Murders of Conveyance

MURDERS OF CONVEYANCE [The third NS Hawaiian Mystery]

2019 NEW MEXICO/ARIZONA BOOK AWARDS

WINNER Fiction-Adventure -Drama 

FINALIST for Mystery Crime and Cover Design-Fiction (6x9)

Semi-retired Natalie Seachrist and private investigator Keʻoni Hewitt are preparing to participate in the First Annual Aloha Scavenger Hunt. Winning a week of accommodations at the hotel hosting the event, they dive into the event with her friends Margie and Dan O'hara from the mainland. But after Natalie realizes that a dream of a film noire is actually one of her expanding visions, they’re off on another adventure in murder…and it's centered in Honolulu’s Chinatown.

Michael Radon, The US Review of Books, 4 stars of 5

Natalie’s career as a leisure journalist and the author’s two decades of life in Hawai'i combine to create an environment that is meticulously sculpted, filled with breathtaking scenery, rich culture, and decadent food. Those that have visited the islands will be teleported back to the scenes in their memories, while those yet to explore them will have their imaginations kindled. Unlike many novels in the mystery genre, Burrows-Johnson's book maintains a balance with Natalie and Ke'oni in that they dedicate themselves to the case while simultaneously taking care of themselves and each other rather than subsisting on coffee and no sleep. The pace of this story naturally transitions from the scavenger hunt and its locales to the identity of the murderer of the Chinese linguistics professor and gives the reader a grounded perspective before launching them into the action. Fans of a lighter mystery with rich characters and environments will devour this latest Seachrist story.

Kirkus Reviews

…Her visions may spark an investigation, but Natalie’s research skills, stemming from her days in travel journalism, are what lead her to answers. The author’s bountiful details explore Hawaii’s history and culture, as scavenger hunt clues direct Natalie and Keoni to historical landmarks and the inquiry includes Chinatown in Honolulu. Though Burrows-Johnson tends to linger on descriptions of Hawai'i's food and handsome locales, this tactic meshes with Natalie’s investigative approach…A whodunit as smart and engrossing as the unlikely gumshoe.

San Francisco Book Review 4 stars of 5

There are many reasons to recommend this novel. The descriptions of each destination and the players' race during the scavenger hunt are well done and leave the reader ready to book-travel to see the sights first-hand. The visions add an interesting paranormal twist to what could be just another crime novel. The relationships between the neighbors are wonderful and something that really makes the characters likable. And, of course, any murder mystery that involves a cat is a winner from the start!...All in all, this novel was definitely worth the read, and I look forward to more in the series. 

Frank Kaleba, Amazon Book Review 5 stars of 5

Clearly Jeanne's best yet. A swirling mix of the Asian immigrant experience, a modern scavenger hunt, revenge and murder, all set onto the perfumed tropical stage that is O'ahu. Natalie Seachrist, the central character, once again proves she can chart a course through a baffling mix of clues and menace to solve the puzzle of a frozen corpse from decades past. As I read it, I was sure I was tagging along with Natalie, enjoying the sights, tastes and excitement of the tropics.

The First Annual Aloha Scavenger Hunt is beginning. Journalist Natalie Seachrist, private investigator Keʻoni Hewitt, and friends Margie and Dan O'Hara are joining in the fun. Thanks to neighbors they christened The Ladies, Natalie is not worried about their feline companion Miss Una, who has a way of discovering her own adventures. Before departing for their Honolulu hotel, Natalie dreams of a film noire whodunit. Immersed in the action, she exits a vintage elevator, finds a man’s body lying in a hotel hall, and watches an elegant woman savagely search an adjacent room. After a murder occurs outside their suite, Natalie advises Honolulu Police Department's Lieutenant John Dias that the victim’s taped outline and hat leaning against the wall eerily parallel her “dream.” She then identifies the man’s photo as Chinese professor Fù Hán Zhāng. Knowing the reliability of her prescient gift, the detective asks Natalie and Keʻoni to watch for clues to either death while the scavenger hunt visits O'ahu locales like the Pali Lookout and an ancient heiau.
 

After a full-color vision, Natalie is convinced that the site of her earlier “dream” is in Chinatown, her victim is Chinese, and the perpetrator is a tall woman in a red suit. When a false scavenger hunt clue alludes to a priceless Kuan Yin statue, Natalie turns to her friend Pearl Wong for help. After a Chinese New Year’s feast, the investigators tour the historic Shēn building which once held a boutique hotel where a family member disappeared in the 1950s. Is this the man Natalie envisioned dead in a narrow hotel hallway? Is his death linked to that of the professor? What of the hint of a hidden Kuan Yin figurine of rare white jade? Coincidences?  Or, has Natalie’s visioning revealed a murderer with long hidden secrets?