I was invested from start to finish in this historical fiction and thought the overall feel was what I wanted and enjoyed going through the decades. The characters were everything that I was wanting and enjoyed the overall in the genre and description. I was glad it uses the timelines perfectly and thought the overall feel of this. Clare Marchant has a strong writing style and was able to create characters that I cared about in this universe. It was so well done and was glad I got to read this.

pretty effective tarot-based historical work with some overall generally good feels in this work. would definitely recommend. 5 stars. tysm for the arc.

Thank you to @lovebooktours for my copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoy a dual timeline book and this was really good, full of intrigue, secrets and tarot. The two main characters are strong women who know their mind and are running from something and someone. Their lives are intertwined over the centuries and we learn so much about each in their respective chapters.

Portia helps as many women who are in similar situations to what she was in Italy, but she knows this is something that could backfire at any time. Beatrice is running from her own demons, but knows what she needs to do. Can she make the right decision in time? She’s also searching for the Devil’s card missing from an old family heirloom set of tarot cards and her search takes her in many directions.

This is such a great book, and one I read in a day. I’ve read a few of Clare’s books now and can’t wait for the next one.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy of this book.

This is a dual timeline story. I enjoyed the story set in the past much more than the one in the present. The past story is more of a mystery/thriller whereas the present day one is a bit chick lit. I see the book has been likened to The Square of Sevens but this book is a much simpler and less detailed story than the Square..

Portia is an interesting character although the mystery about Vittoria is guessable from the very start. I enjoyed reading about their lives in London and there was a bit of menace and suspense too when the villain comes on the scene.

In the modern part I didn't really believe in Beatrice, the boyfriend or the speedy success of the shop. It was quite interesting to learn about the tarot - I had always previously understood that the reader shuffles the pack and the seeker cuts and chooses the cards but, unless I am mistaken, Beatrice seems to do the choosing. The author is a tarot person so this must be an alternative way.

I must have missed the bit about Beatrice having Italian ancestry because as far as I could tell from the book the last Italian settled near Winchester in the late 1600s and appears to have married an Englishman.

No matter, it is still quite a good story, easy to read, unchallenging and cosy.

Thoroughly enjoyed this read spanning two time lines, following Portia in 1644 and Beatrice in 2025 as we learn the story of the tarot deck that connects them, and a story of generations of women passing down their family history.

I thoroughly enjoyed jumping between the timelines, and learning the story of the cards alongside Beatrice. Portia's story was beautifully told and I really felt the heartache of her situation. The parallels between Beatrice customers' stories in the present timeline with Portia's story intertwined perfectly and really helped the story develop and to build the emotional connection to the characters.

At times, the narrative in Beatrice timeline was repetitive which made those chapters drag a little, but on the whole this was a really enjoyable read. Alongside the evolving story of Beatrice' families' history with tarot, the book explores the process of grief and the complexities of changes in family dynamics. This felt to be handled well, I found myself frustrated with Beatrice at times but enjoyed the progression of her thoughts and processes as her story evolved.

The history of tarot was very enjoyable to learn of and I'm feeling inspired to delve into this world more! I will definitely read more from Clare Marchant. Thank you to Netgalley and Boldwood for an e-arc copy in exchange for an honest review.

An immersive and engaging historical fiction novel exploring the history and role of tarot. The story unfolds over a dual timeline, moving seamlessly between 1644 and 2025. Both stories feature a tarot card reader who has escaped for a new life in London. In the present day we meet Beatrice who is grieving her mother’s death and moves to London to follow her dreams to open a tarot card shop. She discovers an old, beautiful set of tarot cards with a missing piece. As she researches the cards past she discovers they were linked to murders of women in the 1600s.

In the past Portia, tarot card reader is known to help women escape their husbands. I found myself enjoying both storylines. Portia’s story was fascinating but I really found Beatrice relatable and really connected to her. The research was evident, both in tarot and the historical setting. I enjoyed tracking back and forward in time and to London and Milan and learning more about how tarot works. Covering themes of the importance of family, connection and domestic violence. This books as a bit of everything mystery, history, mysticism, murders and a touch of romance. My first by Marchant and I’m looking forward to catching up on her backlist.

3.5 Stars
One Liner: Got its moments!

1644: After escaping an abusive man in Italy, Portia is living in London with baby Vittoria. She makes a living by reading tarot cards and realizes there are women like her who need help. Portia delivers the Devil card to each door as a chance to escape. But where do they go when their secrets will continue to haunt them?
Now: Beatrice moved to London to open a tarot shop after her mother’s death and her father’s plans to remarry in haste. She finds a strange pack of tarot cards, clearly a family set passed from one generation to another. But the Devil is missing, and Beatrice begins to search for it. This leads her to rumors about a series of murders of women in the 17th century. Can she find out the truth?
The story comes in Portia and Beatrice’s third-person POVs.

