An Eternal Lei

Hirahara gives us a multilayered story, rich in island detail. -Booklist Fans of intrepid amateur sleuths will want to see more of Leilani. -Publishers Weekly With a strong sense of place, community, and culture, Hirahara's follow-up to 2019's Iced in Paradise opens a window on a Hawai'i unseen by most mainlanders . . . the multilayered central puzzle rivets from start to kindhearted finish. -Mystery Scene Naomi Hirahara's second novel featuring the multicultural Santiago family from the Hawaiian island of Kaua'i deftly uses COVID-19 as background for an energetic story about how the pandemic has affected tourism, small businesses and the vagaries of families in a tidy plot. -Sun-Sentinel An Eternal Lei returns us to the diverse, beautiful, and complex setting of Hawai'i, and the world of Hirahara's sharp and utterly relatable heroine, Leilani Santiago. Complicated family dynamics, pandemic issues, a wonderfully multicultural cast, and the unique politics of the island add color and depth to the latest installment of this fantastic mystery series. I can't wait for the next book and am already searching for the nearest shave ice spot! -Mia P. Manansala, author of Arsenic and Adobo A thrilling cozy with a gutsy young sleuth in authentic, contemporary Hawaii; packed with cultural insights and twisty reveals, it's paradise in a book. -Jennifer J. Chow, Lefty Award-Nominated author of the Sassy Cat Mysteries Kama'aina rejoice! Naomi Hirahara has served up a detective who looks, talks and acts like one of us, a true breath of fresh air . . . An Eternal Lei is a cozy with a hardboiled heart, overflowing with Leilani's cynical observations and introspection and staring down one of the Pacific's ugliest issues without flinching. It's a rainbow shave ice complete with azuki beans and ice cream for those of us who like something dark and rich lurking under the pretty colors. -Scott Kikkawa, Elliot Cades Award winning author of Kona Winds and Red Dirt, and associate editor of The Hawai'i Review of Books