Blood Orchids

Aloha! Welcome to Hawaii! In the first installment of the Lei Crime Mystery series, Blood Orchids, by Toby Neal, we were introduced to Leilani "Lei" Texeira. She came from a troubled childhood and now working her way as a detective of the Hilo Police Department, while she worked on a most disturbing case. When she found two dead bodies in the water, while searching for evidence, she became the center of the attention. She met Michael Stevens and his partner, Jeremy Ito, when they focused on who targeted on the case. Someone had their eye on Lei and stalked her. But it became personal, when her friend and colleague Mary was targeted, raped and killed. There was a lot of surprising twists and turns in this excellent Hawaiian mystery.

This was a compelling mystery. I loved the Hawaiian backdrop and the tropical locations that place you right there. I did love Lei, who later became a strong female lead and someone to admire. I did feel sorry for her, since she was dealt from a bad childhood. I hated it when she was stalked and when her dog, Keiki, was also caught in the fire. I believe Michael and Lei make a terrific couple. This was well-written with excellent dramatic suspense and tons of non-stop action.

Ready to head to Hawaii? You got to check out this mystery today!