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Club Deception
A glamorous romp through the scandals and secrets of LA's most exclusive fictional magician's society, CLUB DECEPTION.
Claire Fredericksson is the beating heart of CLUB DECEPTION, LA's most exclusive magician's society. She's the Queen Bee of Magician WAGs (Wives and Girlfriends), and the genius behind her philandering husband Jonathan's award-winning magic show. Claire's life is upended by the arrival of two new women to the closed group of wives-Jessica, a young trophy wife with a secret, and Kaimi, an art expert looking for the long-lost Erdnase papers by posing as a girlfriend. When a magician rivalry erupts into murder, the women must uncover the truth and set things right for the men they love. With a cast of endurance experts, Vegas stage stars, and close-up card handlers, this novel weaves a tale of murder, fame, and many, many illusions.
Claire Fredericksson is the beating heart of CLUB DECEPTION, LA's most exclusive magician's society. She's the Queen Bee of Magician WAGs (Wives and Girlfriends), and the genius behind her philandering husband Jonathan's award-winning magic show. Claire's life is upended by the arrival of two new women to the closed group of wives-Jessica, a young trophy wife with a secret, and Kaimi, an art expert looking for the long-lost Erdnase papers by posing as a girlfriend. When a magician rivalry erupts into murder, the women must uncover the truth and set things right for the men they love. With a cast of endurance experts, Vegas stage stars, and close-up card handlers, this novel weaves a tale of murder, fame, and many, many illusions.
367 pages, Paperback
First published July 25, 2017
5 people are currently reading
864 people want to read
About the author
Sarah Skilton
8 books253 followersFEBRUARY 2022: SUMMER IN THE CITY, a three-book anthology co-authored with Priscilla Oliveras and Lori Wilde, is on sale for $1.99 digitally right now! My novella is "Mind Games," and it's a hate-to-love, second chance romance set during a magic show in NYC. Enjoy!
Out Now: HOLLYWOOD ENDING, a friends-to-lovers rom-com co-authored by Sarvenaz Tash under the pen name Tash Skilton
Out Now: GHOSTING: A LOVE STORY, a romantic comedy in the vein of Set it Up, You've Got Mail, and The Hating Game, co-authored by Sarvenaz Tash under the pen name Tash Skilton.
Latest solo release: FAME ADJACENT, a romantic comedy about the sole cast member of a 1990s song-and-dance show who didn't become famous.
Sarah is a black belt in Tae Kwon Do, a fact that came in handy while writing her martial arts-themed debut YA novel, BRUISED (Amulet Books), which received a starred review from Publishers Weekly, and which the Horn Book called "nuanced and honest." Her second YA novel, HIGH AND DRY (Amulet Books), was called "A dark, well-constructed mystery with a strong voice" by Kirkus.
Her first mystery for adults was CLUB DECEPTION (Grand Central), about the magicians who belong to an exclusive underground magic club in Los Angeles, and the women who love, inspire, or control them.
Sarah and her husband, a magician, live in Southern California with their son. She's never been sawed in half, but there's still time. She loves to read coming-of-age novels, effed up memoirs, and edgy non-fiction. Find her on twitter: @Sarah_Skilton
Out Now: HOLLYWOOD ENDING, a friends-to-lovers rom-com co-authored by Sarvenaz Tash under the pen name Tash Skilton
Out Now: GHOSTING: A LOVE STORY, a romantic comedy in the vein of Set it Up, You've Got Mail, and The Hating Game, co-authored by Sarvenaz Tash under the pen name Tash Skilton.
Latest solo release: FAME ADJACENT, a romantic comedy about the sole cast member of a 1990s song-and-dance show who didn't become famous.
Sarah is a black belt in Tae Kwon Do, a fact that came in handy while writing her martial arts-themed debut YA novel, BRUISED (Amulet Books), which received a starred review from Publishers Weekly, and which the Horn Book called "nuanced and honest." Her second YA novel, HIGH AND DRY (Amulet Books), was called "A dark, well-constructed mystery with a strong voice" by Kirkus.
