The Lava Witch

Dark Paradise Mystery #3

by Debra Bokur

The grim hard facts of a bizarre ritual murder collide with local legends of sorcery and possession for Maui detective Kali Māhoe.

In a remote, mountainous area of a Maui forest near Haleakala volcano, the naked body of a young woman is found hanging from a tree. The devil is in the details: the woman’s nostrils, mouth, and lungs are packed with lava sand. Her hands are bound in twine. Her feet are charred and blackened, suggesting a fire-walking ceremony. Detective Kali Māhoe’s suspicions are immediately aroused. It has all the signs of a ritual torture and murder.

But Kali’s investigation soon leads her down a winding trail of seemingly unconnected clues and diverging paths—from the hanging tree itself, a rare rainbow eucalyptus, to rumors of a witch haunting the high areas of the forest, to the legend of the ancient Hawaiian sorceress Pahulu, goddess of nightmares. Casting a shadow over it all—the possibility of a Sitting God, a spirit said to invade and possess the soul.

Aided by her uncle Police Captain Walter Alaka’i, Officer David Hara, and the victim’s brother, Kali embarks down the darkest road of all. One that is leading to the truth of the mountain’s deadly core and a dark side of the island for which even Kali is unprepared.

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Procedural, Mystery Thriller, Family

304 pages, Hardcover

First published May 31, 2022

Reviews

[Renee · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoy this series. It takes me away to Hawaii & keeps me focused there, even during some distracting days. Great characters & culture. Looking forward to the next adventure!

[Jane MacKinnon · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have throughly enjoyed this book.I don’t like reading a book out of order but enjoyed the characters and the setting but most of all I have just downloaded the first book in the series. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who wants a nice enjoyable read and learn about Australia and all,things Australian.

[Beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought this was very well written!

[Kaitlyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

“The Lava Witch” by Debra Bokur is a thrilling and intense murder-mystery novel that weaves Hawaiian folklore with Maui’s darker and more vicious secrets. In this fast-paced and highly addictive read, readers are pulled into a world full of illusions, deception, and the mysterious inner workings of gods and goddesses.

In this third book of the Dark Paradise Mystery series, detective Kali Māhoe is called to a popular hiking route in the mountains near Haleakala. A woman has been found hanging from a tree with her wrists bound and her feet charred. Kali believes these are all signs of a ritual with the intent to torture and kill.

The deeper Kali digs into the mystery surrounding this woman’s death and who might possibly have the motives to kill her, the more she gains the attention of the killer (or killers) involved. Suddenly, her home no longer feels like a place of safety and the people around her are getting hurt. It’s clear that whoever’s responsible for the death of this woman, and the rumors arising about a witch haunting the forest will stop at nothing to keep their secrets hidden.

Though “The Lava Witch” is the third installment to the Kali Māhoe series, it can be read as a standalone. As a forewarning to picking up this book, make sure all plans are canceled because the events will easily consume readers from start to finish. It is an unpredictable story with an excellent crew of characters. Kali is a favorite due to her headstrong nature and strong empathetic connection to others which make her an incredible detective and an easy person to relate to. Bokur allows readers to be swept up in a murder mystery but also gives those sweet, personal moments in which Kali’s personality is able to shine the brightest.

The addition of Hawaiian folklore and mythology adds a lot of depth and divine superstition around the murder mystery that takes place. It's a great way for readers who are unfamiliar with these myths to learn a bit more about the culture of Maui. Paired with the death of a young woman in the woods, it adds a paranormal element to the story itself that makes it impossible to figure out what is happening on Maui and who might be responsible for the chaos.

Those who enjoy mythology, murder mysteries, and a sweet escape are going to be captivated by Kali and the disturbing mystery behind a young woman’s brutal and torturous death. Be on the lookout for Kali’s next mystery on May 31st, 2022 when “The Lava Witch” officially hits the shelves!

A big thank you to both NetGalley and Kensington Books for providing me with a free e-arc of this novel and the opportunity to share my honest opinion in this review.

[Paula · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Lava Witch by Debra Bokur is a plausible mystery with believable characters. I liked learning the Hawaiian words for things, but it did get tedious after a while and would draw my attention away from the story.

I would rate this a 3.5 out of 5 stars. A good mystery, good writing, and an enjoyable afternoon read.

