Rate this book

Clear rating

1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

read book* *Different edition

Blood Orchids (Lei Crime #1)

by Toby Neal (Goodreads Author)

3.8 of 5 stars 3.80 · rating details · 467 ratings · 102 reviews

Hawaii is palm trees, black sand and blue water—but for policewoman Lei Texeira, there’s a dark side to paradise.

Lei has overcome a scarred past to make a life for herself as a cop in the sleepy Big Island town of Hilo. On a routine patrol she finds two murdered teenagers—one of whom she’d recently busted. With its echoes of her own past, the murdered girl’s harsh life and...more

Kindle Edition, 314 pages

Published November 2011 (first published 2011)

more details... edit details

Get a copy:

More…

Friend Reviews

To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up.

Lists with This Book

CRIME WRITERS WHO DESERVE MORE ATTENTION

1st out of 244 books — 109 voters

The Year-God's Daughter by Rebecca Lochlann

Of Moths and Butterflies by V.R. Christensen

Adopt an Indie: November 2011

18th out of 68 books — 43 voters

More lists with this book...

Community Reviews

(showing 1-30 of 1,307)

filter | sort: default (?) | rating details

Jun 08, 2012 Melissa rated it 4 of 5 stars

I actually haven't been reading very many mysteries of late, so I enjoyed diving back into the genre with Blood Orchids, Toby Neal's debut crime novel. This was a fast-paced book that proved to be a quick read and was perfect for the last few evenings. Not only do we have the mystery behind the discovery of that first murder scene, but ultimately Lei Texeira is embroiled in her own frightening scenario involving a creepy stalker. Naturally, one starts to wonder if the two mysteries are connected...more

4 likes · like · see review

May 16, 2012 Vivien Weaver rated it 4 of 5 stars

Crime/mystery novels aren't my "preferred genre," if you will, but I read a fair number of them as a teenager and decided to give it a go after reading the summary. I'm glad I did, because it's one of the more enjoyable books I've read in a while.

Lei is an engaging, sympathetic heroine--and it's really not often that I say that. Lei has been through a lot in her life and it's taken an emotional toll on her. I'm thrilled to see such a realistic and thoughtful portrayal of someone who obviously su...more Crime/mystery novels aren't my "preferred genre," if you will, but I read a fair number of them as a teenager and decided to give it a go after reading the summary. I'm glad I did, because it's one of the more enjoyable books I've read in a while.

Lei is an engaging, sympathetic heroine--and it's really not often that I say that. Lei has been through a lot in her life and it's taken an emotional toll on her. I'm thrilled to see such a realistic and thoughtful portrayal of someone who obviously suffers from terrible PTSD. The reader never forgets that Lei is a damaged person, as well they should not; it's certain that she never forgets. Lei has moments of deep, heartbreaking humanity as events in the past and the present weigh on her. Despite this, she is pretty self aware, a trait sadly lacking in a lot of novel heroines. I rooted for her from start to finish. She's not the typical Broken Bird and I'm so glad for that. You have no idea how much that trope infuriates me.

Lei isn't the only damaged person in the novel, though. Almost everyone Lei encounters has suffered and Toby Neal pulls few emotional punches when it comes to the portrayal of this damage. There was one moment in particular that I felt was curiously absent of expected emotional description, however, (view spoiler). For such a heavy moment, it seemed the author shied away from digging into the characters' emotional reactions.

I enjoyed the romantic development between Lei and Stevens. I was really happy to see that they didn't just jump into it, flying in the face of police department rules and emotional turmoil. I especially appreciated the fact that they're was mature enough to take their relationship slowly. One scene toward the end was the best, most mature "relationship talk" I've ever read in a novel. I really appreciated that Stevens called Lei on her bad behavior--in a relatively sensitive way, even. Overall, these two are deserving of one another's affection and that's certainly more than I can say for a lot of romantic pairs in novels.

The plot was refreshingly atypical. The pattern I've noticed in crime stories is too obvious red herring + actual murderer. While the police chase the red herring, who the reader knows is obviously the wrong guy, the real killer sows destruction. The reader can tell what's going to happen a mile away. In Blood Orchids, I was honestly stumped about which of the several suspects could be the real killer until the author meant for me to figure it out. This aspect of plot was handled quite well.

