Fire Prayer
Deborah Turrell Atkinson
Reviewed by Barb Radmore
Fire Prayer, Deborah Turrell Atkinson's third Storm Kayama novel, is a
wonderful combination of suspense, Hawaiian history and culture.
Atkinson is able to weave together a myriad of plot lines that cross
time and characters. Storm is visiting with her aunt and uncle in
Moloka'i, the aunt and uncle who helped her so much in her youth.
Accompanying her is her law partner and lover, Ian Hamlin. He is also
investigating the disappearance of a man on the island. Meanwhile
Storm is checking up on an old friend, one of the few she had in high
school. Tanner Williams is worried about his son who lives with
his vindictive ex-wife. But Tanner's battle with his own issues, his bi
polar disorder, comes to a head when his wife is murdered and his son
disappears. The plot threads are each strong and Atkinson is able to
juggle with ease, combining past and present into a seamless story. Her
writing maintains the flow and builds the suspense at every level. The
ending is both expected and a surprise, as the past collides with the
present. Her characters are well defined; they are strong without
becoming stereotypes. Their actions are often unexpected but usually
believable.
It is the setting which sets Fire Prayer apart from others. Hawaii and
the desire to maintain its beauty and history is also a focus of this
book. Atkinson includes the language, the legends and the stories of
the islands to enhance her story lines. Her knowledge of the area is a
wonderful bonus to this mystery series. There is even a glossary at the
end that includes a short history and introduction to the Hawaiian
language.
Fire Prayer will be enjoyed by anyone who likes a strong mystery with
characters that capture a reader's attention. It is not necessary to
read the preceding two books in the series, which is a hallmark of a
good series author, but readers will want to if they are new to Storm
Kayama.