Five Decembers - James Kestrel (Book)

Novel. December 1941: America teeters on the brink of war, and in Honolulu, Hawaii, police detective Joe McGrady is assigned to investigate a homicide that will change his life forever. The trail of murder he uncovers will lead him across the Pacific, far from home and the woman he loves.

Five Decembers by James Kestrel is a masterwork of historical noir that drifts from Honolulu’s smoky bars to war-torn Asia, weaving a tale of murder, longing, and survival across the Pacific. Winner of the Edgar Award, this sweeping crime novel unfolds with the cinematic atmosphere of a Humphrey Bogart thriller—equal parts hardboiled grit, romantic tragedy, and island intrigue. For exotica and tiki devotees, it’s a rare literary voyage that conjures rain-slick streets, rum-soaked nights, and the shadow of paradise at war.

Paperback, 429 pages