My one criticism is that the novel tries to handle too many things at once. (view spoiler). Granted, these plot threads were all connected in a way that made sense--my criticism is mainly that the main plot culminated at about the 3/4 mark and the other, unrelated subplots continued in what should have been the denouement. The subplots were interesting enough to deserve their own stories and I feel like they were underserved by playing second fiddle to the equally interesting main plot. I hope that the subplots continue to make appearances in the series, because they've got me curious.

All that said, I consider that criticism fairly minor. Despite the crowdedness (that's totally a word because I just made it up) of the last third of the novel, everything made sense and nothing had me gritting my teeth in frustration. The strengths of the novel far outweighed these shaky points. I enjoyed the story, but most of all I enjoyed reading about Lei.(less)

2 likes · like · see review

May 12, 2013 Douglas Cook rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: mysteries-police

What a great series! Glad I ran across it. I like ballsy female detectives. It also makes me want to move Hawaii to the top of my bucket list.

First paragraphs
Chapter 1 Drowning isn’t pretty, even in paradise. The girl’s features were bloated by water and nibbled on by wildlife. She lay half embedded in silty mud, naked as a seal carcass. Long hair that might have been blonde wrapped around her like seaweed, one sparkly hair tie still in place on the side of her head. Leilani Texeira grimaced at...more

like · see review

Apr 16, 2013 Lehua Parker rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: hawaii-favorites

We are all products of our pasts, a combination of long ago childhood experiences and what we ate last night. Like an order of deluxe saimin noodles, Blood Orchids, the first book in The Lei Crime Series by Toby Neal is a multi-layered and nuanced murder mystery.

There are two mysteries—the noodles and miso soup of the novel. Lei Texeira is a beat cop in Hilo, Hawaii trying to figure out who’s murdering women and who’s playing a cat and mouse stalking game by leaving notes on her doorstep. There...more We are all products of our pasts, a combination of long ago childhood experiences and what we ate last night. Like an order of deluxe saimin noodles, Blood Orchids, the first book in The Lei Crime Series by Toby Neal is a multi-layered and nuanced murder mystery.

There are two mysteries—the noodles and miso soup of the novel. Lei Texeira is a beat cop in Hilo, Hawaii trying to figure out who’s murdering women and who’s playing a cat and mouse stalking game by leaving notes on her doorstep. There are a lot of possibilities and questions about whether it’s one perp or three and whether the crimes are related.

As the mystery deepens, Lei finds out more about her past and begins to understand how the abuses she triumphed in childhood continue to shape her today. Like thin slices of teri beef these revelations add substance to the soup by allowing the reader to infer more about the characters and their motivations than they know themselves.

There’s a budding romance angle—the chopped green onion—and extended family relationships—the pink and white striped fish cake—but the real seasoning is in Neal’s deft handling of the setting. It’s a difficult thing to write a novel for a wide audience that authentically portrays life in Hawaii and Toby’s nailed it. She balances on the fine high wire of explaining just enough that readers unfamiliar with the culture get it without boring or oversimplifying it in the eyes of islanders. There’s a little Pidgin dialogue in Blood Orchids—Pidgin Light, you could say—enough to add flavor without a lot of work on the part of non-native speakers.

One of the highest compliments I can give is that Toby makes the setting seem normal and natural. Yes, it’s set in Hawaii. Yes, there are beaches, kālua pig plate lunches, funerals with remembrance stones, and all respected elders are called aunty and uncle, but none of this is center stage or explained too deeply. It’s all about the characters and the story.

And what a story it is.(less)

1 like · like · see review

Jun 21, 2012 Char rated it 4 of 5 stars

I would call this novel a murder/mystery with just enough romance. A perfect read!
Lei Texeira is the main character of the story. She has spent half her life in Hawaii and half in California. When her mother overdoses on drugs and her father is sent to jail, she is sent to California to live with her Aunty. She returns to Hawaii as a police officer, where she is put on a serial rapist/killer case and has a stalker to deal with. These cases open memories she has buried from the past forcing her t...more

2 likes · like · see review

Apr 29, 2012 J.C. Martin rated it 5 of 5 stars

Having been brought up on crime novels, I can be a bit particular about books in the genre. With the genre saturated with middle-aged, white male detectives with failed marriages and a penchant for the bottle, few protagonists in crime novels are memorable enough for me to sit up and take notice of them.

Lei Texeira is one such protagonist. Far from being just a pretty face (and a pretty name!), Leilani Texeira is a plucky, intrepid policewoman haunted by her past. Driven and ambitious, Lei aspir...more Having been brought up on crime novels, I can be a bit particular about books in the genre. With the genre saturated with middle-aged, white male detectives with failed marriages and a penchant for the bottle, few protagonists in crime novels are memorable enough for me to sit up and take notice of them.

