Play the Fool is a whodunnit mystery where, tarot card reader, Katie True discovers her friends missing and sets about unraveling the mystery of what happened to her.

At the beginning I wasn’t so sure if I was going to like this book, it took me a few chapters, but once I got wrapped up in the story there was no going back. I definitely enjoyed this whodunnit that had me guessing until the very end. I’m usually more of a cozy mystery fan, so the cynicism in the main character was a little much to me, but I quickly got used to it and started to like Katie a lot. This was a good read and I would recommend it to mystery fans, especially if you have some interest in the psychic elements found in it.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book!

Katie True is an amateur tarot card reader, working in a strange import shop as the latest long series of jobs she can't quite keep and doesn't care much about. When she accidentally discovers that her best friend Marley is dead, she decides to doggedly pursue a series of random clues and serendipitous happenings to discover what happened to Marley. Along the way, she will be aided by an inscrutable (and cute) police officer and her socially awkward brother as she faces off with burglars, mobsters, sentimental bodybuilders, and classmates-turned-cops.

If you like cozy murder mysteries featuring quirky characters, you will probably enjoy this one. Everyone here is quirky, other than perhaps the cute police officer with whom Katie has a "will they or won't they" vibe going on. Katie is a bit of a challenge as the plot's anchor: she seems to have no appreciable skills, can barely take care of herself, and as an amateur detective is rather incompetent. Her best asset seems to be her inability to recognize boundaries or danger--but maybe that is what it takes to be a good detective. She's likeable, at any rate, and that goes a long way in a cozy mystery.

Solid story, predictable ending, oddball characters, a hint of romance. Oh, and a gorgeous cover.

Read if you like:
👀 Mysteries
🃏 Tarot Cards
🔪 Who Dunnit
👩🏼 Relatable MC’s

Katie is written as such a relatable character. She is a bit messy and doesn’t believe in herself which is why she looks to the Tarot cards to help her with her life.

But when she sees a picture of her friend murdered, her tarot cards won’t be much help.

This one is trying too hard to be too many things in my opinion as there is romance, mystery, mafia, and many characters.

I also felt like the ending was a bit rushed and didn’t feel like it wrapped up well because of the speed of the wrap up.

Thanks to the publisher for my ARC in exchange for my review!

Katie True is not winning at life and finds herself working at the mall selling Russian tchotchkes. The one bright spot is her friend Marley who also works at the mall. Unfortunately, one day while giving a tarot card reading, she sees a picture on the clients phone of Marley dead. It is here that the story really jumps off. Katie, who is determined to find out what happened to her friend. I liked how much the use of tarot was used in the story and Katie's connection with the cards was entertaining. The story is not complex but it is enjoyable.

Thank you Bantan Books for the advanced reader copy.

Katie True tried to make it in Chicago but is now back living with her parents and jumping from one dead-end job after another. Finally, she meets self-assured Marley, who convinces Katie to use her tarot reading skills professionally and make a living doing readings. During a reading, Katie glances at her client's phone and, horrifically, sees a pic of Marley with a gunshot wound to her head. She's desperate to find out what happened to Marley, so desperate she's reckless around some very dangerous people.

This has an intriguing premise with mystery, thriller, and romance elements. I found the characters interesting and well done, and I appreciated the neurodiversity representation. Katie is a quirky, relatable, and chaotic character who has not lived up to her family's expectations of her. She dives headfirst into this murder investigation that spins out of control. I appreciated that she wasn't depicted as an instantly capable sleuth, though she did have good intentions and insights gleaned from her cards. Katie miscalculates at times, making bad decisions along the way. The character development was good, and I liked the characters, including Katie and especially her brother Owen. The banter between Katie and police detective Jamie was funny. I enjoyed the first half and would like to read this author in the future. However, a lot is going on in the book, and the mystery ended up falling a bit flat for me. Still, this will be popular with readers looking for a book that mixes tarot with mystery, humor, and romance that falls somewhere between dark and cozy. And the cover is fabulous!

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Ballentine for the opportunity to review this ARC!

*3.5 rounded up

I probably would’ve bought this just based off the cover. Play the fool has a little of everything. Think Finley Donovan but with tarot cards and no kids. Laugh out loud funny moments and a good mystery I hope there’s more to Katie True’s story. I’m so glad my wish for this was granted!! Thank you

Unfortunately this book didn't quite work for me, the plot and the characters were all over the place and it didn't feel engaging to me, and I wasn't sold on why Katie would investigate Marley's death in the first place-- so much seemed more contrived than not. I love tarot themed stories, but their role in this story didn't feel as genuine as I had hoped. I'm sure others will like this more than me, and I'm truly thankful to the publisher and Netgalley for sending me a widget of this book in exchange for an honest review!

The story line was pretty good. It was a little mysterious how Marley disappeared in the book. It wasn't too bad, but it was long and not really a true mystery how Kattie was left in the dark about everything. I read it it was relaxing but very different than a usual mystery book.

I received this as an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

The FMC is incredibly imperfect, and there were so many times you wanted to 🤦‍♀️ or shake her just a little bit, but I think that's what makes her relatable.

