read. You really end up really liking (or really detesting in the case of the bad guys) the characters and hate that you won't be seeing them either again or for a while.

I really like the Ironman part of it as well. I'm familiar with it, I have friends who do it and that just made it even better. Definitely one to read!

[Nancy Brady · Rating 4 out of 5]

Going for broke...

Part mystery, part suspense, and in the end, a love story. Michele and Adrian are training for an Ironman triathlon when he is killed by a hit-and-run driver. This occurs the day after the release of their coauthored book, which drives sales.

Michele decides to continue training, to participate in the Kona race to honor her husband, yet at what cost? Her children, Sam and Belle, are paying the price, and custody is jeopardy. Added to that, the police are not looking for his killer. Or at least, not hard enough, and doing her own detective work may be as dangerous as training; however what doesn't kill us makes us stronger, and this story is part of a series called that.

Will Michele survive the race? Will she repair the rift with her kids? Will she go for broke?

This is the first experience reading this author, but looking forward to reading more. Characters are fresh and realistic and scenarios believable.

[C.C. Rising]

I met Pamela Fagan Hutchins at the 2010 Writers’ League of Texas Conference, where “Leaving Annalise” won top spot in the romance category. Since then, I have watched Ms. Hutchins' career soar as an e-book romance writer. So I decided to crack open “Going for Kona” this summer, my first romance-mystery. I was delightedly surprised at how much I liked it. I did find the romance between Adrian and Michele Lopez Hanson, a husband-and-wife triathlon and book-writing team, a bit forced initially (e.g., the first hint of any relationship discord does not come until Page 168). But I liked Michele’s bravery in facing Adrian’s unexpected death, and the mystery surrounding why he was killed. I could also identify with Michele’s compulsion to establish a link with her dead husband through her training sessions. This is a good read.

[Karen Forcum · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was written beautifully. It brought me to tears at times. She brought the characters to life.

[Abigail · Rating 1 out of 5]

The only good thing about this book is that it is a quick read. The storyline is basic and it doesn't get any better before the end. The characters are pretty weak too.

[Elizabeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

[Dee · Rating 5 out of 5]

I got a Kindle copy of this book from the author when I did not win a contest to get a hard copy of the book. I typically prefer a book I can hold in my hands, so I didn't start the Kindle book until I was on a return flight home. I started the book during the first leg of my journey; by the end of the second leg, I couldn't put it down. This was the first book in a long time that I read in one day.

I think the main reason I liked the book so much is because the main character, MIchele, is so real and authentic. She juggles a lot on her plate - being a mom, stepmom, and wife;having a job and writing a book with her husbands; and competing in triathelete events. When her husband is murdered, she has to add dealing with grief to that list. Worse, the police are looking at her family as potential suspects instead of following up on the leads she gives them.

Michele is not perfect. She struggles and makes both good and bad decisions. Various people in her life - her mother, her son, her ex-husband, and one of the officer's on the case - look down on her for continuing to work and train, something they never would do if the situation were reversed. The story shows the kind of double-standard women live with every day.

Through it all, she keeps trying. Trying for the memory of her beloved husband and trying for herself. The story is unique and is told against a backdrop of a world I knew nothing about - triathelon competitions. The author gives her characters distinctive voices and makes you care. I was surprised to love this book so much. Now I want to read more from her.

[Ridgely · Rating 5 out of 5]

Going for Kona is a book you don’t just read. It’s a book you live, word by word, page after page until your eyes settle on The End. Even then, this book, this story stays with you.

From the first inkling of tension between main character, Michele Hanson and a bleach blonde fan of her husband, you’re gripped in their world. Hutchins draws you in, introducing you to the Hanson’s, the triathlon world and to Adrian and Michele’s love.

The story unfolds as any good romantic suspense novel does, with emotional highs and lows and twists and turns of the storyline, yet Going for Kona rises to the top because of Hutchins skill as a writer.

You hear the sounds she describes. You hear Adrian scream “Rider down, rider down,” when Michele’s thoughts flashback to a scene a when a driver hit a fellow cyclist. Fate and the large cow he hit protected Adrian that day. You see, Hutchins characters don’t just move, they “scoot.” Instead of saying he grimaced, Hutchins tells us Adrian “skwunched his face.”

