Pleasing the Dead

November 3, 2008
Rich with Hawaiian folklore, Atkinson's convoluted fourth mystery to feature attorney Storm Kayama (after 2007's Fire Prayer
) explores the dark side of paradise. Soon after Storm arrives in Kahului, Maui, where she's handling the legalities of setting up a new dive shop for a client, Lara Farrell, she hears of a deadly explosion at a town restaurant. At Lara's dive shop, which is still under construction, Storm witnesses a Japanese workman, Hiroki, being reprimanded for drunkenness and, later, another employee sobbing. When Hiroki kills himself and one of his two daughters, Storm reaches out to the second daughter, who survived the attack. Drawing on her knowledge of local customs and the “coconut wireless,” Hawaii's gossip chain, Storm finds links between the recent tragedies and the yakuza, a Japanese crime organization active in the islands. Readers will root for the strong, likable Storm as she uncovers secrets on an island that's only idyllic on the surface.

Bernadette Dunne's narration of this Hawaiian thriller is pleasing to the ear and snappy enough to keep listener attention throughout. In this fourth in Atkinson's series, Honolulu lawyer Storm Kayama travels to Maui to advise a new client on the legalities of opening a new dive shop. Soon Storm encounters an explosion, a murder-suicide, a stalker, and connections to the Yakuza, the Japanese Mafia. Thanks to the author, listeners get a subtle dose of Hawaiian mythology and local culture, and a taste of skin-diving adventure as well. Dunne handles the numerous accents called for and makes Storm crackle with life. She's highly credible in the male roles as well. A.L.H. (c) AudioFile 2009, Portland, Maine