Zero Break

Mahu #6

by Neil S. Plakcy

Zero break refers to the deep-water location where waves first begin, often far offshore. For Honolulu homicide detective and surfer Kimo Kanapa'aka, it means his most dangerous case yet.

A young mother is murdered in what appears to be a home invasion robbery, leaving behind a complex skein of family and business relationships, and Kimo and his detective partner Ray Donne must navigate deadly waters to uncover the true motive behind her death.

Kimo is also in trouble at home, as he and fire investigator Mike Riccardi plumb the limits of their love for one another and consider the future of their relationship.

What the critics have said about the Mahu Investigations:

“Plakcy keeps the waves of suspense crashing!” In LA Magazine

“Hits all the right notes as a mystery.” Mystery Book News

“Kimo brings needed diversity to the genre, and the author handles the island setting well.” Honolulu Star-Bulletin

“Spotless pace, intriguing plots twists, and an earnest depiction of challenges faced by people transitioning out of the closet.” Honolulu Advertiser

“Recommended to a wide audience.” Reviewing the Evidence

Genres: Mystery, M M Romance, Contemporary, Romance, Crime, LGBT, Mystery Thriller

235 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 12, 2019

About the author

I have been a voracious reader all my life, mostly in mystery, romance, and science fiction/fantasy, though a college degree in English did push a lot of literary works into my list of favorites.

Quick note: sign up for my newsletter at plakcy.substack.com to get free prologues, epilogues and short stories.

I began writing seriously in high school after an inspiring assignment with A Separate Peace by John Knowles. I didn't know I was gay then, but I knew I was longing for an emotional connection with a best friend. That desire shows up across my writing, from romance to mystery to adventure. I am lucky to have found my special person, and I want to inspire readers to make those connections, to one person or a found family.

It took getting an MFA in creative writing to kick-start my career. That's where I honed my technical skills and began to understand what kind of storyteller I am.

I remember reading Freddie the Detective about a very smart pig inspired by Sherlock Holmes. I’ve always believed that dogs make the best detectives. They notice what humans miss — a faint scent, a subtle shift in body language, the hidden treat in your pocket. That belief inspired my Golden Retriever Mysteries, where Rochester helps his human, Steve Levitan, nose out the truth.

My passion is telling stories where community, loyalty, and sometimes love solve problems just as much as clues do. Whether it’s a cozy mystery in Bucks County, a thriller on the streets of Miami, or a romance unfolding under the Mediterranean sun, I want readers to feel the heartbeat of the place and the people.

I write because stories helped me feel less alone growing up, and now I want to give readers that same feeling: a companion, a puzzle, and maybe a laugh.

When I’m not writing, I’m probably walking one of my own goldens, teaching writing, or daydreaming about my next story.
Since then I've written dozens of books, won a couple of treasured awards, and enjoyed the support of readers.

Every place I’ve lived has made its way into my fiction: the rolling hills of Bucks County, the neon heat of Miami, the beaches of Hawaii, the cobbled streets of Europe. I love exploring how communities work — from a café where dogs guide healing, to a fraternity house in South Beach, to a police unit in Honolulu.

My goal is simple: to write stories that feel grounded in real people and real places, but with enough twists, romance, or danger to keep you turning pages late into the night.

I hope you'll visit my website, where you can sign up for my occasional newsletter, and also follow my author page on Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/neil.plakcy.

Reviews

[Kaje Harper · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars - I love Kimo and I really like police procedural mysteries, so this book was eagerly awaited. I liked getting to see more of Kimo and Mike as a couple, watching them learning how to live together and navigate around work and family issues. This was a little less emotional than some other outings from this series, but the mystery was intricate and held together well. A solid series that definitely should be read in order, since the characters change and grow, and a big part of the fun is watching that happen.

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kimo is back with a rather good murder, which as usual kept me guessing to the reveal. A good balance of mystery while bringing us more insight into his relationship with Mike.

[Ami · Rating 4 out of 5]

What starts as a murder as a result of a home invasion, turns out a little bit more complicated when Detective Kimo Kanapa'aka and his homicide parner, Detective Ray Donne, finds out that the woman murdered might involved in complicated family and business situation. The woman is a lesbian with two daughters, though she is divorced from her ex-partner and seems to be going back to men. On top of that, the universe seems to keep sending signals that makes Kimo and Mike thinking about whether they should or should not have kids on their own.