Her first mystery for adults was CLUB DECEPTION (Grand Central), about the magicians who belong to an exclusive underground magic club in Los Angeles, and the women who love, inspire, or control them.
Sarah and her husband, a magician, live in Southern California with their son. She's never been sawed in half, but there's still time. She loves to read coming-of-age novels, effed up memoirs, and edgy non-fiction. Find her on twitter: @Sarah_Skilton
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews
August 16, 2017
This novel is a look at the inner workings of an exclusive magicians’ club in the Los Angeles area through the eyes of four very unlikely people: Claire, the current president’s wife; Jessica, the new wife of a long-term member; Kaimi, an art expert posing as a member’s girlfriend to sell some papers; and Felix, a young magician looking for his big break.
While billed as a mystery, this is more inner politics and character study with a crime occurring as a sub-plot late in the book despite being teased in the prologue. I quickly realized this and adjusted my expectations accordingly, and I got caught up in the story. The characters were always interesting, even when I didn’t necessarily like them or their actions. I found a couple sub-plots felt extraneous and the ending a bit weak. I don’t regret reading the book, but it needed a little more polish to truly be great.
Read my full review at Carstairs Considers.
While billed as a mystery, this is more inner politics and character study with a crime occurring as a sub-plot late in the book despite being teased in the prologue. I quickly realized this and adjusted my expectations accordingly, and I got caught up in the story. The characters were always interesting, even when I didn’t necessarily like them or their actions. I found a couple sub-plots felt extraneous and the ending a bit weak. I don’t regret reading the book, but it needed a little more polish to truly be great.
Read my full review at Carstairs Considers.
July 7, 2017
3.5 Stars
Club Deception is a work of illusory goodness. Skilton caters to readers with an interesting, in depth description of tricks and lingo. The Club Deception world of magicians is brought to life in a cloud of intrigue and the undiscovered. This was a slow read for me, but as the characters began to reveal themselves I found the pace did not bother me. I wish the intensity of the prologue had been felt throughout the story instead of in the beginning and at the end. That being said, Claire's character was fantastic! She was intelligent and gave depth to the story. I look forward to reading more from Sarah Skilton.
Club Deception is a work of illusory goodness. Skilton caters to readers with an interesting, in depth description of tricks and lingo. The Club Deception world of magicians is brought to life in a cloud of intrigue and the undiscovered. This was a slow read for me, but as the characters began to reveal themselves I found the pace did not bother me. I wish the intensity of the prologue had been felt throughout the story instead of in the beginning and at the end. That being said, Claire's character was fantastic! She was intelligent and gave depth to the story. I look forward to reading more from Sarah Skilton.
September 8, 2017
This book could not decide what it wanted to be...a murder mystery? A detailed depiction of the magicians' community? A romance novel? Some of the writing was decent, but there was a lot of painful foreshadowing and godawful dialogue that couldn't salvage the narrative.
November 27, 2018
I thought it was serious fun! 3.5 stars. Definitely kept me engaged. Not a not to be missed, but a lighthearted look into the world of magic, magicians, and murder. And relationships too. It would be hard not to enjoy it a little.
Plus, the gal on the cover is wearing a red dress!
Plus, the gal on the cover is wearing a red dress!
September 3, 2018
Review coming soon!
August 27, 2017
received in exchange for a honest review.
So I loved Jessica and her husband. Claire was a well developed and complex character.
This story had many stories going on to through you in different directions. The illusions of each persons lives was there like the magicians sleight of hand themselves. The writing is alluring and each story is unique in its own deception and addition to the story itself. There are so many secrets and back stories that play a part it is sometimes hard to keep up but you are completely drawn in and intrigued by all he politics and and pandering for position.
Claire at the end did something I didn’t like to the man who helped her achieve her dreams and it did help you open you eyes to who she really is. She is deceptive, manipulative and not exactly nice. She treats people like pawns and she definitely follows the thought that we are all either kings or pawns. To her she is the king and wants to stay there.
the solving of the murder of her husband brings up some ugly truths, reveals secrets that many wish would stay hidden but also helped brings Jessica and her husband closer and show Kaimi who she had become and what she wanted to be as well.
the story is given in many POV’s so at times your head spins from all the views you get but it does help you gain perspective on each complex and multidimensional character.
A story intricately written with sleight of hand going on , secrets to reveal and deception at its basest level occur while sucking you into the intrigue and drama that doesn’t let you go and has you get caught up in the politics and murder that you need to solve and see who is standing at the end of the day.
So I loved Jessica and her husband. Claire was a well developed and complex character.
This story had many stories going on to through you in different directions. The illusions of each persons lives was there like the magicians sleight of hand themselves. The writing is alluring and each story is unique in its own deception and addition to the story itself. There are so many secrets and back stories that play a part it is sometimes hard to keep up but you are completely drawn in and intrigued by all he politics and and pandering for position.
Claire at the end did something I didn’t like to the man who helped her achieve her dreams and it did help you open you eyes to who she really is. She is deceptive, manipulative and not exactly nice. She treats people like pawns and she definitely follows the thought that we are all either kings or pawns. To her she is the king and wants to stay there.
the solving of the murder of her husband brings up some ugly truths, reveals secrets that many wish would stay hidden but also helped brings Jessica and her husband closer and show Kaimi who she had become and what she wanted to be as well.
the story is given in many POV’s so at times your head spins from all the views you get but it does help you gain perspective on each complex and multidimensional character.
A story intricately written with sleight of hand going on , secrets to reveal and deception at its basest level occur while sucking you into the intrigue and drama that doesn’t let you go and has you get caught up in the politics and murder that you need to solve and see who is standing at the end of the day.
March 4, 2018
Weird book. Immensely readable, certainly interesting, excellent pacing. But bizarrely sporadic characterization (Claire was excellent, Jessica was laughably terrible) and the whole thing had a discomfiting sheen of sickly sweetness to it. It also was a book that you would expect passages of to be posted online with "haha you can tell a man wrote this" as the comment, except a man didn't write this, just a woman who I guess learned how to write sex from 50 shades but manages everything else acceptably well.
August 4, 2017
I got sucked into the story very quickly. Yes, I cringed at all the f* words and sex (please tell me people don't really talk and live like that!!!) but CLUB DECEPTION is a top notch, can't-flip-those-pages-fast-enough whodunnit with mind-boggling plot twists and characters you can hate and love all at once. Normally takes me a month or two to get through a book, but this took me a week. I found myself looking for excuses to retire to my bed so I could sit up late and read. I ignored my kids so I could see what would happen next. Yikes!
If you don't mind reading "adult" fiction, you will love CLUB DECEPTION. (Though if you prefer your books clean, you might want to think twice about picking this up.) And you don't have to be a fan of mystery or magic to love it. Skilton, who is married to a professional magician, has crafted a mesmerizing tangle of lives and lust all deliciously served on a platter of tricks and sleight of hand, both the characters' and her own.
Open the cover and be prepared to be completely seduced by CLUB DECEPTION.
If you don't mind reading "adult" fiction, you will love CLUB DECEPTION. (Though if you prefer your books clean, you might want to think twice about picking this up.) And you don't have to be a fan of mystery or magic to love it. Skilton, who is married to a professional magician, has crafted a mesmerizing tangle of lives and lust all deliciously served on a platter of tricks and sleight of hand, both the characters' and her own.
Open the cover and be prepared to be completely seduced by CLUB DECEPTION.
April 21, 2022
Is this a mystery or a cat fight? I can't remember exactly how this book ended up in my bookshelf. The blurb sounds intriguing and the start of the book is nicely done with Claire coming across a little like Sharon Stone in Basic Instincts. I thought this would be a murder mystery or maybe a bit like the movie Prestige. Not so...the only resemblance to Prestige was the extreme rivalry between magicians.
