By Clint Wallace

Legal thrillers thrive on tension, moral uncertainty, and the high drama of the courtroom. In Tropical Lies, author David Myles Robinson brings all of those elements together against the striking backdrop of Hawaii, launching the Pancho McMartin Legal Thrillers series with a case that tests the limits of justice, strategy, and personal risk. With the second book already released, Robinson’s series has quickly established itself as a character-driven exploration of law, deception, and consequence.

Tropical Lies opens with the brutal murder of Honolulu’s most sought-after investment counselor, found dead in his own backyard. Pancho McMartin, a top criminal defense attorney, is hired to defend a former mercenary accused of the crime. As the trial unfolds and the lies surrounding the case are exposed, the evidence against Pancho’s client becomes overwhelming. With the courtroom battle turning against him and time running out, Pancho realizes there may be only one final move left to make—a gamble so risky it could destroy his career and send his client to prison for life.

A Story Inspired by Real-Life Intrigue

The origins of Tropical Lies date back to a real criminal case in Honolulu that left a lasting impression on Robinson.

“My inspiration for the story was a real-life criminal in Honolulu by the name of Ron Rewald, who used some of Hawaii’s famous names for the name of the financial firm he set up. It was a huge Ponzi scheme. Lots of well-known local people were caught up in it,” Robinson explains.

The case took an extraordinary turn when Rewald was apprehended. “When he was ultimately caught, he claimed that he had been working for the CIA all along,” Robinson says. While the claim sounded unbelievable, the courtroom reality was far more complex. A close friend of Robinson’s served on the defense team and described a trial that operated under unusual constraints. “The Federal Judge required all the attorneys to get classified clearance, and he refused to admit a ton of evidence that the defense tried to admit. Crazy case.”

Rather than recreating the events directly, Robinson drew from the fraud and intelligence angle to craft a fictional case worthy of a high-stakes legal thriller. “So, I used the fraud and the CIA angle to create the story. Pancho was more or less just coming into his own as a top criminal defense attorney, so I wanted him to take on a blockbuster case.”

Building a Series-Worthy Protagonist

From the beginning, Robinson knew Pancho McMartin would need to carry a series. Establishing his voice and background was essential.

“First off, I wanted him a little bit quirky,” Robinson says. Pancho’s unconventional upbringing plays a key role in shaping his personality. He was born and raised in Taos, New Mexico, “home of some of the original hippies, and was born on a commune.”

Even Pancho’s name carries a story. His parents claimed they named him Pancho so he would fit in better in mostly Hispanic schools—an explanation Robinson calls “patently absurd.” Pancho’s own theory is more irreverent: “They dropped acid to celebrate his birth and named him while stoned.”

Once Pancho begins practicing law in Hawaii, he adopts a distinctive professional style. “He adopted his ‘uniform’ of blue jeans and cowboy boots, along with the more traditional dress shirt, tie, and blazer.”

Relationships, Humor, and Human Stakes

Robinson was also intentional about grounding Pancho’s legal battles in a personal life that feels real. “As he was a bachelor, I thought it important to have love interests, and as the series progresses, we see how his work as a lawyer at times interfered with his relationships.”

Pancho’s world is further enriched by his partnership with his investigator. “I also wanted him to have a good sidekick, his Samoan investigator, with whom he surfed and engaged in humorous ‘trash talk.’”

As a haole in Hawaii, Pancho occupies a unique social position. Robinson notes that Pancho “was a minority in Hawaii, a haole, who had an uncanny ability to relate to local juries—possibly in part to having grown up as a minority in Taos.”

Hawaii as Contrast and Catalyst

Having practiced law in Honolulu for decades, Robinson knew the setting was inseparable from the story.

“First of all, having been a trial attorney in Honolulu for forty years, it was the obvious place to set the series,” he says. “The contrast between the high tension/risk of trial work, particularly criminal defense, and the gentle beauty of Hawaii is compelling.”

That contrast is reflected in Pancho’s routine. “On more than one occasion, we see Pancho leave court and have an almost surreal feeling of serenity once he reemerges into the paradise in which he lives.” Surfing, Robinson adds, “is his major form of relaxation.”

Deception, Truth, and the Courtroom

Deception is a central theme throughout Tropical Lies. “Criminal defense (and prosecution) is really all about lies and deception and ultimately (hopefully) finding the truth,” Robinson explains.

Pancho sets firm boundaries with his clients. “Pancho tells his new clients he won’t tolerate their lying to him, yet he knows that virtually all of his clients will, at some point, lie.”

Still, Pancho himself draws a hard line. “I never have Pancho lie, and he makes it clear to his clients that if he knows they are lying, he will not allow them to testify.”

Realism Without Losing Momentum

Robinson’s courtroom scenes are shaped by professional experience. “Some of the best compliments I have received about the Pancho series are from other trial attorneys (some also authors) who praise me for the realism of the trial scenes,” he says.

He is mindful of balancing accuracy with pacing. “So, I take pains to make the courtroom scenes realistic while summarizing some of the most boring aspects of a trial (and there is a lot of boredom in real-life trials).”

Suspense, he notes, comes from witness testimony: “What will a particular witness say? Will a witness lie? Can Pancho break a witness on cross-examination?”

A Series That Continues to Evolve

Readers who continue on to Tropical Judgments and Tropical Doubts see Pancho tested in new ways. “The primary foundation is Pancho’s character and his interaction with Drew, his investigator, his secretaries, and with the prosecutor we see most often, Harry Chang,” Robinson says.

Looking ahead, Robinson remains inspired by Hawaii itself. “All of my Pancho books are inspired by my life in Hawaii,” he explains, from “the rhythm of life and the people” to “the dark side of what most people think of as the wonderfully gentle and welcoming Aloha State.”

Tropical Lies is now available on Amazon.