Cover Image: The High Priestess Card

The High Priestess Card

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Member Reviews

This book is surely a favourite! From the rescue mission to going undercover, this book was a complete entertainment package. I really love how Xana and Thorne's relationship is growing - as a couple and as associates.
The interesting twist is when Xana's mother appears - and she has a secret to reveal to her daughter. Xana's training before she goes undercover was an interesting bit - Krav-maga and tending to horses, Xana seems to be getting at going undercover.
I like it when Xana explains the Cards and their meanings in detail. I also like how the Tarots influence Xana's decision making.
The Tarot Mysteries is turning out to be a favourite series and I cannot wait to read the next book in this series.

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Thank you Net Galley for giving me access to this book to read.
This is book 3 of the Tarot series. Xana's driver friend tells her his daughter Netta has been taken to a farm and she called to say she's being held against her will. Before Thorne and Xana leave, she lays a 7 card spread. The High Priestess is the only major arcana card in it. She realizes she's up against a strong female force. Thorne and Xana drive to the country and rescue Netta. When they realize murder may have been committed, they come up with a plan. An interesting twist appears when Xana talks to her mother. Another entertaining book that I recommend!

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This third adventure had the most at stake for Xana and Thorne. They set out to help bring back a friend from a cult. A cult which no one usually leaves, alive. The 'Goddess' of the cult turns out to have connections to the crowd that Xana's mother is part of. We are therefore given a return of the Mater with some unique, unexpected twists that actually added nuance to a previously caricatured villainous cold parent. It is the small bits like this in all the books of the series I have read so far that makes this entire thing feel enjoyable to read. 

There is an outrageous undercover plot with Xana as the one going undercover. The preparations for going undercover were laid out in a lot of detail which kept me involved in it as well. Her role as 'Sandy' made me laugh despite the danger she was always in. I think it wrapped up a bit abruptly, but the heroes slunk away into the shadows without taking credit like in the previous cases. Once again, the cards helped Xana make up her mind, but she did not get carried away with it all.

In this series, you have to keep any scepticism at bay because otherwise, it will mar your experience with the storyline.

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I really liked this series and hope the author writes more books. If you like tarot, you'll like these books.

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I was pleasantly surprised how much I liked this book. I miss the writing style this book has from 2013

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Another good story from Bevan Atkinson. An occult cult, unusually run by a woman who sees herself - or so she says - as the embodiement of an Egyptian goddess. Is it a refunge for abused women, or a cult?

Loved it

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher I read an advance review copy of the book. This review is voluntary, honest and my own opinion.

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I've got to give the author of this series credit for managing to create an entertaining, yet completely G/PG-rated cozy mystery that revolves around tarot cards and, in this installment, a cult. I wasn't expecting the cult aspect, and I feel like Atkinson did a great job of utilizing this angle while still staying firmly in the cozy mystery world.

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This is such a fun and fabulous series! The mysteries continue to engage and surprise me with their original premises. The ongoing characters and their relationships are maturing nicely, offering new opportunities for engagement and story development. And the writing is entertaining and easy-going, making them the perfect cozy mysteries in my mind...

This time we get more from DeLeon, which I found delightful. The cult angle was fascinating and one I haven't come across in cozies very often, which made it a novel read for me. I thoroughly enjoy watching Xana take on the universe in these stories - I have to suspend disbelief occasionally, but the writing and plotting are smooth enough that I never mind, and she is such a deliciously fun character that I almost can buy that she's as incredibly lucky and talented as she appears to be!

These are great stories, full of interesting tidbits and fun characterizations and I can't wait to read the next!

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The series is very good. This review is for the series and I'll be posting the same review for each individual book -- each one is quite good. The main character Xana is pretty entertaining, and she and the other characters are appropriately quirky. Sometimes the plots are a bit predictable, and a bit unrealistic, and I'm not into Tarot Cards, but still enjoyed these. The author does a good job bringing the characters to life and obviously has talent. She knows how to build tension and characters, and writes pretty good dialog and humor.

The first book is good and the series gets better as the series progresses. These are not "literature" but they're good cozies if that is what you're seeking.

I really appreciate the review copies from NetGalley!!

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Third book in the Tarot Card mystery series and I am still really enjoying reading them. Quick reads, they are more whydoneits, than whodoneits. Xana Bard is a very interesting lead character and the secondary characters are well drawn. Atkinson's eye for character and society are big plusses for these books. In this outing, a friend's daughter has disappeared into a matriarchal, farming cult and must be rescued. The cult leader has a history of being strange and dangerous, and oddly enough, a past that leads back to her mother's crowd.

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The High Priestess Card is the third book in the The Tarot Mysteries by Bevan Atkinson. Originally released in 2013, this reformat is 256 pages and available in paperback and ebook formats.

The plot gallops along, the tension arc is well controlled, and the technical aspects of the writing are seamless and enjoyable. This is an author who can really write . The secondary characters are well and sensitively drawn. The language is G-rated, there's no on page sexual content (though there is implied off-scene consensual sex between Xana and Thorne), and it's an enjoyable and humorous ride from start to finish. Just a solidly entertaining read.

The sense of place is palpable and the author has a gift for descriptive prose. There are some (few) potentially troubling aspects of the book and subplots which deal with exploitation of a minor, domestic violence, cults, and runaways. There are light science fiction aspects and a soupcon of magical realism. Not so much that I would qualify it as a paranormal cozy, but Xana is preternaturally perceptive and intuitive. I find her a thoroughly appealing character.

The plot here is relatively straightforward and linear. I found it well written and full of tension. Even Xana's mother's friends are starting to grow on me. The denouement in this installment was a little bit over the top, but I can see how it was necessary for the satisfying and complete resolution of the main plot arc.

Possibly worth noting for Kindle Unlimited subscribers, the first book in this highly entertaining series ( The Fool Card ) is included in the KU subscription library to borrow and read for free. It's always fun to find a new to me author and series to read. I would definitely recommend this one to fans of modern American mysteries. I'm looking forward to binge reading the rest of the series.

Five stars.

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I'm more than happy I requested this ARC because this is an excellent series, gripping and entertaining.
I liked the well written cast of characters, the well crafted plot and the solid mystery that kept me guessing.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.

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I am really enjoying this series by Ms. Atkinson. Book Three, The High Priestess Card, is an excellent installment. I love the author's insight into Tarot and the details she includes in her books. This was a wonderful, well-written book. I really find myself connecting with the characters, which are well developed and seem so real. The plot was an interesting one, it touched on some relevant topics of today, such as domestic abuse and cults. I enjoy seeing the relationship between Xana and Thorne deepening. I'm interested to see where it will go. This is a quick and enjoyable book. I definitely recommend.

I would like to thank the author/publisher/Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.

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