The Jungle Beat Mysteries

The city of Tafuna may be located on a tropical paradise, but it's no stranger to crime. Just like anywhere else in the world, it has its fair share of murder, drugs, and robbery. Which makes Apelu Soifua the perfect man for his job. He's a cop of two worlds: San Francisco, where he started his career, and now his native Samoa. Following up on a routine burglary call, Apelu heads to a palangi, or Caucasian, neighborhood. The victim, a VP at SeaKing Tuna—the largest employer on the island—reports only a few items missing.

Det. Apelu Soifua risks losing his career—and his life—in a case that exposes the dark heart of American Samoa, from the author of Pago Pago Tango. Long before he was a cop, Apelu Soifua performed as a fire knife dancer during his teen years in San Francisco. The Polynesian dance troupe was headed by Ezra Strand and his wife, who now live in a secluded house on the cliffs between the ocean and the jungle in Piapiatele. The elderly Ezra has once again been caught discharging a firearm, and Apelu must confiscate the weapon. He never expects Ezra to turn the shotgun on him.