Pleasing the Dead
A
Storm Kayama Mystery
Deborah Turrrell Atkinson
Poisoned Pen Press (Hardcover)
ISBN-10: 1-59058-597-6 (1590585976)
ISBN-13: 978-1-59058-597-9 (9781590585979)
Publication Date: February 2009
List Price: $24.95
Synopsis (from
the publisher): Some nasty predators dwell in paradise, and they
aren’t
all hiding in the azure waters. The day attorney Storm Kayama arrives
in Kahului to help Lara Farrell set up her new dive shop, someone bombs
a restaurant. When one of Lara’s employees, a recent Japanese
immigrant, kills himself and one of his young daughters, Storm begins
to ask questions.
The tentacles of the Yakuza, the dangerous, Japanese organized crime
group, grip local businesses, real estate, and politics. Cunning and
deadly, the clan leaders exploit underage women and eliminate anyone
who dares face up to them.
Storm finds herself up against a lethal and faceless enemy, in a place
where disposing of a victim is easy as dumping her in shark-infested
waters.
But who is hunting whom? In a struggle to the death, Storm begins to
realize that surviving doesn’t always mean living. For some,
the ghosts
of the past may be more painful than the anguish of the present.
Hawaii lawyer Storm Kayama must battle against the yakuza's presence
and an ancient adherence to tradition to save more young girls from a
terrible fate.
Review:
Deborah Turrell Atkinson continues following the life of Honolulu
lawyer Storm Kayama who is on Maui doing the legal work required to set
up a new business but drawn into the dangerous world of the yakuza in Pleasing the Dead,
the fourth mystery in this series.
Setting up the dive shop for her friend Lara Farrell seems routine
until two seemingly unrelated tragedies occur, a restaurant bombing and
a destitute Japanese laborer killing himself and his daughter, wounding
another. Storm begins to ask questions and is quickly caught up in a
world unfamiliar to her, the Japanese crime organization known as the
yakuza. Knowing the long arm of the yakuza may extend into legitimate
business, and even the police department, Storm must tread carefully.
But soon her own life is in danger, and she doesn't know who she can
trust.
As she has with the previous mysteries in this series, Atkinson paints
a gorgeous Hawaii, lush and beautiful, rich in its community and
history. Her characters come alive with distinctive personalities,
relatable to the reader, both good and evil. Storm's personal
background also plays an important role in the story, allowing her to
connect with the people she's trying to help, and ultimately rescue.
The only drawback here is the somewhat confusing, at times hard to
follow, plot. Though an exciting read, the appeal of this mystery is
ultimately in its characters and setting. Pleasing the Dead
is an agreeable addition to the series, just not a strong one.
Special thanks to guest reviewer Betty of The Betz Review for contributing her review of Pleasing the Dead and to Poisoned Pen Press for providing an ARC of the book for this review.
Review Copyright © 2009 — Hidden Staircase Mystery Books — All Rights Reserved
Have you read Pleasing the Dead? How would you rate it?
Mysteries in this series ...
Primitive
Secrets
Poisoned Pen Press (Hardcover), September 2002
ISBN-10: 1-59058-017-6 (1590580176)
ISBN-13: 978-1-59058-017-2 (9781590580172)
The Green Room
Poisoned Pen Press (Hardcover), October 2005
ISBN-10: 1-59058-198-9 (1590581989)
ISBN-13: 978-1-59058-198-8 (9781590581988)
Fire
Prayer
Poisoned Pen Press (Hardcover), August 2007
ISBN-10: 1-59058-402-3 (1590584023)
ISBN-13: 978-1-59058-402-6 (9781590584026)
Pleasing
the Dead
Poisoned Pen Press (Hardcover), February 2009
ISBN-10: 1-59058-597-6 (1590585976)
ISBN-13: 978-1-59058-597-9 (9781590585979)
Omnimystery keywords for Pleasing the Dead
...
Location(s) referenced: Maui, Hawaii.