Lei Texeira is one such protagonist. Far from being just a pretty face (and a pretty name!), Leilani Texeira is a plucky, intrepid policewoman haunted by her past. Driven and ambitious, Lei aspires to ditch her uniform to become a detective, but her impulsive initiative and stubbornness can sometimes land her in more trouble than she can handle. A strong and kick-butt heroine in a genre populated by male detectives, Lei nevertheless has a vulnerable side, as she struggles to let go of her past as a victim of child abuse. Ms. Neal's background as a mental health therapist definitely helped in portraying a determined but troubled character, adding realism and depth to a complex and compelling heroine.

Now to the story: Blood Orchids centres around the double murder of two high school girls. As officer Lei Texeira pursues the case, she herself is pursued by a stalker. The story is gripping, with heaps of action, and Ms. Neal did a fantastic job pacing the story, revealing nuggets of information one layer at a time. Whilst I mentally patted myself on the back when I correctly identified the killer, I certainly did not foresee that the story didn't end there! No spoilers here, but suffice it to say that what I initially thought was a predictable read, became far from it in the end, and that Lei's troubles were far from over!

Sure, at some points in the story, I did wonder, "Wow, what are the odds of all this misery befalling one single person?" But Ms. Neal's fast-paced writing left me little time to stop and think as it sweeps me along, and her very vivid portrayal of Lei's damaged psyche makes everything seem all the more believable.

With a riveting plot, intense action and drama, and vivid writing, what really made Blood Orchids for me, are the characters. Set in sunny and exotic Hawaii, Ms. Neal brings Big Island living to the masses with her rich portrayal of the island state's diverse peoples and cultures: Native Hawaiians, Chinese, Japanese, Filipinos... the occasional inclusion of pidgin English adds flavour to the story, bringing the setting to life. My favourite characters include Pono, Lei's partner, and Keiki, Lei's faithful Rottweiler. Lei's budding romance with Detective Stevens made for some tender moments, and I am looking forward to seeing where their relationship will take them in the coming books -- yes, there are other books in the making! Lei Texeira will be back, and I for one am looking forward to it!

If you enjoy a taut murder mystery with some Big Island flavour, if you like your heroines to be strong yet vulnerable, and if you enjoy your stories dark, but laced with hope, then Blood Orchids is definitely for you!(less)

2 likes · like · see review

Mar 07, 2012 G. rated it 5 of 5 stars

From the very beginning to the very end, I was submersed in the world, the characters and the plot of Blood Orchids. I don't generally read books which use sexual abuse or rape as a backdrop, but by the time I realized such would be a central theme, seeing how the main character, Lei, would deal with her own dark and buried past as she wades through the case of two young girls who have been drugged, raped and left to drown had me hooked.

Author Toby Neal pulls very few punches, if any, using her...more

2 likes · like · see review

Mar 07, 2012 Sandra Valente rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: have-read, mystery-thriller, 2012

3 1/2 stars.

This is a book I hadn't heard of and again, it's all thanks to seeing who was tweeting what. I peeked in at the right time. What first caught my attention, was the name of the book and then of course the cover. I loved them both. Curiosity had me clicking on the link and downloading the book, simultaneously mentioning it to a few friends. It was free over the weekend and I thought why not? Needless to say, they too downloaded Blood Orchids from Amazon. I wonder what their take will b...more 3 1/2 stars.

This is a book I hadn't heard of and again, it's all thanks to seeing who was tweeting what. I peeked in at the right time. What first caught my attention, was the name of the book and then of course the cover. I loved them both. Curiosity had me clicking on the link and downloading the book, simultaneously mentioning it to a few friends. It was free over the weekend and I thought why not? Needless to say, they too downloaded Blood Orchids from Amazon. I wonder what their take will be on this story.

Here's mine. The story is set in Hawaii where Ms. Neal was raised. I've ever only been there in my dreams and now via this book.

