I kill people for fun. In books.
“False friends,” are words that sound similar, but differ in meaning. For example, the Spanish word lentillas means lenses, not lentils; the German Enkel isn’t an ankle, but a grandchild.
Below are some common Pidgin (or Hawai‘i Creole English) terms that may sound deceptively familiar:
No one’s throwing their rubbish into the mahalo.
Mystery of the Eight Islands (Trouble in Paradise)
by Terry Ambrose
Mystery of the Eight Islands (Trouble in Paradise)
If you love senior sleuths in cozy mysteries, you’re going to love McKenna and his pal Chance Logan
Apartment manager and amateur sleuth McKenna wants a break from solving murders. Too bad his best friend, wannabe PI Chance Logan, doesn’t feel the same. Chance has found a case he thinks McKenna’s going to love—the death of prominent attorney Julian Carr, and the theft of a 125-year-old necklace that’s worth a quarter of a million dollars. Before long, McKenna’s feeling pressured from all sides—find the necklace, solve the murder. Sure. Why not just add save the world?
McKenna’s sure something fishy is going on when he and Chance meet with Julian’s granddaughter about the case. She’s created her own murder board with five suspects. The list includes an unstable, art-collecting veterinarian, a convicted felon, a disbarred attorney, a suspected art thief, and Julian’s new business partner.
As the investigation ramps up, McKenna and Chance see their leads drying out faster than laundry in the tropical sun. The really bad news is they’re not sure they can even find the Eight Islands or solve the murder. For once, McKenna’s worried they just might fail.
Why you might love this book Tired of the same old cozy mystery fare? Then cozy up with male amateur detective McKenna and his PI wannabe pal Chance Logan in this Hawaii murder mystery. When it comes to senior sleuths in cozy mysteries, McKenna’s as sharp as they come, but with a fun dose of snarky attitude thrown in. Enjoy the ambience of Hawaii while you’re savoring a little murder in paradise.
Once upon a time, in a life he’d rather forget, Terry Ambrose tracked down deadbeats for a living. He also hired big guys with tow trucks to steal cars—but only when negotiations failed. Those years of chasing deadbeats taught him many valuable life lessons such as—always keep your car in the garage.
Terry has written eighteen books, several of which have been award finalists. In 2014, his thriller, “Con Game,” won the San Diego Book Awards for Best Action-Thriller. His series include the Trouble in Paradise McKenna Mysteries, the Seaside Cove Bed & Breakfast Mysteries, and the License to Lie thriller series. You can learn more about Terry and his writing at terryambrose.com.Header image: Four Mile Beach, Hilo, HI
In The Invasive Species, readers learned about Mary Pfaff [1] and her Alice Mongoose and Alistair Rat series.
When Alice Mongoose sails from India to a sugar plantation on the Big Island of Hawaii, she is shocked to learn what her new job entails. She decides instead to strike out on her own. When she meets the gentle and dapper Alistair Rat, she knows that she has found a friend in her new Hawaiian home.
Download Alice Mongoose and Alistair Rat in Hawaii and 20 more free books and book samples through July 18!
[1] Parts of Mary Pfaff’s biography are verifiable. The Hawaiian Gazette was a semi-weekly publication of the Honolulu Advertiser. The Pacific Cable was completed in 1903, enabling news to travel across the ocean almost instantaneously. Editor Roderick O. Matheson did move to Japan around 1918, where he took the position of news editor of the Japan Times & Mail and served as the Chicago Tribune‘s foreign correspondent in Tokyo. However, Mary Pfaff, her family, and her books were crafted as part of the Professor Molly literary universe.
A fundraising scheme at Mahina State University (“Where Your Future Begins Tomorrow”) forces pregnant Professor Molly into the role of “tutierge” (that’s tutor-concierge). While she’s battling morning sickness, a meddling mom, and the Student Retention Office. The last thing she needs to deal with right now is murder.
But here we are.
