Aloha,

I want to tell you about a great book I recently read, Murder on Tiki Island.  I really enjoyed the book. It made me feel like I was on a tropical vacation when, in reality, I never left Wisconsin.  Murder on Tiki Island was written by Tiki Chris Pinto.  The book takes place in October, 1956, and follows the story of New York City detective Bill Riggins. 

After being forced to take a vacation, Bill decides to spend some time in the Florida Keys.  Shortly, after arriving on Tiki Island Riggin’s vacation turns into anything but relaxing.  He gets tangled up with two women, a murder mystery, and some paranormal activity.  

The author, Tiki Chris, describes the island resort so well that I truly felt like I was there. He combined all the best elements of Tiki places from around the world and put them into one island resort.  There were even mermaids swimming in the pool that you could watch from a ship wreck style bar.  Sound familiar? Tiki Chris really did his homework to make you feel like it was truly the fall of 1956.  Many of the details and references in the book took me back to that time period.

The contrast when following Riggins from cold grey, dirty New York, to the bright, vivid, and colorful Florida Keys was amazing.  It reminded me of the transition in The Wizard of Oz from black and white Kansas to the Technicolor Land of Oz. That transition of opposite places, made Tiki Island all the more beautiful.  

Although, Riggins was the hero; he wasn’t without his own faults and vices.  He was young, and good at what he does, which gave him a bit of an ego.  I also got the sense that he felt invincible.  All of this made the character more human, and truly likeable.  

I would highly recommend Murder on Tiki Island to any Tiki fan, or really anyone who likes a good mystery.  So, travel down to the Florida Keys with Detective Riggins, and escape the winter that is almost upon us.

You can buy the book at Amazon.  For more information about the book visit, http://keywestmurdermystery.com/. Tiki Chris also has a great blog, http://tikiloungetalk.com/.

Mahalo,

Damon