The main character is Leilani or Lei Teixeira who has had somewhat of a brutal past and still bears the scars, figuratively speaking. Due to this past she's become a cop working and residing in a sleepy town called Hilo. Out and about on rounds with her partner, Pono, they discover the bodies of two young girls in the water, one of whom Lei had previously busted for drugs. The discovery is called in by Pono and Michael Stevens enters the picture. Lei has only been on the force for three years but has aspirations of making detective and is quite adamant that's she's involved, however minor, regarding anything to do with this case. I'm not going to give any spoilers away, although you might probably read them elsewhere, but will continue to say that she manages to become a part of this investigation and even has the nerve to take the initiative on occasion. This doesn't normally bode well with those in charge and Michael let's her know in a subtle way. During this investigation, Lei starts receiving notes from a stalker. At first, its presumed that both the murders and notes are carried out by the same perpetrator but it's eventually decided that they are separate. The story takes you in different directions including different perps and to be honest, kept me changing my mind over and over again. To further add to Lei's mental anguish, not only is her friend Mary murdered but a third element is added towards the end of the book. Just when I thought it was all over and this was the part where the spark/romance between Lei and Michael would develop even further, something else happens.

Lei is quite an interesting character who at times made me angry. Being raped at age 9 by her mother's boyfriend, losing her father to prison for drug dealing and her mother to an overdose is not what any child should have to go through - EVER. In saying this and in all fairness, I feel for Lei and sympathise with her struggles and daily battles. The author continuously let's us know what's going on in Lei's mind. I found myself clenching my jaw or systemically doing breathing exercises along with her to calm myself down. There were times though that I found Lei to be rude, especially to Michael for no reason at all. Yes, she still struggles with the past, who wouldn't having gone through that horror, but there are people who care and want to help and sometimes you need to take them at face value. Lei always seems to sense that something is wrong with someone, so why not use the same gut feeling to sense what's right? Also, Michael's had a bad past too, yet he seems to have overcome his struggles better than she has. Everyone's different I suppose and coping mechanisms differ. With this said, I liked Lei including all her turmoil and angst. Despite being 'rude' to people at times, she was one gutsy kick ass lady, that's for sure, and what I admired about her was her tenacity in solving the girls' murders.

I thoroughly enjoyed the characters including Pono, her partner, who cares for her and made me laugh a couple of times. I also liked Michael a lot. He's just an all round good guy who has the patience of a saint where Lei is concerned. I suppose accepting help on Lei's part can be hard when trust is not easily given. I loved Dr. Wilson and would sit on her couch any day - she'd sort me out in no time! As for Keiki, the Rottweiler, I want her, now! Adorable.

This book is full of mystery and quite a bit of action, and I enjoyed it even more than I thought I would. Another aspect that I liked was the POV of one of the perp's. Always adds something extra to the story providing us with the suspense needed, and at the same time making us wonder when what he says he's going to do, is carried out. There were one or two inconsistencies making me go back to re-read a certain sentence or paragraph thereby stopping the story's flow. These type of things irk me, however, they are minuscule and in no way detract from the book.

A good debut by this author who kept me interested throughout the story. I wonder what lays ahead for Lei.(less)

2 likes · like · see review

Feb 22, 2012 Angie Holtz rated it 4 of 5 stars

From Lilac Wolf and Stuff

**This book was sent to me by BookSparksPR to review**

I had a hard time getting into this one. The starting scene is intense, but Lei can be up and down and all around at times. This carries through the story but as you get to know her, it starts to make sense. Once I got going, I was sucked in.

The characters are all well written, and you do come to care about Lei. With this being a mystery I want to be happy for her, but I keep my mind around who might be the bad guy. L...more

2 likes · like · see review

Apr 14, 2012 Marilou George rated it 5 of 5 stars

Lei Texeira has stumbled upon two bodies floating in the water in Hilo, Hawaii. Lei is a police officer trying to work her way up to detective and knowing one of the victims she feels compelled to help with the investigation. Michael Stevens a detective from California is leading the investigation and enlists Lei to help.

The character of Lei is slowly revealed throughout the story and I felt such empathy for her and the horrific struggles she went thru as a child. She is a feisty, complicated an...more

3 likes · like · see review

Sep 12, 2012 Amit Shetty rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: 1st-impressions-last

OK, so why exactly did I pick up this book?
Oh right, coz it was the first book that was recemmonded to me by GOODREADS after I read The Lion, the Lamb, the Hunted: A Psychological Thriller.
The psychological intensity is not worth mentioning at all. Every time in the book when I got to that moment about Lei's child abuse a ton of romantic feelings are thrown along with it to soften it up, almost liquefying it.
Unlike Andrew E. Kaufman's book, there is no grand revelation in the end and if you look...more

1 like · like · see review

Apr 12, 2012 Frederick Brooke rated it 5 of 5 stars

I've just finished reading Blood Orchids by Hawaii Mystery Author Toby Neal, and I'm still all jittery. It has nothing to do with coffee, either. The author builds a convincing web of horrors around main character Lei Texeira, and after reading this book I'm going to have a hard time relaxing again.

