In this 5th book of the Kohala Coast Mystery series, Teri Pono travels from the Big Island to Maui to fulfill the request of a long-dead Queen. On Maui she works to put a mummified Maui Maiden from the court of Queen Ka'ahumanu to rest again. To do so she must out-maneuver several villains who see the Maui Maiden only as a means to a fortune. The greed of others forces Teri to face death in the dark waters off Maui. Additionally, back on the Big Island, Teri's mother seems to be spiraling farther down into the dark pit of Alzheimer's Disease. Teri and her sisters seek to understand what is happening to their mother, and also seek help in dealing with her problems. Koakane, Teri's lua (Hawaiian fighting) instructor and Teri turn to each other after they have both lost their spouses.