I like the way Kimo is developing. I look forward to the next book in the series. ( )

It's only been a couple weeks since Kimo was forcibly outed to the Honolulu PD and the State of Hawaii. He has a new captain and goes undercover to solve the murder of 3 surfers. Kimo is tenacious and dogged in pursuit of the possible killer. But he sleeps with several people involved in the investigation. WTF?!! Didn't he just go through this same scandal?!! But it's easier for other guys to express interest in him since everyone knows he's out and his hormones get the better of him with this new freedom. Keep it in your pants, Kimo.

(One thing that bothered me was Kimo confiding in two of his friends about the murders and the investigation since he was doing it sans partner. Really?? I don't think cops can divulge that kind of stuff to civilians, especially in an active murder investigation.)

Nevertheless, creepy behavior and a big secret come to a head in the explosive ending. Looking forward to the next one!! ( )

After the events in "Mahu" Kimo is assigned to undercover work investigating three mysterious shootings which appear to be related but without any links between the victims.

Again a quick and easy but not trashy read. ( )

I read this book, not because of the gay theme, but because I am reading a mystery set in every state in the Union, by an author whose work I haven’t read before. I got to Hawaii and, because I’d read some of his posts on an online mystery discussion group, decided to try one of Neil Plakcy’s MAHU series. (Mahu is a, not necessarily complimentary, Hawaiian term for homosexual).

When the book opens, the protagonist, Detective Kimo Kanapa'aka, is reporting for duty at his new assignment within the Honolulu PD. In the previous book (MAHU, which I haven't read yet), he underwent a series of traumatic events, which included his self-acknowledgment that he was gay, being outed on local television, and suspension from duty. He soon learns that his new boss wants him to go undercover immediately, pretending that he has not been reinstated to the force, in order to investigate three surfer shootings on the North Shore of Oahu. Kimo has some trouble with this request as it involves lying to his friends and family, but his love of surfing and police work win out and he accepts the assignment.

Returning to the North Shore, where he had spent time surfing before joining the police, brings back a lot of memories for Kimo. Having only recently come out, he's also testing himself socially and sexually as a gay man. I'm not normally enthralled by sex scenes in mysteries, but the few that take place in MAHU SURFER are useful both for plot reasons and character development. As Kimo searches for a connection among the murdered surfers, he reconnects with the surfing culture and discovers several possible suspects and more than one motive.

I had a few reservations about the ending of the book, which left one promising plot element hanging. But overall this was a very enjoyable read with a wealth of detail about island life and the diverse population of Hawaii. One thing I found particularly refreshing was Kimo's relationship with his family, especially his parents. Too often, even in the mystery genre, parents are presented as (a) toxic monsters, (b) pathetic nonentities who have nothing to talk about with their sleuthing children, or (c) heroic figures impossible to live up to. Kimo's parents are loving and supportive in difficult circumstances, and he obviously loves and respects them. He also has two great friends in Harry and Terri, who each bring their own skills and backgrounds to help him solve the mystery. I hope to see more of them when I read the previous and further adventures of Kimo Kanapa'aka. ( )

I enjoyed this mystery set in Hawaii, and following the exploits of a HPD detective Kimo Kanapa'aka. He is 50% Hawaiian, part of a large and loving family and in this book just returning from an un-fair and illegal suspension. This is the second book in the Kimo Kanapa'aka series.

In the first book, among other things Kimo was publicly outed as a gay man, and the force suspended him. I have yet to read the first book, because it is out of print, but plan to get it when it is re-published in March of 2009.

In the second book he is coming back to work and determined to continue as a good cop. He wants to be accepted and respected again. His new boss has other ideas. He has no problem with Kimo being gay, but he wants to use the publicity that Kimo is no longer with the force, to have him go to the North Shore and investigate the murders of 3 surfers, undercover. The surfers won't talk to cops. Of course Kimo, just escaping the closet, is not happy to be asked to live a lie again, especially to friends and family.

Kimo goes north and settles in as a surfer. In many ways he is picking up where he left off before he went to the police academy. He meets new people, old friends and personal problems that the younger Kimo couldn't deal with, so he ran and left them unresolved. The story blends Kimo's investigation, his past issues, and his attempts to establish and live his present life as an openly gay man.

The mystery is interesting and develops well and has many suspects. There is a slight no-no when an important person to the mystery, is barely mentioned, and then pops up with a major role. There are some questions left unresolved, but they may be picked up in the next book, or perhaps just left like real life for someone else to deal with.

The Hawaiian setting is wonderfully depicted and seems to be accurate. The characters are believable, interesting, thoughtful, and well done. The writing is good, and it is a meaty good read.

To quote Amazon: "Readers should be prepared for explicit gay sex."

I plan to read the next book in the series: Mahu Fire, and the first book when it comes out it March. ( )