I really enjoyed how the tarot card meanings were woven into the story—it added a layer of mysticism and insight that complemented the plot well. I didn’t realize this was the second book in a series when I requested it on NetGalley, and while it worked well enough as a standalone, I do wonder if having more background would’ve deepened my connection to the characters and story.

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the ARC of this book – all opinions are my own.

Katie True is a tarot reader who is finally starting to get her life in order. At least she is until her best friend gets arrested for murder, and she gets pulled into the investigation because the victim is also someone from her past.

I loved how twisty the plot is. Chern loves throwing red herrings at you, making you think you know what's going on, and then dropping a bomb that changes everything when you least expect it. It makes for a super fun reading experience that gets heightened by the sweet, slightly awkward romance between Katie and Detective Jamie.

Another thing that I enjoyed was how well the tarot and its readings are woven into what's happening in the story. It's not just a theme to make it stand out amongst a crowded genre; it's actually a solid part of how the story develops.

Very happy thanks to NetGalley and Bantam for the intriguing read!

This was a very entertaining read that I finished in a few hours.
A well written story that kept me hooked from the very beginning.
The characters draw you in and keeps you flipping the pages.
I really enjoyed the writing style. I found myself hooked, turning the pages.

As a tarot lover, I was so excited to dive into Tricks of Fortune! The book weaves in fascinating incite and meanings behind the Major Arcana by Katie’s Aunt Rose in flashbacks in the beginning of many chapters, which was my favorite part of this book. I Liked how Katie, the main character, isn’t afraid to throw herself into danger to help solve the suspicious death of a police officer who was the town hero. She’s clever, reads tarot, and keeps things interesting.

That said, I do wish I had read the first book in the series, Play the Fool, before jumping into this one. I could tell there were important backstories and character dynamics I missed out on, especially when it came to Katie’s relationships. At times, the pacing felt a little drawn out, but again, that might have felt different if I had the full context from book one.

Overall, if you’re into tarot, quirky heroines, and mysteries with a touch of danger, this series is worth checking out, just maybe start with Play the Fool first!

Tricks of Fortune may start at a simmer, but once the pace picks up, it’s a rollercoaster of twists, sharp dialogue, and clever reveals. The mystery kept me hooked, and once it hit its stride, I couldn’t put it down. (I received an advance reader copy and all opinions are my own.) A smart, satisfying addition to the Play the Fool series!

My thanks for the ARC goes to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine | Bantam. I'm voluntarily leaving a review.

Genre: Mystery, Thriller, Tarot
Language: Very sweary
Spice Level: Possible slow, slow burn romance
Readability: It will read best if you are already familiar with the characters from book 1.

TRICKS OF FORTUNE is a spread of murder, suspicion, and secrets.

I really enjoyed this one. The twists of figuring out who to trust and who is lying was a lot of fun. There are definite moments that are unsettling in this murder mystery. I wouldn't call it a cozy because of the swearing, but it's sort of a cozy because Katie, the tarot card reader, is working on solving it.

Katie is also navigating more friendships and a possible romance in this one that adds another level of complexity. The main focus of the book remains the mystery, and I think it's perfect for murder mystery fans.

I would be interested in hearing if you figured out whodunnit it before Katie did.

Happy (sleuthing) reading!

5 Stars! Thank you to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for the ARC of this book in exchange for a review. All opinions in this review are my own.

Katie has finally gotten her life together - she just opened her own Tarot Card reading store, and seem things to be back on track. That is until her best friend, Gina, is accused of murdering beloved local cop, Matthew Peterson. This crime shakes up the local community, and Katie finds herself in the middle of it due to her close personal ties to Lt. Peterson. Katie turns to her trusted tarot cards to help make sense of the crime and the suspects, but will they uncover who the killer is?

I really enjoyed this book! Lina Chern's writing was phenomenal - the book had the right amount of mystery, character development, and story progression to keep me hooked the entire time I was reading it. This book was really perfectly paced. This book is also a sequel, and I did not read the first book prior to reading this one. I was able to infer character relationships, and I liked this book so much I'm going to go back and read the first one!

On a personal level, I am also from the part of Illinois this story takes place. It was very fun reading a book that mentioned local things, and I could envision the setting on the story perfectly, as well as relate to Katie and the other characters.

If you're a fan of mysteries and thrillers, I recommend giving this one a read!

