I love cozies and I love learning more about different cultures, so yes to this book. Valerie is observant and aware of her surroundings but nobody believes her when she says she sees a body in lava, and nobody really wants to follow up on the report of the missing man. There were tidbits about the culture and the geography, with just enough action and humor to satisfy.
Thanks to NetGalley for letting me read this.

Immersion in Hawaiian culture--particularly that of the Big Island of Hawaii--is really the star of the first in a new mystery series by Leslie Karst. I found it quite interesting to learn about diverse local topics such as island history, lush nature, water sports, language, customs, politics, and (ah, yes!) food. The author helpfully provides a glossary of both Hawaiian and Pidgin terms at the end of the book, although I felt there was enough context to figure it out on my own. I was surprised to learn that even well educated islanders may choose to speak Pidgin around the other locals. I also found it fascinating how residents are resigned to living so close to active volcanoes, where in some areas they might have to evacuate at a moment's notice.

The mystery here begins with the main characters--one of a pair of middle-aged women vacationing in Hawaii after she has lost her brother in a tragic accident-spots a shoe and the foot inside it being swallowed up by an active lava flow and is determined to find out who it was and how it happened. She encounters some situations that are polarizing the locals but it is a low-key investigation with almost no action or violence.

The fact that Karst lives part-time each year in Hawaii and has both a law degree and culinary school certificate lends authenticity to the story and the setting. And there are some delicious-sounding recipes to savor.

My thanks to Severn House and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and provide an honest review of this book.

Valerie has just lost her brother in a horrific car accident. She and her wife Kristen decide to visit a friend in Hawaii for a change of scenery. The first day there, Valerie is certain she sees a body in the lava flow, but no one else has seen it. She spends the rest of the book trying to convince people, and questioning people she doesn't know. I enjoyed learning more about Hawaiian culture and reading the accompanying recipes, but I kind of felt sorry for Kristen, who was just trying to enjoy an island vacation without pestering the residents. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC.

Ever wonder what would happen if you hid a body in flowing hot lava? Well I have a book for you…

Valerie Corbin and her wife Kristen have their Hawai’i vacation shaken up when a body is seen almost completely covered in lava. With the evidence now gone, Valerie decides to start an investigation of her own with the help of friendly island locals.

I’ve always wanted to visit Hawai’i, but I respect the locals’ request enough to settle for a fictional trip through any books and tv shows I can find! This book is no exception, with its colorful Hawai’ian dialogue, tourist attractions, and delicious cuisines. The author has even included recipes at the end! I’d love to give one or two a try.

The murder mystery is very cozy, and I found myself enjoying the Nancy Drew-like sleuthing. It’s fun, tropical, and heartwarming.

Thank you to NetGalley and Severn House for this ARC.

Karst’s novel is a fun cozy that is heavy on Hawaii and light on violence. The amateur sleuth, Valerie, was fun to follow with her varied interests in food, people, and culture. I was rooting for her from the beginning when people didn’t believe she saw someone’s body disappear in lava because, sorry, that’s too crazy to make up! I also liked that she and Kristen (her wife) have a long-established, healthy relationship. It doesn’t have to be dwelled on that they’re lesbians in love; their care for each other is evident in their actions. Likewise, their relationship shows that even healthy relationships aren’t “perfect.” If anything, I wish Kristen had been involved more in the actual mystery solving.

The inclusion of both recipes of food mentioned in the book and translations for pidgin used in the book at the very end of the ARC (and I assume the final version of the novel) were also lovely and showed how much research had gone into Karst’s work.