My Thoughts:
I grabbed this book mainly for the tarot appeal. In that context, the book delivers well. The interpretations are accurate, and the story uses tarot reading seamlessly. We see both FMCs giving readings to others, which I enjoyed.
The dual timeline in the third-person POV made it easier to keep their voices separate, though it shouldn’t have been hard since the characters are different from each other in many ways.
The core premise in the past timeline was interesting, even if it wasn’t something new. Still, the idea of using the Devil card to help women escape from abusive homes was well done.
The contemporary timeline was easy to read and had a bit of a love track (doesn’t dominate the plot). I wish my tarot business (side hustle) grew as quickly as hers. I’d love it if I earned enough from it one day to commission a custom-designed deck. Sigh!
There were a couple of revelations that added to the intrigue, though a few developments were guessable. My issue was with how a certain character was made to act to suit the plotline. It felt a bit contrived and hard to believe at times. Frustrating at other times. No parent ever saved a child by hiding the truth from them if it meant life or death.
Luckily, both tracks had a positive ending, so that was a relief. Still, a certain thread didn’t go anywhere or seemed like it didn’t matter towards the end. I wish it were also tied up with the rest.

To summarize, Daughter of the Tarot is an engaging read with some dark themes contrasted by hopeful developments in another timeline. This keeps the pace steady.
Thank you, NetGalley and Boldwood Books, for the eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.

Daughter of the Tarot by Clare Marchant is a historical fiction dual timeline story about a woman whose Tarot cards deal fates and escapes to women in need.

In seventeenth century England, Portia lives an obscure life in hiding with her daughter, reading Tarot cards for women who seek out her help. The Tarot cards help the women escape their predicaments until Portia herself must also escape from a dangerous situation. In the present day, Beatrice a Tarot reader, is searching for a missing Devil card belonging to a centuries old Italian Tarot deck she inherited from her mother. Her research uncovers that the missing card is connected to a series of murders that took place in seventeenth century England, shocking Beatrice into discovering the truth about the origins of the cards.

I always enjoy a good occult mystery and Daughter of the Tarot was exactly that. I loved the premise of a woman using Tarot cards to help other women. I liked that the author utilized the Italian origins of the Tarot as a basis for the story. For that reason, I enjoyed Portia's story more than Beatrice's, which I felt didn't contribute much to the overall mystery. I also thought that Niccolo's admission was a plot issue. He did not need to reveal the secret to Portia because he could have continued to play her ignorance to his advantage. This is where the story lost some of its impact for me. With that being said, I really liked this book, its originality and how the Tarot was implemented.

I would recommend for fans of occult and historical fiction.

Set in two timelines with Portia in 1644 and Bea in the present day this atmospheric read was an absolute joy.

Portia is making a living reading tarot cards in London and Bea whose father is just about to embark in a marriage is set on opening her own tarot business

When she finds a 17th century set of Tarot cards with a specific card missing she sets herself a task to find it and what she discovers is more than she bargained for.

I loved how the stories of the two women were intertwined and just how similar they were.

This is a an amazing read and the plot unfolded beautifully..

This is how books should be written and how stories should be told..

1644 and Portia is making a living reading tarot cards in London but also helps women escape abusive men. 2025 Bea opens her own tarot business leaving her father who's about to marry a much younger woman. She finds a 17th century set of Tarot cards, missing the Devil card and goes about trying to find it to complete her set. The two stories intertwine well although rather improbably - the chance of meeting various relevant people let along finding a 400 year old card. Well researched and written. Everything came together nicely at the end. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy.

A dual timeline historical fiction done right!

In 1644 Portia lives with her daughter Vittoria and their friend Maria. They escaped Italy when the plague was ravaging the city, but really because of Vittoria’s violent father. Portia now makes a living reading tarot cards, and secretly helping other women escape dangerous home lives.

In 2025 Bea (a descendant of Portia) has just moved to London to fulfil her mother’s dream of opening a tarot shop. Her mother died a few years ago and Bea is angry that her father is remarrying and sad that her own life has yet to take off. She finds a pack of tarot cards from the 17th century that have been passed down through her family, but the devil card is missing so she decides to try and track it down.

The story was engaging and beautifully written. I didn’t know how both women’s stories would end, I was very nervous for them both! All loose ends were wrapped up and I loved how the lives of Portia & Bea were truly intertwined.

Absolutely loved this book from page one, duel time line was easy to follow and the characters were so well written and described .
The story is about Portia in 1644 in London and Beatrice to date in London. A story full of history and about what a woman will do when threatened and who they turn to for that help.
My thanks as always to NetGalley and to Publisher Boldwood books and to the author Clare Marchant for the amazing read

Another absolutely brilliant read from Clare Marchant. I really love her style of writing and this one had me totally absorbed from page one. A dual timeline story that features two main characters, Portia in 1644 and Beatrice in 2025. After fleeing to London from Italy to escape an abusive man Portia uses her skills as a tarot card reader to help women escape similar situations, replicating the Devil card as their ‘ticket’. After the heartache of her mother dying and the knowledge that her Dad is planning to remarry Beatrice moves to London to open a tarot shop. Whilst unpacking she finds an ancient pack of tarot cards that have been handed down through the generations, and although she had heard about them, she had never seen them. However the Devil card is missing and she starts on a journey to find it. The way the two stories are weaved together throughout is, in my opinion, very cleverly done. There is no obvious outcome and I found myself unable to put this down as I so wanted to find out how it all turned out for both women. Thank goodness for the school holidays as it enabled me to read this in one day! Thank you to Boldwood Books and Netgalley for the ARC

Clare’s books are always an absolute joy to read and lose myself in.
Having been a huge fan since her first book, The Secrets of Saffron Hall, I eagerly await each new release.
Daughter of the Tarot is another fantastic dual timeline novel, where Clare’s talent for writing absorbing, meticulously researched historical fiction shines through the pages. I absolutely loved it, both the historical part set in 1644 and the part set in the present.

