Chuck Morgan’s Murder in Paradise: Kealoha Island Thrillers Book 1 is a gripping and chilling conspiracy thriller set in Hawaii. The increased sales of Hawaiian ancient sacred lands to developers create rising tension between developers and activists determined to protect their lands. One of the activists, Sonny Alana, is found murdered in a sacred banyan grove. Detective Leilani Kealoha of the Honolulu Police Department is under intense political pressure to solve the murder mystery within three days. Leilan’s investigation into the murder turns complex, revealing underlying, deadly connections and corruption in the sale of the lands. She is determined to protect O’ahu’s ancestral lands at all costs. The story springs to life as Leilani faces life-threatening situations, intimidation, and anonymous threats.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading Murder in Paradise for its complex characters and multilayered storyline of murder, ancestral sacred lands, and environmental crime. I particularly liked Detective Leilani Kealoha’s character development. Her expertise, sharp mind, and courage are evident right from the outset as she plunges into the investigation of the murder of activist Sonny Alana. The story was greatly enriched through Leilani’s thoughts and emotions, the actions and attitudes of others, and her intense awareness of the community’s expectations, their pain, fear, and hope. I liked the role that special agent Isaac Torres plays in the investigation. Through different challenges and settings from the police precincts to abandoned warehouses, Leilani and Torres have different approaches and styles of investigation, but as they work together, Torres becomes the anchor, and his expertise proves vital in life-threatening situations. I loved the role of family love and support in this story. I loved the atmospheric and evocative descriptions of settings, the contrast between the peace of the beach and the violence of crime, and how the ancestral lands bring the characters and the entire story vividly to life. I highly recommend Chuck Morgan’s Murder in Paradise to fans of detective stories, murder mysteries, and environmental crime.

Murder in Paradise by Chuck Morgan is a murder mystery on the most sought-after island, Hawaii. The main character, Detective Leilani Kealoha, takes the reader on a journey of discovery of who she is and how, because she is a woman, she has to prove herself in a man’s world. Leilani has a son, Kai. She gets an unexpected partner in Special Agent Isaac Torres, who comes from the mainland and works for the FBI. There are minor characters that appear throughout the plot, both helping and hindering their progress in finding out who killed Sonny Alana in a sacred place and why. Leilani discovers facts about her family that have her doubting herself. But she never gives up on trying to find out what is happening on her beloved Island. Leilani and Torres take the reader on an adventure that they will not forget for a long time.

Anyone who has ever visited or seen photos or movies in which the island appears may have dreamed of living on the island or even just going on a holiday to this beautiful place. The author shows the reader the best and the worst of the island; the corruption, the overdevelopment, the greed, and those who try to fight the people who want to own the whole island and have it as their very own money-making scheme. The history of Hawaii is well documented; however, there will always be people who believe that the original natives who inhabit the island are not educated enough to rule, run their island, and their lives. Murder in Paradise by Chuck Morgan is fast-moving and intriguing. The reader finds themselves drawn into the story and will feel as if they are with Leilani as she investigates each lead and where it takes her and Torres. I found it fascinating and enjoyed reading it. I loved that it involved a female detective who is not only fighting to save her home island but also to restore her family's honour. It is a book well worth reading, and the twist in the tale will have the reader looking for more from this author.