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The Nakamura Letters: An Epistolary Novelette Featuring a Haunted Hawaiian House, a Mysterious Death, and a Family Secret (Professor Molly Mysteries Book 8) Kindle Edition

by Frankie Bow (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.3 4.3 out of 5 stars 47 ratings
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Professor Emma Nakamura doesn’t believe in ghosts. So it doesn’t bother her (much) when she learns of a long-ago suicide in her remote upcountry rental house. She’s sure there’s a logical explanation for the disappearing items and the strange sounds in the night. Fortunately (?), Emma’s best friend Molly has news shocking enough to take Emma’s mind off the hauntings. Now Emma and Molly have to rely on their strong reasoning skills and a weak internet connection to figure out how a body ended up in Molly’s backyard. The Nakamura Letters is an island-style take on the Golden Age mysteries of Mary Roberts Rinehart and Agatha Christie.
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  1. Book 8 of 11
    Professor Molly Mysteries
  2. Print length
    70 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Sticky notes
    On Kindle Scribe
  5. Publication date
    February 7, 2018
  6. File size
    1336 KB
  7. Page Flip
    Enabled
  8. Word Wise
    Enabled
  9. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
  10. See all details
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From the Publisher

Sky and palm trees Hawaii

Molly Barda earned her PHD in a top-ranked literature program.

But it's a brutal year on the academic job market before she lands a job: teaching business communication at Mahina State. Her advisor laments she's wasting her talent "teaching a bunch of slack-jawed baseball caps how to pad their resumes." Hey, it wasn't her first choice either.

Hawaiian beach and sky

Mahina, Hawai`i, is not Molly's idea of paradise.

Molly sits on a yoga ball because there's no money for office furniture. Molly's dean, unwilling to lose paying customers, won’t let her report cheating students. The coffee from the cold-war-era machine tastes like hot chocolate and chicken soup. Hawaiian sunshine? It's wetter here than Seattle.

Chang's Pizza Pagoda takeout box on the beach next to a dead body

But Molly discovers there's more to Mahina.

Molly finds new friends in biology professor Emma Nakamura and writing instructor (and former crime reporter) Pat Flanagan. There's nightlife (trivia night at the Pair-O-Dice), shopping (Galimba's Bargain Boyz), and local cuisine (Chang's Pizza Pagoda). And surprisingly often, there's murder.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Frankie Bow writes two mystery series: The Professor Molly mysteries and licensed novellas in Jana DeLeon's Miss Fortune universe. Writing as Patience Fairweather, she is also the author of No, You Can't be an Astronaut, a realistic career guide.

Like Professor Molly, Frankie works in higher education. Unlike her protagonist, she is blessed with delightful students, sane colleagues, and an adequate office chair. Follow Frankie at frankiebow.com.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B079P8ZP44
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Hawaiian Heritage Press (February 7, 2018)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ February 7, 2018
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 1336 KB
  • Simultaneous device usage ‏ : ‎ Unlimited
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 70 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.3 4.3 out of 5 stars 47 ratings

About the author

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Frankie Bow

Frankie Bow

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Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

Frankie Bow writes two mystery series: The Professor Molly mysteries and licensed novellas in Jana DeLeon's Miss Fortune universe. Writing as Patience Fairweather, she is also the author of No, You Can't be an Astronaut, a realistic career guide.

Like Professor Molly, Frankie works in higher education. Unlike her protagonist, she is blessed with delightful students, sane colleagues, and an adequate office chair. Follow Frankie at frankiebow.com.

Customer reviews

4.3 out of 5 stars
4.3 out of 5
47 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Mstmompj
5.0 out of 5 stars A creative novella
Reviewed in the United States on November 4, 2017
Verified Purchase
While this novella will probably be mainly of interest to readers of the Professor Molly Barda series, it works adequately as an atmospheric standalone. The epistolary framework is effective at creating a sense of mystery, and Emma's narration, combining humor and a no-nonsense attitude, wears well. While the limited cast of characters made "whodunit" relatively easy to determine, at least in the main mystery, there were enough questions about the details to keep the reader engaged. My favorite details, though, were the changing quotes at the end of every email sig. Great choices!

