It is early in the year to be traveling – but I’m lucky enough to have a trip already under my belt this year. We took one look at the grey skies and early sunsets of the Bay and decided it was time to head for more tropical climes. And thus, we set out for Maui – and I decided to find a reading selection that matched my destination.

It turns out that it’s quite difficult to find a cozy mystery that’s set on Maui itself – at least one that felt like it covered more than a tourist’s view of the island. Like last year, I wanted to find a read that treated Hawai’i as more than a vacation resort. After some research (and this helpful CrimeReads article), I settled on Molten Death by Leslie Karst, which takes place on the Big Island. And as I settled into my beach chair, sand in my toes and wind in my hair, I hoped that I’d learn more about these gorgeous islands.

Molten Death tells the story of Valerie Corbin, recently retired caterer, on vacation with her wife on the Big Island. While visiting a lava flow, she notices a leg disappearing into the molten rock. Of course, she decides to try and investigate what might have happened – despite severe skepticism from her wife and others around her. Her investigation forces her outside the typical tourist haunts, allowing readers to learn more about Hawai’ian culture and life. But what’s it like reading while on the islands – can it add to the travel experience?

Cozy fair-play – finally!

Before we get into the travel-while-reading experience, I’d like to take a minute to compliment Leslie Karst on writing a cozy mystery with a real investigation. Unlike so many cozy mysteries, Molten Death is entirely fair-play, with plenty of clues that could be pieced together ahead of the resolution. Not only that – Valerie pursues a thorough investigation, tracing clues to their origins with logical precision. There’s no stumbling across a solution or panicked kidnappings here – Valerie earns her answer.

That doesn’t mean the mystery is perfect, though some of its flaws may come down to characterization. Valerie spends the first half of the story pursuing a lead that seems improbable at best. While this portion of the investigation eventually introduces her to critical characters, it also rambles on for several chapters. This is more understandable when ones considers that Valerie’s both an amateur and working through a trauma response with this mystery. While her actions lead to investigative delay, they also help characterize her as persistent and driven.

Despite the uneven pacing, the mystery itself is both logically sound and interesting enough to spend time with. This is, in large part, because Valerie immediately starts pursuing local leads, taking her into the community of Big Island. She learns about its culture, its community, and the geologic and political controversies of the day. And in doing so, she provides the reader with an engaging look at the non-resort side of Hawai’i – exactly what I was hoping for.

An outsider’s guide to Hawai’i

Across my three trips to Maui, I’ve done what I can to learn about the island and its history. I made sure to learn all I could about the Road to Hana. I researched luaus extensively to make sure we visited one of reasonable quality. And I did my best to make sure that we engaged with local food and spots off the beaten track. Yet – there’s only so much research to be done on the internet… I was hoping that Molten Death would give me a different perspective on island life.

Karst, I am happy to report, does just that, using her love of her adopted home to add depth. By having Valerie stay with a local rather than in a resort, she provides a more local voice. This friend, Isaac, guides Valerie through community hotspots, geology, and cultural issues. Reading Molten Death exposed me to everything from hālaus to the origins of Hawai’ian pidgin to the complexities of geothermal energy. Valerie (and therefore I) learned about the different varieties of avocados (and how to tell if one is stolen) and Big Island’s unique approach to fishing. None of these topics are readily available, either online or in accessible visit locations. And I’m too much of an introvert to learn it via (gasp!) conversations.

Karst’s own position – a transplant in love with her adopted home – allows her to share information that enriched my own understanding of modern Hawai’i. Karst definitely Shows Her Research, and the result is heavy sections of exposition from Valerie’s newfound local friends. If you’re trying to rush through a mystery plot, this can be frustrating… But if you, like me, want to learn more about the setting, it’s a fun way to do it. I walked away from Molten Death with a richer appreciation of the uniqueness of these islands and a deep hankering to get off the resorts and into the local communities…

Read a little, learn a little

…which we did, at least a little. This trip, we ate at more local establishments, resulting in the discovery of truly heavenly cinnamon rolls. (Visit on a weekday! They’re worth the walk.) We enjoyed more local art, rambling through galleries to experience local artists. I wandered through the ABC Store and indulged in all the treats that surprised and delighted me. I can’t say I had as “real” an experience as Valerie – but little by little, I saw new sides of Maui.

Molten Death did exactly what I hoped it would – it expanded my aperture at exactly the right time. Most of what I’d read about Hawai’i focused on the past, or on the more dismal aspects of the present. It was wonderful, then, to read something that shared the big and little issues of daily life. I’m sure I have much more to learn about these islands, and Molten Death made me eager to seek out new perspectives. (I’ve already added more Hawai’i stories to my TBR!) A cozy and fun way to enrich my travel – and a reminder of how important it is to get off the paved resort roads when doing so.

January 2025 has been an eventful month – a new reading experience, a reading essay, AND a travelogue! Next week I’ll be rounding out all this novelty with my very first 52 Book Club monthly roundup. Until then – stay cozy, and stay curious!

Molten Death will count for my read that is “set in a country with an active volcano” for this year’s 52 Book Club!