Our guest of honor may have been “The Most Hated Man in Hawaii,” but the College of Commerce was in no position to be picky. Not after the latest round of budget cuts.

After a brutal year on the academic job market, Professor Molly Barda has finally landed a job at Mahina State University ("Where Your Future Begins Tomorrow"). All she wants to do is keep her head down and stay out of trouble until she gets tenure. But then the wealthy and widely-hated Jimmy Tanaka, founder of Merrie Musubis lunch shop, pledges a huge donation to Molly's college and promptly disappears. Molly's venal dean, knowing Molly is in no position to refuse, orders her to track down the missing mogul. As Molly uncovers Mahina's ancient feuds and fresh scandals, she starts to fall for Tanaka's competitor...who might have few secrets of his own.