#TheLavaWitch #NetGalley @KensingtonBooks

[Ileana Renfroe · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Lava Witch is set in a remote mountainous area of Maui Forest near Haleakala volcano where the body of a woman is found hanging from a tree.

The detective on the case thinks there is a lot of similarity to a ritual torture.

Aided by her uncle Police Captain Walter Alaka’i, Officer David Hara, and the victim’s brother, Kali embarks down the darkest road of all. One that is leading to the truth of the mountain’s deadly core and a dark side of the island for which even Kali is unprepared.

Enjoyed reading this book and look forward to reading more by this author.

[Jan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Talk about plot twists! And lots of information about Hawai'ian indigenous history/culture most of us mainlanders can only read about. The publisher's blurb is well done and certainly had ME hooked! It's a fast moving and engrossing story that I found hard to put down. I count this one as another win for the author! Police detective Kali Mahoe is a degreed cultural anthropologist/spiritual leader of her people. I loved the imagery of the island lore as well as the personalities of the characters. Sometimes I'd get lost in the lore and have to go back to catch a thread of the investigation, but then I'm a history geek.
This is not an unbiased review because I enjoyed the first ones so much and eagerly awaited this one.
You don't need to read the other books first, but you'll probably want to read them afterward. I got mine in audio so I could hear the unfamiliar words pronounced correctly.
I requested and received a free temporary ebook copy from Kensington Books via NetGalley. Thank you!

[Danielle Bush · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this mystery, Debra Bokur really brings the setting to life, and despite the horrible nature of the murder really makes me want to visit Hawaii.

I love trying to figure out whats going on along side Kali as she is tying to put all these puzzle pieces together. This crime seems to have some sort of spiritual aspect, and Kali is definitely the one to solve the crime. Its fast paced and you wont want to put it down until the very end.

[Suanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Lava Witch, is the third in the Dark Paradise Mystery Series, but it reads well as a standalone novel. I like it enough to consider going back and reading #1 and #2. There are enough hints as to the background of Kali Māhoe, a detective with the Maui Police Department. Kali is also a kahu, a spiritual leader in her Hawaiian community, so designated by her grandmother.

Kali has been called to a bizarre crime scene where a young woman has been tortured and killed. Because of her ties to the spiritual aspects of Hawai’i, her methods are somewhat unorthodox, in this case guided by stories in a book written by her grandmother. Kali is also haunted, damaged by the killing of her long-time boyfriend by drug dealers.

I enjoyed the atmosphere and how author Bokur made the glamorous Hawaiian islands dark and forbidding. There were lots of twists and turns in the plot as well.

[Yvonne Speece · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great series - highly recommend

[Heather · Rating 3 out of 5]

This ARC was provided to me via Kindle, Kensington Books and by #NetGalley. Opinions expressed are completely my own.

I quite appreciate a title keeps me entertained and engaged throughout, mission accomplished.


Characters are well written, formed and play off others. . They come to life making it relatable.

[KerryO · Rating 5 out of 5]

Homicide Detective Kali Māhoe investigates the torture murder of a young woman on Maui, close to her own home. This is a well written serial with suspense and well-developed characters. The reader is introduced to Hawaiian legends, their meanings and influence on present day Hawaiians. I anxiously await the next book in this series. I received an ARC from NetGalley, and the opinions expressed are my own. #TheLavaWitch #NetGalley.

[Annarella · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed the first mystery in this series and loved this one as it brought on me a trip where police procedures, investigation, and magical lore mixes.
Kali is a an expert in Hawaii lore and magic and a clever detective. She and her team will solve a bizzarre, cruel murder that features all the elements of a ritual and a possible ritual killing.
It was a fast paced story that I read in a sitting and couldn't put down. There's a cast of interesting characters, the dark side of paradise and the mythology of Hawaii.
The mystery is solid, I didn't guessed any twist or the solution and it kept me on the edge till the end.
Even if it's the third in a series it can be read as a stand alone.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

[Anne, Unfinished Woman · Rating 3 out of 5]

SPOILER ALERT

Det Kali Mahoe, with her huge dog Hilo, part Weimaraner and part Great Dane, is challenged by a man who is obsessed with the legends of Hawaii. It begins when the body of Maya Holmes is founded hanging from the magnificent rainbow eucalyptus tree in the Polipoli Spring State Recreation area of Kula Forest Reserve. She has been asphyxiated with very fine lava dust, stuffed in her nose, mouth and lungs, after tortured, perhaps having been made to fire walk, the soles of her feet burned. She was an employee of the Center for Marine Mining and Research under the direction of Dr. Davos O'Connor. Another director in the CMMR is Byron Coolidge, working on his doctorate, and head of the Chemistry Division. Jody Phillips was another employee and her friend. Trey Carter was a student intern she had befriended. He disappears and eventually is found in a homeless camp on Oahu, dead from an overdose. There have been reports of witches in the Reserve, which adds to the question of whether the killing was a ritual.