This is a great story about how murder investigation should be like. At first, it seems that the best candidates with motives to kill the woman is either her ex-partner or the baby daddy. But Kimo and Ray find out that Zoë Greenfield is on a brink of uncovering a business data manipulation. I like how Kimo and Ray looking for clues, making connection about facts that they find, and asking people whom they think will help solved the case. I enjoy that part. In addition, I love the chemistry of Kimo and Ray's partnership (which is different from Kimo's first partner, Akoni). They are very much in tune with one another, a sign of good working relationship.

There is not much focus on Kimo's romance with Mike, in terms of sex scenes. They are pretty much in a strong relationship this time around. We have Kimo and Mike in day-to-day basis, talking about their days, walking the dogs, watching TV. Oh, there is this one great scene on how Mike takes care of Kimo after a horrible event that takes life of students at a high school.

I like how Kimo and Mike start talking about the possibility of having or not having children. It's funny that the story starts with Zoë Greenfield, a lesbian with two daughters, then Kimo starts to think about children, then suddenly every one he knows (gays or not) are having kids. Even his partner, Ray, whose wife is pregnant. Everywhere he goes, Kimo meets an event that brings back the thought of kids in his mind. It's pretty interesting because it shows how his relationship with Mike is moving forward. The story concludes with the two of them willing to think about the possibility but not right now. There is also a short story included in the end, which is taken several months later, with Ray and his wife, Julie, already have their baby.

It's a great update on Kimo and his ohana.

[Katie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Most boring in the Mahu series. Too much internalizing thoughts about babies and not enough tension in the crime solving. Meh.

[Maria E. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great mystery, and an honest peek at life on Oahu to boot!

Absolute pleasure reading a book taking place in Hawai'i nei, which actually represents Hawai'i, not some touristy nonsense. Place has drawn very likable characters in Detective Kimo K, Detective Ray , and Kimo's life partner, Mike, and a murder mystery with more twists and turns than Round Top Drive! I picked up this book because I'd read and loved many of Plakcy's previous Golden Retriever series, so when I saw this series written by him, and taking place on Oahu, it was a no brainer, and super glad I did. To all readers, not only do you get to read a great mystery, but get insight into life on Oahu. You, like me, may not be part of the lifestyle, but honestly, it's a great read all around. Aloha!

[Lois - Who Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another great entry in the Mahu Investigations series. The murder of a young mother sends Kimo and Ray chasing after many leads trying to determine who culprit is and why this women was murdered. I enjoyed the mystery and all the twist and turns it took.

Throughout the story, everywhere Kimo turns there are children, causing him to have some deep thoughts about having children himself. Kimo and Mike have some in depth discussions about what having children would mean for them. I do like these two guys together. It was a rough road for them to get to where they are now.

[Misty · Rating 4 out of 5]

** 4.5 Stars **

[JSidelinger · Rating 5 out of 5]

Blurb: Openly gay homicide detective Kimo Kanapa'aka is back in the sixth Mahu series. A woman is murdered in what appears to be a home invasion robbery - Kimo and his partner Ray are sent to the scene to investigate. The murder victim is estranged from her partner and other circumstances have Kimo and Ray trying to solve this complex case.

Neil Plakcy's Mahu series sends me to my happy place. He brings you into the island mindset with the setting, vibe, characters and aloha spirit that underpins these stories. In the sixth installment, Kimo Kanapa'aka and his partner Ray Donne are sent to investigate a home invasion turned bad. They find a young woman stabbed to death and begin their investigation into a case filled with the twists and turns of a riptide.

The author draws you into Kimo's world by seduction. Kimo is handsome, tall, funny, and his core values honor family and life partner Mike Riccardi (sexy too) an arson investigator with the Honolulu Fire Department. Kimo's police partner is Detective Ray Donne whose easy acceptance of Kimo's life holds the key to their success as a team. Kimo is multi-dimensional as a character because of his good qualities as a person as well as his flaws. He jumps to conclusions sometimes. He is still working out how to live with someone he loves with all his heart. The author very deftly and realistically, paints a portrait of relationships in which misunderstandings, assumptions, giving, and caring are expertly woven into the thrill ride to find a killer.

