Robert McCaw – Carol's Notebook

Author: Robert McCaw

Robert B. McCaw grew up in a military family traveling the world. After graduating from Georgetown University, he served as a lieutenant in the US Army before earning his JD degree from the University of Virginia School of Law. Upon graduation from law school, he spent a year as a judicial clerk for Supreme Court Justice Hugo L. Black. He practiced law in Washington, DC and New York City, representing investment banks, lawyers, directors, and other clients in complex civil and criminal cases, including many that generated significant press coverage.

Adding balance to his life, he had the good fortune to visit and fall in love with Hawaii. He studied Hawaiian history, language, and culture becoming intrigued by the richness of the land and people. While still pursuing an active legal practice, he began to write, choosing the mystery genre to share what he had learned about the ancient Polynesians and their Hawaiian descendants. his first novel languished over the years and between vacations, put aside countless times under the constraints of his legal career. When he retired, things were different and he finally dedicated himself to finishing his first novel.

I picked up Death of a Messenger because I needed a book set in Hawaii for one of the reading challenges I'm doing. I was surprised by how much I actually enjoyed it. It's a good mystery and I learned a lot about Hawaiian history and culture. Hawaiian Detective Koa Kane is called to investigate a grisly murder – a mutilated body discovered in a lava tube at an army training area. The victim is difficult to identify and bears disturbing marks indicating an ancient ritual sacrifice. Further investigation uncovers an unknown archaeological site nearby and leads Kane to wonder if the victim had stumbled across a rare historical secret people will kill to protect. The plot is complicated in a good way. There are several convincing suspects including black market dealers, astronomers, and amateur archeologists, in the case, and enough clues and red herrings to keep the reader, and detective, on their toes. The pace was a bit uneven, but...