In his latest Koa Kāne mystery, the fourth book in the series, Treachery Times Two (Oceanview Publishing), author Robert McCaw takes his hero on a riveting action-packed thrill ride in this multifaceted police procedural.
The novel starts off with a bang as Hawaii experiences some seismic activity due to an active volcano on the island, which unearths graves in an isolated cemetery. However, when Kao and his team arrive to investigate the situation, they come across the fresh, mutilated corpse of a woman who, it seems, is not a local. The victim in question has been shot multiple times, but it’s not clear if it happened before or after her death, and her fingertips are missing, leaving her identity somewhat of a mystery. The search for the identity of this Jane Doe quickly unfolds into an espionage adventure that is reminiscent of something out of a spy novel. Paradise turns into a nightmarish playground for Kao and his team as they follow up leads and find a complex mystery at the heart of the crime. The FBI eventually also becomes involved, which quickly turns a simple police procedural into a clever, twisty thriller.
GOVERNMENT COVER-UPS ARE THE LEAST OF KAO’S WORRIES
Kao is battling his own demons as his past transgressions are dredged up and his morality is put to the test. Filled with guilt and regret over killing a man 30 years earlier and unsure if he can let someone else take the fall for his actions, Kao is left with an internal struggle that will ultimately see him contemplating suicide.
Treachery Times Two may be the fourth novel in the series, but the book can be read as a standalone, which I personally liked a lot. Considering I haven’t read any of the previous novels yet, and I’ve never read a police procedural set in Hawaii, I didn’t feel lost at all. What’s more, I loved the author’s writing voice! The vivid descriptions and imagery placed me, the reader, right in the thick of things with the complex storyline, while also teaching me a lot about Hawaiian culture and the people who live there. And if that wasn’t enough, I became invested in the relatable characters’ lives. Will Kao come clean about his misdeeds all those years ago and lose everything he’s worked so hard for, or will he let someone else take the blame?
WRAPPED UP NICELY WITH A BIG BOW ON TOP
Treachery Times Two is a nail-biting, edge-of-your-seat novel that will have you turning the pages faster and faster to find out what happens next. This book is perfect for readers who love a good mystery or thriller, but also for those who love their police procedurals intelligent, full of twists, but wrapped up nicely by the end of the book. I am eagerly awaiting the fifth installment in the series.
For more on Robert McCaw, see his Author Profile.
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