Lei is a police officer in Hilo, Hawaii, working to make detective and in the meantime keeping the lid on gangs, solving murders, and by the way also fending off her own personal stalker. The layers o...more I've just finished reading Blood Orchids by Hawaii Mystery Author Toby Neal, and I'm still all jittery. It has nothing to do with coffee, either. The author builds a convincing web of horrors around main character Lei Texeira, and after reading this book I'm going to have a hard time relaxing again.

Lei is a police officer in Hilo, Hawaii, working to make detective and in the meantime keeping the lid on gangs, solving murders, and by the way also fending off her own personal stalker. The layers of this woman's history build slowly and naturally in this lush, tropical mystery. When the book opens, in classic murder mystery style, Lei has discovered two female victims floating in a creek, drowned and clearly murdered.

Lei herself was raped at age nine, and her mother died soon after of an overdose while her father was hauled off to prison. The girl grew up in a world that we call dysfunctional, but that makes it sound way too clean and nice. More like a world of pain and hurting, of bruises and scars and daytime nightmares and nighttime terror. As a result, flowers in Lei's world now that she's an adult feel almost like something venomous while her favorite gun, the Glock 40, earns her kisses and caresses. Lei has serious issues, as she is the first to admit.

I like it that the author is not afraid to make the characters talk in Hawaiian dialect. "'Someone been making trouble for me. I like you make it stop,' Lei said in pidgin." She handles this expertly, and you feel not only like you are in Hawaii, but like you are navigating between different social classes on the streets of second-city Hilo, Hawaii. I guess it's like Oakland compared to downtown San Francisco.

A California detective, Michael Stevens, has been brought in from the mainland to beef up the Hilo police force, and of course he chooses Lei Texeira to help him solve the murders. I'll give you one guess what happens next between Stevens and Lei Texeira. Although this developing romance fits the formula, it somehow acquires a unique twist when the two stick to rather Victorian rules of engagement they establish together: the romance can only begin once the murders are solved. This creates some interesting situations, especially when Lei's dysfunctional past rears its ugly head and threatens the budding relationship. These things are never easy!

I'm still getting over my jitters, but I've realized this book has it all. A beautiful lush setting in Hawaii, overflowing with exotic plants like Christmasberries, mango trees and, yes, orchids; a cast of gritty, sympathetic characters; a plot that keeps turning in on itself like a fugue; and dialogue laced with interesting local dialect. There's a lot of murder mysteries to choose from out there. You won't be disappointed with Blood Orchids.
(less)

4 likes · like · see review

May 12, 2012 Melissa rated it 4 of 5 stars

This was great! The suspense had me turning pages long past my bed time every night and the story contained enough twists and turns that I felt as if I were winding through island roads without knowing where I'd end up. After reading it, you'll understand when I say, the last few chapters were a complete surprise!

The book focuses mostly on the heroine's past/job/killer/stalker aspects with a bit of romance. It's definitely not a sappy, mushy love story, which wouldn't make any sense at all, give...more

1 like · like · see review

Sep 06, 2012 Sharon Michael rated it 3 of 5 stars

Author puts together a good, readable police procedural and the setting is woven as a lush background to the mystery. Well developed characters and the storyline is not overwhelmed by the romance.

My only criticism is relatively personal, so many police/mystery novels now seem to be unable to avoid the cliche of 'damaged law enforcement character'. It's beginning to feel like authors have to tack on some kind of background trauma with the ongoing angst defining the character rather than going to...more

like · see review

Aug 30, 2012 Mary Be rated it 5 of 5 stars

This book was excellent. Anybody who likes mysteries should read it

1 like · like · see review

Jan 24, 2012 Gae-Lynn Woods rated it 5 of 5 stars

Prepare to be completely drawn into the beauty and danger of Hawaii with Neal’s captivating BLOOD ORCHIDS. Her characters are multidimensional and her descriptions of Hawaii – the sights, sounds, smells, and tastes – vivid. With ease, Neal weaves several plots through the story and keeps the tension high.

