Thrillers & Suspense
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Bones of Hilo: A Novel
ITW AWARD FINALIST, BEST FIRST NOVEL
From Hawaii's Big Island to the wilds of Washington's North Cascades, a novice detective uncovers a hoard of ancient secrets at the heart of a grisly murder.
A young, inexperienced detective from the wet, working-class side of Hawaii's Big Island, Kawika Wong faces an uphill battle to gain the respect of his more seasoned colleagues. And he has the chance of a lifetime when Ralph Fortunato, the Mainland developer of an unpopular resort on the island's tourist side, is found murdered on a luxury golf course, an ancient Hawaiian spear driven through his heart.
With the other detectives desperately trying to solve another string of grisly killings, Captain Terry Tanaka has no choice but to send Kawika to investigate. As Kawika joins forces with his father and girlfriend to help read the signs and make sense of the ritualistic murder scene, they uncover a cache of secrets reaching far back to the Island's ancient past. And the journalist who found the body has her own theories about Fortunato's demise--but do they line up with the evidence?
On a perilous journey that stretches from the Big Island to Washington State and back, Kawika finds danger at every turn. But he still has much to learn about Hawaii, and about the rugged terrain of the North Cascades. And he'd better learn it fast, because his instincts may not be enough to catch a killer who's closing in even faster.
From Hawaii's Big Island to the wilds of Washington's North Cascades, a novice detective uncovers a hoard of ancient secrets at the heart of a grisly murder.
A young, inexperienced detective from the wet, working-class side of Hawaii's Big Island, Kawika Wong faces an uphill battle to gain the respect of his more seasoned colleagues. And he has the chance of a lifetime when Ralph Fortunato, the Mainland developer of an unpopular resort on the island's tourist side, is found murdered on a luxury golf course, an ancient Hawaiian spear driven through his heart.
With the other detectives desperately trying to solve another string of grisly killings, Captain Terry Tanaka has no choice but to send Kawika to investigate. As Kawika joins forces with his father and girlfriend to help read the signs and make sense of the ritualistic murder scene, they uncover a cache of secrets reaching far back to the Island's ancient past. And the journalist who found the body has her own theories about Fortunato's demise--but do they line up with the evidence?
On a perilous journey that stretches from the Big Island to Washington State and back, Kawika finds danger at every turn. But he still has much to learn about Hawaii, and about the rugged terrain of the North Cascades. And he'd better learn it fast, because his instincts may not be enough to catch a killer who's closing in even faster.
Editorial Reviews
Praise for Bones of Hilo:
"[Redman's] local color goes far beyond touristy tidbits…[the] backstory [is] fascinating and timely."
-Kirkus Reviews
"Hawaiian history and culture and the state's fight against development are this story's critical elements."
-Library Journal
"A compelling book, filled with lots of Hawaiian details and intrigue."
-Mystery and Suspense Magazine
"Fascinating . . . A truly interesting story."
-Suspense Magazine
"The best mysteries draw you in with plot and suspense, and stay with you through their vivid characters and the new cultures, eras, and corners of the world they open to you. As you begin Bones of Hilo, the authorities are reeling from the implications of an extraordinary murder. When you reach the end, you've been immersed in their investigations-but have also learned about revenge versus forgiveness, loyalty versus betrayal, the parts of history that are known versus those that are repressed, and the ever-changing contours of race. This is a book that will stay with you."
-James Fallows, bestselling co-author of Our Towns
"Fast-paced and smart, Bones of Hilo is both alluring and dark-much like its Big Island setting. By diving far beneath the glossy shimmer meant for tourists, Eric Redman has surfaced with a fantastic tale of the greed and passion that have written Hawaii's history, and which will drive its destiny."
-Jonathan Moore, Edgar and Hammett Award-nominated author of Blood Relations
In Bones of Hilo, Ric Redman does for Hawaii's beauty and culture what Tony Hillerman did for the Southwest and the Navajo. Redman creates unique and interesting characters, all the while spinning out a delicious puzzle that, in the tradition of all great mystery writers, keeps the reader guessing right up to the end. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this fine detective novel."
-Karl Marlantes, bestselling author of Matte...
"[Redman's] local color goes far beyond touristy tidbits…[the] backstory [is] fascinating and timely."
-Kirkus Reviews
"Hawaiian history and culture and the state's fight against development are this story's critical elements."
