Mahu Surfer: A Hawaiian Mystery (An Alyson Mystery) [Paperback]

Neil S. Plakcy (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 1, 2007 | Series: An Alyson Mystery

"An eminently likeable hero—the kind of man’s man you just want to hug." —Daniel M. Jaffe, author of The Limits of Pleasure

Mahu is a generally negative Hawaiian term for homosexual, and for police detective Kimo Kanapa’aka, being gay doesn’t make for an easy life. Especially when you’re publicly outed. Now, semi-retired, Kimo must go undercover and stop a brutal killer. Already three surfers have been shot dead, and Kimo must infiltrate the close-knit surfing community, knowing his only way back to active duty is to catch a killer he may know all too well.

Neil S. Plakcy is the author of Mahu and co-edited Paws & Reflect: Exploring the Bond Between Gay Men and Their Dogs. He lives in Florida.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Neil S. Plakcy is the author of the gay detective murder mystery series "Mahu" and has been a contributor to several Alyson anthologies. His fiction and nonfiction have appeared widely in the gay and lesbian press. He has taught various English and writin

Product Details

• Paperback: 288 pages
• Publisher: Alyson Books (August 1, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1593500076
• ISBN-13: 978-1593500078
• Product Dimensions: 7.9 x 5.4 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #585,536 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

I've wanted to be an author since I was about sixteen, when a high school assignment on A Separate Peace showed me how powerful writing can be. At the University of Pennsylvania I studied creative writing with Philip Roth and Carlos Fuentes; I went on to receive my MFA from Florida International University.

Kimo Kanapa'aka, the detective hero of Mahu, Mahu Surfer, Mahu Fire, Mahu Vice, Mahu Men, and Mahu Blood (due out in Fall 2010) has had a powerful hold on my imagination for many years. I love writing about him and hope to keep doing so for a long time.

In addition to writing about Hawaii, I've edited a collection of essays about gay men and their dogs, called Paws and Reflect, as well as three erotic anthologies: Hard Hats, Surfer Boys, and Skater Boys. My romance novels are GayLife.com, Three Wrong Turns in the Desert, and Dancing with the Tide.

I live in Hollywood, Florida now, with my partner and our golden retriever. Sam is the inspiration for Rochester in my Kindle mystery, In Dog We Trust.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Kimo's Back!, July 31, 2007

By 

J. Schmitt (San Diego, CA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Mahu Surfer: A Hawaiian Mystery (An Alyson Mystery) (Paperback)

"Mahu Surfer" is a page turning continuation in the story of Honolulu police detective Kimo Kanapa'aka. I've got to admit that since reading the first book (Mahu) in this series, I've been waiting for this one to be released. Sometimes, you can wait to the point where you put unrealistic expectations on an upcoming release, but I have to say that this book even surpasses the first one. The main character, Kimo, is put in a new location on the famous North Shore of Oahu, a fantastic setting for a complex mystery. At the same time, this new location also results in his separation from close contact with friends and family; creating a difficult emotional angle for the just-out-of-the-closet cop.

If you haven't read "Mahu", the first book in this series then start there, otherwise order "Mahu Surfer" now and you won't be dissappointed. For an extra treat at bargain prices, check out the three shortstories featuring Kimo Kanapa'aka that are avaialble on Amazon. ("I Know What You Did", "Kelly Green", and "The Price of Salt")

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars A worthy successor to MAHU, October 2, 2007

By 

Lloyd G. Kay (Asheville, NC) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Mahu Surfer: A Hawaiian Mystery (An Alyson Mystery) (Paperback)

I just finished reading this exciting mystery. I had read the first one MAHU earlier and liked it a lot. Kimo is such an interesting main character as are his family. It's a page turner and Ihope that there will be more in this series. I've been to Hawaii three times, so it was easy to get into the story. Neil, give us more.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars A pleasant read, with a serious flaw, February 18, 2008

By 

C. Nickelsen - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Mahu Surfer: A Hawaiian Mystery (An Alyson Mystery) (Paperback)

I mainly bought this book to find out how Kimo, the gay policeman, was getting along after reading Mr. Plakcy's earlier book that introduced this character. The mystery was compelling, though the frequent rehashing of facts that Kimo learns as he investigates is a little bothersome. It's like the author didn't trust that the reader could retain any information and needed to be reminded of what was happening, which is ironic as he leaves out a very important piece of information at the end (regarding an unknown shooter and a certain character we learn nothing more about). To me this was a big flaw, I even went back and checked to see if I missed a page. Did anyone else notice this? The entire ending (all 2 pages of it) felt very rushed, and nearly ruined what had been a fairly good story. 3 stars for most of the book but 1 for the hurried and incomplete ending.