2.5 stars.

I love the cover of this book the neon look is fantastic, it is what drew me to the book in the first place.

I enjoyed some things about this book like learning about Katie and her life as well as about her connection to her tarot cards. I thought it was really cool to see. As someone who reads cards also to see someone who has images of them just pop into her head during a conversation like mine do.

The main thing I had an issue with was the mystery part of this book. The police angle was a whole lot and didn't quite feel believable. It just came out just a bit over the top and i didn't really enjoy that part.

Thank you to Bantam and Netgalley for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Katie True is zooming out of her twenties with a dead end job, no romantic prospects, and a family that, for the most part, thinks she could do better if she would "only" apply herself. Apart from her neurodivergent younger brother Owen, the one person who will listen to her without judging is her best friend Marley, who works in the edgy clothing and notions store across the hall from where Katie peddles Russian knick-knacks. Though Marley is at least a decade older than her, Katie finds herself drawn to the bold redhead, as the two spend their lunch breaks together at an outdoor table behind their slowly dying shopping mall.

It’s on one of these breaks that Katie confesses to Marley her fear that the only thing she’s really good at is reading Tarot cards. Or, as her grifter Aunt Rosie taught her, reading people while ostensibly reading their cards. While so much else in Katie’s life is unfixed, she knows she can rely on her gift to help her get to the bottom of people’s issues:

QUOTE
I just sort of let my mind go blank and catch it all, like one of those giant satellite dishes I’d seen on a science show, standing in the desert, gathering signals from space. There was always a pattern in the noise, a story in code. I laid it out, watching the customers’ faces. Sometimes they didn’t see it. Other times it hit them like a ray of light splashing over what was in front of them all along. <i>You know what?</i> a teary-eyed dad said during my first reading, after he decided to reconcile with his son, who was living on a survivalist organic farm in Montana. <i>You’re pretty good at this</i>. I stared at him as he left. I’d never been good at anything before.
END QUOTE

When a gym rat with a gash on his forehead stumbles into her empty store one day, Katie is spurred to do a reading for him. In the process, however, she discovers a terrible photo on his phone, of Marley shot to death beside the dumpster behind the mall. The gym rat runs away before she can find out more, leaving a frantic Katie to search for her friend. Everyone else who knows Marley is certain she’s just picked up and left town, but Katie knows what she saw. Besides, Marley would never leave without saying goodbye, would she?

When Katie’s search for Marley finally brings her to the cops, they’re skeptical of her claims. However, her plight does pique the interest of new transfer, Detective Jamie Roth. While he does warn her about the dangers of investigating, he’s surprisingly helpful when her efforts land her in difficult spots, such as when she needs a ride from her parents’ place to work. Unfortunately, this also opens him up to inspection from her entire family:

QUOTE
“Jamie is a police officer,” Owen intoned. “He is not married and has trouble maintaining relationships due to the dangerous and inconstant nature of police work. He has a very symmetrical face.”

My mom’s eyes grew wide, then narrow. “I can see that.” She turned to me. “Well, that clears a few things up.”

“What things?” my dad said.

“That is totally unfair,” I said. It wasn’t. I had a long history of getting absorbed in weird shit for the sake of some dude, as evidenced by the mountains of “gently used” fencing equipment, coin collecting albums, and fusion cookbooks moldering in my parents’ attic.
END QUOTE

But this investigation is not about Jamie or even, as Katie keeps telling herself, about anything apart from justice for Marley. Katie is used to finding herself in humiliating circumstances: what difference do a few more make if it means figuring out who killed Marley? But when things go from embarrassing to downright dangerous, will even her astonishing ability to read people keep her safe from mortal peril?

I loved this charming, clever Tarot-themed novel, and sincerely hope it’s the beginning of a series. I felt so much empathy for a directionless Katie, who’s only jolted into action by some of the most terrible circumstances. I loved the humor throughout, and especially appreciated how the relationship between Katie and Jamie developed over the course of this book. It didn’t feel forced at all, and I’m absolutely rooting for the continuation of what looks to be a healthy and respectful romance, hopefully in more books about this duo and the people around them!

This cover is stunning and definitely made me want to read the book.

I liked the idea of the tarot card, some mystery and suspense.

I really liked Katie True. She is quirky and unique and doesn't want to fit in the mold her family is trying to shove her in. She meets Marley at the mall where they work and they become, if nothing else, "lunch friends".

When she accidentally stumbles upon a murder, she is sucked into the mystery and can't seem to step back, even when told to by police.