As Kali and Capt Walter Alaka'i investigate, they must also contend with drugs on Maui. Kali becomes the victim of a break-in at her home, in which the book written by her grandmother, Pualani Pali, who was an historian with a PhD; the book, "Lore and Legend of the Hawaiian Archipelago", is stolen. The Island Market owned by George, a friend, is then fire bombed. And then Kali's hale which protects the partially completed canoe her fiance', Mike Shirai, had been making before his death is firebombed and all destroyed. Vance Sousa, a strange man who works for CMMR and refers to the myths, priests and sorcery of Hawaii frequently, but is missing, is suspected. He is covered in tattoos and witnesses said the man on the motorcycle who bombed the market was covered in tattoos.

Maya's brother's, Charlie, home is ransacked and he has disappeared. He had found Maya's computer in a jigsaw puzzle box in his room. It is encrypted so the strange coding found in not able to be read at first. Jodie comes to the police station and reports what Maya had been working on. The men of the CMMR, and those with advanced degrees looked with distain at the others. Maya had been working on a new method of mining that would have revolutionized the industry and would have been worth a lot of money. Kali and Walter believe that CMMR is the starting point for the drug business and other illegal activity...the reason for Maya's death.

They will follow Vance, find him at the Reserve dancing naked, drugged and screaming that he is Kane and will overcome Kali, who is a priestess. He is shot and subdued by Kali, Walter and Officer Hara. They find Charlie there, hurt, and he warns of a cave, and tells them not to go into it. The only place he could have been referring to that is close is a lava tube. When they find it and enter, Kali and Charlie find the meth lab with Byron Coolidge manufacturing meth. It is active and he threatens to set it off. When he runs toward the rear of the tube and upsets the table as he goes, Kali and Walter run back to the entrance barely making it as the lab explodes, the tube collapsing. They are started down the mountain, in the sheeting rain when they encounter Jodie Phillips coming up the road. She tries to get away but runs into a mudslide. She helped to kill Maya. They had all planned to steal Maya's work. They needed to find her computer and the background work before an article was published in a professional periodical. She had been abducted and tortured for the information but had not revealed its location before they killed her. O'Connor is apprehended.

Kali loses much in this installment. Her grandmother's book, which was the first one, was destroyed by Sousa, along with the canoe. She and Walter rig a raft and take the burned canoe out to sea to sink. She sees herself moving on from this point, and has begun thinking of her neighbor, the artist Icelandic Elvar Ellinsson as more than just a friend. George's market will be restored with better storage and Kali will perform a ceremony for the opening. During the investigation, in Oahu, she sees Makena, Mike Shirai's daughter, who has fallen into deep drug use and prostitution. She realizes she is unable to help her anymore.

[Annie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Originally posted on my blog: Nonstop Reader.

The Lava Witch is the third modern procedural mystery in the Dark Paradise series by Debra Bokur. Released 31st May 2022 by Kensington, it's 304 pages and is available in hardcover and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the e-book format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links and references throughout. I've really become enamored of e-books with interactive formats lately.

I've enjoyed seeing this series develop. There's a strong female main protagonist who is intelligent, active, and direct. She's driven and not defined by her romantic interests. She's an interesting dichotomy, both a logical, science based investigator, as well as the granddaughter (and heir) of a well respected Native Hawai'ian spiritual leader and historian. She has a good rapport with her colleagues and uses their strengths to investigate and solve crimes.

The opening murder in this installment is quite bizarre and ritualistic. It's a modern procedural and as such, there is some moderately graphic content; mostly in the descriptions of the crime and crime scene. Language is mildly PG, a few "damns" and nothing worse.

It's well written throughout and the descriptions of places and settings are very well done and easy to imagine. Although it's the third book in the series, it works very well as a standalone. The author is adept at providing necessary backstory information without dumping too much info on the reader at once. The mystery is self contained and the plotting is satisfying and complex. The major storyline is moderately foreshadowed, but there were some surprises at the denouement.

