Pure magic…
😀 😆 😀 😆 😀
When magician and skeptic* Eli Marks debunks the spiritualist act of Grey (‘just Grey’) he is unknowingly setting himself up to be chief suspect when Grey turns up murdered. The situation isn’t helped by the fact that the detective in charge of the case is Eli’s ex-wife’s new husband (still with me?) and there’s little love lost between the two men. And when more psychics are bumped off, each being found with a King of Diamonds on them, it seems clear to Detective Hutton that Eli must be involved since this was the card he used in his Ambitious Card routine. So it looks like Eli will have to find the real murderer to get himself off the hook…
This is a hugely entertaining crime novel, packed full of comedy. Sometimes when an author goes for fun, it can be at the expense of plot or characterisation, but not here. Gaspard has created a very likeable protagonist in Eli, who is the first person narrator, and a complete cast of rather eccentric magicians and psychics amongst the victims and suspects. Eli’s relationship with his recently widowed uncle is believable and touching, and the interactions between them add much to the humour and warmth of the book. The plot is complex enough to have kept me guessing to the end but looking back the clues were there, so a ‘fair play’ novel.
What makes this extra special though is the magic. Eli talks us through various tricks without breaking the code of the magician not to reveal the secrets. This sounds like it might be annoying, but it isn’t – it’s like watching a really good stage magician at work. At one point he plays a trick on a character in a way that allows the reader to play along too – and stunningly he manages to read the reader’s mind! (OK, I did work out how that was done after the event, but it was a ‘Wow!’ moment at the time!) I was amazed to discover from the afterward that Gaspard is not a magician in real life – I was convinced he must be.
I have no idea whether the author intends this to be a standalone or the start of a series, but I really hope it’s the latter. Warm, funny and well plotted – a book to brighten any grey day. Do read it!
*Not my fault – that’s how Americans spell it!
NB This book was provided for review by the publisher, Henery Press.
FictionFan – Oh, this does sound lovely! Just the right amount of humour and a good crime story. No wonder you liked it as much as you did. I hope it’s the start of a series too.
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A really enjoyable one, Margot – similar in tone to the Ceepak series, I thought.
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You know, I was thinking that myself as I read your post. Even more reason to check this one out.
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Humorous books are a great love of the professor’s! And the author even looks sweet! The smileys were great. 😎
And it is your fault, because you can take it.
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Then if you haven’t already read it, you must add Three Men in a Boat to your TBR list – the funniest book ever written. 🙂
I suppose I should be grateful he left the ‘u’ in Ambitious…
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Well, the list must disappear before I create a new one. 5 books left, I think. I don’t like having a TBR list. It vexes the professor.
Oh! Do you spell skeptic with a ‘u’?
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Oh good – I temporarily forgot I wasn’t going to recommend any more favourites… 😉
No – with a ‘z’.
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😆 Yes!
That is so strange…
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This review was great fun to read, and it sounds like the book will be, too! (My husband adores stage magic. His face lights up like a child’s. I may have to recommend this one to him as well!)
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The book really is fun – and a good solid plot too! I’m still smiling every time I think about how the author read my mind in the middle of it…
If you do get it, I hope you both enjoy it as much as I did! 🙂
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Thanks! Your reviews just might be *too* good; my to-read list is getting out of control!
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Definitely one to put on the book list, I think.
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Really enjoyable! And it looks like it’s going to be the first of a series…
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[…] The Ambitious Card […]
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