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Psychic Solutions #1
The Indigo Solution
Can a no-nonsense lawyer and a capricious free spirit solve crime without murdering each other?
Evangeline Malcolm Carstairs, dog-walker and ghost-buster, has one goal—earning respect for her paranormal abilities. When ten-year-old Loretta Post walks into her Psychic Solutions Agency bearing two sad ghosts and claiming someone is trying to kill her, Evie is on the case.
When the child’s hunky guardian shows up to drag Loretta back to boarding school, Evie is not about to send the grieving child into possible danger. Besides, Loretta is a Malcolm and belongs with family—especially if someone murdered her parents.
Efficient, no-nonsense Savannah lawyer Jax Jackson normally investigates corporate fraud. Babysitting an errant ten-year-old has never been on his agenda—until his firm’s wealthy ward escapes school and heads straight for a family with a con-artist history dating to the 17th century.
Jax isn’t buying ghostly warnings, but when his investigations turn up land fraud in the small town Loretta’s parents once owned, he reluctantly relies on Evie’s insights—which puts them on a collision course with the town authorities and his own father.
Evangeline Malcolm Carstairs, dog-walker and ghost-buster, has one goal—earning respect for her paranormal abilities. When ten-year-old Loretta Post walks into her Psychic Solutions Agency bearing two sad ghosts and claiming someone is trying to kill her, Evie is on the case.
When the child’s hunky guardian shows up to drag Loretta back to boarding school, Evie is not about to send the grieving child into possible danger. Besides, Loretta is a Malcolm and belongs with family—especially if someone murdered her parents.
Efficient, no-nonsense Savannah lawyer Jax Jackson normally investigates corporate fraud. Babysitting an errant ten-year-old has never been on his agenda—until his firm’s wealthy ward escapes school and heads straight for a family with a con-artist history dating to the 17th century.
Jax isn’t buying ghostly warnings, but when his investigations turn up land fraud in the small town Loretta’s parents once owned, he reluctantly relies on Evie’s insights—which puts them on a collision course with the town authorities and his own father.
- GenresFantasyMysteryParanormal
230 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 29, 2022
203 people are currently reading
114 people want to read
About the author
Patricia Rice
157 books515 followersWith several million books in print and New York Times and USA Today's bestseller lists under her belt, former CPA Patricia Rice writes emotionally-charged contemporary and historical romances which have won numerous awards, including the RT Book Reviews Reviewers Choice and Career Achievement Awards.
Her books have also been honored as Romance Writers of America RITA® finalists in the historical, regency and contemporary categories.
A firm believer in happily-ever-after for good reason, Patricia Rice is married to her high school sweetheart and has two children. A native of Kentucky and New York, a past resident of North Carolina and Missouri, she currently resides in Southern California, and now does accounting only for herself.
She also writes under the pen name Jamie Quaid
Her books have also been honored as Romance Writers of America RITA® finalists in the historical, regency and contemporary categories.
A firm believer in happily-ever-after for good reason, Patricia Rice is married to her high school sweetheart and has two children. A native of Kentucky and New York, a past resident of North Carolina and Missouri, she currently resides in Southern California, and now does accounting only for herself.
She also writes under the pen name Jamie Quaid
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews
March 26, 2022
The Indigo Solution by Patricia Rice
Solutions Mystery #1
Stepping into the magical paranormal world of the Malcolm family is always a treat. Many times, there are also some from the Ives family that make an appearance and the two together strike sparks and have chemistry aplenty. I have read about this family in the past and the present and wonder what they will do in the future…but for now…let me tell you what I thought of THIS book ;
What I liked:
* The setting of Afterthought, North Carolina with Malcolms having lived there for centuries – a small town with characters that I would like to know better.
