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John Caine #1
Diamond Head
Winner of the seventh annual St. Martin's Press/PWA Best First Private Eye Novel Contest, newcomer Charles Knief spins a compelling mystery replete with scandal, intrigue, and an appealing new P.I.--retired U.S. Naval officer John Caine, living aboard his sailboat in the beautiful waters of Oahu, getting by doing "favors" for friends. But this time, the favor involves the brutal murder of Vice Admiral Winston's daughter, who it seems was involved in the snuff film industry.
- GenresMysteryMystery Thriller
234 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published March 15, 1996
About the author
Charles Knief
6 books3 followersCharles Knief is a former airborne soldier, pilot, and engineer. He has traveled widely and lived in Hawaii for a number of years. His first John Caine adventure, Diamond Head, won the SMP/ PWA contest for Best First Private Eye novel in 1995. He and his wife currently live in Irvine, California.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
December 20, 2009
Ex-Navy Seal John Caine lives on a sailboat on the island of Oahu, working as a P.I. that makes a living doing favors for friends.
This time an old friend wants him to help their former Commander, now an Admiral interested into moving into politics. His daughter had been murdered a couple of months before and may have been involved in some bad stuff, porn, and ended up a victim in a snuff film.
Caine can't turn the job down. He owes his life to the Admiral. His task is twofold. Find the daughter's murderer and deal with him, burying anything that could turn up later as an embarrassment.
This time an old friend wants him to help their former Commander, now an Admiral interested into moving into politics. His daughter had been murdered a couple of months before and may have been involved in some bad stuff, porn, and ended up a victim in a snuff film.
Caine can't turn the job down. He owes his life to the Admiral. His task is twofold. Find the daughter's murderer and deal with him, burying anything that could turn up later as an embarrassment.
April 20, 2022
A fun mystery, if mysteries about murder and torture can be fun. Apart from a couple of surprisingly graphic passages, which can be skipped over easily, and should, story is well crafted and reflects a side of Hawaii that has all but since disappeared.
February 13, 2025
This was a fun read. Yes it owes a lot to the Travis McGee novels but that's not to diminish it, just to recommend it to those who enjoy that sort of thing.
November 23, 2018
The first of four John Caine ( a Travis McGee like character) novels set primarily in Hawaii.
Tough subject matter gets right to the edge of squeamish before somewhat pulling back on the details, yet this becomes a compelling read given the Hawaiian scenery, culture, and the sinister elements not found in the guide books.
Tough subject matter gets right to the edge of squeamish before somewhat pulling back on the details, yet this becomes a compelling read given the Hawaiian scenery, culture, and the sinister elements not found in the guide books.
August 17, 2008
If you liked John D. Macdonald ...........
April 13, 2017
Nice to read a detective story with a protagonist who is a former navy seal living on a sailboat in Hawaii instead of the typical retired flatfoot working out of a dingy two story walk up office with a glass door. Found his descriptions of the martial arts encounters to be very real and gripping.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews