SAVING PARADISE introduces a guy called Pono Hawkins by his friends, who's served in Afghanistan. To ensure he's not under suspicion he visits the police station, where he's told that the lady he found, Sylvia Gordon, was drowned in fresh water, like a pool, before being put in the ocean. She'd been dead for six hours before discovery, so the cops are looking elsewhere. Specifically, at the articles about crystal meth that Sylvia Gordon had been writing for the Honolulu Post, where she had been well-liked. Only, next time Pono sees a TV report, the police have changed their minds and said the drowning was accidental. That's when our protagonist starts investigating, and people start trying to kill him.

We get a lot of local dialogue, like "What's new from that?" and hear that 'Money' magazine calls Hawaii the most politically corrupt state; the people also have the highest electricity bills in the US. An offshore windfarm seems a natural choice; but conservation and tourism resent the idea. If corporations stand to make a fortune from running an interconnector cable through a whale sanctuary, their politician friends end up in favour, even if that's not what the voters expect. If the media don't expose corruption and environmental degradation, who will? Rooftop solar for households is the other obvious answer, but with this cutting energy firms' profits instead of raising them, Pono hears that major corporations are pouring money into preventing this efficient step.

I enjoyed the debate and I liked Pono's brave daschund Mojo, who learnt to surf by watching his owner. Pono also teaches foster kids swimming and surfing; he had been headed for a career in marine biology before enlisting, so he is a savvier guy than we first realise. He finds a love interest, but mostly he tells us of the beauty of the islands.

SAVING PARADISE by Mike Bond is an unusual adult thriller story and a must-read for anyone concerned about the environment and energy. Not, however, for the tender.

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