* Evie Malcolm: energetic, busy, sees ghosts and communicates with them, sees auras, is from an interesting family, tiny but mighty, much more powerful than she appears to be
* Damon “Jax” Jackson: lawyer, ex-military, adopted, lost his parents when young, has a sister, believes in what he can see, guardian of Loretta, good friend, reliable
* Loretta Post: precocious ten-year-old orphan that made her way to Evie in hopes of locating her parents
* Characters I want to k now more about in future books: Iddy, Pris, Gracie, Mavis and her generation, Ariel, Rourke, Reuben, and others that might pop up in the future
* the animals…and those that they communicate with
* The mystery of what happened to Loretta’s parents and how it was solved
* Knowing that there is another book in this series to look forward to
What I didn’t like:
* The bad guys…and what they were up to
Did I enjoy this book? Yes
Would I read more in this series? Definitely
Thank you to the author for the ARC – This is my honest review.
5 Stars
Solutions Mystery #1
Stepping into the magical paranormal world of the Malcolm family is always a treat. Many times, there are also some from the Ives family that make an appearance and the two together strike sparks and have chemistry aplenty. I have read about this family in the past and the present and wonder what they will do in the future…but for now…let me tell you what I thought of THIS book ;
What I liked:
* The setting of Afterthought, North Carolina with Malcolms having lived there for centuries – a small town with characters that I would like to know better.
* Evie Malcolm: energetic, busy, sees ghosts and communicates with them, sees auras, is from an interesting family, tiny but mighty, much more powerful than she appears to be
* Damon “Jax” Jackson: lawyer, ex-military, adopted, lost his parents when young, has a sister, believes in what he can see, guardian of Loretta, good friend, reliable
* Loretta Post: precocious ten-year-old orphan that made her way to Evie in hopes of locating her parents
* Characters I want to k now more about in future books: Iddy, Pris, Gracie, Mavis and her generation, Ariel, Rourke, Reuben, and others that might pop up in the future
* the animals…and those that they communicate with
* The mystery of what happened to Loretta’s parents and how it was solved
* Knowing that there is another book in this series to look forward to
What I didn’t like:
* The bad guys…and what they were up to
Did I enjoy this book? Yes
Would I read more in this series? Definitely
Thank you to the author for the ARC – This is my honest review.
5 Stars
April 12, 2022
My only complaint is that I have to wait until near the end of next month for the next installment in this series. I love books that defy being classified into a single genre.
April 16, 2022
Great start to a new series - can't wait for the next book!
March 13, 2022
4.5 Stars
Evie Malcolm lives in Afterthought, SC. As the story begins, she is visited at her workplace (Psychic Solutions Agency) by both Loretta Post, age 10, and Damon (Jax) Jackson, an attorney from Savannah, Georgia. He is searching for Loretta, because she is his ward, and she has gone missing from her boarding school. He has been sent to find her and to bring her back. However, Loretta has had a string of ‘accidents’ that make her believe that someone is out to harm her, and she believes it is her lawyers. Loretta’s parents were wealthy, but are recently deceased--under strange circumstances. She doesn’t believe they are dead, but she does know that she has relatives in Afterthought, and she also knows that her parents were headed to the town right before they supposedly died. So she arrives unchaperoned, and she is looking for answers. Evie and her family have owned land in Afterthought since the 1600’s, but there is something strange happening concerning that land, and she wants to get to the bottom of that as well. There are multiple storylines to follow within this book, and it is all woven together beautifully.
This story pulls readers in easily. There is a lot of detail about the town and its inhabitants. There are a few ‘gifts’ that are used throughout the story, adding some local color to the tale. Jax and Evie are drawn to one another, but nothing develops within this storyline, other than a solid friendship and the earning of trust; however, there is the possibility that things may change in a future volume of this series. Jax discovers some disturbing news toward the end of the book, which sends him careening in a different direction for a time. This reader can hardly wait to discover what Jax learns as he follows this new trail.
The pace is solid in this story. The tension gets higher in a few places, but stays moderate throughout much of the story. These characters are quirky at times, but loyal. Ten-year-old Loretta adds a lot of personality to the story, and gives Evie a focus for some of her energy. All-in-all, this looks to be a promising start to an intriguing new series!
Evie Malcolm lives in Afterthought, SC. As the story begins, she is visited at her workplace (Psychic Solutions Agency) by both Loretta Post, age 10, and Damon (Jax) Jackson, an attorney from Savannah, Georgia. He is searching for Loretta, because she is his ward, and she has gone missing from her boarding school. He has been sent to find her and to bring her back. However, Loretta has had a string of ‘accidents’ that make her believe that someone is out to harm her, and she believes it is her lawyers. Loretta’s parents were wealthy, but are recently deceased--under strange circumstances. She doesn’t believe they are dead, but she does know that she has relatives in Afterthought, and she also knows that her parents were headed to the town right before they supposedly died. So she arrives unchaperoned, and she is looking for answers. Evie and her family have owned land in Afterthought since the 1600’s, but there is something strange happening concerning that land, and she wants to get to the bottom of that as well. There are multiple storylines to follow within this book, and it is all woven together beautifully.
This story pulls readers in easily. There is a lot of detail about the town and its inhabitants. There are a few ‘gifts’ that are used throughout the story, adding some local color to the tale. Jax and Evie are drawn to one another, but nothing develops within this storyline, other than a solid friendship and the earning of trust; however, there is the possibility that things may change in a future volume of this series. Jax discovers some disturbing news toward the end of the book, which sends him careening in a different direction for a time. This reader can hardly wait to discover what Jax learns as he follows this new trail.
The pace is solid in this story. The tension gets higher in a few places, but stays moderate throughout much of the story. These characters are quirky at times, but loyal. Ten-year-old Loretta adds a lot of personality to the story, and gives Evie a focus for some of her energy. All-in-all, this looks to be a promising start to an intriguing new series!
March 11, 2022
The Indigo Solution by Patricia Rice.
My review:
This story is a bit different from the Malcolm/Ives romance with a paranormal twist. This one has a more urban fantasy/cozy mystery with a dash of paranormal and a slow burn romance vibe. The story is set in the fictional town of Afterthought where the residents if not accepting then at least are tolerant of the many quirks that the descendants of the Malcolm family exhibit. This story introduces the main characters Evie, Jax and Loretta and a cast of secondary characters and solves the mystery of what happened to Loretta's parents.
This is a stand alone book but it is book 1 in a series and the slow burn romance will continue in subsequent books. This is a great read and I really enjoyed getting to know the various characters.
Here is the Publisher description:
Evangeline Malcolm Carstairs, dog-walker and ghost-buster, has one goal—earning respect for her paranormal abilities. When ten-year-old Loretta Post walks into her Psychic Solutions Agency bearing two sad ghosts and claiming someone is trying to kill her, Evie is on the case.
When the child’s hunky guardian shows up to drag Loretta back to boarding school, Evie is not about to send the grieving child into possible danger. Besides, Loretta is a Malcolm and belongs with family—especially if someone murdered her parents.
Efficient, no-nonsense Savannah lawyer Jax Jackson normally investigates corporate fraud. Babysitting an errant ten-year-old has never been on his agenda—until his firm’s wealthy ward escapes school and heads straight for a family with a con-artist history dating to the 17th century.
Jax isn’t buying ghostly warnings, but when his investigations turn up land fraud in the small town Loretta’s parents once owned, he reluctantly relies on Evie’s insights—which puts them on a collision course with the town authorities and his own father.
My review:
This story is a bit different from the Malcolm/Ives romance with a paranormal twist. This one has a more urban fantasy/cozy mystery with a dash of paranormal and a slow burn romance vibe. The story is set in the fictional town of Afterthought where the residents if not accepting then at least are tolerant of the many quirks that the descendants of the Malcolm family exhibit. This story introduces the main characters Evie, Jax and Loretta and a cast of secondary characters and solves the mystery of what happened to Loretta's parents.
This is a stand alone book but it is book 1 in a series and the slow burn romance will continue in subsequent books. This is a great read and I really enjoyed getting to know the various characters.
Here is the Publisher description:
Evangeline Malcolm Carstairs, dog-walker and ghost-buster, has one goal—earning respect for her paranormal abilities. When ten-year-old Loretta Post walks into her Psychic Solutions Agency bearing two sad ghosts and claiming someone is trying to kill her, Evie is on the case.
