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MAMO MURDERS, THE by Juanita Sheridan Rue Morgue PressRue Morgue Press, April 2002 154 pages $14.00 ISBN: 0915230518

Rue Morgue Vintage Press in its request to reprint old out-of-print books has reprinted the 1952 book THE MAMO MURDERS. This Juanita Sheridan book is less dated than some of her others and is an interesting addition to the cozy/ classic genre.

Janice Cameron and Lily Wu are both staying in Tantalus. Janice is informed that an old friend, Don Farnham, did not meet some of his guests or his wife at the airport. She decides that something terrible must have happened and rushes to Maui to find him. Once there she learns that her friend is presumed dead but his body has not surfaced. Janice remains in Maui to help Leslie (her friendís wife) deal with Donís relatives as well as Donís demise/ disappearance. There are several accidents and possible murders that occur as Janice attempts to solve Donís death. Eventually, Janice is forced to call in Lily for help and support. Lily once again proves her worth as a detective by solving the crime shortly after her arrival.

THE MAMO MURDERS continues the theme of outsiders vs. Hawaiians. Hawaiian culture plays a large role in the formulation of the story and in explaining charactersí actions. This focus appears to be a confrontation with the imperialist beliefs that were beginning to end in the 1950s. Sheridan uses the formula set up by classic writers but combats the imperial traditions surrounding them.

Juanita Sheridan is publicized as the first author to use a Chinese American detective in her books. This fact is true; however, Lily Wu remains a minor character. She does not speak much and remains as a figure in the background. In fact, Lily Wu personifies the stereotypical Chinese woman. Although Sheridan subtly attempts to demonstrate that Lilyís character is more complex, she fails in this endeavor.

Even including the above criticism, THE MAMO MURDERS demonstrates Sheridanís growth as an author. This is the third book in the series but it is much stronger than the previous one (The KAHUNA KILLERS). Her characters now have depth and the plot was an unexpected twist at the end. The dialogue is also much stronger. Although Sheridan has not captured the cadence of speech, the dialogue is smoother and more realistic than that in her previous books.

Juanita Sheridanís books require a certain type of reader. All of Sheridanís works need a reader that enjoys classic mysteries as well as appreciate the atmosphere of 1950s novels. The combination works well in her books, which makes them worth trying.

Reviewed by Sarah Dudley, October 2002

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