The Weasel: A Big Huna Novel
About this audiobook
The Weasel--a name that perfectly captured the man. Skinny, with a complexion like sunbaked earth, this Hawaiian in his 40s was a fixture of Waikiki’s underbelly. He lived a transient life, his van doubling as his home when the waves weren't calling. Tourists were his bread and butter, easy marks for the pot he peddled on the sun-drenched beaches. Nights found him smoking ice, mesmerized by Bonnie Lim, a Chinese girl who danced on a stage bathed in colored lights.
I’ve known the Weasel for over 20 years, and he has never changed since the day that I met him. A couple of days ago, the Weasel, ever the picture of decorum, was arrested while urinating on a palm tree in front of the Royal Hawaiian Hotel on Kalakaua Street. It wasn’t his first brush with the law, but this time, things were different.
Passed out in the drunk tank, he'd become an unwitting victim of identity theft. A parole violator named Mike Dana had appropriated the Weasel's name to secure his own freedom, because there is no bail for a parole violation. So, when the shift changed, Mike said he wanted to bail out using the Weasel’s name, thus leaving the real Weasel holding the bag.
My name is Daniel Huna, I’m the Chief Inspector for the Hawaiian State Police, a nickname born from my impressive stature. Three-hundred and thirty pounds, topped with a head the size of a small pumpkin--I wasn't exactly built for subtlety. My demeanor, however, often surprised people. Sweet, even gentle, leading some to question my sexual orientation, but at my size, I answer to no one but myself--and act however I damn well please.
This darkly funny crime novel is the fourth installment in the Big Huna series. It’s a wild ride you won't soon forget!
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About the author
A Life Lived in Ink:
From the Federal Prison System to Saint Petersburg: The Unconventional Path of a Crime Novelist
When asked recently about the background behind my Dmitri Petrov Crime Novels, it made me reflect on my unusual journey. My path to becoming an author is perhaps not what you would expect.
For over three decades, I served two 14-year sentences in the U.S. Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) for bank robberies. The federal system is a unique environment, a melting pot of individuals from every corner of the globe. In 2004, as I was beginning my last sentence, I decided it was time for a profound change. I felt a new path calling me, and I believed that as an author, my past would not and should not define my future.
In 2010 I was transferred to Butner, North Carolina. It was a smaller medical facility, and my unit of sixty inmates, and the prison's total population of around six hundred, provided an intimate, and in many ways, an unprecedented classroom. I shared that space for seven years with some truly infamous figures, including Bernie Madoff, Jonathan Pollard, Nicky Scarfo, and Carmine Persico—and that’s only a small glimpse of the experiences I had there.
During those twenty years, I dedicated myself to an intense study of Russian, Chinese, German, Japanese, and Spanish, along with my native English. I would seek out foreign inmates from those countries, intentionally "zoning in" on them to test my language skills. I believe that when you make the effort to learn someone's language, it opens doors to understanding that remain firmly shut otherwise. It was in this unique educational environment that I met a number of Russian vory, or "thieves," in the BOP.
One Thief-in-law at Butner, a man who had his own reputation, was so taken with me that he hired me to ghostwrite his life story. The money he paid me was vital—I saved every penny for my release—but the real value was the education he gave me. What I learned about the inner workings of organized crime in the Russian Federation was more valuable than any textbook could ever be. He would often tell me my Russian was terrible, but he'd add with a laugh, "when you imitate a Russian trying to speak English, you are spot on."
Since my release, that foundation has served me well. I have now published twenty-eight novels across seven different series. But the one that remains closest to my heart is my Dmitri Petrov Crime Novels, which I began in that very unit. Dmitri Petrov is an inspector for the Saint Petersburg Police in the Russian Federation. The first book, Vodka Express, introduces his world, and the second, White Nights, immerses him in the city's famous festival. Red Star is the third, and I am thrilled to announce that the fourth novel in the series, Russian Roulette, is now available.
My journey is proof that inspiration can be found in the most unlikely of places. The lessons I learned—about language, culture, and the complex human beings on all sides of the law—continue to fuel my writing. It's a reminder that every experience, no matter how unconventional, can be a tool to create something new. I am now a member of the Mystery Writers of America and the Crime Writers Association in the U.K.