I didn't like any of the characters in here except for Jessica. Looking for the worst in humanity? Look no further. This book is filled with spite, broken marriages, pettiness and laziness. Just when I thought there could be some redeeming factor near the end after forcing myself to get through this book, I'm disappointed with Cal's response to Claire's new position.
Let's be clear, Claire is a woman who has issues and whilst the blame of her situation cannot be all on her, she did play a part in it. Jessie is the only one who comes up with solutions and is good person. Jessie may have felt she married up with Cal, the magician. But in reality, Cal isn't good enough for her. I can't tell whether all these characters are designed to be shallow on purpose or they just didn't know what they wanted to be. I loathed all of them (except Jessie), even Felix who wanted to do right by Claire.
Usually, I can get past hating characters and still enjoy the story. In this one, I couldn't. This book is more about backstabbing and cliques to make other people feel bad. The plot in this story is a bit weak. It is overwhelmed by marital infidelity in a crude form. There is an over abundance of the dirty and skivvy side of magic. Basically this book makes magicians come across as arrogant misogynist con artists who compare who is bigger in size. Or that magic is a great pick up tool to get a sexy woman in bed. But be sure to first make the sexy woman feel insecure and unwanted by flirting with her ugly friend first. Based on the males in this story, I would venture to say...it is probably better to bat for the other team if you are a woman. Because you will receive nothing but disappointment and heartache from a male magician.
If you enjoyed the movie Mean Girls and thought it was hilarious and you like magic, then this book is you.
I didn't like any of the characters in here except for Jessica. Looking for the worst in humanity? Look no further. This book is filled with spite, broken marriages, pettiness and laziness. Just when I thought there could be some redeeming factor near the end after forcing myself to get through this book, I'm disappointed with Cal's response to Claire's new position.
Let's be clear, Claire is a woman who has issues and whilst the blame of her situation cannot be all on her, she did play a part in it. Jessie is the only one who comes up with solutions and is good person. Jessie may have felt she married up with Cal, the magician. But in reality, Cal isn't good enough for her. I can't tell whether all these characters are designed to be shallow on purpose or they just didn't know what they wanted to be. I loathed all of them (except Jessie), even Felix who wanted to do right by Claire.
Usually, I can get past hating characters and still enjoy the story. In this one, I couldn't. This book is more about backstabbing and cliques to make other people feel bad. The plot in this story is a bit weak. It is overwhelmed by marital infidelity in a crude form. There is an over abundance of the dirty and skivvy side of magic. Basically this book makes magicians come across as arrogant misogynist con artists who compare who is bigger in size. Or that magic is a great pick up tool to get a sexy woman in bed. But be sure to first make the sexy woman feel insecure and unwanted by flirting with her ugly friend first. Based on the males in this story, I would venture to say...it is probably better to bat for the other team if you are a woman. Because you will receive nothing but disappointment and heartache from a male magician.
If you enjoyed the movie Mean Girls and thought it was hilarious and you like magic, then this book is you.
July 12, 2017
Review of ARC edition
Finally we get to pay attention to the woman behind the curtain! Okay, I stole that line from the book cover, but it's too good not to repeat! This is a compelling, briskly-paced murder mystery/romance. It has the perfect blend of feminism, intrigue, and dark comedy, with a few steamy scenes thrown into the mix.
The book is chock-full of references to the magical world--from well-known magicians from history to popular and not-so-common illusions. I could tell that the author is a magician’s wife herself!
My only complaint is that because there are a lot of characters with their own POV scenes, I don't think Kaimi gets enough attention. I wanted to spend more time in her head, digging into her backstory and motivations. However, I feel like this is offset by how well Claire is developed as a character. Definitely a highlight of the book, Claire is portrayed as a bad-ass feminist, with realistic vulnerabilities that make her both compelling and relatable.
4.5 stars.
August 29, 2017
My Highly Caffeinated Thought: This book is a good mix of drama, duplicity, and romance all combined with the misdirection and magic of a good illusion.
