Title: Devil-Devil
Author: Graeme Kent
Publication: New York/Soho
Press, Inc.
ISBN #: 978-1-616-95-060-6
# of pages: 281
Discovered while
discussing global authors with a bookstore owner
Read in paper format
Also available in e-book
format
Ben Kella is a very
talented sergeant in the Solomon Islands Police Force but he often runs afoul
of his British colonial bosses as he tries to balance his police duties with
those of his role as aofia, hereditary spiritual peacekeeper of his people, the
Lau. It doesn’t help to have Sister Conchita underfoot. The young American nun is
on her first overseas posting and she too is trying to balance what her bosses
expect with what she believes is right, while proving to the locals that she
has what it takes to live there. When they meet over a half buried skeleton, the
sparks start flying.
Set in the Solomon Islands
in 1960’s, a mere 15 years after World War II, the local people are still
feeling the effects of that war and occupation by the Japanese, as well as
itching for independence from British rule. The author does an excellent job of
setting up the mystery while sharing the culture, history, and challenges of
this remote part of the world. Kella is reminiscent of Tony Hillerman’s Navajo
detective and traditional healer Jim Chee. The characters are well developed
and realistic, and the conclusion is achieved in an effective and believable
manner. I particularly enjoyed the personal aspects of Kella’s life, building
his home in a unique manner that is in fact typical for his
people….fascinating!
Rating: (^_°) Intriguing
Notable sentence: “Later, when he owned too much land for one woman to
maintain, he had taken a second wife.”
I had taken some time off
from blogging but I enjoyed this book so much, I just had to write a review!
And thanks again to Kerrie’s Global Reading Challenge!!! I would not have been
asking about authors from unusual parts of the world without her challenge. In
doing the challenge, I prefer to have the author to be from the country about
which they are writing, versus just having researched or visited the country.
Although Graeme Kent is British, he was head of BBC Schools broadcasting in the
Solomon Islands for 8 years. This book is the first in the Kella and Conchita
series, followed by “One Blood” and “Killman”. I look forward to reading the
rest.
