AWOL at Ala Moana

Maile Spencer Honolulu Tour Guide Mysteries #1

by Kay Hadashi

After losing her job, Maile Spencer needs money in a hurry. Setting aside her ego to work for her brother-in-law, she gets a job as a tour guide in her hometown of Honolulu. On her first day, Maile realizes the tourists know more about world famous island sights than she does. Once their attention drifts, the trouble starts. When the drunk in the tour group staggers off, Maile goes in search of him. What she finds is a dead man next to a dumpster--and the knowledge that she's the worst tour guide ever. She'd simply like to walk away from the drama, until she feels the clasp of handcuffs on her wrists. Join Maile as she contends with her impending divorce, getting her real job back, sketchy characters with shady pasts, and her Hawaiian heritage that rules her life!

Genres: Mystery, Cozy Mystery, Contemporary, Fiction

202 pages, Paperback

Published May 13, 2020

Reviews

[theliterateleprechaun · Rating 4 out of 5]

Maile Spencer lives a fulfilling but high-stress life as an ER Nurse at Honolulu Medical Center. When one of her patients dies on her shift, Maile is let go pending an investigation. The thing is, the bills don’t stop piling up and Maile has to look for alternative sources of income. 


Working for her brother-in-law is the last thing Maile ever thought she’d do, but she swallows her pride and agrees to work as a tour guide at Moana Tours. 


Maile soon discovers that the tourists know more than she does! Furthermore, she has trouble keeping the group together. When one of the tourists wanders off at the last stop of the day and shows up dead in Ala Moana Mall Maile can’t believe her luck. 


I loved seeing Honolulu from a guide’s POV and how difficult it is to keep everyone interested and together. I’ve often wondered how much is made up ‘facts’ on the fly, so seeing Maile so glib with her answers made me smile. I learned about Leis and haku as well as more on tourist destinations I’ve frequented. I’ll be watching out for Nigel Bruce at the mall today! 


I’d recommend this cozy mystery and would choose to read the next in the series.

[Jan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this first book in a new series for me. I do love Hawaii and it was filled with loads of interesting info about the Aloha state. I will be reading more of Maile and her escapades.

[Suz]

If you want a vicarious trip to Oahu, complete with murder, check it out!

[Brittany · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun little cozy mystery set in Hawaii.

[Joanne Bull · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fun read

I enjoyed the humor and touches of the Hawaiian Culture.
I’m going to follow along with the series to see where it goes.

[ARR62 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lighthearted Fun

Perfect, absolutely perfect, beach read. Hawaii, beaches, sun, and locals - all the ingredients for a bit of mystery while playing tour guide. If you love Hawaii, love the beach, and love mysteries, read on.

[Arielle · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a quick read. Wanting to read a local mystery, this mostly craved the itch, if you can overlook some editing errors and awkward pidgin. The author tries to tell you how things end instead of making the reader guess, which is the major flaw of the book.

[Vicky Risner · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked it. The main character has potential.

[Marcia Ditter · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great fun read about one of my favorite cities.
Have been to a lot of the places mentioned in the book.

[Monica Deakin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Picked up this book because I love Honolulu. It's always fun to read novels set in places you know well. A light, quick read.

[Christi · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was written poorly and had flat characters.

[Julie · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fun read on the way to Hawaii to get me in the spirit. Not noteworthy, but cute.

[Kerri · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very easy beach read based on Oahu! A fun, clean mystery. It would have been better if the author didn’t put quite so many crazy things in this short book - but I still enjoyed it!

[C.G.Koens · Rating 2 out of 5]

Easy Summer Mystery

Not the best written, and the main character was a little irritating at times, as were the arrests for no reason, but it was a very quick read, and definitely good for the beach or a holiday weekend. I'd try another one, just to see if some loose ends could be tied up.