CLUB DECEPTION opens up the world of magic to its readers. What is so great about this book is that the story give us all the wonder that is a magic show, but deconstructs it all at the same time. With a sleight of hand and a bit of misdirection, Sarah Skilton weaves together a character driven mystery so captivating that I wasn’t able to put this one down.
I truly loved the way that the author gave us strong female characters that are more crucial to the story than the men on stage. From the veteran magician’s wife Claire to the newbie young trophy wife Jessica to the girlfriend impersonator Kaimi, all of these women show strength, heart, and a bit of fierceness.
This book is a wonderful tale that has the glitz and glamour, but also isn’t afraid to show the underbelly of the illusionists' world. So prepare for the card tricks, the illusions, and the backstabbing. This is going to be one heck of a show.
Reviewer Disclaimer: I received an ARC of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Highly Caffeinated Rating of… ☕ ☕ ☕ ☕
✦ ✦ ✦ ✦
Follow the Highly Caffeinated Victoria Colotta:
Website | Facebook | Twitter @vcolotta | Instagram | Goodreads
✦ ✦ ✦ ✦
CLUB DECEPTION opens up the world of magic to its readers. What is so great about this book is that the story give us all the wonder that is a magic show, but deconstructs it all at the same time. With a sleight of hand and a bit of misdirection, Sarah Skilton weaves together a character driven mystery so captivating that I wasn’t able to put this one down.
I truly loved the way that the author gave us strong female characters that are more crucial to the story than the men on stage. From the veteran magician’s wife Claire to the newbie young trophy wife Jessica to the girlfriend impersonator Kaimi, all of these women show strength, heart, and a bit of fierceness.
This book is a wonderful tale that has the glitz and glamour, but also isn’t afraid to show the underbelly of the illusionists' world. So prepare for the card tricks, the illusions, and the backstabbing. This is going to be one heck of a show.
Reviewer Disclaimer: I received an ARC of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Highly Caffeinated Rating of… ☕ ☕ ☕ ☕
✦ ✦ ✦ ✦
Follow the Highly Caffeinated Victoria Colotta:
Website | Facebook | Twitter @vcolotta | Instagram | Goodreads
✦ ✦ ✦ ✦
January 7, 2021
Club Deception is a paranormal mystery novel by Sarah Skilton. This is another one of the way too long list of novels that I have been meaning to read for way too long. (it is part of my personal netgalley challenge of 2021) Though I am happy that I finally checked this book off of my TBR, I do wish I enjoyed this one a little more. I loved the premise of the book, but in the end I thought Club Deception was just ok. it' wasn't bad. It simply didn't wow me very much.
Club Deception has a trio of great M's- magic, magicians, and murder. I was super excited to read about a secret world of magicians wrapped in a murder mystery. I kind of enjoyed the magic element, but I found the mystery side of the story to be a bit fluff and predictable. My favorite aspect of the book was the bitter rivalry between the magicians because it got really tense. So many of the characters in this story are morally grey, or just plan amoral. They have no problem taking what they want, even if it is at the expense of others. Because of this I found it hard to find redeeming qualities in many of the characters, and had a hard time connecting with them. Jessie was my favorite of the bunch.
If you are a fan of lighthearted mysteries and dramatic magicians, I think you might enjoy this book a little more than I did. The mystery was fun and the characters were interesting. I flew through this book very quickly, and it was an ok read, I just didn't end up loving it as much as I thought I would.
Club Deception has a trio of great M's- magic, magicians, and murder. I was super excited to read about a secret world of magicians wrapped in a murder mystery. I kind of enjoyed the magic element, but I found the mystery side of the story to be a bit fluff and predictable. My favorite aspect of the book was the bitter rivalry between the magicians because it got really tense. So many of the characters in this story are morally grey, or just plan amoral. They have no problem taking what they want, even if it is at the expense of others. Because of this I found it hard to find redeeming qualities in many of the characters, and had a hard time connecting with them. Jessie was my favorite of the bunch.