Neal’s background as a counselor must have contributed to the creation of the very believable Lei Texeira, a feisty police officer with a harrowing and hidden past. Texeira has to deal with diss...more

2 likes · like · see review

Dec 17, 2011 Noelle Pierce rated it 5 of 5 stars

This was a well-written, perfectly-paced book, steeped in Hawaiian culture. Ms. Neal does a good job balancing the paradise aspect of the islands, with the seedy side normally unseen by tourists.

Leilani Texeira has some major demons from her past, which come back to haunt her in the first of this suspense series. In fact, there's concern that she'll be able to do her job because one of her coping mechanisms when dealing with any sort of triggers is dissociation. The book opens with the discovery...more

1 like · like · see review

Mar 08, 2012 Rick Gualtieri rated it 5 of 5 stars

Blood Orchids is fast paced, brutal, and sucks you right in from the very start...all the while immersing you into the rich culture of our fiftieth state.

In many ways, this latter part almost gave this story a bit of a sci-fi feel to it for me. I've never been to Hawaii, so this was like finding myself in a whole new world. Neal does an excellent job of bringing the surroundings in her book to life. Despite having never been there, through her writing I was able to easily picture the various sce...more

1 like · like · see review

Apr 21, 2012 Becky Sherriff rated it 4 of 5 stars

*** Spoiler Alert ***

I loved this book. It's safe to say once I picked this book up I found it impossible to put down.

It's fast paced with lots of twists and turns.

There is a fantastic back story too which kept me thoroughly engaged.

Lei is a truly loveable character and inspiring to women. She has had a heartbreaking beginning to life which I suspect provoked her chosen path into the police force.

Although the story is dark and sad due to the nature of the murders the descriptions of the island a...more

2 likes · like · see review

Feb 28, 2012 Queen added it

The following review is posted on my blog. www.queenofreading.blogspot.com

I recently read Blood Orchids by Toby Neal. This is my first book to review as a BookSparks Groupie. This is a very interesting book. It is a crime novel, which is not something I typically read. What makes this book interesting is it mostly focuses on Lei, a police officer, however it does give us glances into the murders head.

Lei and her partner Pono discover two dead young adults. While investigating their murder Lei di...more

1 like · like · see review

Jun 20, 2012 Jean rated it 5 of 5 stars

In March, I added Blood Orchids By Toby Neal to my Kindle as a free download. Last week, sitting at DFW airport waiting to begin a long weekend vacation, I tabbed through my Kindle in search of something to read. I’d even forgotten what this book was about. What a wonderful surprise.

I found myself vacillating between writer and reader. The writer in me wanted to savor the imagery, taking note of the pace, and captivating story that drew me in with beautiful writing of a gruesome crime. The reade...more

1 like · like · see review

May 25, 2012 Raine Thomas rated it 5 of 5 stars

BLOOD ORCHIDS is as much a wonderful depiction of the character development of Hawaiian police office Lei Texeira as it is a murder mystery/romance. Lei is every bit the flawed protagonist...perhaps even more than most. Her background involves violence and abandonment balanced by the nurturing of her maternal aunt. She has much to overcome, which just made me root for her all the more.

There is, of course, a murder (or several) at the core of the novel. Lei gets involved after finding two dead gi...more

2 likes · like · see review

Dec 09, 2012 Jeanette rated it 5 of 5 stars

Wow, and Wow...and oh yea, WOW!! Toby Neal is fast becoming a favorite author. This is an excellent debut! I first read Torch Ginger (which is #2 in the Lei Texeira series) and was duly impressed, but this one I feel was even better and although read them out of order, I was not confused, lost or felt like I was re-reading any of Lei's background information. Neal does a great job of laying the foundation for all of the characters and how they intertwine with each other. Every time I thought I k...more

2 likes · like · see review

Jan 12, 2012 Gail Baugniet rated it 5 of 5 stars

Blood Orchids is set on the Big Island of Hawaii with much of the action occurring around the eastern town of Hilo. Lei Teixera, on the police force for three years, has aspirations of moving up from policewoman to police detective. But her past threatens to undermine this goal.

While on patrol checking for vandalism, Lei and her partner find the bodies of two murdered teenage girls in the muddy overgrown area of a park. She wants in on the investigation. When the lead detective says the case re...more

2 likes · like · see review

Jan 06, 2013 Kirsten Lenius rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: contemporary, mystery

Leilani Teixeira has been through the wringer in life. From childhood, she dealt with the results of having a drug addicted Mother and a father who was sentenced to hard time in prison. Only after her beloved auntie took her in did she find some peace and safety.