Four stars. Capably written with a strong and sympathetic protagonist, and set in gorgeous surroundings which feature significantly in the action. This would be a good choice for public library acquisition, for fans of the genre, and for mystery bookclubs (or for a buddy read).

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

[Deb · Rating 3 out of 5]

Kali Mahoe is a homicide detective on the island of Maui--paradise for some, but not for a cop working a gruesome murder case. Maya Holmes was found high in a mountain reserve, hanging from a rainbow eucalyptus tree. Nearby, a fire-walking pit explains the burns on the girl's feet. But no one knows what to make of the white sand in her mouth.
As Kali, her superior, Uncle Walter, and newbie officer Hara work the case, they are led to Maya's workplace, an ocean sciences institute working on using sonar to better locate and extract minerals from the seabed with minimal environmental disturbance. Kali immediately dislikes the institute's leader, Dr. O'Connor, and gets some curious vibes from other staff in the labs.
But it is Kali's sense of something else about the crime scene that stirs nightmares; Kali is a kahuna, a repository of island lore and wisdom passed down by her late grandmother. Kali suspects there is someone trying to work some dark magic. That the murderer may also be manufacturing and selling meth just complicates the investigation, and stirs past trauma for Kali, who lost her partner in a drug-related shooting.
Then Maya's grieving brother Charlie disappears, and the race is on to find him before he, too, can be sacrificed.
This is a pretty basic police procedural, with the twist of the Hawaiian setting. The characters are interesting and well-drawn, and the crime is intriguing enough to carry the plot to a storm-driven conclusion. I may seek out other volumes in the series.

[Stacey · Rating 3 out of 5]

The third mystery featuring Hawai'ian detective Kali Mahoe and the darker side of the paradise that is the Hawai'ian islands. This one features the murder of a young woman that has undercurrents of various rituals like fire-walking and witchcraft but may be hiding the real reasons and intent behind the murder. Kali and her team, her uncle/captain Walter and officer Hara must decipher the reasons why this young woman was murdered since the perpetrators are starting to go after the people Kali cares for as well as intruding on her home.
Me being me, I went back and read the first two mysteries as well, which can be read as stand-alones but I prefer to start at the beginning. I really enjoyed all three novels, they feel well researched in regards to the native Hawai'ian practices and rituals while being respectful and the author inter-twines them well with the mystery (however my knowledge of this area is not great and a native may feel differently). I like all the characters and am looking forward to reading another book featuring Kali & crew.

[Lisa · Rating 1 out of 5]

Very happy to have missed books 1 & 2 in this series and I will definitely skip the rest. While the idea of a strong female lead in the story was the draw, this book didn't deliver. Detective Kali Mahoe is only another two dimensional female character. She spends her time making goo goo eyes at a young male detective, and at her neighbor Elvar.

The story wanders around and around and doesn't really seem to have a plot. It starts out teasing of sorcery, witchcraft, rituals and living gods, adds some "quirky" "nerdy" scientists, throws in some passing mention of the loss of the love of Detective Kali's life (?) - another police officer who was killed in a drug bust gone wrong and the unresolved relationship she has/had with his 18 year old daughter and ends with strip clubs, strung out druggies and several murders.

By the time the story is wrapped up and the bad guys/bad girls are arrested I was long past caring about who did what to whom and why.

[LittleRead · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kali Mahoe is called to the scene of a murder and it appears to be one tied to a ritual, but which one, she does not know. Soon she is chasing her suspects alibis, means, motives and opportunities. Who killed this promising you woman and why? More over, what if the rumor of a witch practicing in the area are true? Kali aims to unravel the clues, lies and rituals to solve the case, even when her own safety is at stake.

This is the first book I have read in this series and I am hooked! The pace was just right, the whodunit well written and the Hawaiian lore and history was woven in so well. The characters are well developed and the writing is solid. Going to read the first two books and wait for the fourth to come out. It’s that good!

[Kathleen Gray · Rating 5 out of 5]

An interesting procedural that blends modern murder with Hawaiian folklore. Someone murdered Maya Louise Holmes in a dramatic and gory way that shrieks ritual murder to Maui Det. Kali Mahoe. This isn't the Hawaii in the travel posters. It's a darker more ominous Hawaii. Was Holmes killed because of her work? Or was she chosen for another reason? And what the heck was the band of witches that some saw flying through the woods? Kali works with her uncle and others to sort through the legends and folklore to get to the truth. No spoilers from me. I learned a great deal from this,, which was a standalone for me despite being the third in a series. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. Not a cozy, for sure and a very good read.

