HAWAII - The very word evokes visions of Paradise–white, sandy beaches; swaying palm trees; silver waterfalls; hula girls; Mai Tais; and luaus.Each year, millions flock to the islands to soak up rays, splash in the surf, play golf, and lounge around luxury resorts. But beneath the surface of this tourist Mecca, a simmering resentment threatens to boil over at any moment as a proud people, the native Hawaiians, find themselves servants in their own home, waiting hand and foot on these white interlopers–the dreaded haoles. The clash of cultures, and the clash of poverty and wealth, create a perfect breeding ground for injustice–and cry out for a champion! Texas law professor Erin Hanna arrives in Hawaii at the summons of her old friend and mentor, Professor Charlie Cain, to assist in his investigation for the United States Senate on issues related to the Hawaiian sovereignty movement.


Once there, she finds that he has been murdered and the prime suspect is Manu Pokui, one of the more popular sovereignty faction leaders. Grief-stricken over Charlie’s death, Erin determines to finish his work, so she digs in where he left off. With the help of Hawaiian police detective Tommy Kanahele–with whom she finds herself falling in love–Erin sets out to find Charlie's murderer and finds herself identifying with the Hawaiian people. Always a champion of the underdog, Erin had made her mark as a lawyer back in Texas by taking on the causes of society’s disenfranchised. Now she is drawn into a world she had never known, but one whose needs she believes she, and perhaps she alone, may be able to help resolve.

The mystery of Charlie Cain’s death is more than just the mystery of a crime; it's also the mystery of an island nation and of its people, past and present. It is a journey as unforgettable as the islands themselves–a melancholy song for a people and a place whose beauty and warmth emanate from years of sadness and disappointment that have never succeeded in breaking its spirit.

This year, discover and experience the real Hawaii; discover and experience the KANAKA BLUES.

Sincerely, Mike Farris
Author of KANAKA BLUES