The bitter divorce case with which Storm Kayama opens her legal practice also opens a connection to her own unresolved past. A cousin she hasn't seen since childhood -when his mother blamed Storm for her husband's death- sends Stephanie Barstow to Storm's office. Stephanie's son Ben invites her to a surf contest where he and that same cousin Nahoa will be competing. Part of the reason they have a shot is the death of one of the top surfers a few weeks before. Accidental...or is it, in light of the anonymous threat Nahoa receives at the meet in the form of a traditional island artifact once used as a call to battle. The divorce case and the threats to the surfers seemingly become entwined when Stephanie's husband Marty turns up, involved in setting up a contest of his own. Of course he's not the only one around with ulterior motives or a violent temper...

Highly recommended for a well written bit of vicarious travel to another world filled with believable people you care about that has a satisfying puzzle at its core and some breathlessly memorable surf scenes.