Mystery Mavens February 2012 selection... Set in the Solomon Islands as British control was waining in the 1960s, this book is fascenating and a good mystery rolled into one. Sargent Ben Kella is also an aofia, hereditary spiritual peacekeeper of the Lau people; and Sister Conchita, a young American nun team up to solve the mystery.
Yup, even in paradise there are murders. The story starts with death of Sendu Iabuli. Sargent Kella is sent into evaluate the situation. At the same time, the bones of Lofty Herman (tabu) are found near the the mission. Sister Conchita, also refered to as Praying Mary, attempts to bury the bones and Sargent Kella interviens. Then the adventure begins. They are chased around the island by someone with a gun. Shots are fired. Luckily our two intrepid characters survive another day.
We get some history about the Solomon Islands too. The Japanese invaded in 1942. That makes the date 1960. There are many remembrances of the war on the part of the characters throughout the book, as many of them fought against the Japanese during the war. [Parabosi, Deacon and Kella.] Parabosi also participated in the Marching Uprising after the war, when the locals in Malaita tried to over through the Brits. It was unsuccessful and Parabosi went into hiding in the bush with his people.
Peter Oro, Sendu Iabuli grandson, then runs away. He is in the local school and doing very well. Sargent Kella does not know what to make of this. Parabosi, the magic man, also places a curse on Sargent Kella. Parabosi is also the elderly chief of the bush people where Sendu Iabuli lived.
Sargent Kella then asks his friend John Deacon to transport Sister Conchita to Honoria for her safety. Since finding the bones of Herman, Sister Conchita's life is in danger. Deacon agrees but threatens Sister Conchita on the boat ride to Honoria. [In the early chapters of the book it is said that Sister Conchita turned Deacon in for smuggling local art work out of the islands. There is not a good relationship between these two characters.] Deacon works on a chopra plantation and has been in the islands since the war. Sister Conchita makes it to Honoria and works in the mission's motor pool while there.
While in the bush searching for clues to who was shooting at Sister Conchita, Sargent Kella stumbles accors Elizabeth. Interesting to see the character is human. The following morning, after his encounter with Elizabeth, Kella discovers Peter Oro's dead body at the foot of a water fall. His death looked carefully planned. And Elizabeth the school teacher, wasn't actually a school teacher. Funny how Inspector Lorrimer picks this time to show up with 6 uniformed and armed policeman. [He is looking for the missing Professor Mallory, last seen in the Kwaio district. Lorrimer is sent by Super Intendent Grice, as the theory is Parabosi kidnapped the Professor.]
Sargent Kella does some sluething and there is the incident with Mr. Cho, the local black market representative. And missed Gao, the store keeper who is sometimes in trouble with the law, going up river to buy/sell some goods. At this time Sargent Kella finds out that there is a dying man up river, Andu, the Ghost Caller. He must table his presuit of Gau to see Andu off into the next world in the straight path ceremony, as part of his duties as the aofia. Lastly, it is determined that Peter Oro discovered the tree house where the artifacts were being stored.
At this point Sargent Kella, Inspector Lorrimer and Super Interdent Grice tag back up again. They determine that Kella needs to look for Professor Mallory and that if he finds anything out about the death of Sendu Iabuli, it will be a bonus. When Kella goes back to Malaita he has limited time to do this all. He also has Hita and his warrior's who are challenging Parabosi as chief, sent by Parabosi, on his tail while he is tracking Professor Mallory.
Mallory is found with Elizabeth. Man, that girl gets around! Anyway, Mallory and Kella go up against the warrior's and win. Yeah! Kella determines that everyone was killed due to the smuggling of artifacts off of the islands. Sister Conchita helps Kella out at the Customs Office on the island, by finding the artifacts that were going to be shipped off-island. Lofty Herman's death is solved; Sendu Iabuli and Andu killed him back in 1942 since the Japanese would kill the natives if they were harbouring a white man.
Kella and Sister Conchita make a nice team. There is the right balence of mystery, local customs and history. I look foward to Kent's next book!
Other Themes to Talk About:
1.) Black White Man - Ben Kella
Went to schools with the whites and further educated in European University. Came back to the islands and works for the still British police force. But he is still the aofia and works with the local tribes as a peace keeper.
2a.) Sister Conchita turning in another white man for smuggling - goes agains the code of whites turning on whites. This is why Deacon, Austrilian, is anamistic toward Sister Conchita.
2b.) Sister Conchita - the blending of the Christian belief system with that of the Western Solomons. This is very hard for her to initially accept, but over time, with Sargent Kella's and Father Pierre help she is able to start the transition.
3.) Long Pig - the name given to human flesh in the bush
4.) WWII vs. today - things coming back around to haunt people
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