Mother’s Day, Professor Molly #6
The physical book covers for the Professor Molly series have been undergoing a minor makeover. The back covers have been reworked to have similar layouts, and the name-title order on the books’ spines is now the same. (There is no universally-accepted convention for which comes first, but it was bugging me that half of the Professor Molly book spines had the name at the top and the title at the bottom, and the other half were the opposite. Now they’re consistent.)
There have been no major changes to any of the cover designs. With one exception: Mother’s Day. That cover had always been my least favorite. It was supposed to evoke Professor Molly approaching an imposing lava-rock dwelling, but I didn’t think it accomplished its goal. It didn’t evoke the sense of a venerable, once-grand house gone to seed. Nothing about it said “Hawaii” [1]. And in my opinion, the design wasn’t particularly pleasing to the eye.
At first glance, the new cover says less about the plot. There’s no decrepit old mansion in the jungle, just Molly standing with her briefcase on a Hawaiian beach. We don’t know whether she is walking toward the water or away from it. In the story, we learn that she’s pregnant, but the front-facing direction of her silhouette disguises any tummy bulge. In Mother’s Day, Molly is trying to conceal her delicate condition from the administration at her family-unfriendly workplace.
In the new cover illustration, Molly might have walked down to the water’s edge to take a break and think over what to do about the murder plot she’s sure will come to fruition any day now. But while the setting is somewhat foreboding with its hint of shadow, it’s also colorful and evocative of her island home. Molly’s silhouette takes up a smaller portion of the picture, allowing the viewer to appreciate the beauty of her Hawaiian home.
If you’ve read the previous books (specifically The Cursed Canoe) you know that Molly lives on the east side of the island, so she is watching a sunrise, not a sunset. Despite the indignities heaped upon her by the Mahina State University fundraising machine, Professor Molly can look forward to a brighter day ahead.
[1] The Fever Cabinet cover doesn’t really evoke Hawaii either, but in this case I think it’s okay. The theme of the abandoned asylum and the archaic medical equipment are so central to the plot that it seems right for the cover design to focus on those elements.
In The Invasive Species, readers learned about Mary Pfaff [1] and her charming Alice Mongoose and Alistair Rat series.
When Alice Mongoose sails from India to a sugar plantation on the Big Island of Hawaii, she is shocked to learn what her new job entails. She decides instead to strike out on her own. When she meets the gentle and dapper Alistair Rat, she knows that she has found a friend in her new Hawaiian home.
The Alice Mongoose and Alistair Rat stories are classic tales of adventure, resilience, and friendship, beloved to this day by children of all ages. Now they have brand-new covers and formatting!
The new covers showcase and center the unique and charming artwork. A Goudy Kennerly font lends an early 20th-century flavor to the design. The size is changed from 8 x 10 to 6 x 9 to accommodate little hands. See the Alice and Alistair books HERE!
[1] Parts of Mary Pfaff’s biography are verifiable. The Hawaiian Gazette was a semi-weekly publication of the Honolulu Advertiser. The Pacific Cable was completed in 1903, enabling news to travel across the ocean almost instantaneously. Editor Roderick O. Matheson did move to Japan around 1918, where he took the position of news editor of the Japan Times & Mail and served as the Chicago Tribune‘s foreign correspondent in Tokyo. However, Mary Pfaff, her family, and her books were crafted as part of the Professor Molly literary universe.
And Cassandra Sato is knee deep in . . .
Suspects.
Her boss is dead, and the police are calling it burglary gone wrong. But when the killer comes after her, it’s going to take more than a pair of furry boots to keep the smart, witty Morton College administrator, Cassandra Sato, out of the deep. . .
Snow. Her first Christmas in Nebraska could be her last unless her friends help unravel the mystery and housebreak her dog.
I love campus cozies and always wonder why there aren’t more of them. After all, academia, with its singular personalities and petty grudges, is a perfect setting for murder. Fortunately, Dead of Winter Break comes at the perfect time, just as the winter holidays are upon us. Reading Dead of Winter Break reminded me why I love this series so much.
