Natural Predators by Neil Plakcy

natural_predators_300Title: Natural Predators

Series: Mahu 07

Author: Neil Plakcy

Genre: Mystery, Crime, Investigation

Length: Novel Plus (279pgs)

Publisher: ManLoveRomance (15th February 2013)

Heat Level: Low

Heart Rating:   ♥♥♥♥4Hearts

Reviewer: Pixie

Blurb: The death of an island patrician in a warehouse fire puts openly gay Honolulu homicide detective Kimo Kanapa’aka, his partner and their foster son in danger.

The beautiful tropical island of O’ahu is filled with predators, from high-flying owls to bottom-dwelling criminals. When the body of an island patrician is found in a warehouse fire, tracking his killers will bring openly gay Honolulu homicide detective Kimo Kanapa’aka into contact with many of those predators, natural and otherwise. Kimo and his detective partner Ray Donne dig deep into the history of Hawai’i as the islands were teetering on the brink of statehood in order to understand the victim, his killer, and their motives. Kimo and his partner, fire investigator Mike Riccardi, decide to become foster parents for a homeless teen who witnessed the crime, while preparing to become dads themselves.

Purchase Link: http://www.mlrbooks.com/ShowBook.php?book=NPNATPRD

Review: This story is part of a series and is best read in order. Kimo and his fire investigator life partner, Mike, are called to an early morning warehouse fire where a dead body has been discovered. Kimo and Ray, his work partner, have to dig deep into Hawaii’s history to resolve the murder of a high-profile patrician.  Just who is killing off the elders of the Island and why? Whilst investigating the murder, Kimo and Mike take in a teenager who might have witnessed something he shouldn’t have and they try their best to become foster parents to the young man.  Even while they struggle with the personal decision to become donors to two of their friends.

I really enjoyed this mystery that dates back over 50 years and delves into the history of Hawaii. Kimo and Ray work together to solve the murder of one of the countries patrician’s.  When they discover the wife of another patrician murdered in the same fashion they begin to realize it is the connected to a murder more than 50 years before. Kimo and Mike have choices to make in their personal lives when two friends ask them to be sperm donors and a young man needs shelter. Mike is all for having a family, but Kimo is worried about the responsibilities that will fall to them.

This is a great combination of work and personal lives, both sides are drawn together, but neither overtakes the importance of the other. The way this story is written is really good.  We get drawn into the mystery and investigation and we also get drawn into the personal aspects of the story, making us vested in both being resolved. Much to our enjoyment this story is easy to follow, even if you haven’t read all the stories in the series.  You still get filled in on the important details that you might have missed from previous books. Neil Plakcy makes good use of all the characters, drawing them into the story in useful ways and making each one important.

Kimo and Mike are a great couple and this story shows that even though they are madly in love, they still have their ups and downs.  The slight conflict that we see between them is wonderfully done and it isn’t brushed over when they do come to an agreement, because doubts arise when Dakota (foster son) is injured. The mystery side is brilliant, it drags you in as they follow the meager leads they can dig up, but it also leaves you with a warning… if you are going to commit murder, don’t leave somebody else to clean up your mess ‘cause it just might come back to bite you in the ass.  lol. At the end of the book there is a free short called Alpha and Omega where it is a year on and we can catch up on Kimo, Mike and Dakota.

I am going to recommend this to those who love murder mysteries, learning about another culture, personal dilemmas, deep love and a happy ending.