I did not realize this was a sequel until partway in, when I thought 'I am definitely missing something' and gave it a look on Goodreads. However, I don't feel you necessarily have to read the first one to enjoy this. Would it provide some better context? Absolutely, but this is still understandable on its own. With that said, I will be going back to read the first book. This is a fun mystery; however, it is a bit slow to the get, I would have enjoyed seeing more twists and turns. Though I am willing to admit, this could be remedied when I go back to read this first book.

Book #2 in the Katie True series finds our inrepid tarot card reader bored and looking for excitement. Lina Chern adds to the background of our MC and stirs several new characters into the mix of this cozy with a twist, or two, or three. When Katie's hero, who saved her life when she was small, is murdered, she pulls out all her cards and tricks to solve the case.

Katie True returns in this gripping follow-up to help solve another murder — one that hits painfully close to home. This time, the victim is none other than the police officer who once saved her life as a child. As suspicion falls on her enigmatic friend, Katie turns to her trusted tarot cards for guidance in unraveling the mystery behind this shocking crime.

While the premise is intriguing and offers plenty of suspense, I found the pacing a bit uneven. The story felt overly long in places and at times lost focus, which made it difficult for me to stay fully engaged. Additionally, I strongly recommend reading the first book in the series beforehand — much of the character development is rooted there, and this installment doesn’t provide enough context for new readers to easily catch up.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing for the eARC. This title is set to be released on July 1st!

The rare sequel that improves on its predecessor. Maybe it's the from-the-headlines plot basis (the afterword notes that the was loosely based on a true crime I was unaware of), maybe it's the firmer sense of Katie True as a character with strengths and true insights, maybe it's the intricate mix of current story events with events in multiple character's pivotal personal histories—whatever the reasons, this story was especially gripping and made for a fast, hard to put down read.

I couldn't really get behind the tarot stuff in Play the Fool, especially since the Fool of that book absolutely seemed to be the Katie (she never seemed to know anything that was going on and always seemed several steps behind everything!), but this one made a much better case for the use of Katie's tarot-reading as a tool for aiding insight and for performing interrogations.

Tricks of Fortune is the second novel in the Katie True series and it offered up another great mystery. Katie was saved by a police officer when she was a baby. The story catapulted both of them into small town fame. Now Lieutenant Matthew Peterson has been murdered and Katie's friend Gina is the prime suspect. Katie once again teams up with Jaime to figure out what really happened.
This novel dug a little deeper into Katie's past and how she got into Tarot cards. The reader also learned a little more about her family. I also want to mention that even though this is a series, one could read this novel and enjoy the story without having read the first one. However, I believe that reading Play the Fool, is helpful for character context.

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

I read and enjoyed Play the Fool so was excited to read the next in the series, but… I low-key obsessed over Tricks of Fortune! It's a murder-mystery without being your typical psychological thriller but also not a cozy mystery. And it's full of complicated characters that give plenty of depth to the story without relying on lots of twists and turns or unreliable narrators or other unbelievable elements. Just raw, real characters in an unclear situation having normal reactions. Katie True is a jaded, unambitious tarot card reader who has upgraded her venue from a Russian tchotchke shop at a dead mall to her sister’s real estate office. When her friend Gina (spoiler alert: Marley from PtF) is arrested for the murder of a prominent police officer with whom Katie has a deep history, she sets out to help her friend prove her innocence while also trying to get to the bottom of what happened. What ensues is a strange but entertaining trip along with Katie while she amateurly but effectively investigates Officer Pete’s murder... From the Jamie, the cop from PtF who is now her friend and frequent partner-in-crime, Katie’s brother Owen, Pete’s son Matt who she also has a past with, and a whole lot of brash confidence, she finds out that she never ever knew the person she thought was the town hero. Tricks of Fortune is a stellar follow-up to Play and Fool, and more compelling and entertaining than the first.

“Tricks of Fortune" by Lina Churn is a delightful addition to the cozy mystery genre, set against the backdrop of an endearing small town filled with colorful characters. The quirky main character, Katie, is both relatable and refreshingly original, navigating through unexpected twists with wit and charm.