Let's hope that Emma returns from her sabbatical and Molly from her maternity leave in the coming months, so readers can enjoy a full-length adventure.
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Gary Korzelius
5.0 out of 5 stars Wow
Reviewed in the United States on October 18, 2017
Verified Purchase
When I started this book I didn't think I would like it. After the first letter I was hooked! I pretty much went right through it to the end.

The way it was written using an email format, and the story that was told made this a really entertaining and enjoyable read. I liked it so much that I immediately went and bought the first book in the series which I plan to start now.
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Kindle Customer
4.0 out of 5 stars The Nakamura Letters
Reviewed in the United States on October 18, 2017
Verified Purchase
Clever little book and lots of smirks to explain the twists and turns. I really enjoyed it even though I don't think I have read anything quite like it. I think you will enjoy it too and it is a quick read, so you won't lose anything. Enjoy!
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suziqn6
5.0 out of 5 stars Short ‘n sweet
Reviewed in the United States on October 16, 2017
Verified Purchase
This was a short read and cleverly done. It was tightly written and well put together. I liked the quotes at the end of each email; they were an extra bonus and food for thought. The friendship between the two academics is delightful and shone through this one-sided exchange.
I enjoyed this break from longer tomes and smiled throughout the short read. Good job, Frankie Bow!
One person found this helpful
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Katie
3.0 out of 5 stars easy to read, enjoyable, and just the right amount of spooky
Reviewed in the United States on November 6, 2018
I got this book in exchange for an honest review. This looks to be a companion novella that accompanies the "Professor Molly Mysteries" also by Frankie Bow. The story is told through email exchange between Dr. Molly Barda and what I'm assuming is her close friend Dr. Emma Nakamura.

While I don't think it's required to have read any other novels in the series to understand this one, I did feel this story was best enjoyed as part of the series. It wasn't difficult at all to understand what was happening and the relevant interpersonal details, but I did find the characterization limited. I don't believe it's a product of the author's skill or the format though, as Bow did a very clever bit of characterization with Dr. Nakamura's email signature.

That being said, characterization of the detective isn't usually a strong requirement for mystery novels. In general, I found the story itself easy to read, enjoyable, and just the right amount of spooky.
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Merry a Vero Beach, FL Reviewer
5.0 out of 5 stars A quick read in a fun series written in a completely different format with two mysteries to solve!
Reviewed in the United States on September 30, 2017
This book in the Professor Molly series is written in letter format totally different from any of the other books in the series and I loved it! Since the format was so different, it did draw me in right away! Professor Emma Nakamura is on a hunt for new species for examination andis up north renting a house that belongs to the Park system to do her work. But, things keep moving around during the time she is asleep and although she doesn't believe in ghosts, she finds out that someone committed suicide in the house. Communicating through emails with Professor Molly who is pregnant and has a problem of her own when the girl she hired to help her through Professor Nakamura's recommendation is found dead in her shed. Now we have 2 mysteries going on at once and through the letters back and forth, the professors work to solve the problems they encounter. There is a very surprise ending, one I didn't expect. This is a fun novelette! A must read in the series and can be read as a stand alone, but I guarantee if you read it as a stand alone, you will want to dive into the series! I received and ARC copy from the author but the opinions expressed here are strictly my own.
One person found this helpful
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Illinois Reader
5.0 out of 5 stars Delightful and perfect for this ghostly month!
Reviewed in the United States on September 30, 2017
When Molly is stuck at home with a newborn, her good friend Emma (Emma Nakamura, Professor of Biology, Mahina State University) is off on a short sabbatical. It is only two hours away, but might as well be a million miles when the road is cut off for days due to a fire inside a tanker truck. Emma keeps Molly up to date-not so much with her research, but with her cottage, the two people she meets, and the strange stories she learns. The book is in the format of Emma's emails sent to Molly, succinctly written but with enough details to understand what is happening at Molly's end as well as Emma's story.

I loved this short book because it had a couple of mysteries that were solved by Emma and one on Molly's end as well. Every once in awhile it is nice to read a different format and with it a different way to present evidence. I happen to think this email technique was perfect for the biology professor and the harried new mom. While it maintains the friendship and pulse of the series other books, it is a refreshing breath of fresh air to read.
2 people found this helpful
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Kindle Customer
4.0 out of 5 stars Original and Entertaining
Reviewed in the United States on October 17, 2017
Verified Purchase
This is a short story with a surprise ending. The heroine is intelligent and witty. It is an enjoyable way to spend an hour.
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