When the child’s hunky guardian shows up to drag Loretta back to boarding school, Evie is not about to send the grieving child into possible danger. Besides, Loretta is a Malcolm and belongs with family—especially if someone murdered her parents.
Efficient, no-nonsense Savannah lawyer Jax Jackson normally investigates corporate fraud. Babysitting an errant ten-year-old has never been on his agenda—until his firm’s wealthy ward escapes school and heads straight for a family with a con-artist history dating to the 17th century.
Jax isn’t buying ghostly warnings, but when his investigations turn up land fraud in the small town Loretta’s parents once owned, he reluctantly relies on Evie’s insights—which puts them on a collision course with the town authorities and his own father.
August 25, 2025
I loved it!
The irreverence that hides an incredibly intelligent heroine. The almost to OCD hero searching for a lost ward who escaped, easily , from boarding school.
The reason the hero and heroine meet, an Indigo child who can see into others souls, aka Loretta. ( I adored this kid! Resourceful, completely able to realize when she's being hoodwinked, and after coming to grips with the tragedy of her parents, brings the hero and heroine together.
But, Jack and his " unusual" lady, Evangeline, Evie, still have much too do...
Bodys to find, corruption to disclose, oh a killer to catch, an adopted Father who's singularly one giant ponzi scheme, and ...
let's not forget Ruben and Roark, the over educated irreverent duo, whoE truly get it done, legally, well...
Add all this together, and you have a psychic kaleidoscope of crazy.
And, that's not including the rest of Evie and Loretta's, intriguing hmm, family, who march together to show what's what, and who's who.
Now, if you cannot handle sarcasm as a first language, or a grown woman who looks like a pocket fairy, but will protect a child who cleverly makes what's she wants occured, a cajun and professor who are anarchists, plus one very uptight lawyer who hates corruption and cover ups...
So not the book for you,
But, if you love all the above, set in a very small town in the SC lowlands, (most towns in SC lowlands are very small) maybe an hour sou side of Charleston, SC, with physics that settled there escaping the Salem Witch terrors, you will thoroughly enjoy this book!
I absolutely loved it!
It had everything!
Wonderful read, my thank to the author for sending me this novel!
Now, next!
Karen
,
The irreverence that hides an incredibly intelligent heroine. The almost to OCD hero searching for a lost ward who escaped, easily , from boarding school.
The reason the hero and heroine meet, an Indigo child who can see into others souls, aka Loretta. ( I adored this kid! Resourceful, completely able to realize when she's being hoodwinked, and after coming to grips with the tragedy of her parents, brings the hero and heroine together.
But, Jack and his " unusual" lady, Evangeline, Evie, still have much too do...
Bodys to find, corruption to disclose, oh a killer to catch, an adopted Father who's singularly one giant ponzi scheme, and ...
let's not forget Ruben and Roark, the over educated irreverent duo, whoE truly get it done, legally, well...
Add all this together, and you have a psychic kaleidoscope of crazy.
And, that's not including the rest of Evie and Loretta's, intriguing hmm, family, who march together to show what's what, and who's who.
Now, if you cannot handle sarcasm as a first language, or a grown woman who looks like a pocket fairy, but will protect a child who cleverly makes what's she wants occured, a cajun and professor who are anarchists, plus one very uptight lawyer who hates corruption and cover ups...
So not the book for you,
But, if you love all the above, set in a very small town in the SC lowlands, (most towns in SC lowlands are very small) maybe an hour sou side of Charleston, SC, with physics that settled there escaping the Salem Witch terrors, you will thoroughly enjoy this book!
I absolutely loved it!
It had everything!
Wonderful read, my thank to the author for sending me this novel!
Now, next!
