Death of a Messenger by Robert B. McCaw - Book Cover
Koa Kāne Series • Book 1

Death of a Messenger A Koa Kāne Hawaiian Mystery

“The web [McCaw] weaves is masterful.”
— Reading for a Moment

The Story

On Hawai'i Island, an anonymous 911 caller reports a body at Pohakuloa, the Army’s live-fire training area. Hilo Chief Detective Koa Kāne, a cop with his own secret criminal past, finds a mutilated corpse—bearing all the hallmarks of ancient ritual sacrifice. Koa encounters a host of obstacles as he pursues the murderer—an incompetent local medical examiner, hostility from both haoles (Westerners) and sovereignty advocates, and a myriad of lies. Koa races to discover whether the victim stumbled upon a gang of high-tech archaeological thieves, or learned a secret so shocking it cost him his life and put others in mortal danger. Will Hilo’s most respected detective stop this sadistic fiend—or will the Pohakuloa killer strike again, with even deadlier consequences?

Praise for Death of a Messenger

“Tautly paced, impressively accomplished police procedural”

— Kirkus Reviews

“Full of tension and history”

— Criminal Element

“Engrossing and mind-blowing police procedural”

— The Book Decoder

“Complex and twisty, brilliant whodunnit”

— Curled Up with a Good Book

“Satisfyingly complex”

— The Crime Review

“Riveting and immersive fast-paced read”

— Nurse Bookie

“The web McCaw weaves is masterful”

— Reading for a Moment

“Plenty of red herrings, ending worked perfectly”

— Steph's Book Blog