Character development happens subtly yet intensely. Hutchins taps into the complexities of the middle- aged female with all the self-doubt, self talk and determination we see around us. Michele becomes our heroine. We identify with her. We don’t want our connection with her to end. I’m banking on Pamela Hutchins not letting that happen.

[LAWonder10 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Against all odds, Michele is determined to finish what her and her husband, Adrian, set their goals for! The "accident" took him away but Michele refused to turn away from the one thing Adrian was so passionate about and could no longer do.

As author and co-author of a Best Seller of a book on performing at a Triathlon as a couple, Michele and Adrian's "fairytale" life has abruptly ended. Along with the questions surrounding events, several more devastating challenges keep occurring. How much can one woman endure without saying, "I Quit!"?

Each character portrayed felt so real. One felt as though he/she was in each scene of the story. The author very effectively kept the reader's interest. Although the situations felt a little beleaguered a few times, the reader is eager to discover what is on the next page.

The Book Cover is fitting but not eye-catching to the occasional "browser" nor is the Title. I would have passed it by but I am thankful I have to book and read it...it is such a great story! Because of some Profanity and crude language, I would not recommend it to anyone under the age of 16 years.

My review of this book offers a Four and a Half Stars rating.

*I was sent this book in exchange for an honest review, of which I have given.

[Terry Sykes-bradshaw · Rating 5 out of 5]

Going for Kona by Pamela Fagan Hutchins grabs you and won't let you go. It made me sad. It made me mad. But ultimately it made me happy to have read it.

From the moment I met Michele and Adrian I loved them. They had an ideal life until things go horribly wrong. And how much more wrong can they go? Adrian is killed in a biking accident and Michele is, of course, devastated. How can she exist without him?

It turns out that she is much stronger and more courageous than she ever dreamed she could be. To borrow an expression used by Muhammed Ali, Michele floated like a butterfly (also incidentally her nickname) but stung like a bee.

The characters are true to life and sympathetic. Anyone who has ever known a teenaged boy can identify with Michele's issues with Sam. The other characters are equally fascinating. I was hooked immediately and couldn't put the book down until I found out how it would end. It kept me guessing the entire way.

Once again Pamela Fagan Hutchins has scored a win. I loved it.

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful story!! I, too, was one of the lucky ones who got to beta-read this, and I loved it! Pamela really knows how to tell a story and keep you entertained & on the edge of your seat.

I cried through a few sections of this book because I could feel the main character's pain over her devastating loss. And of course, when someone is reeling from that kind of loss, they're also going to stumble through other areas of tier life where they need to be strong but fail to. Hey, for me, that just added much more realism to this great story.

If you've read any of the Annalise series, you're going to love this one, so add it to your list of "Must Reads". You won't be disappointed!

[Gay Yellen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hutchins gives us a big dose of heart in Going for Kona. Michele would seem to live a charmed life with her handsome Iron Man husband. They do everything together, train for Iron Man competitions, write books about their experiences, and raise their blended, loving family. But when a seemingly freak accident leaves her lost and on her own, she struggles to find her will to live, until her husband's voice urges her onward. It's heartbreaking to watch her endure grief and anger, and uplifting when she finally breaks through. Whether you're a fitness freak or a couch potato, this story will grab you, and you'll be glad it did.

[BB · Rating 5 out of 5]

Local mystery writer, Pamela Fagan Hutchins, hit another beautiful home run out of the park with her new novel "Going for Kona". With a plot that keeps you guessing and reading into the wee hours of the night, she fills the pages of "Kona" with mystery, grief, heartbreak, hope, family, and love. I don't mean love with an all capital, exclamation mark punctuated yell, but love that grown-ups have with their companions, children and friends. The lowercase love that lasts lifetimes, sustains, and keeps us going.

Thanks to Pamela for a wonderful read that kept me up into the wee hours of the morning, watching her heroine "Going for Kona".

