This is my first book by Marcus Heitz I've read and what an introduction. Well researched and blends horror, thriller and then some historical elements all combined into this excellent book. Good characters and plenty of chills along the way. Thanks to Quercus book and Netgalley for this review ARC.

A bold, genre blending novel, The Devil's Playbook by Markus Heitz is an intense thriller laced with horror and urban fantasy where cursed playing cards, a legendary game and centuries old mystery collide across time and continents. The action sequences are thrilling, the horror chilling and the historical intrigue impressively researched and vividly rendered.

This is a book that wants to entertain and for the most part it absolutely does. The set pieces are cinematic and the plot rich with twists, secrets and sinister energy. It explores big themes of temptation, ambition, power and corruption with flair, though the strong supernatural framing occasionally limits moral complexity. Characters feel more like players moved by influences beyond their control than people wrestling with genuine choices. Emotional depth gets sacrificed on the altar of spectacle.

And there is plenty of spectacle! Packed with globetrotting, historical flashbacks, chases, confrontations and a spectacular showdown. Thriller fans will likely relish the scale, although at times I found myself pushing through to reach the next meaty piece of the plot.

Although a little overdrawn for my tastes, The Devil's Playbook is a stylish, smart and sinister tale that deals a strong hand and plays it with flair.

Thank you Arcadia for the ARC.

If you've ever wondered what would happen if demonic forces, corporate greed, and a generous dash of dry wit collided in one fast-paced novel—The Devil’s Playbook is your answer. Markus Heitz, already well known for his fantasy chops, takes a thrilling sidestep into modern-day horror-thriller territory, and the result is devilishly entertaining.

The book follows a cast of characters who could each use a strong drink, a vacation, and probably a good exorcist—though not necessarily in that order. Heitz plays with themes of temptation, ambition, and moral ambiguity, all while wrapping the story in sleek action and razor-sharp dialogue. It’s like The Wolf of Wall Street got hijacked by The Exorcist—and somehow, it works.

Heitz deserves applause for his world-building. The supernatural elements are threaded through the modern setting with confidence and creativity. The pacing rarely lets up, but it knows when to breathe, just long enough for you to think, “Wait, did that just happen?” (Yes, yes it did.)

Now, it’s not without its quirks. Some moments lean a bit hard on exposition, and a few characters could use more emotional depth to match the high-concept plot. But even when the narrative flirts with over-the-top, it never loses its charm—or its bite.

Ultimately, The Devil’s Playbook is a slick, smart ride that balances thrills with sly commentary on power and corruption. It doesn’t take itself too seriously, but it knows exactly what it’s doing. And that, ironically, is what makes it feel so devilishly goodIf you've ever wondered what would happen if demonic forces collided with corporate greed, all sprinkled with a generous dash of dry wit, then *The Devil’s Playbook* is your answer. Markus Heitz, already known for his fantasy works, takes an exciting leap into modern-day horror-thriller territory, and the result is devilishly entertaining.

The book follows a cast of characters who could all use a strong drink, a vacation, and probably a good exorcist—though not necessarily in that order. Heitz expertly plays with themes of temptation, ambition, and moral ambiguity, all while wrapping the story in sleek action and sharp dialogue. It feels as if *The Wolf of Wall Street* were hijacked by *The Exorcist*—and somehow, it works.

Heitz deserves praise for his world-building. The supernatural elements are woven into the modern setting with confidence and creativity. The pacing is relentless, yet it knows when to slow down just enough for you to think, “Wait, did that just happen?” (Yes, yes it did.)

That said, the book has its quirks. Some moments lean a bit heavily on exposition, and a few characters could benefit from more emotional depth to match the high-concept plot. However, even when the narrative flirts with being over-the-top, it never loses its charm—or its bite.

Ultimately, *The Devil’s Playbook* is a slick, smart ride that balances thrills with insightful commentary on power and corruption. It doesn’t take itself too seriously, but it knows precisely what it’s doing. Ironically, that awareness is what makes it feel so devilishly good.If you've ever wondered what would happen if demonic forces collided with corporate greed, all sprinkled with a generous dash of dry wit, then *The Devil’s Playbook* is your answer. Markus Heitz, already known for his fantasy works, takes an exciting leap into modern-day horror-thriller territory, and the result is devilishly entertaining.

The book follows a cast of characters who could all use a strong drink, a vacation, and probably a good exorcist—though not necessarily in that order. Heitz expertly plays with themes of temptation, ambition, and moral ambiguity, all while wrapping the story in sleek action and sharp dialogue. It feels as if *The Wolf of Wall Street* were hijacked by *The Exorcist*—and somehow, it works.

Heitz deserves praise for his world-building. The supernatural elements are woven into the modern setting with confidence and creativity. The pacing is relentless, yet it knows when to slow down just enough for you to think, “Wait, did that just happen?” (Yes, yes it did.)

That said, the book has its quirks. Some moments lean a bit heavily on exposition, and a few characters could benefit from more emotional depth to match the high-concept plot. However, even when the narrative flirts with being over-the-top, it never loses its charm—or its bite.

Ultimately, *The Devil’s Playbook* is a slick, smart ride that balances thrills with insightful commentary on power and corruption. It doesn’t take itself too seriously, but it knows precisely what it’s doing. Ironically, that awareness is what makes it feel so devilishly good..

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the ARC copy in exchange for an Honest Review

This was quite an interesting read, but it didn't really resonate for me, which is a real shame and I'm not sure why. I've seen some people say that they didn't like the main character but him being so morally grey made sense, although it didn't make him very likeable. I'm not sure if any of the characters were likeable, maybe that was the problem for me. I really don't know.
The historical aspect was fascinating and I appreciated the index at the back with all of the research.

I think this will be really popular with the right audience, unfortunately that wasn't me.

I read an eARC of this book on NetGalley so thank you to the author and the publisher.

This book had a fascinating premise centred around a historical set of playing cards and the obsessive and dangerous collectors who covet them. Mix in an element of the supernatural, a startling look into a treacherous gambling scene and you have a very interesting book.

The historical elements were balanced well, giving useful context for the story, appearing briefly interspersed with the main story, but never in a way that was distracting. It was interesting to explore the origin of the cards and the perils they caused even very early on.

The card collection was fascinating and the level of power they had over those who coveted them was intense. The way they became so addictive to the searchers, changing their personalities in quite a negative way was quite gripping to read.

The main character in this book I struggled to engage with, he’s quite morally grey which I usually like but I wasn’t hugely interested in him. His travelling companion though, and an older female character though were great. I enjoyed reading their parts!

A clever novel blending past and present really well, with a good use of the supernatural. It was a little long, but enjoyable overall.