Treachery Times Two

 

Treachery Times Two is a modern murder/corruption procedural set in Hawaii and the fourth book in the Koa Kāne series by Robert McCaw. Released 4th January 2022 by Oceanview, it's 352 pages and available in audio and ebook formats.

This is a procedural with a well established ensemble cast and the added contrast of what should be an idyllic paradise setting with the investigation into the murder and mutilation of an unidentified woman who is discovered in an abandoned graveyard after a volcanic earthquake. The titular protagonist has a conflicted and flawed past himself along with being forced to navigate problems with his immediate family (his brother's incarcerated). There are some scenes which might be too graphic for some readers. It's a modern procedural and some descriptions are gritty.

The writing is competent but struck me as choppy and abrupt in some places. It reads more like a military thriller (a la Tom Clancy) than a police procedural for a small town police force. I also had a few difficulties with the liberal use of the Hawaiian language throughout the book. It added verisimilitude, but where it wasn't explained in context, it left me a bit confused.

I suspect that my issues with the book were due more to my preconceptions than the author's stylistic intentions (i.e., my fault). I went into the book expecting Hawaii Five-0 and got Jack Reacher. Definitely readable, and enjoyable, just not what I was expecting. Four stars.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.