[Heather Diane]

Once I got into this, I literally couldn't put it down. (To my husband's dismay: "Honey, have you brushed your teeth today?") Although the mystery is intriguing, what really drives this book is the passionate and absorbing relationship between Michele and her husband--even after he's gone. The relationships between Michele and the other characters (her moody teenaged kids, her controlling mother, her pushy publicist) were also compelling. And, as a non-athlete, I really enjoyed the user-friendly introduction to the triathlon. Highly recommended for readers who enjoy mysteries that are about more than just solving a puzzle.

[Jo Bryan · Rating 4 out of 5]

While slow to start, once the action starts, prepare to be held spellbound as the action never stops. Michele Hanson has the heart of a lion, passion and stamina of a stallion, and when her family is threatened, watch out!!! This novel will speak to mystery lovers but also to athletes who understand the demands of training, the importance of good technique and equipment, and the blessing of a support team. I sobbed out loud a couple times, and hurt for Michele as she struggled.
You must read this book. Thanks to Pamela for a chance to have an advance read!

[Cathy Bader · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was one of the lucky ones to read this in beta form. What an awesome experience!!! Thank you Pamela for the opportunity.

You better clear your day because once you start reading it you can't put it down. You will lol, cry, & cheer with the main character from start to finish. I love it when I read a book & can visualize people, places, & things. The visuals you get from this book are amazing. Please add this to your must read list. You will be glad you did.

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent story, excellent writing

I loved it. Going for Kona is worth reading for its love story, its story about family, its story about grieving and loss and redemption, and its story about training for triathlons. Did I mention it is also a terrific mystery ! I would recommend Going for Kona to anyone who enjoys a good story.

[Kessika Johnson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed the story and Houston references, but what is even better are the two or three paragraphs that gave me insight into my marriage and the way we argue!

[Renae Rogers · Rating 5 out of 5]

For some reason, I went into this book thinking it was a cosy mystery. Murder mystery to be exact, but still a cosy. I’m not really sure where I got that impression, but I think it had something to do with the title. “Going for Kona.” And because all I knew about Kona was that it is a coffee, which was supported by the image on the book cover, I think I thought this was one of those bakery or catering company type cosy mysteries.

I should point out that it sounds stupid that I wouldn’t know what the book was about, but it isn’t. I download free books through Bookbub all the time and there are so many compared to how many I get through (and I actually get through a LOT of books), that by the time I come back to a book, I might have downloaded it months ago and have forgotten the blurb I read that led me to download it and am very much guessing from the title and the cover what the book might be about.

So. I went into this book with the expectation that it was a cosy. And it so wasn’t.

This book was a journey through one woman’s grief and pain as much as it was story about finding a murderer. The writing was vivid and real. I didn’t always agree with the character’s POV, in that she’s permanently wound a lot tighter than I’ve ever been in my entire life and therefore sees things through that lens, but I could understand how those things would make sense to her.

There were some red herrings and a few things I raised my eyebrows over the possible plausibility of, but since I have no experience with these things to know whether or not they are possible, I chose to accept and move on with the story.

It was the emotion in the story that was central for me. The mystery part of the plot was what drove the emotions, but it was the emotions that drove the story. And there were all these tiny little beats I could relate to. Some of the family dynamics, domestic situations and parental thoughts are ones I’ve experienced. I could relate to those things, even when I couldn’t relate to the MC in other areas. But I could feel for her and with her and I thank the author for writing the book like that.

This book wasn’t what I was expecting but it was so much better than that. I’ve not written a review once this year, I don’t think, even though I’ve still been reading and some of the books I’ve read have been good. But none have made me say, “OMG, I really need to tell people what I think of this book because I think it’s amazing”. Until this book.

I thought it was amazing. And I learned a lot about a sport I knew nothing about and had no interest in. That was just an added bonus.

[Rosemary · Rating 5 out of 5]

Going For Kona - a review by Rosemary Kenny

Michele Hanson's world is shattered when her beloved triathlete husband Adrian is killed, (seemingly at random) by a hit-and-run driver, while in training for the eponymous Kona Triathlon.
He was Michele's whole world,(apart from Annabelle, her step-daughter by Adrian's late wife and Sam, her son from her own first marriage) and with their wedding anniversary and the Kona coming up, she'd not only trained with him, but secretly entered the Kona too, planning to tell Adrian on the day he'd died.

