The Flaming Luau of Death

February 21, 2005
Magnum PI
meets The Bachelorette
in Farmer's zany eighth adventure (after 2004's Perfect Sax
) starring Madeleine Bean, the L.A. party-organizing whiz who attracts murder and mayhem as much as she does glamorous clients. Maddie is planning a surprise, all-expenses-paid bridal shower at the Four Heavens Resort on Hawaii's big island for her friend and assistant, Holly Nichols. Only problem is, Holly, who's "a magnet for weird males," confesses before departure that she might still be Holly Dubinsky, the wife of geeky Marvin Dubinsky, whom she married while drunk in Vegas after their high school prom. Of course, that's no reason to cancel a party—so Maddie and business partner Wesley Wescott decide to grab Holly, her sisters, best friend and go, even if Holly has also begun receiving ominous e-mails (e.g., "Give us Marvin and we'll leave you alone"). And sure enough, upon arrival, Holly's accosted by a mysterious Hawaiian male who later turns up dead, and the bridesmaids' beauty weekend begins to spin out of control with dangerous luaus, weird dolphin connections, scary Japanese mobsters and hot wasabi moments. Fans of lighter mystery fare will be in heaven. Agent, Evan Marshall.