The other layered and complex character in the series is the setting itself. Neil Plakcy writes with love for the Hawaiian Islands and draws you in with everyday experiences from a native's perspective. You are drawn in by his keen descriptions of local landmarks, surfing, ordinary stops for a breakfast of malasadas (donuts) and coffee, use of native words like: keikis (children), makai (towards the ocean), mokes (local tough guys), and ohana (family circle).

I am giving five stars because I absolutely loved the maturity, complexity, and overall ease of the newest Mahu novel. Mahalo, Neil! I'm going to read this one again and again!

[Romancing the Book · Rating 5 out of 5]

Posted on Romancing the Book's blog
Reviewed by Marissa
Review Copy Provided by ARC by Author

Let me start with this: If you have not read the previous books in the Mahu series, do so. Yes, this book could be read as a stand-alone but not only will you be missing some fine mystery writing, you will be missing some of the finer points in Kimo’s past that are mentioned in Zero Break.

If you’ve read the book’s synopsis, you know that Kimo is a gay police detective who solves mysteries. In this particular book, he also becomes involved in a high-speed chase through Honolulu (Hawaii Five-0 lookout!), a tragic shooting, an explosion, and everywhere he looks are children.

This particular case starts with a murdered lesbian which leads him to an alternative form of power called wave energy. According to the Offshore Alternative Energy Guide, wave power devices extract energy directly from the surface motion of ocean waves or from pressure fluctuations below the surface. This is something new for me, but that’s no surprise where Plakcy’s writing is concerned. Living in Honolulu, I often start to notice these things around me after reading one of his books. In this case, I’ve found that the State of Hawaii has been experimenting with wave energy since 2008.

My favorite part of the book came after a particularly traumatic day for Kimo. He handled everything great, concentrating on what he had to do in his role as a cop, but when he got home he let himself go and fell apart. And Mike took care of him. He let Kimo cry, and he held him and soothed him, and by the end of that touching scene you know that Mike will always be there for Kimo. (And if you don’t at least have teary eyes by the end of that chapter, you have no romance in you at all. Me? I cried outright.)

I have loved the Mahu series and Kimo right from the first book, Mahu, and judging by Zero Break I will continue to love them. Plakcy has grown Kimo into his own man, unafraid to announce his “gaydom” and to do what is right, no matter which road it takes him down.

[Don Bradshaw · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reviewed on Hearts On Fire... http://heartsonfirereviews.com/

I have been a fan of the Mahu series since it first came out and Detective Kimo Kanapa'aka was still in the closet. Six books later Mr. Plakcy is still masterfully walking readers through Kimo's life as he unravels homicides. This story opens with Kimo and his detective partner Ray Donne working a case which looks like a home invasion gone wrong and a young mother is killed. Further investigation reveals that the victim, Zoe, was murdered and that the first suspects are her ex partner Anna and their sperm donor Greg. As Kim and Ray continue an investigation that they just can't put all the pieces together on, Mr. Plakcy weaves the beauty of Oahu and the many diversified cultures and customs of the island into the story. A secondary plot flows through the story which adds richness to the usual murder mystery. Kimo and his partner Mike are beginning to talk about having a child of their own. The unique blending of Kimo's job and personal life is carried through each of the Mahu books and truly gives the reader a look at the whole man. Mike, Kimo and Ray are wonderful characters and you really get to know and care about them. The easy off the cuff joking between Ray and Kimo to break their tension as the case gets more complicated brings a few laughs to the book. The tender love making and passion between Mike and Kimo adds an extra emotional level to the story which you do not find in many gay mystery stories. Anna and Greg still look like they could be the killers until some strong plot twists finally bring Kimo and Ray to the real killers who were a surprise to me. I highly recommend the entire Mahu series which are best read in order so you can follow Kimo's life to any murder mystery lover with a heart for tropical Oahu.

[Alan · Rating 2 out of 5]

Openly gay homicide detective Kimo Kanapa’aka is back solving his sixth mystery in the Neil Plakcy’s Mahu series. A lesbian woman is found dead in what appears to be a home invasion robbery. She leaves behind an ex-partner and their adolescent daughter. But as Kimo and his partner dig deeper into the circumstances, they uncover a complex case of corporate fraud, greed, and more murders as the villains try to cover their tracks.

I have now read four of Plakcy’s Mahu series books and enjoyed the first three. With Zero Break, however, I had issues, and nearly gave up on it more than once.