Churn masterfully paints the cozy setting, making the town almost feel like a character in itself. The plot is well-paced, with enough twists to keep readers engaged without overwhelming them. The quirky protagonist adds a layer of humor and heart, making each chapter a joy to read.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I was drawn to the premise and the integration of tarot cards into solving the murder. I thought both were well executed. I also liked the backstory of how Katie knew the victim. This mystery kept me guessing, which I'm always looking for in a mystery.
I did have trouble staying interested in the writing. I felt like there were too many flashbacks that didn't relate to the action happening now. I think if there would have just been an explanation of the card or Katie explaining what draws her to each card, it would have been sufficient. Maybe I'm missing a connection of why Ramona was so important to her, but I felt like the flashbacks took away more than they added.
Overall, I enjoyed this story of the investigation of the town hero's murder.

Thank you Netgalley & Bantam for an eARC♥️

Katie True is back—and this time, the universe isn’t just testing her, it’s throwing her into a full-blown existential blender.🫨 Just when she thought adulthood meant a cozy tarot nook and fewer near-death experiences, fate drops a dead cop on her doorstep—one who *literally* held her life in his hands years ago. So much for leaving the detective work to the professionals.
This isn’t just another whodunit. It’s a messy, personal excavation of family ties, buried secrets, and the kind of small-town grudges that fester like bad wine. Katie is way over her head, but that’s where she thrives. Her chaotic charm is cranked up to eleven here—she’s still pulling tarot cards at wildly inappropriate moments, still making terrible decisions with the best intentions, and still dragging poor Jamie Roth into her orbit. (Let’s be real, he’s not complaining. Neither are we.) 🤭
Katie’s not just solving a murder—she’s untangling her own past, and it’s ugly🤫 The kind of ugly that makes you question who you can trust, even in your own family.
What makes this book sing is how Chern balances the absurd with the achingly real. One second, you’re snorting at Katie’s inner monologue (because *of course* she’d get distracted mid-investigation by a weirdly symbolic pigeon), and the next, your stomach’s in knots as another piece of the puzzle clicks into place. The tension though 😮
A knockout sequel that’s sharper, darker, and even more addictive than the first. Katie True remains the unhinged, tarot-slinging heroine we never knew we needed🤗. Just maybe don’t read it before a family reunion. 🔪✨

This was a so-so mystery - predictable in many ways (which is fine, as when I pick up a true cozy, I just want a quick escape). What I found really intriguing was the explanation of how tarot cards are interpreted. The use of flashbacks of Katie sitting with her aunt as she explained different cards to her and the link to the present was well-crafted. The juxtaposition of the tarot cards to the sci fi movie, however, was….odd. The characters are almost all more flawed in vastly different ways from each other than necessary, which made them as a group pretty unlikable to me. There wasn't any sense of true relationship between any of them, which made this a struggle for me to really engage.

Thank you to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, Bantam, Netgalley, and the author for access to this novel.

Damn, I love Katie True. She's absolutely hilarious, full of perfect one-liners that I wish I could say. I like that she is mildly self-conscious about her lack of ambition and crummy apartment but then makes zero moves to actually do anything about it. And I especially like that she has a growing group of people who accept that about her and meet her where she's at. Jamie. Gina. Owen.

The will-they-won't-they TEASES in this one were killer. Pun intended. RIP me.

I liked the mystery in this one better than the first - the whole community was impacted by it, even Katie herself. The stakes were high and it was hard to read about someone who starts off as a pillar of the community and ends up as the worst kind of scumbag. Katie goes through a lot mentally and emotionally (and physically!!! girl can't catch a break!!!).

I am already impatient for Katie's next adventure. (and maybe Katie's adventure with a certain detective wink wink nudge nudge).

Thank you to NetGalley, Lina Chern, and Bantam Books for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

I am all for a cozy mystery with HEAVY humor, I have my faves and this one has become one. Katie is a tarot reader, she has this need to try to solve this case because it’s close to home, the police officer was someone who saved her as a child, and she feels like she owes this to him. Little does she know that this man has a ton of secrets and who can you really trust???? Her own best friend Gina is hilarious and such a savage, she reminds me of someone I know, ME. But right when you thought everything was over, lol. I would love to continue to read more of Katie the Tarot Reading mystery solver lol.

Thank you Netgalley and the Publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book.

I enjoyed this one more than the first book. The character of Katie is well fleshed out. I find her relatable and a little quirky. The mystery keeps you guessing. I didn't figure it out until the reveal. And it's a jaw dropper! There us a lot going on in this story and I was hooked by it all.