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Play the Fool by Lina Chern – Snark & Scams
Genre: Mystery, Thriller
Pages: 320
Rating: ★★★★☆
Buy: Bookshop.org
This post contains spoilers.
“It’s not enough to have a thing. You’ve got to figure out how to that thing your way.”
Play the Fool
Book Summary
Katie True, a sharp-tongued tarot reader with a gift for spotting a hustle, is used to navigating life’s curveballs with humor and hustle. But when her best friend’s body turns up in a dumpster—and the police shrug it off as just another overdose—Katie knows something’s off. Armed with a deck of cards and a mile-wide streak of defiance, she dives headfirst into a mystery that leads her through Chicago’s underbelly, from shady dealers to crooked cops.
But playing detective is a dangerous game, especially when the people you’re hunting play dirtier than you do. With her cards stacked against her and the truth buried deep, Katie will need more than intuition to survive—she’ll need to outwit the city’s deadliest players.
My Thoughts
I really enjoyed reading Play the Fool. I had a hunch about how it might end, but there were a few twists I didn’t see coming. Katie’s constant snark made her a fun narrator, though I did find myself cringing at some of her more reckless decisions. The stakes definitely ramped up as the story progressed, and the final chapters were full of suspense.
One small critique: all the characters with J-names—Jamie, Joey, Jessie—got a little confusing, especially since they all ended with that same “ee” sound. I often had to reread to keep track of who was who. I also would’ve loved a bit more romance between Katie and Jamie, though I understand the plot keeps the focus squarely on the mystery.
Final Thoughts
Play the Fool is a sharp, snappy mystery with a lot of heart and just the right amount of grit. If you like your amateur sleuths with a side of sarcasm and your mysteries full of messy twists, this one’s worth the read. It’s not perfect, but it’s definitely entertaining. Can’t wait to see what trouble Katie gets into next! I’m excited for the sequel Tricks of Fortune to dig deeper into her story.
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Read Lina Chern’s Author Interview:
Other Mystery Reviews:
The Violin Conspiracy
The Guest List
The Last Thing He Told Me
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Notes from the Shelf 
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