Ambrose Bierce and the Death of Kings
Hall’s latest novel is set in turn-of-the-century San Francisco. Journalist/sleuth Ambrose Bierce and sidekick Tom Redmond are fervently seeking a missing Hawaiian princess attached to the dying King Kalakaua’s followers. San Francisco is soon flooded with Hawaiian royals in a convoluted bid for the succession.
Murder, politics and evil sorcerers pursue Bierce and Redmond through out this somewhat disjointed tale. Its numerous characters and an influx of Hawaiian terms create a muddle that the reader must journey through to comprehend the copious events of Hall’s plot. While the background of Hawaiian royalty is compelling to read, it’s the only sparkling complement to a dismally drawn out mystery.
