The Fire Thief by Debra Bokur

The scenery may be beautiful, but dangerous secrets are buried beneath paradise in this first thriller featuring Maui detective Kali Māhoe.
 
Under a promising morning sky, police captain Walter Alaka’i discovers the body of a teenage surfer bobbing among the lava rocks of Maui’s southeastern shore. Closer inspection reveals something far more sinister than the results of a savage wave gone wrong. Now that Alaka’i is looking at a homicide, he solicits the help of his niece, Detective Kali Māhoe.
 
Kali sees evidence of a strange ritual murder, a suspicion reinforced by a rash of sightings of a noppera-bō—a faceless and malicious spirit many believe to be more than superstition. When a grisly sacrifice is left on the doorstep of a local, and another body washes ashore, Kali fears that the deadly secret ceremonies on Maui are just beginning. As the skies above Maui grow darker, and as she balances reason and superstition, Kali can only wonder: Who’ll be the next to die? And who—or what—is she even on the trail of?
 
“Bokur’s welcome debut nimbly contrasts the Hawaii of sun and golden beaches with its less well-known underbelly of poverty, discrimination, and crime. Fans of strong female cops will look forward to Kali’s further adventures.”
—Publishers Weekly
 
“The Fire Thief has all the elements of a great mystery—crackling tension, brisk pacing, a vibrant setting, and a flicker of paranormal . . . or is it?”
—Wendy Corsi Staub
 
“An exciting blend of Hawaiian folklore and mystery. From page one to a stirring finish, Debra Bokur delivers a real page turner here.”
—Tracy Clark