Blood Orchids by Toby Neal

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 to deal with them.

Michael Stevens, the secondary character, is not only Lei’s co-work on the rapist/killer case but also her compelling love interest.  With his patience and understanding their story develops wonderfully.  There are a great many wonderful and touching scenes between Stevens and Lei.
I loved how Toby Neal kept me guessing.  I would catch a clue and think that I knew who the stalker or killer was and then something would happen to make it obvious that I was so wrong.  I was kept guessing til almost the end of the book and after all was said and done I had that AH-HA moment where it all made sense.

Toby Neal wrote a great novel.  Grabs you from the very beginning and keeps you into it til the very last page.  I love a great murder/mystery story, the romance was just an added perk.  Everyone should check out Blook Orchids, A Lei Crime Novel.  I shall be anxiously awaiting the next novel’s release.

Reviewed by: Charlotte