Play The Fool

Another mystery to solve and a fun work of fiction, Play The Fool by Lina Chern.

Goodreads Stats

Why I Read This Book/How I Heard About It

I'm pretty sure this book was on a Goodreads Choice for Fiction list or possibly in the "Can't Keep Them On The Shelves" list in the Libby app. It was one of those lists, where I added 50-100 books to my "Want to Read" shelves, most of them purely based on the genre and cover art. Yes, this one had some cute cover art. Wouldn't you read it too?

Goodreads Summary

A cynical tarot card reader seeks to uncover the truth about her friend's mysterious death in this delightfully clever whodunit.

For Katie True, a keen gut and quick wit are just tools of the trade. After a failed attempt at adulting in Chicago, she's back in the suburbs living a bit too close to her overbearing parents, jumping from one dead-end job to the next, and flipping through her tarot deck for guidance. Then along comes Marley.

Mysterious, worldly, and comfortable in her own skin, Marley takes a job at the mall where Katie peddles Russian tchotchkes. The two just get each other. Marley doesn't try to fix Katie's life or pretend to be someone she's not, and Katie thinks that with Marley's friendship she just might make it through this rough patch after all. So one day, having been encouraged by Marley to practice soothsaying, Katie reads tarot for someone who stumbles into her shop. But when she sneaks a glance at his phone, she finds more than just clairvoyant intel. She finds a photo. Of Marley. With a gunshot wound to the head.

First Impressions

This was a quick, easy read - nothing too complicated or complex. Something fun to pass the time. Not the greatest writing, but not the worst. I liked the tarot card aspect of it.

Final Thoughts

It was fun to try to solve the mystery and it did keep me guessing throughout the entire book. I don't have a lot to say about this. I read it in one day. It was cute. Main character was kinda sarcastic and smartass and there's a pretty cool cop character. The best part of this book, though, is Katie's brother, who has autism. It's worth reading this book just to see the relationship and interactions between the two of them.

Rating on Goodreads

I rated this book 3 out of 5 stars.

My rating method:

• I rarely rate books 5 stars. I save this for the absolute best books I've read. You know the ones...the ones that you can't get out of your head, even after you've finished them. The ones you think about for weeks afterwards.

• If a book is really, really good, I'll give it 4 stars. If you see a 4-star rating from me, I'd definitely recommend it to you to read.

• If it's just OK, it gets 3 stars. Basically, it means I could take it or leave it. I'd probably read it again because it wasn't terrible. But not like a favorite or anything.

• If I rate it 1 or 2 stars, I would not recommend anyone read it. It either didn't hold my interest or I couldn't relate to the characters/plot.