Hawaii — Shibai: Remembering Jane Britton's Murder

Much of the action in Shibai: Remembering Jane Britton's Murder takes place on the Big Island of Hawai'i. I was born in Hilo and went through the public school system there until I headed for the Mainland in 1960. After that, I returned only for visits until 2004 when, having inherited the family house and reconnected with Ruth Thompson, I began the process of moving back to Hilo. In 2020 — as described in ‘Shibai’ — Ruth and I moved to Ithaca, NY.

Here are some pictures of the Big Island that relate to the book.

The house I grew up in on Wailuku Drive.

I write at length about Becky Cooper's visit to Hilo. This was our photographic workspace.

This is the living room where Becky and I talked for hours about Jane and the book.

I also write extensively about my Hawai'i interactions with Detective Sergeant Peter Sennott (Massachusetts State Police), beginning with my interview at the Hilo Police Station and ending with our trip up Mauna Kea.

Becky on Mauna Kea, a dormant volcano. We also went to Kilauea volcano and hiked down into a crater (and out again).

Detective Peter Sennott at the summit of Mauna Kea.

There's considerable material about long-distance running and walking. Here's the track of my 76k (47.2 mile) contemplation walk from Hilo up over the Saddle and down the other side. Each kilometer on this walk represented a year of my life. I would begin in the dark, usually at 3:30 or 4 AM, and walk the first couple of hours in the dark.

76k track in red (click to enlarge). — 76k track in red *(click to enlarge)*.

After 2017, I would always take a picture of my watch at 25.5 km and text it to Becky, because Jane's murder happened when I was 25.5 years old.

Here's the sunrise lighting up Mauna Kea, about 11k (7 miles) into the 2019 walk.

The first 28 miles were a steady uphill climb of about 6,000 ft.
The 76k took me just over 14 hours to complete.

After a cross-country race at Pu'u Wa'awa'a.

Running on Mauna Kea, at about 7,000 ft.

The chapter "Narnia" includes material about the Wailuku River, and what can happen during its frequent and dangerous flash floods.

Here's the Wailuku in flood, near Narnia.

For the past several years, I've been involved with the Hui Ho‘olohe, a volunteer community advisory group interested in the planning and policy efforts surrounding Maunakea, the dormant volcano and highest point in the state of Hawai'i.

The Listening Group (in the chapter "Mauna Kea")

In 2017-2018 I was involved with the Hui Ho‘olohe, a volunteer community advisory group interested in the planning and policy efforts surrounding Maunakea, the dormant volcano and highest point in the state of Hawai'i.