Now, not only is Michele dragged into a world of secrets, lies and unwelcome revelations, but she must question if her marriage was as idyllic as she'd believed, or even if there's any point in going on with life - let alone the Kona in Adrian's memory.

What will she decide to do?
Who betrays Michele, for their own financial gain?
Was the woman proclaiming Adrian's supposed infidelity also his killer?
Why do Michele and the children go to the seashore beyond the lava ridges after the race?

This incredibly tense, overwhelming at times, emotional, wonderful book, Going For Kona, by Queen of Mystery and Suspense Pamela Fagan Hutchins, deserves at least ten stars, (rather than the maximum five available), as it draws you so deeply into the world of Michele and Adrian, her heartfelt love and loss, self-doubt and despair, her complicated relationships - with her family, her ex, her in-laws, the police and much much more - in such an incredibly sensitive, realistic, brilliantly-written and well-paced manner, that it almost broke my heart to realise the end of the book had arrived, all too soon.

Make sure you don't miss this modern classic, that gives a timeless message of hope, unlike any other you'll read this year.
Grab your copy of Going For Kona (Michele #1), by Pamela Fagan Hutchins today and forget about the Covid-19 pandemic and your Lockdown Blues, as (like me), you'll probably read it in one sitting - it's that great!

[Doreen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can certainly understand why this book won an award; Going for Kona is one exciting read! It's the type of story that will trigger a gamut of emotions from happiness to extreme sadness and everything in between. Michelle & Adrian, both married for the 2nd time are truly in love. Michelle's son Sam and Adrian's daugher Annabelle are close, possbily closer than natural siblings. Adrian's a triathlon enthusiast, writer and coach to Michele who will be racing in Kona, Hawaii for the first time. Tragedy strikes. Michelle is lost, afraid and struggling to go on but highly determined to find out who killed her beloved husband at the same time she's diligently training for the triathlon to honor Adrian. Annabelle's grandmother insists she leave her Texas home and return to New York City to live with her. Sam misses her terribly and his behavior has Michelle and her ex-husband concerned and at odds on how to handle things.

I won't explain any further to avoid the need for a "spoiler alert" Suffice it to say, I think everyone will enjoy this book and find it thrilling from the beginning to the last page. (I became so engrossed in the story I actually felt like I participated in the grueling endurance race as I was reading this book - which would cause my family and friends to laugh hysterically)

Note: In exchange for my honest, non-biased opinion I received a free copy of this book

[Ginny · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well told, believable, filled with love

I don’t read romantic novels - they’re formulaic and predictable. This is billed as a “romantic mystery”, so I hoped the mystery would carry the story. We know from the book blurb that Michele’s husband is killed by a hit-and-run driver, so when he’s still alive in the first chapter and we get to experience how strong their bond is, it’s both good and bad. I knew the end was coming, but I didn’t know when.

This book exceeded all my expectations and left me with tears of joy in my eyes. Michele and her husband Adrian are triathletes. It’s their second marriage, and they’re raising two teenagers (one his, one hers). He qualified to run the Kona Iron Man. Michele planned to tell him she’d won a lottery spot and would be competing with him, but she never got the chance. She decides to do it in his memory, and continues to train alone.

This story is filled with love and conflict, as all the best lives are. She loses her stepdaughter to her grandparents, with her agreement - how could she refuse? Then her son starts sneaking out and getting into trouble. Meanwhile, the hit-and-run is far from being solved, and the family continues to be threatened.

I highly recommend this book, even if you know very little about triathlons (like me).

[Joan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book had a very slow start, especially compared to other books in the "What Doesn't Kill You" series, but finishes strong.