The murder mystery seems to be a secondary storyline, taking back stage to Kimo and his lover’s (Mike) drawn-out discussion of whether to adopt a child. The topic is broached when Kimo finds that the murder victim, a lesbian woman, had been raising a child with her partner. This draws Kimo and Mike into a should-we/shouldn’t-we back and forth discussion that analyzes all aspects of gay adoption and parenting. Because the main thrust of the story is about gay adoption, I felt solving the mystery suffered, and the author didn’t put his usual flair into it. It seemed to me Kimo was simply going through the motions of solving a crime.

One of the most enjoyable parts of the earlier Mahu series, for me, has been Plakcy’s interesting details about island life and Hawaiian culture. That was almost totally missing from Zero Break, and I felt let down because of it.

Both the plot and Kemo’s character were not given the depth I’ve seen in the previous Mahu books. In short, I found Zero Break rather dull.

[Relly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good addition

4 ⭐️

Another great instalment.

I enjoy that I find definite parts of these books relatable.
The parts with Kimo wanting kids and feeling like everywhere he turns his friends are either having kids or knew people who were was well done and realistic. You always come to a part of your life where it feels like everyone is either getting married, having kids, buying homes etc, and this was portrayed well. I liked that he and Mike discussed it, and their opinions changed over the coarse of the book as they were not sure what they actually wanted, but it was discussed and a decision was made together.

The case was interesting and the twists and turns kept me reading on after I should have stopped for the night. Watching the interactions between the family they have made together is always enjoyable. I liked that Kimo made more of an effort with Mike’s parents and I felt that Mike’s dad was trying his best to engage Kimo by talking about his case, but was curtailed by his wife’s desire not to talk shop, and I can understand her desire to have a normal conversation and get to know Kimo, but I feel that Dr Riccardo struggles to connect and if this was his chance he should have had a go.

Every time I read one of these books, I want to go back to Honolulu and walk the sights.

Onto the next one

[Linda ~ they got the mustard out! ~ · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is another solid installment in the Mahu series, and another investigation that hits close to home for Kimo. A young mother has been killed and Kimo finds himself wondering what it would be like to be a father as the case and everyone else around him reminds him of the circle of life. He and Mike have only been together eight moves since they reunited, so they're not ready yet to take that step.

There were a couple of continuity errors, one that kind of gave away the whodunit but kind of didn't. I'm counting it as an error since Kimo didn't pick up on the slip when questioning witnesses. It could have been easily explained away if it had been questioned, so I'm not sure why it wasn't. There were also a couple of editing errors, but other than that this was as tightly written as the previous books.

I liked getting to see more of Kimo and Mike's home life, and seeing Kimo's and Ray's friendship on and off the job. Kimo's family gets only brief appearances in this one, but we do get to know more about Greg Oshiro, reporter and Kimo's quasi-nemesis.

[Suze · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another great installment in this series.
The books flow much more quickly and easily for me now - maybe I am used to the characters so don't have to think who they are and I don't have to sound out the local names so much either.
The personal development for Kimo and Mike is not so much this time, just settling into life and considering the next step. I did find Kimo constantly coming up against kids quite funny. Not so much of friends and family this time.
The book seemed much more mystery related to me and I did enjoy this one - who killed Zoe and Miriam.

[LDL · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was going to give this up 3 and ended up down grading it to a 2 simply because I was so disappointed. The book was boggy and boring to the first three quarters, and the entire relationship arc of the book was very weak. The mystery of portion improved in the end, but the personality and character interaction was flat throughout.

[Susinok · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an excellent addition to the Mahu mystery series. It was also wonderful to see the development of the relationship of Mike and Kimo. I certainly hope this series continues.

It also makes me want to go back to Hawaii. Maybe the big island this time. Aloha!

[Drianne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Definitely my favorite of the Kimo books! I was so pleased at how the case was simply that, a case and not something Kimo was personally involved in. Mike and Kimo were acting like a functional couple, too, yay! The mystery was better than many of the other books, also. Very pleased.

[SA · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another chapter in the life of Detective Kimo. For some reason, this volume in the series seemed to have excessive exposition, and a great deal of hand-wringing on the part of the narrator, but it's nice to revisit Kimo's life nonetheless.

[K. · Rating 2 out of 5]

Most boring in the Mahu series. Too much internalizing thoughts about babies and not enough tension in the crime solving. Meh.

[Murphy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love this series!

[K · Rating 5 out of 5]

reviewette to follow