Here are some Fun Hawaii Facts:
Hawaii is known as the “Aloha State.”
Honolulu is the capital and also the largest city.
State Motto: The life of the land is perpetuated in righteousness.
State Flower: Hibiscus
State Animal: Monk Seal
Hawaii is the only state that has a tropical rain forest and also a royal palace (Iolani Palace).
Mystery authors who are found on the Cozy Mystery Site and who feature Hawaii locations in their books:
Donald Bain & “Jessica Fletcher”: Murder, She Wrote Mystery Series – Aloha Betrayed (Maui)
JoAnn Bassett: Island of Aloha Mystery Series
K.K. Beck: Iris Cooper Mystery Series – Peril Under the Palms (Honolulu)
Frankie Bow: Professor Molly Mystery Series (remote Mahina)
Catherine Bruns: Death of the Big Kahuna
Kathi Daley: Zoey Donovan Mystery Series – Maui Madness
Earl Derr Biggers: Charlie Chan Mystery Series
Carolyn Hart: Henri O Mystery Series – Death in Paradise (Kauai)
Maddy Hunter: Passport to Peril Mystery Series – Hula Done It? (cruise)
Madison Johns: Agnes Barton Senior Sleuth Mystery Series – Hawaiian Hangover
Josi S. Kilpack: Culinary Mystery Series – Banana Split (K’auai)
Jill Marie Landis: Tiki Goddess Mystery Series – Em Johnson manages the Tiki Goddess bar on Kauai, Hawaii. A senior dance troupe called the Hula Maidens help Em in her sleuthing.
Leslie Langtry: Ukulele Murder (Kauai)
Sujata Massey: Rei Shimura Mystery Series – Shimura Trouble (Oahu)
Toby Neal: Lei Crime Mystery Series (not Cozy)
Please feel free to contact me if you see an author from the Cozy Mystery Site who belongs on this list, or if you have any comments.
♦To access more Cozy Mysteries by Theme click on this link.♦
mary g says
hi. seems to me there was a recent Jessica Fletcher that was set in Hawaii. (maui, i think) was it Aloha for Murder? i enjoyed it.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Mary G, thank you, I just added Aloha Betrayed to the Hawaii theme list.
mary g says
hi again. after thinking some more, i’ve come up with another “hawaii” mystery. it’s a bit older, author is k.k. beck, and it is Peril Under the Palms. also enjoyable.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Mary G, thank you, again! K.K. Beck’s Peril Under the Palms is now on the Hawaii list. Thanks!
Marie says
Our beloved Carolyn Hart wrote, in the Henri O series, a book called Death in Paradise that was based in Kauai. This was another of series’ that I thoroughly enjoyed.
Marie says
And adding another because–memory, what memory? I’m CURRENTLY reading Earl Derr Biggers’ Charlie Chan series of which some are set in Hawaii. I didn’t find the author in the list of authors here but I think this series qualifies as a cozy, don’t you, Danna?
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Marie, I’m right there with you! As soon as I read this comment of yours I reminded myself of the Cozy I’m currently listening to and the one I’m reading >>> just to make sure one of them isn’t set in Hawaii! I haven’t read any of Earl Derr Biggers’ Charlie Chan novels, but the movies certainly would qualify…
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Marie, thank you for telling us about Carolyn Hart’s Death in Paradise!
Jenn says
Maddy Hunter wrote “Hula done it” as part of her Passport to Peril series. I’m currently working my way through this series and I love it! 😉
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Jenn, thanks! I’ve just added Hula Done It? to the Hawaii list. Terrific!
Maeleen says
I am from the Big Island of Hawaii, now living in Indianapolis. i had no idea there were mysteries set in Hawaii. Much mahalo for this information!
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Maeleen, what a change from the Big Island to Indianapolis! If I were a Cozy Mystery author, I think I’d set one of my books in Hawaii so that I could go do the research!
janie says
I love the “Island of Aloha” mysteries. They are fun with a good mystery and really give you the feeling of Maui.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Janie, thanks for the JoAnn Bassett shout out!
Janie says
I hope you enjoyed them as much as I did.
Julie F says
Here’s another one: culinary mystery Banana Split by Josi S. Kilpack. One of her Sadie Hoffmiller mysteries and this book was set in K’auai.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Julie F, thank you for adding Josi S. Kilpack to the Hawaii Cozy Mystery themes!
David says
Danna,
An author I enjoy, Toby Neal, has a series of books available, all of which have the Islands of Hawaii as their setting.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
David, thank you, I added Toby Neal’s crime fiction books to the Hawaii theme.
Sally says
“Shimura Trouble” by Sujata Massey is set in Hawaii. I have enjoyed all of the Rei Shimura Mysteries by this author. I love your website!! It has introduced me to so many great authors! Thank you.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Sally, thank you for letting us know about Sujata Massey’s Shimura Trouble being set in Hawaii. Also, I am so glad you are enjoying my site!
sue says
How about Maui Madness by Kathi Daley? It is these kind of books that keep me going through the rainy days in England. We love Hawaii and have been lucky enough to travel there on several occasions. Aloha!
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Sue, thank you for telling us about Zoe Donovan’s Cozy adventure in Hawaii!
J D R says
Barbara E. Sharp has a whole series set mainly on Maui.
janie says
Thanks, I will add her to my list. I just got a sample of one. Try the Islands of Aloha mysteries . The first one is Maui Widow Waltz. They are by JoAnn Bassett
Frankie says
Aloha Danna, love your site. I hope you’ll consider adding The Musubi Murder. It’s the first campus murder mystery set in Hawaii, and the first of The Molly Barda Mysteries.
Kathleen says
Hawaiian Hangover by Madison Johns is set in Hawaii.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Kathleen, thanks for pointing that one out!
Jere says
As soon as I read the Fun Hawaii facts and the motto, which I actually said out loud in Hawaiian, I was hooked on your site. I’m anxious to get an order of books with Hawaiian mysteries! Thank you for this site. 🙂
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Jere, I’m glad that the lists are useful!
Dana Story says
Kay Hadashi has a cozy mystery series set in Oahu, the Maile Spencer Honolulu Tour Guide Mysteries.