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A review by katreader
Molten Death by Leslie Karst
adventurous
informative
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
MOLTEN DEATH by Leslie Karst
The First Orchid Isle Mystery
Their trip to Hawai'i was supposed to be a time to rest and relax, but that goes out the window when Valerie Corbin sees a body disappearing in the molten lava and neither her wife, Kristen, or friend Isaac seem to believe her. Witnessing that leg disappearing in the fiery lava reminds Valerie too much of the accident that recently killed her brother. After reading about a missing person and unable to get the horrific images out of her mind, she decides to start asking some questions. Although her preoccupation is causing a rift between her and Kirsten, Valerie needs answers. But will her push for the truth cause more harm than good?
MOLTEN DEATH is a truly unique mystery. Technically, there is no crime, so there’s no police involvement. Valerie sees a leg that is engulfed by lava before anyone else sees it. While readers believe her, everyone else is doubtful. Before she can even suggest foul play, Valerie deems it imperative to find out to whom the leg, and presumably body, belonged. The novel is a mix between Valerie trying to identify the body and determining what happened to it, relaxing and enjoying the sites and food of Hawai'i, and dealing with relationship issues along with the aftermath of the accident that killed her brother.
While I truly appreciate the Hawaiian spellings and use of Pidgin, trying to mentally pronounce everything tended to be a distraction, if not taking me out of the story then slowing the pacing to a crawl. That being said, I loved the information provided, especially the reasoning behind speaking Pidgin and the ability some people have to easily switch between that and standard English. One of my favorite aspects of the book was all the knowledge that was shared, from the various sites, cultural aspects, food, and weather!
MOLTEN DEATH is an appealing entry to the Orchid Island Mystery series with diverse characters, an exotic setting, and a compelling story. There are also plenty of great foodie descriptions with recipes included at the end of the book.
The First Orchid Isle Mystery
Their trip to Hawai'i was supposed to be a time to rest and relax, but that goes out the window when Valerie Corbin sees a body disappearing in the molten lava and neither her wife, Kristen, or friend Isaac seem to believe her. Witnessing that leg disappearing in the fiery lava reminds Valerie too much of the accident that recently killed her brother. After reading about a missing person and unable to get the horrific images out of her mind, she decides to start asking some questions. Although her preoccupation is causing a rift between her and Kirsten, Valerie needs answers. But will her push for the truth cause more harm than good?
MOLTEN DEATH is a truly unique mystery. Technically, there is no crime, so there’s no police involvement. Valerie sees a leg that is engulfed by lava before anyone else sees it. While readers believe her, everyone else is doubtful. Before she can even suggest foul play, Valerie deems it imperative to find out to whom the leg, and presumably body, belonged. The novel is a mix between Valerie trying to identify the body and determining what happened to it, relaxing and enjoying the sites and food of Hawai'i, and dealing with relationship issues along with the aftermath of the accident that killed her brother.
While I truly appreciate the Hawaiian spellings and use of Pidgin, trying to mentally pronounce everything tended to be a distraction, if not taking me out of the story then slowing the pacing to a crawl. That being said, I loved the information provided, especially the reasoning behind speaking Pidgin and the ability some people have to easily switch between that and standard English. One of my favorite aspects of the book was all the knowledge that was shared, from the various sites, cultural aspects, food, and weather!
MOLTEN DEATH is an appealing entry to the Orchid Island Mystery series with diverse characters, an exotic setting, and a compelling story. There are also plenty of great foodie descriptions with recipes included at the end of the book.