Early one frigid morning in January, a young man named Thos Kahale walked into the icy waters of Lake Tahoe and died a brutal death. Hired to investigate, Tahoe Detective Owen McKenna learns that the Hawaiian side of the man's family had a secret shrine hidden in a cave in the cliffs of Kauai. Owen flies to Kauai and hears about a long-lost manuscript that Mark Twain left when he visited Kauai in 1866. The manuscript, which would be worth millions, is rumored to have been lost in a hurricane. Owen suspects that it was hidden in the secret shrine. As multiple people die, Owen tracks a vicious killer who looks like a Viking. Owen follows the Viking back to Tahoe and learns of a cave of ice that is sacred to Tahoe's Washoe Indians. Thos, who was half Washoe, may have hidden the manuscript in the Tahoe cave. Only one person, whose identity is unknown, knows the answer. Owen and his Great Dane Spot have to find that person before the Viking does, and they are running out of time as they chase the Viking up a mountain in a blizzard to a cave of ice and a battle to the death.
"Baffling clues...Mischief and quirky characters...Owen McKenna, a wry, courtly sleuth of the old school consistently entertains." -- Kirkus Reviews, May 15, 2002
"Nice sense of humor...Wry sense of self-deprecation...A most pleasant and entertaining read...The climax is spine-tingling. -- Nevada Appeal, August 1, 2002
Description:
Early one frigid morning in January, a young man named Thos Kahale walked into the icy waters of Lake Tahoe and died a brutal death. Hired to investigate, Tahoe Detective Owen McKenna learns that the Hawaiian side of the man's family had a secret shrine hidden in a cave in the cliffs of Kauai. Owen flies to Kauai and hears about a long-lost manuscript that Mark Twain left when he visited Kauai in 1866. The manuscript, which would be worth millions, is rumored to have been lost in a hurricane. Owen suspects that it was hidden in the secret shrine. As multiple people die, Owen tracks a vicious killer who looks like a Viking. Owen follows the Viking back to Tahoe and learns of a cave of ice that is sacred to Tahoe's Washoe Indians. Thos, who was half Washoe, may have hidden the manuscript in the Tahoe cave. Only one person, whose identity is unknown, knows the answer. Owen and his Great Dane Spot have to find that person before the Viking does, and they are running out of time as they chase the Viking up a mountain in a blizzard to a cave of ice and a battle to the death.
**
From Booklist
In the January dusk, a young Hawaiian man, Thos Kahale, is shot while swimming in Lake Tahoe. As private eye Owen McKenna investigates, he finds Mark Twain may be the cause of Thos' death--and the many murders that soon follow. McKenna races to solve the crime before he and Thos' mother are caught in the killer's crosshairs. This third Owen McKenna mystery has a clever plot and an intriguing mix of Hawaiian, Native American, and Western culture. The characters, writing, and dialogue are occasionally flat, and the motive for the crimes is not fully developed. However, these flaws are offset by a spectacular setting, a charming Great Dane who likes microwaved treats, and the author's skill in building suspense. Recommend this mystery to readers who appreciate a meeting of cultures, as displayed in the works of James Doss and Margaret Coel, or those who like puzzlers set in stunning, exotic country, such as Nevada Barr's mysteries. John Rowen
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Review
"Baffling clues...Mischief and quirky characters...Owen McKenna, a wry, courtly sleuth of the old school consistently entertains." -- Kirkus Reviews, May 15, 2002
"Nice sense of humor...Wry sense of self-deprecation...A most pleasant and entertaining read...The climax is spine-tingling. -- Nevada Appeal, August 1, 2002