A tarot police consultant is a new one for me, but I enjoyed it! I liked her perspective and how easily she could shift gears but keep her eyes on solving the murder.

Thank you to @penguinrandomhouse for my #gifted copy.

Katie True is working a dead end Job and is kind of a mess but she’s okay with it! She finally makes a friend Marley who just gets her and she is so happy. Until shes reading Tarrot cards for a disheveled customer and finds out something happened to her friend! And now she has to get involved!

This book was a lot of fun! I loved the MC Katie. Her tarrot reading was so interesting, as she’s in a situation or talking to someone the cards pop up in her mind! This sometimes helps her in her precarious situations. The side characters Jamie and Owen bring so much more to the story too! There is special needs representation that I felt was done so well.
It had a twist I didn’t see and I enjoy that. It was just a wild ride of being reckless, finding yourself, friendship family and some bad guys!

In Play the Fool, Katie works as a Tarot reader in a mall with her best friend Marley. One day Katie is giving a reading to a customer. She gets some weird vibes and decides to go through his phone while he is in the restroom. While going through his phone, she finds a photo of her Marley dead! She goes to the police and an officer named Jamie helps her investigate this mystery and uncover the secrets.

This book is being touted as a mystery-thriller, but after finishing it; I’m saying it felt more like a “cozy mystery” than a thriller. I say that because it has a really comfortable energy to it, and it goes down easy, so it holds your interest and makes you want to keep reading. Yet it lacks a lot of the grit that I have come to associate with thrillers. I’m not saying that’s a bad thing necessarily but just be prepared for what it really is.

I have mixed feelings about this book. It is a strong debut novel and I wish the author all the best. I enjoyed our main character Katie, with her cynical and quirky vibes, as a tarot reader myself I enjoyed that aspect of it as well. However, I feel the book had a hard time deciding what it wanted to be: A cozy mystery? Romance? Coming of age? I finally decided to call it a cozy mystery and I did enjoy reading it. I was contacted by the publisher to read this, and I am so grateful for the opportunity to read this book before its publication date. I would recommend this book to those who love their mysteries cozy but not too scary and strong female protagonists. Katie is very brave and also a bit crazy which can get her into some bad spots sometimes! I say a solid 3 out of 5 stars!

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group-Ballantine. Play the Fool will be released on March 28th, 2023.

Play the Fool drew me in with it's pretty cover. Being Wiccan, the Tarot drew me in and the synopsis got me hooked. This sounded like it would be right up my alley. And it was, for the first 30 or 40% of the book. After that it kind of felt like I tripped while running downhill, when you get into an awful downward slide and can't stop yourself until you hit rock bottom. On top of not much really happening besides the main character being stupid, there were times where it went back in the past and then back to the present, with no warning. It left me confused when we were and what had happened. This book really ended up going flat for me, when I wished it would be perfect.

Play the Fool is a debut novel from Lina Chem and it was a super fast-paced thriller with a few moments where I laughed out loud.

First Impressions:
I loved the cover. The colors and the glow of neon. I’ve always been interested in reading tarot and I loved the descriptions of the MC’s mind as she categorized people based on the cards.

I can’t say I loved the main character, Katie True, sometimes she frustrated me and I was internally lecturing her throughout the book. But she was a good anti hero and by the end I was rooting for her.

Lots of action, seedy crime syndicates, people not who they seemed and even a touch of romance (but not in an overtly annoying way) the good type of romance.

Wonderful first book and I’ll be checking out others that this author releases.

Katie has been in a rut for sometime not sure of what to do with her life. Her latest mall job selling trinkets is the usual boring work until one day, manning the register, she stumbles into a murder mystery. And the person murdered is her best friend. With that starts a series of events that includes snooping, getting mixed up with the police, connecting clues, running from trouble, being threatened and a whole lot of chaos getting interjected into her ho-hum life. Does she truly know her friend? Will she find her killer?

This was a quick, enjoyable novel. The premise of our protagonist being a card reader added a nice twist to the plot line and character building. It was interesting to see how she constantly reads people and builds pictures of situations. Also how she sees herself and reads herself in the same manner. The plot did a good job of keeping you on your toes from one clue drop to the next. Katie is a lovable but messed up character who you are constantly rooting for. I recommend this to anyone who wants a light murder mystery. 5 stars.

Review based on a digital Uncorrected Proof provided by Random House Publishing Group and NetGalley. Thank you!

This was such a fun murder mystery! Katie True works at Firebird Imports, a Russian tchotchke boutique in the suburbs of Chicago. Her failed attempt at adulting as led her from one dead-end job to another. When a man bleeding from a head wound comes in, Katie offers to give him a tarot reading (something she's very good at) partially just so she can figure out what is going on with him. When he is momentarily distracted, she sneaks a glance at his phone for intel and finds a photo of her best friend, shot through the head. Um, what? Katie very quickly gets embroiled in the mystery of Marley and what happened to her. With some help from her new cop friend, Jamie Roth, Katie may even help take out a crime syndicate!