Michele Lopez Hanson is deeply in love with her handsome, athletic husband, Adrian. and can't believe her good fortune that he has chosen to share his life and that of his teenaged daughter, Annabel, with her. When he is hit and killed on their wedding anniversary by a hit and run driver while training for the prestigious Kona Ironman triathalon, we become far too immersed in her grief. While certainly understandable, it becomes painful to empathize with her through so many chapters. Her publicist (she and her husband have co-authored a book about training together for events) books events for her only days after her husband's death. She is constantly told that this is what Adrian would want.

A witness tells police that the hit and run driver was in a white Ford pickup truck driven by a teenaged, or young male, driver and so the police investigate her son, Sam. She sees a white Taurus sedan everywhere and believes this is the car that hit her husband, follows her son, and runs her off the road. A brassy woman keeps appearing and announces on public media that she had an affair with Adrian. Michele wonders if what she thought she had with Adrian was real. She hears and feels him with her whenever she trains.

[Susan Hamann · Rating 5 out of 5]

Michele and her husband have been training for triathlons together and they've written a book describing their relationship and their joint training. Right after their launch, Adrian is killed on his bicycle by a hit and run driver. Police think it's murder. Michele is confronted by the loss of her husband, her publicist wanting her to do more events to publicize the book, the breakup of her family, and a woman's announcement that she had an affair with Adrian. As Michele struggles with her new reality, she continues to train for the triathlon in Kona, for Adrian.

And she has a clue on the vehicle that killed her husband, but the police not only ignore her, they continue to question those around her. Someone also seems to be stalking her family.

The book describes Michele's grief, her desire to continue with the training for Adrian, her personal issues, and so much more. It is a very touching and believable story. I really enjoyed it and listened to the excellent audio version of the book. I highly recommend this book. I think it would be appreciated by mature audiences.

[Trudy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Michele Lopez Hanson has finally found her perfect balance. She has the perfect husband, book writing & cycling partner and father to their children. Then everything is taken away from her. She cannot tell which way is up and she can’t even be there for her children when they need her desperately. In fact, her son is being accused of killing her husband Adrian! The mystery is everywhere from the death of Adrian, to the woman stalking him, to the white cars she is constantly seeing. You read while Michele struggles and you feel it bone deep because you know if you lost your better half you wouldn't be able to hold it all together either! She fights to overcome all of the obstacles that are thrown at her and her family. She pushes hard to accomplish the goal she set out for herself in honor of her husband and as the reader we get to be right by her side. The intrigue keeps you turning pages until the very last one!

[F.E. Greene · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my new favorite novel by Pamela Fagan Hutchins. Going for Kona has convincing characters, rock-solid plotting, and a tremendously satisfying conclusion. The author’s genius is in her details which are so immersive, I felt like I was right there with Michele. Like all the books I’ve read by PFH, Going for Kona doesn’t conform to a particular genre. It’s a unique, zingy blend of mystery and romance with an intelligent female protagonist working through the challenges that life throws at her. While this one is lighter on real-time romance, it does contain a touching love story. Although I’m not a huge fan of first person POV, I found Going for Kona to be an authentic emotional journey that culminates in a truly amazing race. Highly recommended.

[Angie · Rating 5 out of 5]

A well-crafted new thread in the WDKY series!
A former lawyer and now at-home mother and author, we meet Michele who has lost her beloved husband in a tragic accident. In order to work through her unimaginable sorrow, she decides to complete the triathlon that her husband would have participated in were he still alive. As Michele continues to train, it’s almost as if she can still feel/hear him. Unfortunately, more disaster is in store for this family with the loss of her stepdaughter to her in-laws and her biological teenage son is accused of murder. It’s a wrenching journey for Michele in more ways than one, but she’s resilient and can meet a challenge even if she skins her knees a bit!

[Renee Arthur · Rating 5 out of 5]

Michele and Adrian are a couple in love through all their quirky faults. They're training for the triathlon in Kona and have written a book about training with your partner. There's a little disturbance at their first book signing involving a woman. I'll just leave that hanging there for future reference in the book. The start of the book is good, but the more I read, the more I was drawn in to Going for Kona. This book is about family, a murder and one woman's strength through all of the craziness going on in her life and mind. It's a great mystery with a devious plot. Definitely worth the read.