[Rae Chalmers · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the third book in the Dark Paradise Mystery series set on Maui with Detective Kali Mahoe.
When a young scientist is discovered brutally murdered in the forest there are suggestions of witchcraft, and the ancient Hawaiian sorceress Pahulu.
The island setting is vivid with descriptions of plants, wildlife, rain and rainbows. Historic knowledge is celebrated and woven through the plot. The beauty is in sharp contrast to the very real problems facing all communities, even paradise, as homelessness, drug addiction and sex trafficking are laid bare.
Bokur ties together several plots with interesting characters and gritty details that keep the pages turning

[Laurel Kallenbach]

THRILLING SUSPENSE ON EVERY PAGE
Set in Hawaii, THE LAVA WITCH has lots of twists and turns that kept me reading way past bedtime. I especially love this murder-mystery series featuring Kali Mahoe, a strong, female detective—all too rare in this genre. Kali is smart, tough, and devoted to her work, but she’s not a masochist or emotionally maimed like some fictional detectives. Instead, she’s heartfelt and human—and she has a huge Great Dane/ Weimeraner-mix dog who helps out from time to time. Add in the island vibe contrasted by a chilling murder, and you’ve got what I think is the perfect summer read!

[M.E. Roche · Rating 4 out of 5]

This mystery blends a ritualistic murder with tribal legends, and mysticism, setting it all within a remote mountainous section of Maui. The local police, led by Detective Kali Mahoe, encounters multiple obstacles in the investigation, particularly when seeking information from the victim's employer. Personal attacks on Kali herself present further challenges. Kali's family and friends step up to offer protection and the victim's brother provides information leading to the eventual solving of the murder. The underlying reason for the murder leads to a dramatic ending no one could have predicted.

[Bridget · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Lava Witch by Debra Bokur is instalment three in the author's Dark Paradise Mystery series and my first. Witchy vibes feature in this twisted suspense-filled tale. A young woman has been tortured before being killed and Kali Māhoe, a detective with the Maui Police Department, goes to investigate. A great read which has whetted my appetite enough to pick up the first two books.

I received a complimentary copy of this novel, at my own request, from Kensington Books via NetGalley. This review is my own unbiased opinion.

[Patricia Stoltey · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Debra Bokur's Dark Paradise Mystery series so much. The amount of information about Hawaii land and culture and history we receive points to a lot of in-depth research by the author. The characters are well-drawn and appealing, the writing excellent, and the spiritual aspect of some of the crimes most intriguing. Detective Kali Mahoe is not only a cop, she's the granddaughter of a well known spiritual leader and destined to follow that path. Her skills are put to good use in each of the mysteries. Highly recommended.

[Sherrie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This starts off with a gruesome murder to a young woman. It does involve drugs and a few innocent people. Kari and her Uncle Walter along with Hara need to keep their wits this time because a lone person on a motorcycle decides to invade Karis home and space which she takes as personal including messing with the unfinished canoe. The person also goes after the grocery store. Can Kari and the group keep their wits together to locate the people who had killed Maya and locate all the people involved?

[Leith Devine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Set in Maui, this fascinating detective story takes the reader from the coast into the mountain rainforest. It looks like someone has been trying to practice ancient Hawaiian rituals, and the result is a dead girl. This is a gripping read!

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed as in this review are completely my own.

[Kari · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the third book in the Dark Paradise Mysteries series. This is definitely the best on so far. I liked the mystery and was kept guessing. The best part of this book was the change and growth in Kali. The scene where she says goodbye to her boyfriend's boat was heartbreaking. I look forward to the next one.

[Rev Pam · Rating 5 out of 5]

Quirky mixes of small town, and science, myth and malevolence, personalities and persistence. Lovely that Detective Kali is respected in her jeans and t-shirt. There's family warmth and hard-boiled crime-fighting.

[Kelly · Rating 3 out of 5]

While it was competently written, I just didn't buy the storyline. Having family living on Maui (and I lived on O'ahu) is possibly the reason. It just felt like something someone who maybe vacationed there once and then did some research might write.