Yellowfin
In this follow-up to the simultaneously published Game Face , Hawaiian ex-cop Ben McMillen finds himself back on the Kona police force after a a brief retirement spent operating a Maui surf shop. When the badly mangled body of an aged Japanese man washes ashore on the Big Island, a tattoo identifies him as a former spy, and Ben is caught in a web of surprising secrets that stretches back to the days just prior to the attack on Pearl Harbor. A trail of clues leads him through the lush groves of Kona coffee and macadamia nut growers, as well as into the dangerous turf of the Kona Gold (marijuana) farmers. Ben's ultimate discovery of the dead spy's courageous humanistic actions changes his attitudes about WW II. Brown's ambitious second effort surpasses Game Face on most levels. Although Ben himself remains a bit stiff, portraits of the murder suspects and victims are more carefully drawn and considerably heighten the intrigue. Native island lore again infuses the action with a distinctive flair. Readers will forgive the slightly muddled plotting in light of the book's page-turning pace.Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.