The downfall for me is I never felt like the book committed to exactly what the main storyline was.
Katie and her trying to find her place in the world. There's Marley and the mystery there. The Nico and family stuff. And a spark of a romance with Jamie, the LA officer who is here now - why?

I was invested in the mystery, and in Katie. But felt that it had maybe too many irons in the fire. I believe it is a debut, and I would definitely try another book by this author. The book had a lot of potential, and taken another direction I think would have been fabulous!

Many thanks to Random House Ballantine and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I loved the story, the world building and meeting the different characters. I felt completely immersed in the story and couldn't stop reading it. The Plot was amazing and I can't wait for others to read it too.

4 1/2
I didn’t realize how desperate I was for a book fresh and different until I began reading Lina Chern’s Play the Fool. Katie True is a special kind of character. She’s smart but underachieving. The kind of girl that teachers would frequently say never met expectations. But Katie is good at tarot and reading cards, although self-deprecating. She’s funny and sweet and infrequently jaded.

She’s also lonely for someone who understands her until Marley enters the scene. She accepts Katie as she is. And though they never spend much time together, Katie feels Marley is her best friend. Then her best friend is murdered, which she finds out from a photo on the cell of a man that Katie discovers is Marley’s ex-boyfriend. From there everything falls apart and Katie finds herself frequently in over her head. She meets police detective Jamie, who unbeknownst to her is facing down his own demons. But he’s also attractive and accessible and perhaps too permissive in what he’s willing to share with her.

I very much enjoyed this debut novel by Lina Chern. I loved brother Owen and his interactions with his sister. I don’t know that it was ever explicitly mentioned but Owen is on the spectrum and hugely intelligent. I loved that Katie is so entangled in her tarot, believing that she’s just a grifter when I think she might actually have a talent. I recognize the person who all the teachers say is an underachiever and who is as smart as they think she is. She is also caring and despite what everyone thinks, responsible.

While I did suspect the outcome, I think that Chern did a great job at bringing it about. She tweaked the reader about the nose and then said: yep, there it is. And I didn’t mind.

This is a quirky and interesting book with a sense of humor and mystery. I can’t wait to read more by Lina Chern in the years to come.

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A whudunit with a tarot card reader solving the murder? Sadly, the cover made it too good to be true for me and it felt wildly unbelievable after a certain point in the story and not the fun kind.

I could not connect to the characters. It almost felt like I was dropped inside a story and there wasn’t enough background to make me care about Katie or even Marley. I felt like I was being told how I should be feeling rather than having the emotions invoked through writing. Sadly, this book just didn’t work for me.

I read "Play the Fool" by Lina Chern on NetGalley. Katie True is working a dead-end job at a mall when she meets Marley. The two become friends and Marley encourages Katie to try to start a business reading tarot cards, but before Katie can pursue that she sees a picture of Marley dead on a customer's phone. This leads Marley to an investigation of what happened and why. I really enjoyed this book and was kept guessing until the end.

What a fantastic debut!! One of my favorite reads this year. Linda Chern has a hilarious voice, and I will continue to read her books in the future.

This book really reminded me of Finlay Donovan with a slightly darker edge - if Finlay wasn't a single mom, and instead liked to read tarot cards. There's just enough hijinks to keep you entertained, and I also think there's some suspension of belief needed. It's definitely a book (like Finlay) where the character is always getting into trouble and can't stay out of the action, no matter how hard they try. There's even a hot cop too!

Honestly, I think this is a great book for all lovers of Finlay. I found the writing so funny and witty, the story was great, and the characters were memorable. I hope there is another book!

Thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for the copy in exchange for my honest review!

4.5 stars

I really enjoyed this one, it had a ridiculous main character who constantly falls into trouble and has no sense of self preservation, a detective who's exasperated but sees that these methods might actually be working, and an interesting murder mystery.

Katie can read tarot cards better than most and while doing an impromptu reading, she discovers her friend has been murdered. She immediately inserts herself into the case, finding out more about her friend than she ever knew and becoming a target herself. Jamie was a great character to play off Katie. He's smart and a good detective and sees the value Katie brings, even if it does cause him more trouble with his boss. There's only the beginnings of a romance there, but I ship them.

The book is well paced and I didn't want to put it down. The conclusion is nice, but I'm secretly hoping there will be a sequel so we can see more of Katie, Jamie, and the tarot cards.