Cassandra Sato is a relatable protagonist, a transplant from sunny Hawaii to a considerably-less-balmy hamlet in Nebraska. As Dead of Winter Break opens, Cassandra finds that her retired boss has unexpectedly un-retired and returned from the tropics to Morton College, just in time for a Midwest winter. And that’s not the only surprise in store!
The characters are well-drawn, and the plot twists drew me in and kept me engaged. But where this series really shines is in the telling details. Sitting through a sweltering commencement ceremony in heavy academic regalia, tugging at the front of the hood so it doesn’t strangle you; smiling through gritted teeth at a backhanded compliment from your boss’s boss’s boss; confronting the reality of a Nebraska winter (not so much like the cover of a Land’s End catalog after all, it turns out). Author Kelly Brakenhoff is an American Sign Language (ASL) Interpreter, and Cassandra’s administrative role at Morton College includes ensuring services for Deaf students. In addition to a behind-the-scenes tour of a real (or at least extremely realistic) college, Dead of Winter Break gives the reader an enlightening glimpse into Deaf Culture.
I highly recommend Dead of Winter Break for mystery lovers, but if this is your first foray into Cassandra Sato’s world, start with Death by Dissertation, #1 in the series.
Kelly Brakenhoff is an American Sign Language Interpreter whose motivation for learning ASL began in high school when she wanted to converse with her deaf friends. As an American Sign Language Interpreter with more than twenty years of experience, Kelly’s worked in college classrooms for fifteen different majors. From traipsing across muddy farm fields to stomach-churning medical procedures, and stage interpreting for famous figures, Kelly’s community interpreting interactions number in the thousands.
Unfortunately, once she’s stepped away from the job, she usually forgets 90% of what happened. Which helps her keep confidential information safe, but also makes it really hard to grocery shop for more than 5 items without a written list.
Kelly wants to live in a world filled with peace, love, and joy, where people who can hear learn enough sign language to include deaf people in everyday conversations and work. Where every deaf child has early access to language and books with characters like them, and dark chocolate is cheap and plentiful.
When she’s not interpreting or writing, you can find Kelly cheering for her favorite Husker teams or training for half-marathons because she really likes dessert.
Website – Amazon – Twitter– Instagram
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Cassandra Sato is running.
A major earthquake in Japan triggers a tsunami warning on Oahu, Hawai’i. Dean of Students Cassandra Sato must ensure the safety of 1,000 residence hall students and evacuate them to inland shelters.
Before the first wave hits.
Download your complimentary copy of Dead End before August 31.
Kelly Brakenhoff is an American Sign Language Interpreter whose motivation for learning ASL began in high school when she wanted to converse with her deaf friends. As an American Sign Language Interpreter with more than twenty years of experience, Kelly’s worked in college classrooms for fifteen different majors. From traipsing across muddy farm fields to stomach-churning medical procedures, and stage interpreting for famous figures, Kelly’s community interpreting interactions number in the thousands.
Unfortunately, once she’s stepped away from the job, she usually forgets 90% of what happened. Which helps her keep confidential information safe, but also makes it really hard to grocery shop for more than 5 items without a written list.
Kelly wants to live in a world filled with peace, love, and joy, where people who can hear learn enough sign language to include deaf people in everyday conversations and work. Where every deaf child has early access to language and books with characters like them, and dark chocolate is cheap and plentiful.
When she’s not interpreting or writing, you can find Kelly cheering for her favorite Husker teams or training for half-marathons because she really likes dessert.
Website – Amazon – Twitter– Instagram
Our winner will choose the name of a character in The Influencer, the next Professor Molly mystery.
The Influencer, the next Professor Molly mystery
VP of Student Affairs Cassandra Sato has a desk full of problems and it’s not even Thanksgiving break.
