True Indigo

Tipsy Collins #4

by Stephanie Alexander

"Five Stars...The fourth and final installment of the Tipsy Collins series...beautifully wraps up the characters' journeys with a blend of paranormal intrigue and life lessons..." — Readers' Favorite

Things have been going great for Tipsy Collins, the Lowcountry’s favorite clairvoyant artistic genius. Her kids are happy and healthy, she’s producing and selling her celebrated paintings, and she’s engaged to the love of her life, psychiatrist Scott Brandt. Everyone in Tipsy’s life seems content, except Henry Mott, her mercurial supernatural roommate and wannabe literary virtuoso.

Henry has been brooding for over a century, but lately, his discontent has gone into overdrive. His famous temper is out of control and he can’t write a single sentence. Henry’s malaise and its accompanying destruction threaten to complicate Tipsy and Scott’s family blending while her ex-husband haplessly navigates a second marriage crisis. As Henry slowly loses his mind, a series of unexplainable events has Tipsy combing through ghostly memories, meeting new friends and reuniting with old ones, exploring and testing the supernatural limits, and, as always, learning some priceless life lessons.

True Indigo is the highly anticipated fourth and final installment in the award-winning Tipsy Collins Series.

Genres: Mystery

432 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 19, 2023

About the author

Stephanie Alexander writes enchanting, fantastical book club friendly stories for thoughtful, modern women. She is the author of eight (8) published novels, including Charleston-based Mean Low Water (Red Adept Publishing 2024) and Tipsy Collins Series (Charleston Green, Haint Blue, Palmetto Rose, and True Indigo), as well as The Cracked Slipper Series (The Cracked Slipper, The Dragon Choker, and The Glass Rainbow), a fractured fairy tale retelling. Stephanie’s work always features strong female protagonists, relatable emotional journeys, and a dash of magic. 250,000 copies of her books have been downloaded to e-readers and audiobook libraries, or sit on old-fashioned bookshelves.

Stephanie grew up in the suburbs of Washington, DC. Drawing, writing stories, and harassing her parents for a pony consumed much of her childhood. After graduating from high school in 1995 she earned a Bachelor of Arts in Communications from the College of Charleston, South Carolina. She returned to Washington, DC, where she followed a long-time fascination with sociopolitical structures and women’s issues to a Master of Arts in Sociology from the American University. She spent several years as a Policy Associate at the International Center for Research on Women (ICRW), a think-tank focused on women’s health and economic advancement.

Stephanie embraced full-time motherhood after the birth of the first of her three children in 2003. Her family put down permanent southern roots in Charleston in 2011, and she returned to the workforce as an Adjunct Professor of Sociology at the College of Charleston. Beginning in the Fall of 2015, as a single working mother, she attended law school on a full academic scholarship, earning her juris doctor with honors from the Charleston School of Law in December 2017.

She currently practices family law in Charleston. She has appeared on local and national media and regularly joins with book clubs for discussions of her work. Her personal experience rebuilding her life after divorce inspires both her legal work and her fiction. Stephanie and her husband live in the Charleston area with their blended family of five children and their three miniature dachshunds, Trinket, Tipsy, and Ophelia.

You can learn more about Stephanie and her work at www.stephaniealexanderbooks.com, or follow her on Instagram or TikTok (@stephaniealexanderbooks).

Reviews

[Victoria · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just finished True Indigo, the last installment in the Tipsy Collins series by Stephanie Alexander, and I'm truly sad for it to end. It makes me want to go back to the first book, Charleston Green, and re-read the whole series again! I liked that True Indigo did not leave any loose ends. We got to see resolution for even the supporting characters that have appeared over and over again in the series. I love Tipsy's sarcastic inner voice and Stephanie's dead-on analysis of different layers of Charleston society. Without giving too much away, I got a little teary towards the end when Tipsy had to say goodbye to some old friends. The other things that I loved about True Indigo were the references that Stephanie sprinkled in from her other series, The Cracked Slipper. (If you haven't read them, you should!) I thought I recognized a few references to those books, but then she wrote in the afterword that she slipped in some Cracked Slipper Easter eggs, so I felt validated! This was a great way to wrap up Tipsy's story. Oftentimes, later books in a series don't live up to the first one, but that is definitely not true of True Indigo.

[JANELLE · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was sad to learn that this is the last of the Tipsy books - but it was an incredible finish! And after reading the author's note - I'm super excited for LeeLee's story!

Henry and Jane are back - with Jane really coming back again to help solve what's bothering Henry. I love these characters - and this book brought in a couple of newer characters and they all fit together so well. I love the Charleston setting, the descriptions are always so lush and memorable. TIpsy is dealing with the final plans for her wedding, helping Henry (and now Jane), dealing with Ayers marital issues, and her crazy friends. In addition, she meets a couple new friends and ghosts and learns more about her powers and how to help more folks cross. It was sad to see the end of Henry and Jane's story - but they've been so entertaining and enjoyable.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author and publisher for a temporary, digital ARC in return for my review.

[Becks Fiser · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tipsy definetly has her hands full with preparing for her upcoming marriage and her work, when Henry suddenly starts to decline in a serious way. Add onto that as shes trying to help her friend her ex husband springs a divorce into the mix.
I Love the glimpses into the past through the memoeries, it helped the pictures form in my mind of historical moments and it made it a very enjoyable read.
I also loved how each new character introduced is unique in their own way.
Theres so many beautiful scenes in this book and many life lessons about love and forgiveness.
I teared up several times while reading it. Its definetly a must read.

Thank you to net galley and the author for letting me read this arc.

[Viv · Rating 4 out of 5]

True Indigo
Stephanie Alexander
2023
4 Stars



Thank you NetGalley and Publisher Bublish for my copy of True Indigo by Stephanie Alexander. I have not received any rewards or compensation for this review and therefore all views and opinions are of my own, the reviewer.

In summary: A feel good ghost story. Feels like The Ghost Whisperer.

This is my first Stephanie Alexander story. True Indigo is a story about Tipsy and her ability to communicate with ghosts who haven’t fully crossed over to the other side. In particular, Henry is one ghost who refuses to go and gives Tipsy a run for her money throughout the book.
At first I found Tipsy being a weird name for a character and wasn’t sure what to expect with a character with a weird name. It wasn’t until a lot further in the book I discovered her name was Tiffany.
I found the chapters were super long with a lot of information to digest in each chapter. I was surprised when there were less than twenty chapters considering the size of the book. Although it didn’t take anything away from the story, it was an oddity.
I enjoyed the story as a whole for what it was and I felt the author had explored some interesting ideas with death and communications with ghosts. It was a great read.

[Danielle Mercer · Rating 5 out of 5]

A little depressed the series if officially over, but it ended on such a great high note. I agree with Stephanie’s comments in her acknowledgments section, dragging characters on can make them annoying. But I am so excited to learn there’s a spinoff book in the works about one of the new characters from True Indigo and I hope that means we’ll see more of Tipsy. They do still have to catch up over that drink, remember? Not sure what to do until then though. I may find myself reading the TC series again.

[Melissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this series. It is beautifully written with realistic and relateable characters The characters, including the ghosts, grow and change over the course of the series.

The series takes place in Charleston, SC. The lowcountry is described in loving detail and gave me the desire to revisit that area.

The series is delightful and this book wraps it up. Fabulous and fun paranormal mystery

[Linda Jordan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wish the Goodreads app could let me give this book and series a 3+ or 4-. I appreciate that this series ended where it said it would and that it also ended as I like books/series to end. I enjoyed getting to know all of the characters, especially Henry, and, of course, I loved the setting. The series was interesting enough that I eventually want to read the author’s new book about a side character she introduced in this final entry.

[J Bramblett · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the fourth book in the series and I loved it. Just enough mystery, romance and ghostly happenings. I really liked that the characters from all of the books were in some way a part if the story and the ending just made me feel good. This is the last book in the series so I am eagerly awaiting Stephanie Alexander's next book.

[Robin Corini · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m so sad this is the last in the series, yet intrigued with obvious spin-offs. These four ‘Tipsy’ books were creative in story line, rich in character development, and far beyond the typical magical fare. The depth of the emotional journeys for all involved takes the reader through each book and yearning for more!

[Christy Strawser · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Tipsy Collins series is one that deserves more attention. It's similar to the Tradd Street series in its rich, Southern Gothic atmosphere that makes you feel transported to sunnier climes. And because of the ghosts, of course. But Tipsy is a funny, warm character and this series deserves to be a best-seller.

[Cathy Deford · Rating 5 out of 5]

True Indigo

It was great tying up some loose ends from previous stories. The characters ring so true, and I love otherworldly figures! The peace was a bit slow in some chapters, but it was mainly a very enjoyable read!!

[Anne Turnley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow!

I normally only read free books. The first in this series was free but, so compelling I have bought the last three. Each story is wonderful and tied into the previous ones perfectly.

[Lynne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review to come :)

[Debb Hauck · Rating 5 out of 5]

Perfect!

Perfect ending for this series! I enjoyed each of the books very much. I will miss Henry and Jane so much.

[Lynne · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am going to miss Tipsy & company!

[Susan Boisvert · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this series. Sorry to hear about this being the last book! But Stephanie is coming out with a new book which will feature one of the people who was introduced in True Indigo!

[Pam Gunn · Rating 5 out of 5]

loved it

It is a great ending to a perfect series. I loved all the books. I especially loved all the ghosts!

[Brenda L Brandon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this series and although I'm said to see it come to a close, the ending was perfect. Looking forward to Leelee's story.

[NANCY HENDLEY · Rating 5 out of 5]

True Indigo

What a great ending for Tipsy to have. I've loved all the books in this series. I didn't want this book to end. I wish we could all have ghosts in our lives.