-Library Journal
"A compelling book, filled with lots of Hawaiian details and intrigue."
-Mystery and Suspense Magazine
"Fascinating . . . A truly interesting story."
-Suspense Magazine
"The best mysteries draw you in with plot and suspense, and stay with you through their vivid characters and the new cultures, eras, and corners of the world they open to you. As you begin Bones of Hilo, the authorities are reeling from the implications of an extraordinary murder. When you reach the end, you've been immersed in their investigations-but have also learned about revenge versus forgiveness, loyalty versus betrayal, the parts of history that are known versus those that are repressed, and the ever-changing contours of race. This is a book that will stay with you."
-James Fallows, bestselling co-author of Our Towns
"Fast-paced and smart, Bones of Hilo is both alluring and dark-much like its Big Island setting. By diving far beneath the glossy shimmer meant for tourists, Eric Redman has surfaced with a fantastic tale of the greed and passion that have written Hawaii's history, and which will drive its destiny."
-Jonathan Moore, Edgar and Hammett Award-nominated author of Blood Relations
In Bones of Hilo, Ric Redman does for Hawaii's beauty and culture what Tony Hillerman did for the Southwest and the Navajo. Redman creates unique and interesting characters, all the while spinning out a delicious puzzle that, in the tradition of all great mystery writers, keeps the reader guessing right up to the end. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this fine detective novel."
-Karl Marlantes, bestselling author of Matte...
Readers Top Reviews
Lagoon
Killed by an ancient Hawaiian spear. That’s how to start a crime novel. The victim, a property developer, appears to have been slain as a message. But is it just too subtle? Thankfully, there is a great deal more to be discovered about the reasons behind the killing and by incorporating so much Hawaiian culture and mythology, the resulting read is educational as well as riveting. Muti-layered and taut, this brings the island nation to life and neatly juxtaposes traditional beliefs and the hard realities of money and public opinion. Indulgent and satisfying.
Joni DavisLagoon
I really enjoyed this book. I love how the author weaved Hawaiian customs and history into an interesting whodunit plot. The way Mr. Redman portrayed greedy, egotistical land developers was tastefully executed. The characters were colorful and believable. Hopefully he continues to write. I'll be looking for more by Eric Redman.
Colonel DCommon R
This mystery set in Hawaii looked intriguing on paper but for me it was a tedious slog to get through and I easily set it aside multiple times and was tempted to drop it more than once. I hung in until the end but honestly it wasn’t worth it. When a real estate developer is murdered with an antique spear believed to have been used by King Kamehameha himself the police chief tasks relatively novice detective Kawika Wong to investigate. Wong is half Hawaiian and was working as a detective in Seattle when he was fired prompting him to come back to the Big Island. Along the way Wong reunites with his dad Jarvis and gets assistance from his girlfriend Carolyn who is an academic and expert in Hawaiian culture. What follows is Det. Wong working the case and following the evidence to discover who killed the victim. The story starts out well enough but author Eric Redman (in his first fiction novel) sets a glacial pace and pens a narrative that is hardly compelling. Kawika Wong is not a very engaging character, as a cop he’s kind of a weirdo who doesn’t carry a gun and assaults a suspect without provocation. Wong meets up with a prospective witness early in the book, a rich, beautiful blonde ‘haole’ named Patience Quinn and literally hooks up with her (cheating on his girlfriend) within hours of their meeting. Infidelity aside he also reads her into his case and enlists her assistance in pursuing various leads even though she’s not law enforcement , he hardly knows her and is sleeping with her…real professional. Wong feels conflicted about his cheating and there’s a lot of his navel gazing and examining his feelings about being a philanderer which got old fast. Another big problem with “Bones of Hilo” is that it is boring, there is little to no action and no suspense of any kind and the conclusion is anticlimactic. Redman has an obsession for Occam’s Razor and Wong and other characters bring it up constantly which I found irritating. The author also clearly did a lot of research on Hawaiian culture, language, and history and the book is packed with minutiae on Hawaii that felt excessive and unnecessary to advance the plot. I’ve been to Hawaii; it is beautiful and I love it and I like to watch shows set in Hawaii but enough is enough. I don’t know if Mr. Redman has plans for a Kawika Wong series but if he does I certainly won’t be back for more.