I voluntarily read and reviewed this book. All opinions are my own. Thank you to Bantam and NetGalley for the copy.

What would you do if you seen a photo of someone you know in someone else’s phone? Nothing, right? But what if that person was dead, not like someone passed away some time ago, more like murder scene of someone you know? Call police? Scream on top of your lungs? Or simply trying to make the phone owner speak through your tarot cards? Apparently, last one was the best solution Katie True could came up with.

I couldn’t think of a better title for this book. Play the fool and pretend like you can read people better than you actually do. Show up in crime scenes or follow police around and pretend like you were there by chance. Because I’m sure you would be a better investigator than the police (don’t get me wrong, sometimes civilians are better at policing, but not how Katie was trying to do). This would made sense to you until you realize you don’t know your dead friend as well as you thought.

I rooted for Katie to solve the mystery because she was belittling herself so much with her every word, I wanted her to win one thing in life. To be fair, there were moments I wanna put the book away and never come back because of her behavior, but I wanted to give her one more chance. I like the role of tarot card in the story and it was a good palate cleanser when I needed one.

*I received an e-arc via Netgalley and the publisher for review. Thank you for the opportunity! All thoughts are my own.*

I really enjoyed this mystery by debut author, Lina Chern! I wasn’t sure if I was going to like it after reading the first page or two, but I’m glad I kept going, as it kept me wanting to read more from there on out!

Katie True is a middle child who grew up in the suburbs of Chicago with rather overbearing parents. Her older sister is quite successful doing real estate, and her brother is a neurodivergent college student. She has been floating from job to job, ever since she quit college. Her most recent job is working in a Russian knick-knack shop in the mall, where she plays with her tarot cards when the shop is quiet. Tarot has always been a passion of hers. Katie doesn’t really make friends, and so she is happy when she connects with Marley who works at another shop in the mall. They seem to get each other, and Katie feels like she can be herself with Marley.

One day, after being encouraged by Marley to read tarot as that’s her passion, she reads the cards of a man who comes into the shop battered and bloodied. When he leaves the room briefly, Katie snoops on his phone and sees a picture of her friend Marley, with a bullet in her head!

Katie’s world is completely rocked, and she can’t believe that her friend is dead. She realizes that there are some things the cards can’t foresee. She winds up going to the police, but they don’t seem too concerned, as there is nothing left at the crime scene, but a necklace that Katie found. Katie decides that she must find out what happened to Marley, regardless of the possible danger.

I really loved the relationship between Katie and her brother Owen, and how that was explored in the story. They just really understood each other, and I thought that was beautiful! I also enjoyed the connection that she makes with Jamie at the police station, the only one who seems to believe her story.

I recommend this standalone for fans of a good YA mystery! I enjoyed following the clues that led to a great ending!

Katie is working at a dead end job and what she thought was just a normal boring day turned for the eye. A man comes into her store with a head wound and pretends to ship. She gets him to let her so a tarot card reading in the middle he steps away leaving his phone unattended. Out of curiosity due to the guys of behavior she takes a look at his phone and never expected to see a picture of a dead woman; the woman being her friend! What will she do???

Thank you NetGalley, the publisher and the author for my ARC!

Frankly I totally enjoyed this book and its unusual heroine. While Katie True comes from a successful suburban background, her self-assessment has her believing she messes everything up, given the opportunity. Toiling in Russian knickknack store in dead end mall, reading Tarot as her only passion, she reads the cards for upset wounded guy. While he was paying attention elsewhere, she peeks at his phone and sees a photo of her only friend with a bullet hole in her forehead. As she follows the clues of her friend's death, the quick witted writing showcases a number of characters with their own unique takes on life. Fast paced, I was never bored.

I really enjoyed this mystery. It kept me engaged from the beginning to the end. I wasn't sure how I felt about Katie in the beginning with her straight forward who is me personality but it grew on me and she ended up being my favorite. I enjoyed the relationship Katie has with her brother Owen. She understood him and he understood her which reminded me so much of my own relationship with my siblings. The storyline was engaging and the clues that led to the ending were well developed. The ending was not predictable in any way which is what I hope for when reading thrillers/mysteries. I 100% recommend this to anyone looking for their next YA mystery!

