Between Islands by Robert Coburn
Robert Coburn’s Between Islands is an investigative mystery novel set in the beautiful sceneries of Hawaii. The narrative revolves around the life of Detective Joe Cheo, a dedicated Honolulu police officer. Joe is on a rollercoaster hunt for answers to two mysterious deaths and is juggling unfair prejudices at work and complicated family ties.
The mystery begins when Detective Joe receives news of a missed phone call from a petty criminal named Ricky Ricola, a man Joe worked with during his time on patrol. He is told that Ricky sounded fidgety on the call, so he is inclined to return the call but couldn’t get hold of Ricky. Later, Joe finds out that a certain Frank Lofume, who lived in the same apartment building as Ricky, died suspiciously in a parking lot at Pearl Harbor.
Joe’s interest is piqued when the following day, he receives news that Ricky has died in a hit-and-run accident in Chinatown. A coincidence? Maybe. However, Joe’s gut tells him that the two victims may be linked somehow. So, he decides to carry out an unauthorized investigation to get to the bottom of the mysterious deaths.
Justice, Redemption and Family Loyalty
As Joe digs deeper into this covert investigation, he must also deal with his inner turmoil: He must come to terms with his father’s recent passing while trying to dodge his uncle’s pressure to join their family’s illicit business. As a Cheo, he has had to endure the fact that he comes from a family that is involved in illegal activities.
Joe must, therefore, come to a difficult decision; must he pursue his professional ambition in law enforcement, or must he rid himself of the unfair prejudices he faces at work by joining the family business? And then there is the unsettling question of whether his family could be connected to the very crimes he’s investigating.
In Between Islands Coburn introduces themes of justice, family loyalty, personal redemption, and the pursuit of the truth in a world where moral lines are often blurred. Coburn’s writing style in this novel is efficient, grounded and slightly emotionally restrained. Instead, it focuses more on the essentials that move the story forward. The pacing of the story is steady and deliberate. The dialogue is crisp and realistic, revealing characters and the plot with minimal exposition.
Through these stylistic choices, Coburn creates impactful scenes without resorting to melodrama, keeping the focus on character development, tension and mystery.
Rich Character Development
The character development in this novel is just as captivating as the storyline, especially the portrayal of Detective Joe Cheo and his uncle Albert Cheo. Joe, as the central character, is a deeply layered individual who is struggling with departmental politics and complicated family ties.
He faces suspicion from his colleagues because he’s a Cheo: a last name that has history of its own. This suspicion is a source of frustration for him, who always tries to do the right thing. He is central to the emotional and narrative drive of the story, providing both personal and professional angles that keep the reader engaged in the unfolding mystery.
Albert Cheo’s character adds a morally ambiguous tone to the narrative. Albert wields authority with confidence but does so for personal gain, and what he believes is protecting his family. Unlike Joe, Albert plays a slightly antagonistic role, yet his presence is crucial in grounding the narrative’s emotional tension.
Yes, he is manipulative, overbearing and controlling, but his loyalty to his family and his protective instincts make him somewhat sympathetic. He operates in shades of grey. Coburn uses Albert to explore themes of power, control and family loyalty, and to make the story richer and less predictable.
More Than Just a Mystery
In short, Robert Coburn’s Between Islands is a richly textured novel that offers more than just a mystery to solve. With its well-developed characters, intriguing plot, and exploration of universal themes like justice, family and personal redemption, fans of crime thrillers and investigative mysteries will find a lot they can learn and relate to in this story.
Robert Coburn is the author of the popular Jack Hunter mystery series. He is originally from Norfolk, Virginia. He has worked at major advertising agencies in New York and Los Angeles. His ads have won top awards both nationally and internationally. He is a commercial pilot and plays the saxophone. He and his wife live in Carmel, California.