Still working her way through the repercussions of her childhood traumas, she chose to become a police officer to help find justice for those who need it.

When two girls are found dead by Lei and her partner, she feels the need to take an...more

1 like · like · see review

Oct 23, 2012 Yolanda Renee rated it 4 of 5 stars

I am a lover of mysteries, and with a little romance, I am definitely there. In Blood Orchids, Lei is a cop in the land of volcanoes, beaches, and fern forests in the Big Island town of Hilo.

When she stumbles upon two murdered teens, memories of her past begin to haunt her. But when she gets her wish to become part of the team working the case, the stalker comes after her.

Thrown into all that intrigue, is a burgeoning love. This is an interesting mystery set in a beautiful land. I enjoy the desc...more

1 like · like · see review

Mar 20, 2012 Tomara Calloway rated it 4 of 5 stars

Let me say I did enjoy this book. But I think my expectations were too high after seeing all the high reviews. Curiosity got the best of me. It's a typical mystery/whodunit book. I had it all figured out until the author threw a twist in there. Normally, I like twist... I just feel this one was forced and cried desperation. There were a number of characters and names which could cause some confusion but I'm sure this was to add suspense and to keep you guessing. Although I liked this book, I hat...more

like · see review

Jun 14, 2012 Jean rated it 4 of 5 stars

I really enjoyed this book. It was a great combination of psychological characterization, and a thriller that kept me guessing. Not only was the psychology of the killer explored in italicized vignettes throughout the novel, but the protagonist's state of mind was also on display, as the victim of her stepfather as a young child, and her subsequent attempts to overcome these awful events. None of this was exploited in an unnecessary way for the reader, but it rang true and added to the suspense....more

1 like · like · see review

Oct 08, 2012 Greg rated it 4 of 5 stars

Blood Orchids is a murder mystery set in the small Hawaiian town of Hilo. Policewoman Lei Texeira finds two murdered teenage girls. The circumstances bring back memories of her own troubled childhood and she becomes obsessed with finding the killer. The killer knows this and has plans of his own for her.

This is a well-written mystery with strong believable characters and a new twist at each turn. Lei is a feisty character who has a habit of following leads without calling for backup, has persona...more

1 like · like · see review

Apr 21, 2013 Marie rated it 4 of 5 stars

Lei Teixera is a Hilo policewoman who is working towards making detective. She has her own personal demons to work through from the abuse she suffered as child. Working on a double homicide of 2 teenage girls and then being stalked by someone that may or may not be the killer ramps up her anxieties and has her questioning her sanity at times. Lei is an interesting character in this dark thriller set in the beauty of Hawaii. Look forward to reading more in this series and seeing how Lei's budding...more

like · see review

« previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 … 43 44 next »

new topic
Discuss This Book

topics	posts	views	last activity
Blood Orchids explores psychology	4	11	Mar 08, 2013 11:56am

combine
Other Editions (2)

Genres

Mystery

43 users

Thriller

16 users

Thriller > Mystery Thriller

9 users

Mystery > Crime

7 users

Romance

6 users

Romance > Romantic Suspense

4 users

Contemporary

3 users

Suspense

3 users

Mystery > Murder Mystery

2 users

See top shelves...

Readers also enjoyed similar books

About Toby Neal

Toby Neal was raised on Kauai in Hawaii. She wrote and illustrated her first story at age 5 and has been published in magazines and won several writing contests. After initially majoring in Journalism, she eventually settled on mental health as a career and loves her work, saying, “I’m endlessly fascinated with people’s stories.”

She enjoys many outdoor sports including bodyboarding, scuba diving,...more

More about Toby Neal...

Books by Toby Neal

Building an Author Platform that can Launch Anything

More…

Share This Book

Facebook Twitter Your website

Trivia About Blood Orchids

No trivia or quizzes yet. Add some now »

title link	preview: Blood Orchids
avg rating	preview: Blood Orchids Goodreads rating: 3.80 (467 ratings)
small image	preview: click here [close]
med image	preview: click here [close]
BBCode	[url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13123393-blood-orchids?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book][img]http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1330687995l/13123393.jpg[/img][/url] [url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13123393-blood-orchids?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book]Blood Orchids by Toby Neal[/url]

Blood Orchids (Lei Crime #1)

Friend Reviews

Community Reviews

Share This Book

Share This Book on Your Website