Here are the main and supporting characters of Kay Hadashi’s series
(Warning: possibilities of spoiler information)
June (Junko) Kato—Neurosurgeon and Los Angeles native. Moved to Maui and raised her daughter, Melanie, there. Primary character of the June Kato Intrigue series and the Island Breeze series. Also makes special appearances in Melanie’s books.
Melanie Aiko Haunani Kim Kato—Born and raised on Maui. Only daughter of June Kato, niece of Amy Kato, daughter of Jack Melendez. Swimmer and surfer. Main character of the Melanie Kato Adventures and the Maui Mystery series. Makes special appearances in select Maile Spencer and Hawaii Crime books. Air Force rescue medic, eventually vascular and thoracic surgeon, local Hawaii politician.
Amy (Miko) Kato—Twin sister of June, older by five minutes. Ex-supermodel, diva, mother of twin daughters. Supporting character in the June Kato and Island Breeze series.
Tak and Mabel Kato—June and Amy’s parents, Melanie’s grandparents. Flower shop owners. Supporting characters in the June Kato and Island Breeze series.
Jack Melendez—Politician. Husband of June, and Melanie’s father. Supporting character in the June Kato and Island Breeze series. Makes appearances in Melanie’s adventure series.
Trinh Park—Born in Honolulu to Korean and Vietnamese parents, lived most of life on Maui. Melanie’s best friend and eventual stepsister. Served in the Air Force as surgical technologist. Three kids: Kimmie, Scarlet, and Wilson. Local Maui politician. Swimmer.
Duane (Zito) Esposito—served with Melanie in the Air Force. Husband of Lailanie. One of the primary characters in Faith, in Melanie’s Adventure series.
Lailanie Esposito—Duane’s wife, hairstylist, Melanie’s close friend and confidant through much of the Adventure and Maui Mystery series.
Therese and Chance—Melanie’s daughter and son. Therese studies cinematography in college and Chance is growing up to be an artist.
Josh—Melanie’s husband. ‘Birdologist’. Unsuccessful scam artist.
Maile Spencer—Honolulu native, nurse, served in the Army Nurse Corps. Marathon runner. Owns a tour agency. Descendant of Hawaiian royalty. Main character of the Maile Spencer Tour Guide series, and the Maile Spencer Travels and Travails series. Ex-wife of Robbie, widow of Steve Miller (hydrologist, not the musician). Adoptive mother of Nancy Miller. Makes appearances in the Hawaii Crime series.
Kealoha Spencer—Maile’s mother, secretly a kahuna.
Ka’uhane Loa—retired minister, Kealoha’s husband, Maile’s stepdad. Plays the ukulele.
Kenny (Keneka) Spencer—Maile’s younger brother. Up and coming PGA golfer.
Kelani—Kealoha’s sister, Maile’s aunt. Lives on Maui.
Kaia Mahoe—Originally from Kauai. Maile’s young friend, Kenny’s girlfriend.
Aisha Darwish—old soul djinn. Shapeshifter. Moody. Loves flowers, perfume, and the colors pink and purple. Along with her three sisters, is the keeper of the ancient Darwish Oasis in Khashraq. Supporting character in Maile’s Travels and Travails series. Lives with Maile in Manoa Valley during the Hawaii Crime series.
Prince Aziz of Khashraq—Maile Spencer’s nemesis throughout her Tour Guide series. Khashraq royal family.
Detective Dave Ota—Honolulu police detective in the Maile Spencer Tour Guide series. Marries Maile’s Aunt Kelani and retired to Maui. Makes appearances in the Travels and Travails and Hawaii Crime series.
Chenoa Dine—Maile’s Navajo friend in Taos, New Mexico in the Travels and Travails series. Makes a brief appearance in the Hawaii Crime series.
Lei-Lei—nurse and Maile’s best friend.
Gina Santoro—Ex-police officer from Cleveland. Became horticulturist and moved to Honolulu. Street asset to Caitlyn Nakamura (Caitlyn is introduced in this series). Tennis player. Lousy shot with a pistol.
Petrina—Police officer originally from Athens, Greece. Trained as a detective in New York City before working as investigator and VIP liaison in Rhodes. Excellent shot with a pistol. Near native English speaking skills.
Jessica Liu—Chinese American brothel prostitute in Rhodes, Greece. Wants to become chef and own her own restaurant. Friend of Petrina (and of Caitlyn and Gina) in the Petrina Pappas series.
Christo Christos—Rhodes police officer. Love interest of Petrina?
Caitlyn Nakamura—Honolulu Police Department senior investigator. Japanese martial arts expert. One of the primary characters of the Hawaii Crime series. Lives in luxury Waikiki condo. Supporting character in the Gina Santoro series. Friend of Maile Spencer and Petrina Pappas.
Maile, Aisha, Gina, Petrina, Melanie, Dave Ota, and Kaia all make supporting appearances throughout the Hawaii Crime series.
Koa–The Hawaii Crime Series newest character, a homeless teenager with special abilities and knowledge that make the others a little afraid of her.
Detective Steve Tishler is new in town, newly retired from the NYPD, now a reserve officer with the Honolulu Police Department. In recent books, he has become the Chief of Police.
Detective Nick Akane–Experienced detective in the Kona District of the Big Island Police department. His daughter Noelani is a CSI technician, also in Kona.
Detective Bob Inoshima–detective in Hilo’s police department on the windward side of the Big Island, and an old friend of Nick Akane.
Kay Hadashi Novels 