Book Life Prize Review of Ice and Fire
August 26, 2025 — Ice and Fire: A Suspenseful Thriller Set in Hawai’i received positive praise in the Publishers Weekly "Book Life Prize" contest. The novel was submitted in May 2025, and received a relatively high score from a Book Life Prize critic.
"Not enough to win the contest, darn it," Evans remarked, but a solid recommendation. Below is the critic's exact report:
Plot/Idea: This second series entry by Evans offers readers a quick-paced mystery set in Hawaiʻi, where Marie Ingles and her attorney husband, Ryan, have resettled after the whirlwind events of the first installment. But the past keeps popping up in the most unexpected places, and when a Japanese researcher turns up dead, Marie must take up her investigative mantle once again to uncover the danger plaguing their new home. Soon, the pair find themselves embroiled in a hunt for a serial killer that threatens their newfound peace.
Prose: Evans skillfully intertwines multiple perspectives without distracting from the main plot, writing easy, conversational prose that builds suspense, drops red herrings, and offers a satisfying conclusion.
Originality: Though the story’s mystery is attention-grabbing, Evans’s ability to craft lighthearted banter between characters while tying together the plot’s loose ends is what makes the biggest impression. Weaving Hawaiian culture, language, and history into the main premise adds depth.
Character/Execution: Marie and Ryan are an engaging couple, with a flirty camaraderie that easily morphs into more serious fare when their investigation picks up. Evans takes time to construct their background for new readers, and the novel’s ending leaves space for more adventures with this lively pair in the future.
Check out this critic's review on the Book Life Prize page at this link.
Review by Katherine Beth, Professional Book Reviewer
“Alright, Pat, I need you to explain something immediately.
Because the moment I read “Who’s killing astronomers on Hawai‘i’s Big Island?” I spit out whatever beverage was near me.
You didn’t warm up. You didn’t ease into it. You said serial killer + telescopes + marriage drama + volcano showdown, and honestly? I respect the chaos.
Then you double down with “Marie feels adrift without an orchestra to play for.”
Ma’am, this poor woman is juggling FBI task force meetings, anti-astronomy protests, a serial killer with questionable hobbies, AND her cello withdrawals?
That’s not a plot, that’s a full cardiovascular workout. And Ryan?
Sir goes from attorney husband to semi-retired to “I’m bored of paradise so let me accidentally sabotage my marriage with the seductions of another woman.”
Classic Ryan. We’ve all met a Ryan. Some of us dated one. Some of us needed therapy because of one.
Your book has the vibe of: “What if Big Little Lies took a vacation to Hawai‘i but got harassed by a telescope-obsessed murderer?”
Your strongest hook? Easy: A cellist-sleuth solving murders on a volcano while her marriage teeters between devotion and disaster. That’s the kind of emotional whiplash readers LIVE for.
And your author bio… oh Pat…
You really said: “I was a high-kicking drill team officer, NFL wife, ad exec, and now I solve the murders I create.”
Your life story has more subplots than some trilogies. It’s giving ‘main character energy,’ and honestly, the rest of us need to catch up.
The fact that you ended your blurb with “Who will make it down the mountain alive?” tells me you absolutely wrote this while cackling. I approve.” — Katherine Beth, Professional Book Reviewer, or so she said. Contact her at katherinebethreviewer@gmail.com