Livin' Lahaina Loca (Islands of Aloha Mystery Series #2) [Kindle Edition]

JoAnn Bassett (Author)

Book Description

It's Halloween night in Lahaina, Maui, and the Mardi Gras of the Pacific is in full swing. But wedding planner Pali Moon isn't in costume--she's on a mission. A bridesmaid has vanished and Pali's canvassing Front Street, ducking into every overcrowded waterfront watering hole hoping to spot a girl with long red hair and a lingerie model's figure. No luck. Back at her car, Pali opens the door and finds the remnants of a bizarre trick or treat stunt. Turns out, Halloween in Lahaina isn't just a night for island high-jinx, it's also a night for vengeance.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

JoAnn Bassett grew up in Seattle, but always preferred palm trees to pine trees. She ran a business and raised a son, always hoping that someday a day at the beach would be an everyday event. In 1996, she and her husband bought a home on Maui, and the dream became a reality.

Product Details

• File Size: 376 KB
• Print Length: 290 pages
• Page Numbers Source ISBN: 147507106X
• Publisher: Lokelani Publishing (March 18, 2012)
• Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
• Language: English
• ASIN: B007M64574
• Text-to-Speech: Enabled
• X-Ray: Enabled
• Lending: Enabled
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #12,978 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)
  • #7 in Kindle Store > Kindle eBooks > Nonfiction > Travel > United States > Regions > West > Pacific
  • #20 in Books > Travel > United States > West > Pacific

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Humor & Hawai & a fun mystery April 19, 2012

By RP Dahlke

Format:Kindle Edition

Livin' Lahaina Loca by JoAnn Bassett

I first met Pali Moon and her pals in Maui Widow Waltz, liked it so much I eagerly agreed when this second in the series was offered to me for a read-review. Even the author's clever covers make me laugh! (Hint: Every book title is a take-off of song titles and they all relate to Hawaii.)
This time, Pali has lost her business lease at her old location above a local market due to a fire (Maui Widow Waltz) and now she's reduced to a tiny office above a smelly restaurant with a back alley entrance. She's still scraping by in a bad economy as a wedding planner, because weddings, no matter the economy, are still happening in Maui. Adding to the fun, there's Steve, Pali's sensible gay roommate, Hatch her hot fireman boyfriend from the last book , and Farrah, a beautiful plus size Hawaiian woman, and best friend any girl could possibly have.
Enter Keith and Nicole, two California book-ends with money to burn for their upcoming nuptials. Keith hands out cash like party favors and Nicole is true to form as another incredibly bitchy bride. Then one of the bridesmaids goes missing, and Pali, though worried that her reputation as a wedding planner would really take a hit if word got around she "...was on the grim reaper's speed dial," she also can't ignore the possibility that something bad has happened to the young woman.
Someone else obviously doesn't want her ignoring the situation either, because they've left the severed pony-tail of the young woman's hair in the backseat of Pali's car. Then a ransom note shows up on her car window, and oddly, the local police and the wedding couple ignore Pali's assertion that the girl has been kidnapped and may be murdered. They may ignore her, but Pali is determined to find the girl. When the wedding couple decamp Maui without so much as a good-bye, Pali gets an envelope with more than enough cash to pay off her expenses.
I got a kick out of the next scene where she races to meet a potential client at the airport, the envelope of cash in her purse, and a drug-sniffing dog and a zealous agent part her from her hard earned, and (hilariously) drug-infested cash.
With surprising twists, lots of humor, and rich anecdotal asides of the Hawaiian culture, there's a really big surprise ending for Pali.
This is surely another winner for JoAnn Bassett and her Pail Moon series. And, lucky for everyone, I hear there are plenty more to come.

And, it's another priced right e-book at $2.99 on Amazon/Kindle

Highly recommended.

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful

1.0 out of 5 stars Not impressed December 24, 2012

By Erica

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

The story itself is okay, there are enough twists to keep it interesting. The problem is that for as long and drawn out as the story is, there is no real ending. It seems like the author just got tired of writing or couldn't come up with anything else, so she decided to make an epilogue, which wouldn't be so bad but for the fact that even the epilogue leaves you hanging. and not in a good way.

I am native Hawaiian, and I am fine with people writing fictional works based off of my homeland. But when Hawaiian words are misspelled I feel like the author didn't do enough research or the editors just got lazy. its supposed to be "E Komo Mai" not "E como Mai". there is no "C" in the Hawaiian language!!!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars Good read March 26, 2013

By chrystal peete

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

Sassy character, fun read makes me want to go Hawaii, will definitely read the other books. She's no Stephanie Plum but I like her.

More About the Author

JoAnn Bassett grew up in Seattle, but always preferred palm trees to pine trees. She started a business and raised a son, hoping to someday make a day at the beach an everyday event. In 1996, she and her husband bought a home on Maui, making the dream a reality. She now lives in Southern Arizona most of the year--trading palm trees for saguaros--but she still enjoys writing about life in Hawaii, "the most idyllic islands in the Pacific."