Waters of Destruction (An Orchid Isle Mystery)
by Leslie Karst
This book recently toured with Great Escapes Book Tours.
I was unable to post my review on my assigned date.
Today, I am posting the review I should have posted on that day.
About Waters of Destruction
Waters of Destruction (An Orchid Isle Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
2nd in Series
Setting – Hawaii
Publisher : Severn House; Main edition (April 1, 2025)
Hardcover : 224 pages
ISBN-10 : 1448312183
ISBN-13 : 978-1448312184
Digital ASIN : B0DKXTRTX5
Retired caterer Valerie Corbin investigates a suspicious drowning in this Orchid Isle cozy culinary mystery, featuring a feisty queer couple who swap surfing lessons for sleuthing sessions in tropical Hilo, Hawai‘i
After a vacation of a lifetime in Hilo, Hawai‘i, retired caterer Valerie Corbin and her wife Kristen have decided to move permanently to the beautiful – if storm-prone – Big Island. The couple are having fun furnishing their new house, exploring their new neighborhood and playing with their new little dog, Pua. But while they’ve made good friends with local restaurant manager Sachiko and her partner Isaac, they can’t help but feel a little lonely.
So when Sachiko begs Val to fill in for a member of her bar team who’s gone AWOL, Val dusts off her cocktail shaker and happily agrees. It’s a great chance to meet more people – and learn the local gossip.
Such as about Hank, the missing bartender, who vanished after a team-building retreat at a local beauty spot a week ago, and hasn’t been seen since. Until, that is, his body turns up at the bottom of the waterfall, and the police seem very interested in where Sachiko was at the time of his death.
Sachiko couldn’t have killed him . . . could she? Val dives into the murky waters of the case, determined to find out.
This mouth-watering cozy mystery is perfect for fans of Ellen Byron, Jennifer J Chow, Lucy Burdette and Raquel V Reyes, and includes a selection of delicious Hawaiian recipes to cook at home.
Dollycas’s Thoughts
Valerie Corbin and her wife, Kristen, had such a wonderful vacation in Hilo, Hawai‘i they have moved permanently to the Big Island. They are still getting settled in their new house and meeting their neighbors. They are also enjoying their new puppy, Pua. They have become good friends with Sachiko, a local restaurant manager, and her partner Isaac, but they still want to meet more people and form more friendships. So, while Kristen is helping a woman add a deck to her home, Val agrees to step in to bartend for Sachiko since one of her bartenders has stopped showing up for his shifts.
The missing bartender, Hank, disappeared after a team-building event held at Boiling Pots with breathtaking waterfalls and pools of water. About a week later, his dead body was found at the bottom of a waterfall. Sachiko appears to be the prime suspect for his death. While Val hasn’t known her long, she can’t believe she’s a killer. Maybe her new bartending gig can help her find the real killer.
I was not a fan of Kristen in the first book in this series, Molten Death, because I wanted her to be more supportive of what Val was dealing with. I liked her better in this story. Her relationship with Val was much stronger. They were on the same page with things, so there was less tension. I liked that Val found an outlet she enjoyed working for Sachiko, and in doing so, readers are introduced to a wide variety of characters, several were suspects in Hank’s death.
The mystery was complex, and Ms. Karst dropped hints and clues throughout the whole story. Some things I discounted or didn’t take seriously came into play in the end. Val was one determined woman trying to piece all the clues together and solve the mystery. Kristen did step in to help a time or two. One time was incredibly funny. Val’s persistence did land her in some dire straits, though they confirmed she had pinpointed the right culprit. I appreciated that she worked with her new friend Amy, and that came into play for the takedown.
Ms. Karst uses “spelling and punctuation routinely employed currently in the Hawaiian Islands”, Hawaiian and Pidgin English. With this being the second book in the series, it was easy to slide right into the flow. To be helpful, she includes a glossary at the end of the book. She also includes several tempting recipes at the end of the book.
It has always been a dream of mine to travel to Hawai‘i, and someday I hope to fulfill that dream. Reading books like this one with the fabulous detailed descriptions used to be like mini vacays, now they add items to the list of places and things I want to see for myself.
Waters of Destruction was a very enjoyable getaway. The characters continue to grow, the mystery made me think, and the setting was idyllic. I am excited for this series to continue. I am ready to pack my bags for another trip to Hilo, Hawai‘i.
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. Thank you to the author, Severn House, and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC.
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About Leslie Karst
Leslie Karst is the author of the Orchid Isle mysteries Waters of Destruction and Molten Death, of the Lefty Award-nominated Sally Solari mystery series, and of the IBPA Ben Franklin and IPPY award silver medal-winning memoir, Justice is Served: A Tale of Scallops, the Law, and Cooking for RBG. After years waiting tables and singing in a new wave rock band, she decided she was ready for a “real” job and ended up at Stanford Law School, then returned to school to study the culinary arts. Now retired from the law, Leslie splits her time between Hilo, Hawai‘i and Santa Cruz, California, spending her days writing, cooking, cycling, gardening, and observing cocktail hour promptly at five o’clock.
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Also written by Leslie Karst
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Receiving a complimentary copy in no way reflected my review of this book. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.” “As an Amazon Associate, I earn a commission from qualifying purchases.” I am also an affiliate of Bookshop.org and I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase.”
Sounds like a fun read. Deborah