Special thanks to NetGalley and Bantam for this e-arc.*

Thank you for a copy of this novel for an honest review.

I wanted to love this novel more than I did. I loved the whole idea of the Tarot cards and even tho I pushed myself to finish the book , the ending felt completely flat for me.

*My review will be posted on Instagram within two weeks of the release date (slated for 3/14/23); this review will be updated with the appropriate links once live. -- ETA updated links on 3/14/23.

This one was a ✨WILD RIDE✨ Murder mystery meets romance meets a dash of magic... PLUS tarot cards?! I was all in with the description, and I was all in with the book as a whole. The tarot cards were such a unique addition and fun spin, and really added something special and different to the story as a whole.

It was a REALLY fast read, I got lost in the book so easily and finished it really quickly. However, it did seem somewhat formulaic and predictable at a certain point; it started off so, so strong and slowly lost steam in the second half.

But, I think this will be a winner for fans of Ninth House and/or Book of Night. While not as fantasy-forward as these two, I think these readers will thoroughly enjoy the story.

Thank you to #NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, Bantam for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I received a digital advance reader’s copy of Play the Fool by Lina Chern via NetGalley. Play the Fool is scheduled for release on March 28, 2023.

Play the Fool follows Katie, a woman who has failed at adulting on her own and is now living near her parents, working at a glorified souvenir shop in the mall. The only bright spot for Katie is Marley, a woman who works in a shop across the atrium that has befriended Katie and seems to see her as a real person. Katie’s world shifts when a man stumbles into her shop. Katie offers to read his cards, and in the midst of the reading sneaks a peek at his phone. She sees something she wishes she could unsee: a photo of Marley lying dead by a dumpster. Katie finds herself caught in the search for the real Marley and the person responsible for her death.

While the plot of this novel did ask me to suspend my disbelief a bit (I very much questioned the interactions Katie had with the local police department), it was close enough to believable to keep me reading. I did see a couple of the reveals coming, but there were other twists that I did not. As a whole, the story was enjoyable and engaging. There is a touch of romance in the novel, but the focus is clearly on Katie and the mystery she is trying to solve. At the end of the novel, I could imagine some of what was in Katie’s future, but like Katie looking in the cards, questions remained.

As a character, I loved Katie. She is the walking definition of a hot mess. Some disasters fell into her lap, but others were the result of her questionable choices. I found myself telling her not to do what she was doing, but at the same time believing that is exactly what she would do. Even her most outlandish decisions were in keeping with her character. Around Katie, we have a variety of police officers, bad guys, and troublesome family. With Katie, we gain insight into each of them, finding them to be more than they were at first glance.

Overall, Play the Fool was a delightful, light-hearted mystery featuring a lovely mess of a main character.

Katie feels like a failure but has pretty much accepted that this is her life: a series of dead-end jobs and continuing to disappoint her parents for the rest of her life. But when a guy stumbles into the shop where she works looking a mess, she offers to do a tarot reading for him and stumbles across a picture on his phone that of her friend Marley, dead. Marley is everything Katie feels she isn't and she isn't going to rest until she finds out what happened to the her, even as her amateur sleuthing puts her in the crosshairs of some seriously dangerous people.

Early in my reading journey with this book I thought "this is a book with an identity crisis." It seemed like it wanted to be a crime novel and a cozy mystery and maybe even a little bit of a rom-com and couldn't decide what to be. The protagonist made some decisions that don't track as plausible, even in a cozy, and I was having a hard time suspending my disbelief. BUT. I kept reading. And once I accepted that this novel is its own kind of mystery, with a protagonist who makes some seriously bad choices (to often hilarious effect), I found myself really enjoying it. Yes, there is some incomplete character development in secondary characters, but those characters are interesting enough as they are that I want to know more about them. As in, please write another book (or books) that explores Joey's art issues and Owen's neurodivergence and follows up on what happens when Katie opens a business in fortune telling and delves into Jamie's adjustment to suburban policing. As much as I struggled with getting into the book, I want to know what happens to these people next.

Thank you to Random House Publishing and NetGalley for the opportunity to read Play the Fool early in exchange for an honest review.

4 stars / This review will be posted on goodreads.com today.

Brilliantly creative and funny. A hapless young woman struggling to find her place in the world, finds herself enmeshed in a murder mystery. Katie works at a Russian import place in the dying old mall in her town. Across the way is a shop where Marley works. They meet up outside in the courtyard and become an unlikely pair of friends.

When Marley goes missing, Katie gets wrapped up in trying to find out what exactly happened to Marley. Along the way she befriends one cop, enrages another, and finds out what she’s made of, and what she’s made for. Katie is a mess, but in nothing but a good way. So unlike her siblings, Owen, who struggles a bit with reality even though he’s a brilliant grad student, and Jessie, her real estate sister. Katie is the black sheep, but Marley helps her to figure out what she’s good at and how to keep at it.

Really cute story with plenty of mystery and misadventures for Katie, I loved reading this one. Very well done and fun story. Definitely recommend.