The Dark Side of Paradise

About the Book

Because her mother refuses to believe that her stepfather, Alex Sorenson, is molesting her, eleven year old Jasmine Kameli has decided to run away. As the young girl sneaks through the vegetation surrounding Alex’s Maui mansion where she and her mother, Kinau, have lived for the past two years, she is startled to hear the motor of her stepfather’s car. She is terrified. Have they already discovered that she’s missing? NO! It turns out that there is a dead man in the trunk of Alex’s Mercedes, and Jasmine sees his lackey, Jeremy, toss the body into the waters of a nearby lagoon. Thus begins the story of the brave little girl’s struggle to reach her Tutu (aunt) Yalana’s house in Hana, a very difficult location to reach without an auto or an adult to accompany one on a tour bus or boat. The terrified Jasmine’s initial need is to get out of the area, far away from her stepfather’s Kihei residence. She has decided to go to Lahaina first where there is a well-known youth shelter, but there is no public transportation available until the next morning. She has cut her beautiful long coal black hair and hopes to pass as a boy. Crossing the highway to a rental condominium complex located on the lagoon, she discovers there are lounges on the patio of each apartment. She decides to curl up on one till morning since all the apartments are completely silent. Teri and Jim Collins are the residents in the apartment next to the patio where Jasmine has chosen to curl up. The couple is on vacation. Their plan is to rest, relax and visit all the sights. They do not wish to be involved in solving any mystery or crime which usually happens to them on their travels. Early in the morning, Teri discovers the sleeping child on their patio. Jim is suspicious of Jasmine’s explanation of a sick mother in the hospital. She says her name is Leonardo. Jasmine is terrified that Jim might contact the police for many of the officers are friends of Alex Sorenson. When there is a sudden disturbance in the lagoon’s waters–the recovery of a body which captivates the attention of the Collins, Jasmine escapes. She runs down the highway and catches the bus to Lahaina. The murdered man in the lagoon turns out to be Ed Nakamura , the county supervisor representing Molokai where Alex has several commercial ventures. Alex is very disturbed that Jasmine has run away and delegates Jeremy to search for her. His wife, Jasmine’s mother, has already phoned her sister in Hana, but Yalana has not seen nor heard from Jasmine. In the novel, we follow the child’s struggles to reach Hana and her aunt. Jim and Teri become involved in helping the two, Jasmine and Yalana, which results in a trip to Molokai, a frantic chase up the trail from the former leper colony and a hazardous boat trip to Oahu to contact the FBI. The women are placed in protective custody in a safe house on the far side of the island of Oahu. Jeremy, Alex’s employee, manages to kidnap Jasmine and return her to Maui where the explosive denouement takes place.

About the Author

A native Californian, Eleanor Clarke Yukic's youth was spent at the beach or in the mountains where she developed an early love of the out-of-doors. She worked 25 summers at camp, 10 counseling and 15 directing, and has hiked wilderness trails in the US and Canada; the Milford and Abel Tasmin tracks, New Zealand; Lake County in Great Britain; the Pyrenees of France. Yukic has BA and MA degrees from UCLA and worked as a teacher and with youth organizations for 38 years. She's been active with the American Camping Association, Red Cross and teachers' groups. Since retiring she writes fulltime. She has three adult children. Yukic lives in Northern California with her faithful German Shepherd and stays in shape lap swimming and by daily hikes to enjoy the sights and smells of nature while fantasizing a scene for her latest novel. Her previous published mysteries are The Devil's Punchbowl, Murder in the Mist, and Deadly Games.