Katie works at Firebird Imports, a Russian tchotchke collectible store in a failing mall. She is also an experienced tarot card reader. Unfortunately for Katie, she is the proverbial screw-up in her family. Her family is well off and both of her siblings are thriving—her sister a successful real estate agent and her brother a college student. Katie is constantly seeking something more than her current circumstances, hopping from job to job, moving to and from her parents’ house, after every failure. Despite her setbacks, Katie keeps existing without friends and making her way until she meets Marley. They both work crappy jobs at the mall and started talking in the courtyard during their lunchbreaks. This is the closest thing Katie had to friends. This is why when Marley disappears suddenly and a strange bloodied man comes into the store, Katie is intrigued and wants to offer him a better tarot reading. When the man steps away to the restroom, Katie snoops in his phone to find a photo of Marley dead by the dumpster behind the mall. Freaked out, but naturally curious, Katie tries her best to find out if this man is Marley’s killer, or knows what happened. Katie becomes caught up in figuring out exactly what happened to Marley and puts herself in some precarious situations throughout her journey.

3.5 (rounded to 4) out of 5 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Katie True sees people in the form of tarot cards.
Her brother, Owen, will always be a Page of Wands..
Max, the owner of a wannabe Hot Topic store, is such a Knight of Cups.
And Officer Bailey, he's totally a Three of Swords.
But Katie is having trouble pinning down her new friend, Marley. Marley is such a mystery, which probably why Katie is so intrigued by her.
After Katie sees a picture of Marley dead during a particularly weird tarot reading, she's determined to find out what really happened to her friend. Along the way, Katie will find out that her friend's life was even more a mystery than she thought.

This probably won't be a story for everybody, but I absolutely loved it. There characters were so quirky and fun that it kept me invested in their journeys. Were some of the circumstances farfetched? Sure, but that's part of the magic of the storytelling. I was fully invested in the weirdness and would love to read more books featuring Katie True.

Also, the book cover is so eye-catching and vibrant. I'm obsessed!

A murder mystery with a tarot theme? Sign me up! Katie is a classic middle child, overshadowed by her ambitious older sister and special needs younger brother, floating from one dead end job to another. Most recently, she finds herself working in a Russian imports gift shop in a downtrodden mall in the Illinois suburbs, passing her downtime playing with her tarot cards. Not one to make close friends, she recently befriended the slightly older woman who works at the novelty store across the aisle, Marley. One night, a bloodied and disoriented man comes into the store just before closing, and curious about his situation, Katie offers to read his cards. When he leaves briefly to wash up, she snoops on his cell phone, and sees he has a picture of an apparently dead Marley outside the mall near a dumpster. Katie gets rid of him, and then gets involved with the police to try to solve the murder of her only friend, which no one seems too concerned about because her body was missing from the dumpster when they went to investigate. I love how the tarot element was woven into the story, with Katie cycling through each card to assign personality traits to each person she meets in the course of her investigation. Am I guilty of doing this as well? Yes, yes I am. I found Katie to be a relatable character in this sense and other personality traits Not quite a cozy mystery, but it did have some of the traditional elements, which I always enjoy. Not sure if this is a one off or the start of a series, but I would definitely be interested in continuing with these characters if it is.

This was a fun and entertaining mystery. I really liked the characters and I LOVE the cover for the book.
Many thanks to Random House and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

I was in Chapter 18 of this book when I realized I couldn’t remember the main character’s name. (It’s Katie.) That’s not to say that she isn’t interesting — she’s the black sheep of an affluent family who works in a Russian tchotchke shop at the mall and reads tarot cards to entertain herself (and sometimes others). When she looks at people, she sees the tarot card that would represent them. She has a lovely relationship with her brother and a tense relationship with her sister, who thinks she should quit her job and come be a real estate agent. And there are parts of Katie that were relatable, even as annoying as I sometimes found her. It’s just that I didn’t care enough about her, or the story, to really get invested.

I’m not quite sure what vibe Lina Chern was going for here. There are bonkers aspects of the book, but it’s dark and gritty, too. So maybe this is a screwball-new-noir mystery? Regardless of what it is, it didn’t quite work. Katie is investigating the murder of her “friend,” a woman she’s essentially been having lunches with five days a week for maybe a month. Katie then gets herself embroiled in the investigation and gets involved with a handsome, troubled cop (who doesn’t seem to actually play much of a role in the story). The plot in the first third of the book was really interesting, and I was curious to see how the story would play out, but then the book just went off the rails and felt rushed. There wasn’t really much danger, and the mystery — and how it wrapped up — felt meh.

And, yes, I had to open the book back up while writing this review to once again remember Katie’s name.

Special thanks to NetGalley and Random House/Ballantine for providing me with an e-ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.