A favor for his mother could cost Kimo everything.

Honolulu homicide detective Kimo Kanapa'aka is on departmental leave when his mother asks him to do the one thing he shouldn't: Investigate a murder.

The accused is Ikaika Kahale—a man Kimo grew up with, recently returned to O'ahu after serving time on the mainland. Now he's being blamed for a deadly bar fight, and the evidence against him looks solid. Too solid. Working off the books, Kimo goes undercover to uncover what really happened that night. But the deeper he digs, the more the case begins to unravel—exposing hidden connections, conflicting loyalties, and questions about who can truly be trusted.

Including within his own department.

As the investigation leads from a violent confrontation in a Honolulu bar to a seemingly tranquil nursery on the Windward Coast, Kimo realizes this is more than a simple case of self-defense gone wrong. Someone is hiding the truth. And they're willing to protect it at any cost.

With his badge on the line and his family pulling him deeper into the case, Kimo must decide how far he's willing to go—and what he's willing to risk—to uncover justice.

Perfect for fans of LGBTQ+ crime fiction, island noir, and Hawai'i police procedurals, this gripping installment in the Mahu Investigations series blends culture, suspense, and heart.