Ghosts of Waikīkī A novel

Struggling journalist Maya Wong returns home to jump-start her career only to be roped into the investigation of her boss's murder in Morita's overfamiliar debut. After the California newspaper Maya writes for folds and she's unable to make ends meet as a freelancer, she begrudgingly heads back to the Hawaiian islands to ghostwrite a history of the land-developing Hamilton family, who played a major role in colonizing the islands during the 19th and 20th centuries. Work on the project is set back when octogenarian Charles Hamilton II is found floating face down in the family pool--a death initially considered an accidental drowning, despite Charles's habit of swimming 50 laps a day. When the authorities get involved, the lead investigator from the Honolulu PD turns out to be Koa Yamada, one of Maya's former boyfriends. As Maya's inquiries into Charles's death ramp up, so does Koa's concern for her, especially after she's robbed and assaulted by an unseen assailant who seems invested in preventing her from completing the book. The setup is intriguing enough, but Morita opts for clichés at every turn, failing to pack many surprises into the formulaic thriller plot. Readers should expect the expected. Agent: Lori Galvin, Aevitas Creative Management. (Nov.)

A Hawaiian ghostwriter turns sleuth after she uncovers dark family secrets. After the California daily newspaper she works for goes belly up, Maya Wong is pleased to land a freelance writing gig in her native Oa'hu. It will give her a year to figure out her next move and to hang out with her best friend, Lani, who owns a boutique and has been pressing hard for her to move back to Hawaii. Maya has been hired to ghostwrite a self-published autobiography of controversial developer Charles Hamilton, whose family was actively involved in the colonization of Hawaii. But moments after Maya's first visit to the Hamilton home, Charles is found dead in the swimming pool where he did 50 laps a day. Maya's suspicion of foul play grows when she's mugged, and it grows further when she learns that the police are investigating Charles's death. The detective on the case happens to be Maya's ex, Koa Yamada, cousin of Lani's longtime boyfriend, Luke. The case, immediately complicated by the obvious chemistry Maya and Koa still have, gets even more tangled by Maya's new relationship with dashing lawyer Mark Nichols, who works for the Hamiltons. Soldiering on with her research, Maya finds copious incriminating evidence about the sketchy Hamilton clan, several of whom emerge as suspects. A second attack underscores the personal danger she is in and the urgency of finding the culprit. Morita's breezy whodunit captures the flavor of her tropical setting and nicely balances the relatable dilemmas of Maya's personal life with her sleuthing. A brisk and appealing mystery that could easily blossom into a series. Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.