If you are a fan of lighthearted mysteries and dramatic magicians, I think you might enjoy this book a little more than I did. The mystery was fun and the characters were interesting. I flew through this book very quickly, and it was an ok read, I just didn't end up loving it as much as I thought I would.
September 11, 2017
1. Strong female characters, including one that ran a successful (albeit secret club) in the shadow of her husband.
2. A unique plot surrounding magicians – while this book revolve around magic, it also shows the magicians as “sexy” rather than “nerdy” AND combines this with a murder mystery plot.
3. Every child has experienced at least ONCE in their life the “wow” factor of magic. Whether from a magic trick they saw in person or on one of the many circulating TV shows (Criss Angel Mindfreak & David Copperfield come to mind). This book does a great job playing into this feeling and includes strong character development with some very mild sultry scenes to seal the deal on a great book surrounding the art of magic.
For the full review visit: https://fortheloveofthepageblog.wordp...
2. A unique plot surrounding magicians – while this book revolve around magic, it also shows the magicians as “sexy” rather than “nerdy” AND combines this with a murder mystery plot.
3. Every child has experienced at least ONCE in their life the “wow” factor of magic. Whether from a magic trick they saw in person or on one of the many circulating TV shows (Criss Angel Mindfreak & David Copperfield come to mind). This book does a great job playing into this feeling and includes strong character development with some very mild sultry scenes to seal the deal on a great book surrounding the art of magic.
For the full review visit: https://fortheloveofthepageblog.wordp...
May 25, 2020
Do not read my reviews. They might be spoileriffic and are really just a NTS.
Glad I listened to this, it was a decent way to get through my commute. And it made me determined to check out The Magic Castle.
Good: love of magic comes through, love of LA or at least not too much disdain for it comes through.
Neutral: it seems like it should be a procedural, has bits of a caper, has romantic elements but no HEAs for most of the characters. It feels like the explanation of Schrodinger's cat is this entire book. Like Sliding Doors, real world and alternate world based on decisions made.
Headscratch: Is there a sequel? Poor Felix. I'm glad Claire got the recognition she deserved, but she seems too filled with anger and bitterness to be able to enjoy it for long. I'd like to see Jess and Cal happily settled in, too. And the Hipster Magician society was not resolved.
Glad I listened to this, it was a decent way to get through my commute. And it made me determined to check out The Magic Castle.
Good: love of magic comes through, love of LA or at least not too much disdain for it comes through.
Neutral: it seems like it should be a procedural, has bits of a caper, has romantic elements but no HEAs for most of the characters. It feels like the explanation of Schrodinger's cat is this entire book. Like Sliding Doors, real world and alternate world based on decisions made.
Headscratch: Is there a sequel? Poor Felix. I'm glad Claire got the recognition she deserved, but she seems too filled with anger and bitterness to be able to enjoy it for long. I'd like to see Jess and Cal happily settled in, too. And the Hipster Magician society was not resolved.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 13, 2018
Stories about magic are either played for Arrested Development type laughs or The Prestige level portentousness. So, it’s refreshing to have a story that exploits all the pulp fun of magic but cast with real human beings. It’s a delicate even dangerous balance but this book pulls it off. The characters are all realistically flawed yet I had a rooting interest in their goals. For people who live in LA, Club Deception itself is basically The Magic Castle and so that gave me a hell of a head start but inside knowledge is not a prerequisite. Again, it’s refreshing to see a fresh take on something that could’ve been soul crushingly rote.
June 28, 2021
Club Deception is a noir-ish mystery that reminded me of L.A Confidential in its pacing and tone. It's a story of intrigue and illusion ending in murder within a society of professional magicians. The author uses multiple complex and flawed characters to tell the story and doesn't leave the reader with a happily-ever-after wrap up although the ending is satisfying. This book will be particularly enjoyable to anyone with an interest in card magic and gives a fascinating backstage look at the world of professional magicians.