Karen
,
April 1, 2022
I love Patricia's books. I've been reading them for two decades because they are great. This book had wonderful characters, laugh-out-loud moments, and an interesting story dealing with fraud and murder. That sounds a little dark, but it's not because the murder is lightly touched on. For these characters, you have to have ghosts, for others to believe or not believe. Evie just wished everyone in her small town would respect her and her abilities. Most don't and while the sheriff doesn't believe per se, he does listen. A pint-sized runaway, Loretta, insists that her cousin, Evie, is the guardian of her and her fortune. Trailing Loretta is her true guardian, so he says, Jax. Jax is trying to protect Loretta from charlatans and thieves and that includes the crazy Malcolm family. He knows what it's like to be orphaned, so he thinks he's helping. Meanwhile, the Malcolm's don't think they can trust Jax nor the people he works for and possibly people in their own town. Wariness bounces back and forth amongst everyone until trust starts to bud. I dropped one star mainly because it ended with cliffhanger and you need to read the next book to get (I hope) the conclusion. Now, there are series I read that are like this (In Death - Eve/Roark), but I was shocked as it's the first time the author has done this (unless I missed something although I've read nearly every book she's written.) Yes, the main mystery is solved, but the rest wasn't. I just wish I'd been made aware before reading it. The good news is the next book comes out in two months, so I don't have to wait very long.
March 13, 2022
As Mrs Rice wrote in the author’s note of The Indigo Solution, this book is a contemporary romance, with a psychic twist, a addition of mystery, and a host of interesting characters.
It is an entertaining and ease read. I start reading the book after supper, and before I even realized it I had finished it. It was 3.30 a.m. of the next day. The beginning is a little confuse, but after the second chapter the story goes on at a good pace.
One quote of the late Mr. Mason Cooley says: “reading give us someplace to go when we have to stay where we are”. The books of Mrs Rice gives readers nice and interesting places to go. Even when she can’t go to the locations herself to do research.
I admire Mrs Rice’s skill to bring alive a small town, colorfully describe it, populate it with interesting characters and make a reader fill if he of she self was there when the action happens.
In this case, the reader is brought to Afterthought, where a eccentric bunch of Malcolm descendants lives and use their “gifts” to solve problems. The most Malcolm women in the story are confident about their abilities. The main female character is not. She keeps saying that she not get respect from anyone, through the whole book. After a few times reading this, I got tired of it. Now and then there are other repetitions of sentences that in my opinion make the quality of this book a little bit less than it could be.
It is an entertaining and ease read. I start reading the book after supper, and before I even realized it I had finished it. It was 3.30 a.m. of the next day. The beginning is a little confuse, but after the second chapter the story goes on at a good pace.
One quote of the late Mr. Mason Cooley says: “reading give us someplace to go when we have to stay where we are”. The books of Mrs Rice gives readers nice and interesting places to go. Even when she can’t go to the locations herself to do research.
I admire Mrs Rice’s skill to bring alive a small town, colorfully describe it, populate it with interesting characters and make a reader fill if he of she self was there when the action happens.
In this case, the reader is brought to Afterthought, where a eccentric bunch of Malcolm descendants lives and use their “gifts” to solve problems. The most Malcolm women in the story are confident about their abilities. The main female character is not. She keeps saying that she not get respect from anyone, through the whole book. After a few times reading this, I got tired of it. Now and then there are other repetitions of sentences that in my opinion make the quality of this book a little bit less than it could be.
March 30, 2022
I love Patricia Rice's books and have read every book of hers I could get my hands on, many multiple times over. It does not matter the genre, she always delivers on a fun engaging story.
As the author notes in the preface, while this story includes the "Malcom/Ives" decedents, this book is not following the format of those books. This is not a traditional romance, nor is it a straight fiction or a straight mystery either. The closest categorization is that this is like a TV series and "The Indigo Solution" is the pilot episode. In a lot of ways this reminds me of her other independent series "Evil Genius".
This book is basically Volume 1: The Magician, the Witch and the Indigo Child. It brings you to this small town on the outskirts of South Carolina and a fun and engaging mystery with three main characters. You meet some very interesting characters in a very quirky town and while you solve one mystery in Volume 1, the story continues in Volume 2.
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DISCLAIMER: I received an advance reader copy of this book provided by the author in exchange for a fair, objective, and honest review.
As the author notes in the preface, while this story includes the "Malcom/Ives" decedents, this book is not following the format of those books. This is not a traditional romance, nor is it a straight fiction or a straight mystery either. The closest categorization is that this is like a TV series and "The Indigo Solution" is the pilot episode. In a lot of ways this reminds me of her other independent series "Evil Genius".
This book is basically Volume 1: The Magician, the Witch and the Indigo Child. It brings you to this small town on the outskirts of South Carolina and a fun and engaging mystery with three main characters. You meet some very interesting characters in a very quirky town and while you solve one mystery in Volume 1, the story continues in Volume 2.
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DISCLAIMER: I received an advance reader copy of this book provided by the author in exchange for a fair, objective, and honest review.
March 17, 2022
The Indigo Solution is murder mystery laced with fun and likable characters. Afterthought, South Carolina is home to a whole mess of zany and weird Malcolms and all the extraordinary powers they share. Evangeline Malcolm is working in her mother's store when a runaway ten year old shows up claiming kinship and weaving tales of attempted murder. The little heiress is on the run from her lawyer, Jax, after her parents are presumed dead. Jax and Evie quickly butt heads in with an unusual chemistry even as Jax thinks all magic is a hoax. Small town corruption, lies, and murder lead the protagonists on a twisty road to the truth and leaves a skeptic open to the things he cannot explain. The story ends in a little bit of a cliffhanger but will leave you hankering for the next book. This is more a paranormal mystery and has hints of romance but I wouldn't label it as a romance. Lovable characters, a few tugs on the heartstrings,and plenty of humor make this story enjoyable from cover to cover. My voluntary, unbiased review is based upon a review copy.
September 22, 2025
(FYI I tend to only review one book per series, unless I want to change my scoring by 0.50 or more of a star. -- I tend not to read reviews until after I read a book, so I go in with an open mind.)
4.5*
First time read the author's work?: Yes
Will you be reading more?: Yes
Would you recommend?: Yes
------------
How I rate Stars: 5* = I loved (must read all I can find by the author)
4* = I really enjoyed (got to read all the series and try other books by the author).
3* = I enjoyed (I will continue to read the series)
or
3* = Good book just not my thing (I realised I don't like the genre or picked up a kids book to review in error.)
All of the above scores means I would recommend them!
-
2* = it was okay (I might give the next book in the series a try, to see if that was better IMHO.)
1* = Disliked
Note: adding these basic 'reviews' after finding out that some people see the stars differently than I do - hoping this clarifies how I feel about the book. :-)
4.5*
First time read the author's work?: Yes
Will you be reading more?: Yes
Would you recommend?: Yes
------------
How I rate Stars: 5* = I loved (must read all I can find by the author)
4* = I really enjoyed (got to read all the series and try other books by the author).
3* = I enjoyed (I will continue to read the series)
or
3* = Good book just not my thing (I realised I don't like the genre or picked up a kids book to review in error.)
All of the above scores means I would recommend them!
-
2* = it was okay (I might give the next book in the series a try, to see if that was better IMHO.)
1* = Disliked
Note: adding these basic 'reviews' after finding out that some people see the stars differently than I do - hoping this clarifies how I feel about the book. :-)
March 24, 2022
This is a great start for this series and can't wait to see where it goes. Especially with Jax. I loved the quirky characters. Evie would like a steady job. She lives in a small town and would like to be a detective. But there isn't much call for a psychic detective in her town. Loretta shows up in town, says that Evie is her legal guardian and that her current guardian is trying to kill her. Her parents are gone, and she is all alone. Jax, Loretta's guardian, shows up to take her back. Until Evie figures out if he is the one trying to kill Loretta, she will make sure she stays with her. When they find Loretta's parent's bodies, Evie and Jax have to find the killer so Loretta will stay safe. The whole thing involves the mayor, town council and Jax's adoptive father. They are involved in some kind of land swindle. Jax isn't sure he can investigate his father. He is already trying to find out what happened to his real father. A fun adventure with some craziness thrown in.
March 30, 2022
Great story
A new twist on the Malcolm family saga. The Malcolms remain as quirky and magical as ever but this story, set in the Carolinas, follows a branch of the family that escaped the Salem witch hunt in the 1600s by moving south. They still don't have a practical bone to share amongst them so who will be the voice of logic and reason when trouble comes calling? Where is an Ives when you need one? What they get is a cynical lawyer beset by his own demons who grudgingly comes to accept that there may be method to the Malcolm madness. This story is a bit darker and more complex than previous Malcolm stories. There is a hint if possible future romance, but these characters have a lot to unpack before they'll be ready for a happily ever after. I'm looking forward to the next book.
A new twist on the Malcolm family saga. The Malcolms remain as quirky and magical as ever but this story, set in the Carolinas, follows a branch of the family that escaped the Salem witch hunt in the 1600s by moving south. They still don't have a practical bone to share amongst them so who will be the voice of logic and reason when trouble comes calling? Where is an Ives when you need one? What they get is a cynical lawyer beset by his own demons who grudgingly comes to accept that there may be method to the Malcolm madness. This story is a bit darker and more complex than previous Malcolm stories. There is a hint if possible future romance, but these characters have a lot to unpack before they'll be ready for a happily ever after. I'm looking forward to the next book.
April 7, 2022
What fun! Ms. Rice continues to create crazy, smart, colorful characters with the Malcom and Ives generations and I am delighted. Paranormal female Malcom gifts clash (again) with the male Ives's straight-line, analytical thinking. And here come the fireworks. This time a young girl runs away to find her parents and shady real estate dealings threaten Malcolm land inheritance. For many reasons I enjoy Ms. Rice's plots but particularly because they have suspense and a touch of romance and maybe even murder but not ever is the writing gruesome or horrifying or terrifying. Many thanks for that. Now I happily off to pre-order book two: "The Golden Plan." Yay!
July 4, 2022
Very hard to put down. When a ten-year-old girl arrives in the small town of Afterthought, insisting that Evie Malcolm is her guardian, if her parents are dead. But while Loretta is positive her parents are still alive, Evie doesn't think so, not after seeing the ghosts attached to the girl. But then Jax Jackson arrives, insisting that he, or rather, the legal firm he represents, is Loretta's guardian. Either way, there is a mystery to solve; a mystery that will take the combined efforts of Evie and Jax, despite their mistrust of one another. Excellent, full of interesting, believable characters. Recommended.
July 29, 2022
Great characters, action, plot, human relationships
Love this book. Felt so happy at the end. Such a fun story--the colorful characters, their interactions, family and small-town dynamics, an orphaned girl taken in by distant family, the variety of paranormal abilities Evie's family has, her practical awareness of everything, the mutual attraction between Evie and Jax as they work to protect Loretta and uncover why her parents are gone. A delightful mash-up of past and present, lawyer-needs-concrete-evidence but must use the information seemingly pulled out of the air by a family of qooky witches.
Love this book. Felt so happy at the end. Such a fun story--the colorful characters, their interactions, family and small-town dynamics, an orphaned girl taken in by distant family, the variety of paranormal abilities Evie's family has, her practical awareness of everything, the mutual attraction between Evie and Jax as they work to protect Loretta and uncover why her parents are gone. A delightful mash-up of past and present, lawyer-needs-concrete-evidence but must use the information seemingly pulled out of the air by a family of qooky witches.
December 27, 2024
Evangeline has the kinda confidence that's enviable. She has talent, an unbelievable gut instinct, a great memory, and knows people.
The wildest part is that she keeps comparing herself to people who she thinks are better educated... and I think that's supposed to make her humble, but also kind of annoying as the story goes on.
All in all, Evie has a great heart and is waiting to share her life with worthy people. Lucky for her the start of this series hands it all over to her in Loretta & Jax.
Ive never read the previous Malcolm/Ives series, butt if they all have HEAs like this series does then its cute.
The wildest part is that she keeps comparing herself to people who she thinks are better educated... and I think that's supposed to make her humble, but also kind of annoying as the story goes on.
All in all, Evie has a great heart and is waiting to share her life with worthy people. Lucky for her the start of this series hands it all over to her in Loretta & Jax.
Ive never read the previous Malcolm/Ives series, butt if they all have HEAs like this series does then its cute.
April 1, 2022
I received an ARC. This review is mine and mine alone.
Ms. Rice continues to catch our attention in this updated Malcolm series. I love all the characters, especially Evie and the vibes between her and Jax. Things get complicated as they fight over guardianship of Loretta and at same time, try to solve the possible murder of Loretta’s parents. The intrigue continues as we must read the next book in the series to see where Jax and Evie end up. I look forward to it!
Ms. Rice continues to catch our attention in this updated Malcolm series. I love all the characters, especially Evie and the vibes between her and Jax. Things get complicated as they fight over guardianship of Loretta and at same time, try to solve the possible murder of Loretta’s parents. The intrigue continues as we must read the next book in the series to see where Jax and Evie end up. I look forward to it!
April 1, 2022
Loved this story. I’m always a fan of anything Malcolm. Although this one is different from the usual Malcolm/Ives format, it is thoroughly enjoyable. It totally held my interest throughout. The characters are all very well depicted and drew me into their lives. What a bombshell about Jax’s father! I can’t wait to see where the series leads.
I received a free copy of this book and this is my voluntary, honest review.
I received a free copy of this book and this is my voluntary, honest review.
September 12, 2022
Evie is a Malcolm.
Malcolms return in this spin off series. Plot to steal Malcolm Land is unearthed along with murder and a vulnerable young Heiress. Evie has only her abilities and Malcolm Relatives to aid while being ambivalent about the Lawyer who's Guardian of young Loretta. Excellent.
Malcolms return in this spin off series. Plot to steal Malcolm Land is unearthed along with murder and a vulnerable young Heiress. Evie has only her abilities and Malcolm Relatives to aid while being ambivalent about the Lawyer who's Guardian of young Loretta. Excellent.
April 17, 2022
Tough day? The Indigo Solution is the perfect antidote with engaging dialogue between a logical lawyer and a petite psychic, assorted characters … who are really characters, and a twisty plot all guaranteed to lighten your mood!
May 22, 2022
Patrick Rice can tell a story
I haven't read every Rice book out there, but realise I ALWAYS read the blurb. And this blurb intrigued me...but the story more than hooked me! I became invested, comfortable with the heroes as if it were a story about friends....
I haven't read every Rice book out there, but realise I ALWAYS read the blurb. And this blurb intrigued me...but the story more than hooked me! I became invested, comfortable with the heroes as if it were a story about friends....
Read
July 5, 2025The prose here is more chaotic than my brain wants to parse, so DNF at 12%. It felt like I was trying to read a scribbled-style cartoon at 2x speed. I imagine some readers will love it--it is interesting. Alas, I'm not among them.
July 6, 2025
i didn’t know…
if I would enjoy this or not. There’s the hint of romance but it’s not the focus. Paranormal antics. A kid. Family of witches. Neurodivergent sister. Lawyers. I was starting to skim in the middle. It ended though with enough that I think I’ll check out book 2.
if I would enjoy this or not. There’s the hint of romance but it’s not the focus. Paranormal antics. A kid. Family of witches. Neurodivergent sister. Lawyers. I was starting to skim in the middle. It ended though with enough that I think I’ll check out book 2.
August 25, 2025
Really interesting story
Definitely enjoyed reading this one, great characters and descriptions that help you be in the story! Definitely worth reading and I’m looking forward to the next in the series!
Definitely enjoyed reading this one, great characters and descriptions that help you be in the story! Definitely worth reading and I’m looking forward to the next in the series!
Read
May 31, 2022Dnf
October 1, 2022
Glorious
As ALWAYS! The Malcolms and the Ives ride again. A murder mystery and rescue all in one. And it’s a series!
As ALWAYS! The Malcolms and the Ives ride again. A murder mystery and rescue all in one. And it’s a series!
October 26, 2022
The of this crazy awesome flighty cool witch family you get, the more you want. The story was good, the main characters need a little something, but overall a fun ride.
July 5, 2025
Really enjoyed this. It was great to visit with Malcolm and Ives characters again! Have to keep going with this new version of the families.
July 29, 2025
Utterly enjoyed this story. The characters are fun, and the story was well-paced.
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