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An Eternal Lei

A Leilani Santiago Hawai'i Mystery

Naomi Hirahara author

Format:Paperback

Publisher:Turner Publishing Company

Published:5th May '22

Should be back in stock very soon

An Eternal Lei cover

It's the middle of the pandemic and Hawaii has been virtually closed to tourists.

So when Leilani Santiago and her young sisters save a mysterious woman wearing an unusual lei from drowning in Waimea Bay in Kaua‘i, questions abound. Who is she and where did she come from? Leilani suddenly finds herself in the middle of a murder investigation when the lei is traced back to her best friend, the very pregnant Courtney Kahuakai, and her family’s flower business.

While the woman is in a medically-induced coma at a local hospital, Leilani sets out to discover her identity and her connections to the island. She is drawn deeper into the mystery, only to stumble into secrets that prove deadly. When Leilani’s investigation puts her family in danger, her survival and the safety of those dearest to her will depend on her sense of ingenuity and the strength of her island community.

“Wryly humorous, well-plotted, and timely without being depressing, An Eternal Lei will inspire daydreams of (post-pandemic) travel to Hawaii.” —Katie Noah Gibson, Shelf Awareness


“Hirahara gives us a multilayered story, rich in island detail.” —Booklist


“Fans of intrepid amateur sleuths will want to see more of Leilani.” Publishers Weekly


“With a strong sense of place, community, and culture, Hirahara’s follow-up to 2019’s Iced in Paradise opens a window on a Hawai’i unseen by most mainlanders . . . the multilayered central puzzle rivets from start to kindhearted finish.” —Mystery Scene


"Naomi Hirahara’s second novel featuring the multicultural Santiago family from the Hawaiian island of Kaua’i deftly uses COVID-19 as background for an energetic story about how the pandemic has affected tourism, small businesses and the vagaries of families in a tidy plot.” Sun-Sentinel


An Eternal Lei returns us to the diverse, beautiful, and complex setting of Hawai’i, and the world of Hirahara’s sharp and utterly relatable heroine, Leilani Santiago. Complicated family dynamics, pandemic issues, a wonderfully multicultural cast, and the unique politics of the island add color and depth to the latest installment of this fantastic mystery series. I can’t wait for the next book and am already searching for the nearest shave ice spot!” —Mia P. Manansala, author of Arsenic and Adobo


“A thrilling cozy with a gutsy young sleuth in authentic, contemporary Hawaii; packed with cultural insights and twisty reveals, it’s paradise in a book.” —Jennifer J. Chow, Lefty Award-Nominated author of the Sassy Cat Mysteries


“Kama‘āina rejoice! Naomi Hirahara has served up a detective who looks, talks and acts like one of us, a true breath of fresh air . . . An Eternal Lei is a cozy with a hardboiled heart, overflowing with Leilani’s cynical observations and introspection and staring down one of the Pacific’s ugliest issues without flinching. It’s a rainbow shave ice complete with azuki beans and ice cream for those of us who like something dark and rich lurking under the pretty colors.” —Scott Kikkawa, Elliot Cades Award winning author of Kona Winds and Red Dirt, and associate editor of The Hawai‘i Review of Books

ISBN: 9781684427963

Dimensions: unknown

Weight: unknown

208 pages