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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
APRIL 2, 2025
Las Vegas Author Launches Fourth Novel
Las Vegas author Pat Dunlap Evans will launch her fourth novel on April 11. Titled Ice and Fire: A Suspenseful Thriller Set in Hawai'i, the story takes readers on a hunt to find who’s murdering some of the world’s top astronomers on the Big Island.
Ice and Fire has a malihini female heroine, which Evans says adds a bit of romance, culture shock, and emotional upheaval to the story. The lead character, Marie Ingles, is a beautiful concert cellist and a part-time sleuth to her defense-attorney-husband’s investigative team in Dallas.
“Marie’s emotional trials were a heavy part of the first book in the ‘Curious Cellist’ series, titled Out and In. Her ups and downs continue in the sequel, Ice and Fire. Male readers tell me they also like these stories because they include Marie’s husband Ryan, a former college football linebacker, his oversized teammate Billy Bob, and a brilliant computer hacker named Natalie,” Evans said.
She added that Ice and Fire is not a true mystery because readers learn who "done it” early on. “The murderer even tells part of the tale. I enjoy getting inside the minds of my bad guys and trying to understand their motives. But I have a tough time when the antagonist must face the consequences. I even find myself sympathizing a bit,” Evans said.
Evans wrote Ice and Fire after she and her husband moved to Hawai'i Island in 2020. The couple lived in Waikoloa Village for three years, then returned to the mainland in 2023, choosing Las Vegas for its sun, fun, and low taxes.
During her time in Hawai‘i, Evans was distressed when an activist group attempted to remove the world’s major astronomical observatories from Maunakea, the state’s tallest volcano. Evans wrote an op-ed questioning the group's motives and later coordinated with members of the West Hawai'i Astronomy Club to generate awareness of the value of astronomy to the island’s economy, as well as to its educational opportunities.
The plot of Ice and Fire involves Marie and Ryan’s investigative team being hired by an FBI task force to hunt for a serial killer. Social media groups resent that Ryan’s mainland firm was hired instead of an island firm, causing tension with local authorities.
The story also touches on Marie and Ryan’s newly-wed status. After a few months of retirement, both find paradise a bit slow. Romantic upsets ensue after Ryan pursues a bar license and takes casework with an Oahu firm, especially after a seductive associate attorney comes on to him.
In response, Marie pursues solo cello performances on Oahu, which stresses her marriage further. More important pressing concerns are the FBI task force's demand for them catch the killer. Is he an anti-astronomy activist? Ryan represents one of those charged, but if he’s not guilty, who is?
“Ice and Fire is definitely a mainlander’s perspective. Some islanders may resent what a few of my characters have to say in dialogue, but these are not my words. Although Ice and Fire is a fictional work, I’ve tried to present all sides of some divisive cultural issues,” Evans said.
Evans explained that some Native Hawaiians consider Maunakea sacred and want to prevent further construction of astronomical observatories at the summit. Over the past ten years, the Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT) has faced opposition that continues to stall its construction.
“Activists gained a few film stars’ support that went viral and helped divide islanders on the issue. This saddens me because I am a huge fan of astronomy and the Big Island. I hope to see astronomy continue to benefit the state's economy, and I hope TMT will be constructed eventually. It will provide dollars, jobs, and educational opportunities to locals. I realize my views go against some islander's religious beliefs, but I don't think religious beliefs should prevent beneficial scientific research. To me, they can coexist.” Evans said.
She described Ice and Fire as a stand-alone sequel, in that readers do not need to read the original work to enjoy the story. “But, readers will enjoy the sequel more if they do. That’s why the pricing will be $0.99 for both e-books, now through April 20, 2025.
Ice and Fire e-books are available in Kindle, Apple Books, Nook, and Kobo formats. Out and In is available only on Kindle, although print paperbacks for both books will be available after April 11 for $14.99 on Amazon and Barnes and Noble.
Both novels are published by A.M. Chai Literary, an independent imprint registered in Austin, Texas, with Pat Dunlap Evans as principal.