July 25, 2017
Try this if you are interested in magic and magicians. It's a combination romance/mystery with a pretty good plot line. We seldom read about the women in magic acts so I appreciated that Skilton told the stories of Claire, Jessica, and Kaimi. These three are all intriguing and quite real. The story sagged for me a bit in the middle (a good detached edit would have tightened it up) but it was still a good read. Thanks to net galley for the ARC.
July 27, 2017
I won an Advanced Copy of Club Deception by Sarah Skilton from a contest on Goodreads.
The description sounded intriguing and I’ve always enjoyed magic and illusions.
I didn’t know what to expect, but I really enjoyed it. I think the characters are good, perhaps they could use a little tweeking, but all in all I would recommend this book to anyone, especially if you are looking for a change from your usual novels you enjoy.
I look forward to reading more books by Sarah Skilton
The description sounded intriguing and I’ve always enjoyed magic and illusions.
I didn’t know what to expect, but I really enjoyed it. I think the characters are good, perhaps they could use a little tweeking, but all in all I would recommend this book to anyone, especially if you are looking for a change from your usual novels you enjoy.
I look forward to reading more books by Sarah Skilton
August 27, 2017
The best stories are ones where you are drawn into a world you've never experienced. CLUB DECEPTION lured me into the delicious realm of magicians and their lives. My heart raced, my intellect was challenged, and the ride was fantastic. The female characters in Sarah Skilton's book are brilliant, powerful, and big-hearted. You want to meet them for brunch while never turning your back. Pull aside the red velvet curtain and enter an unforgettable read.
May 10, 2019
Absolutely g-d awful, to use an overused phrase from this book. This novel is filled with petty, selfish, stupid assholes doing petty, selfish, stupid things to each other. The biggest crime in this world is apparently being happy, because there is not one character who is content with their lot in life, and they spend all their time making sure everyone else around them is just as miserable as they are.
That's a lot of hate and unhappiness to read in one book, and this one is not worth it.
That's a lot of hate and unhappiness to read in one book, and this one is not worth it.
Read
July 22, 2017The blurb intrigued me and this story sounded like something different that I could sink my teeth into. Unfortunately I ended up DNF'ing it. The author is clearly very knowledgeable in the world of magicians and illusion, but I found myself getting lost along the way. It almost felt too descriptive at times yet the intricate connections and relationships were a bit too confusing for my taste.
May 31, 2019
The story takes place around a private club for magicians and families. I found this book not very interesting and the story rather confusing at times. Jessica marries Cal a famous magician. Cal has been previously involved with Claire and Brandy his deceased wife. The gist of the story is the stealing of a magic trick and the murder of Claire's husband.
June 21, 2017
I thought the book slow. There was no flow between the characters. If you are interested in magicians term they are in here. You have to wait til the end of the book for someone to die. I don't know how to classify this book it's not a who done it. Not romance. I just found it very choppy
August 2, 2017
Painfully slow at times, reminiscent of Young and the Restless mixed with Penn and Teller. The general plot and magic themes were great, but boy did it drag at times. And literally everyone was related to or sleeping with someone else, and that seemed a bit unimaginative.
August 31, 2017
I won this book through Goodreads. I give it 4 stars for unputdownableness, but only 2 for likeability of the characters. It is not a cozy mystery! It looks like this author's other books are for a YA audience, and this one is certainly not.
September 10, 2017
I received this book as a result of entering a Goodreads Sweepstakes. I enjoyed the story of Claire. It had some twists and turns to keep you guessing. It has murder, magic and deception. A real who dun it.
September 25, 2017
I won this book in a Goodreads first-reads giveaway.
Interesting premise, interesting characters, good suspense and mystery, easy to read with lots of cool magic and murder mystery has a suspect that is unexpected, good and satisfying ending.
Interesting premise, interesting characters, good suspense and mystery, easy to read with lots of cool magic and murder mystery has a suspect that is unexpected, good and satisfying ending.
August 11, 2017
Not sure where some of the characters were headed. Maybe that was the point.
June 7, 2018
Did not finish it's just not as interesting as i thought it would be.
June 19, 2018
Would be better as a movie
Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews