Fire and Vengeance Book Review

Koa’s secret demons fuel his unwavering drive to pursue justice.

About Fire and Vengeance

Having killed his father’s nemesis and gotten away with it, Hilo, Hawai`i Chief Detective Koa Kane, is not your ordinary cop. Estranged from his younger brother who has been convicted of multiple crimes, he is not from a typical law enforcement family. Yet, Koa’s secret demons fuel his unwavering drive to pursue justice. Never has Koa’s motivation been greater than when he learns that an elementary school was placed atop a volcanic vent, which has now exploded. The subsequent murders of the school’s contractor and architect only add urgency to his search for the truth. As Koa’s investigation heats up, his brother collapses in jail from a previously undiagnosed brain tumor. Using his connections, Koa devises a risky plan to win his brother’s freedom. As Koa gradually unravels the obscure connections between multiple suspects, he uncovers a 40 year-old conspiracy. When he is about to apprehend the perpetrators, his investigation suddenly becomes entwined with his brother’s future, forcing Koa to choose between justice for the victims and his brother’s freedom.

My Thoughts

This is a well written, suspenseful novel that I could not put down. The unique plot centres around the explosion of an elementary school that resulted in many deaths and an exposure of bribes, treachery and murder that traces back many years.

We meet our main character, Chief Detective Koa. Koa has had an unique family history and this has made him into the person who he is. He feels tremendous guilt over murdering a man (not on purpose and the person was someone who likely very much deserved punishment although not in any way making it right) and this has shaped his actions ever since. He is estranged from his brother, who appears cruel, thoughtless and blames everyone but himself for his own actions. Their Mother is an incredible woman who loves her family with all of her heart and wants more than anything to see their relationship solidified. I loved how their relationships developed in this story (I can’t say too much as this would give a lot of it away!).

When an elementary school explodes, Koa is one of the first responders on the scene. It is then that they discover that the school was actually built on top of a volcanic vent and not only that, but the builders knew as they tried to hide the evidence. Koa will not stand for this and is determined to bring justice to those that could have prevented this tragedy. He begins to uncover years of treachery, bribes and murder – some at high levels of government. Their acts will leave you shocked and in disbelief, the bribery and deceit goes back so many years and seems to build on each one with a few becoming quite rich off of the backs of others.

This is an excellent novel from start to finish – it kept me on my toes (but not in a bad way as it was still easy to follow). I loved the layers to this story, I could never had envisioned the ending but it was perfect for this novel. This is a definite must read – take advantage of this downtime and pick up a copy of this book, you will not be disappointed.

You can purchase a copy of this book on Amazon.

Rating: 5/5

About the Author

Robert McCaw grew up in a military family traveling the world. After graduating from Georgetown University, he served as a lieutenant in the U.S. Army before earning his law degree from the University of Virginia. After law school he spent a year as a judicial clerk for Supreme Court Justice Hugo L. Black. Thereafter, he was a partner in a major international law firm with offices in Washington, D.C. and New York City, representing clients in complex civil and criminal cases. For a number of years, McCaw maintained a home on the Big Island of Hawaii, studying its history, culture, and people. Putting himself in the shoes of Detective Koa Kane, he has walked the streets, courthouse corridors, and parks of Hawaii’s Big Island. Fire and Vengeance is his third Koa Kane Hawaiian Mystery.

Disclosure: I received a digital copy of this book in order to facilitate this review. All opinions expressed are my own.