Storm Kayama needs to build her clientele, so when surf promoter Marty Barstow’s wife walks into her new law office, Storm agrees to represent her, even though it looks like a bitter divorce situation. Storm feels for Stephanie, who seems lonely and frightened.
When Stephanie’s son Ben, a promising surfer, invites her to O‘ahu’s North Shore for a contest, Storm jumps at the chance. Not only will it be a thrill to observe the meet, but Storm will also have the opportunity to watch a distant cousin compete. Nahoa Pi’ilani has grown from a mischievous kid to a surfer of international renown, and he seems to have put the trouble that once brewed between their families behind him.
When a child delivers a package to Nahoa, the young surfer opens it. Inside the plain wrapper is an ancient Hawaiian weapon, a wooden club encircled with shark’s teeth. Storm recognizes the lei o mano. It’s a threat, a call to battle.
“Peppered throughout with surfing terms, Hawaiian dialect and gorgeous descriptions of Oahu’s North Shore, this exotic beach read is a quick, fun read.”
Publishers Weekly
“The Green Room is a fantastic summer read. Easy dialogue and authentic descriptions of the mystery and beauty of Hawai’i make the reader feel like they are sitting right there in the sand on that Oahu beach, watching the surfers and wondering about the mystery… If you are looking for a fast-paced read for a lazy day by the pool this summer, pick up The Green Room. You will find yourself on a fantastic ride through some of the world’s most beautiful places and captivating people.”
Emily Burson, BookPleasures.com
“Though the pacing in this book is brilliant and the climax provides the most genuinely scary vicarious thrill I’ve had in a long time, Atkinson really excels in her gorgeous descriptions of Hawaii, especially of the ocean…..If you’re in need of a beach vacation right now but can’t get away, try this book. It has everything except the sunburn and sand in the bathing suit.”
Carroll Johnson, ReviewingTheEvidence.com
“Atkinson lives in the islands, and in her hands THE GREEN ROOM is a new type of armchair travel book. Those who think a week’s sojourn on Maui or Wakiki provides all there is to know about Hawaii should think again!”
Woodstock, for Crimespree Magazine
“This is a unique mystery, written by an author who is clearly steeped in the Hawaiian culture. While the characters are modern-day people, many still give more than lip service to traditional beliefs, including totems and omens. The scenes that take place in the ocean will make readers feel like they’re surfing tandem with the characters. There are plenty of interesting characters to populate the story, and the interconnectedness of the island inhabitants adds more layers of interest. If you can’t get to Hawaii this fall, reading The Green Room is the next best thing.”
Deborah Hern, TheRomanceReadersConnection.com
“Murder, mayhem and dirty tricks abound among the surfers and those who set up the big contests, and Storm finds herself treading in dangerous waters. I didn’t know much about surfing, and wasn’t sure I’d be interested in reading about it, but I ended up being fascinated by this glimpse into Hawaii’s surfing culture. At times I felt like I was riding with Storm as she surfed some monstrous waves, and it was really, really scary.”
Shirley Wetzel, OverMyDeadBody.com
“Atkinson brings the Hawaiian surfing culture to life in her latest Storm Kayama mystery. Atkinson uses the Hawaiian culture and language, as well as the surfing story to show the forces that can tear a family, a sport, or an island apart.”
Lesa Holstine
“Debby’s one of the best I know of at creating that you are THERE feeling in the reader. Great sense of place, with a very real Hawaii that’s clearly from someone who knows it well, not just from the brochures or a vacation visit. Cripes, I’m one of those rare people who have never even been particularly interested in visiting Hawaii, much less being interested in surfing, and I loved both her books.”
Kim Malo, MyShelf.com
“I was ready to pack up and move to Hawaii when I finished reading The Green Room. Everyone seems to know everyone else, and surfing is a serious sport. No, it’s more than that. It’s a lifestyle, a cultural heritage, almost a religion…. the book is at its most gripping when it presents the ocean in its various moods and frenzies…. The book moves at a leisurely pace, but once I got into it I read right on through to the end.”
Pat Browning, DorothyL
“Those of us who aren’t familiar with the Hawaiian Islands are more in the habit of thinking of The Green Room as the place in a theatre where the actors can hang out when they’re not onstage. This Green Room, however, written so capably by Deborah Turrell Atkinson, is far more intimidating and scary… her work gives us an insider’s slant on the Hawaiian islands, especially O’ahu…. It’s a great work, and the worthy contribution of a fairly new author to the mystery scene.”
Alan Paul Curtis, Who-Dunnit.com (read the full review)
“Deborah Atkinson continues to give the reader a serious look into the “real” Hawaii. Rather than just setting her books in the islands, she has used the mystery format to place the most ordinary of everyday life into a historical and cultural context…. The Green Room is a solid follow up to the first Storm Kayama book Primitive Secrets. Hopefully there are many more in the series yet to come.”