I've recently become interested in the Hawaiian Cultures and Traditions after visiting Hawaii for the first time this summer. I brought back two books, one that is about scary-Hawaiian tales and the other about more historical tales. Regardless of whether you have knowledge about Hawaii or if you're just interested in reading a good book, these two books I would like to recommend everyone try and finish before the summer ends.
Obake: Ghost Stories in Hawaii by Glen Grant is a collection of 10 stories that all involve the supernatural. Some talk about banshees, while one of my favorite stories talks about Kanashibari, which is known as a "choking ghost." The choking ghost is said to "choke" you in your sleep by applying pressure on top of you so that you feel like you can't breathe.
There are also other interesting stories by Glen Grant like a couple of stories where he tells what happens from the perspective of a Hawaiian detective, Arthur McDougal.
Deaths, deceit and the supernatural are what the first book contains. The title of the book "Obake" is a Japanese word which the author Grant explains as strange happenings, or weird things. Obake is described as "a class of monster or spirit in Japanese folklore." Humans who turn into animal spirits to attack the living, white old ladies, spirits coming to punish anyone who steps on their graves; these are the types of stories featured in Obake.
I found the book an easy read at only 245 pages. The book is $10.95 in Hawaii, but you can get it online at ebay.com or amazon.com for a little more.