A student’s injury and a deaf advocacy project brings national media attention to underfunded Morton College.
Cassandra’s new boss talks to her dead husband. Cassandra’s mentor thinks he’s a superhero in a senior citizen’s body. And Cassandra, recently moved from Hawai’i, can’t crack the code of what to wear during November in Nebraska.
Is there more to the Vietnam-era story of a student’s death? Cassandra’s search for the long-buried truth stirs up the wrath of those who want to keep the past forgotten.
Kelly Brakenhoff is an American Sign Language Interpreter whose motivation for learning ASL began in high school when she wanted to converse with her deaf friends. As an American Sign Language Interpreter with more than twenty years of experience, Kelly’s worked in college classrooms for fifteen different majors. From traipsing across muddy farm fields to stomach-churning medical procedures, and stage interpreting for famous figures, Kelly’s community interpreting interactions number in the thousands. Unfortunately, once she’s stepped away from the job, she usually forgets 90% of what happened. Which helps her keep confidential information safe, but also makes it really hard to grocery shop for more than 5 items without a written list.
Kelly wants to live in a world filled with peace, love, and joy, where people who can hear learn enough sign language to include deaf people in everyday conversations and work. Where every deaf child has early access to language and books with characters like them, and dark chocolate is cheap and plentiful.
When she’s not interpreting or writing, you can find Kelly cheering for her favorite Husker teams or training for half-marathons because she really likes dessert.
Website – Amazon – Twitter– Instagram
It looks like it’s going to be another boring faculty retreat at Mahina State University, “Where Your Future Begins Tomorrow.”
But then the Trust Fall exercise goes horribly wrong. Is it murder, or just the worst meeting of the semester?
Kyle Stockhausen, assistant professor of digital humanities, strode up to the Trust Fall Chair. The Trust Fall Chair wasn’t one of the red, gold, or green conference room chairs (the new school colors, as decided by student referendum). Those chairs all had wheels, and anyway, I’m sure the administration didn’t want us stepping all over the seat cushions with our dirty shoes. No, the Trust Fall Chair was plain, straight-backed, and made of wood. It had probably been ordered online and shipped from the mainland, just for this event.
“Thank you for volunteering, Professor Stockhausen,” Jake nodded at him.
“Please. Call me Kaila.”
I heard Emma snort. Emma, who grew up just a few miles down the road from Mahina State University, had definite opinions about “white people who move here from Nebraska and give themselves Hawaiian names.”
“Mahalo nui loa, brother,” said Kyle/Kaila Stockhausen as Jake helped him up onto the wooden seat. He slowly stood, his spiky blonde hair almost brushing the ceiling.
“Come on, everyone move in closer.” Jake motioned us forward. “You’re all going to have to come together to catch him when he falls. Kyle, sorry, Kaila, turn around and put your arms out.”
He did, displaying the black courier lettering on the back of his pale yellow t-shirt: Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid. –Albert Einstein
“Einstein never said that,” Emma muttered.
“Now the rest of you, move in. Closer, you have to be right underneath so you can catch him.”
“I have to apologize for my colleagues,” Stockhausen said over his shoulder. “They don’t yet realize what a privilege this is. I appreciate the value of these high-touch team-building activities. In fact, I use many of these exercises in my own classes.”
This was the limit for Emma.
“Give it a rest, Stockholm-syndrome,” she shouted. “You teach all your classes online.”
Before anyone could react to Emma’s outburst, the exit door at the far end of the room flew open. Everyone turned toward the welcome distraction. A man wearing shorts and a t-shirt stood silhouetted in the doorway.
“Am I late?” the newcomer asked.
“Here’s our ag person,” Jake said. “Come in, come in. You’re just in time for the—”
Jake’s sentence was cut short by the scrape of wood on marble, and an ugly thud. We all pushed forward to get a look.
Kyle Stockhausen lay face up on the polished marble floor, blood spreading behind his head like a crimson halo.
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