My heart was in my mouth as in 1644 Portia, who herself escaped a dangerous life, helps married women with abusive husbands escape their life threatening situations with the help of her tarot cards. A chance meeting puts her own life in danger again, but can she escape a second time?
In the present timeline, Bea has opened a shop selling tarot cards and offering readings. She finds an antique set of hand painted cards in her mother’s possessions but the Devil card is missing. She sets out on a mission to find it and make the set whole again, and at the same time unexpectedly finds romance.

I paced myself as I wanted this book to last as long as possible but I couldn’t resist finishing it today!

Wonderful!

Huge thanks to the publisher for my advance copy of the book.

“Daughter of the Tarot” is a historical fiction book by Clare Marchant. This book is a dual-timeline - the first being the 1600s, the second being 2025. The 1600s storyline follows Portia and Vittoria as they flee from Milan to London to escape both the plague and Portia’s controlling in-laws (think power, money, and possessions). The 2025 storyline follows Beatrice, who is continuing the female family line, of using Tarot cards to help others make decisions (she’s really big on saying that the cards don’t predict the future, the provide answers to questions - nice touch!). Beatrice has an old family Tarot card deck (owned by Portia as it turns out) but it’s missing a card, so the deck is incomplete. Beatrice wants to find the missing card. Portia used copies of the missing card in her lifetime. The two stories tell the women’s stories - Portia trying to protect Vittoria and Baa’s search for the card (and finding love and acceptance along the way). For me, this was a good story, but it never quite captured my interest as much as I hoped it would. I never quite felt tension in either timeline and the eventual finding of the card seemed a bit too neat - though it was nice closure. An interesting idea, and I think others will greatly enjoy the writing and the story, but it never quite clicked for me.

This is the fifth book by Clare Marchant I have read. I have enjoyed all of them, so it was exciting to read her newest one. The story has a dual timeline, Portia in 1644 and Beatrice in 2025, both live in London. Portia flees from Milan with her baby daughter, escaping an abusive husband. Beatrice’s mother has died and her father is about to remarry, but Bea feels he is betraying the memory of her mother and leaves to start a new life in London. Both women read Tarot cards for a living. Bea found an antique set of cards amongst her mother’s things, but The Devil card is missing. She sets out on a quest to find it. Will she find it? What is the connection between herself and Portia? I recommend you read it and find out. Thanks to NetGalley
, Clare Marchant and Boldwood Books for an arc of this enjoyable book.

Thank you NetGalley! The story is told in dual timelines. In present day, Beatrice leaves home and opens a tarot reading business that has an apartment above. She rents from Jack, a bookseller, from down the road. Handsome and single (of course). She has an antique set of tarot cards that are a family heirloom but is missing one card that she is determined to find. Portia’s story is set in the 1600s as she escapes with the baby from an abusive situation and flees to London. Having many secrets, Portia reads cards for a living and helps other women escape their endangered lives. The idea and some of this book is quite interesting. The love affairs I found disastrous and silly. The men were gorgeous and built and would drop everything for their beloved. I thought perhaps it was a ploy but no such luck. The adventures to track down the missing cards seemed questionable. She has no money yet pays and pays. Several times it is mentioned that another individual is seeking the card yet this is a loose string that leads nowhere and is forgotten. There are some good and bad things about this book and for those who choose to breeze through it, perhaps they will enjoy it more than a more thorough reader.

Once again Clare Marchant dazzled me with her incredible skill in writing a dual timeline historical mystery. Daughter of the Tarot is a mesmerising story! The descriptions as always transported me to the heart of the setting and I felt very much a part of the scene. Atmosphere galore pulled me in, too. It was effortless moving between past and present making it a seamless experience as I learned about these two women divided by time.

I love that fact that one woman has been saved and she goes on to help others achieve the same freedom. For one, she knows what it is like to live in fear of an abusive husband. In 1644 there weren’t many options so Portia puts her heart into helping those who have fallen to the same horrors as herself. She has a gift of reading tarot cards and she uses her skill to make a living. At the same time she gives other women courage to pursue a new life. It is interesting that the card she delivers to those who need to escape is the Devil card. When she turns it over for a woman who seeks her direction, the woman recoils when she sees the horns and fiery tail but Portia reassures her, ‘This is not a terrible card…It tells us of a new life. What is the truth in your world, and what is shown to others, the illusion.’

A number of women go missing in the middle of the night while husbands are away or out in taverns, etc. What has happened to each of them? For their beds appear to be slept in but their clothes are still in the wardrobes? Mystery and suspicion surround these women of 1644 as a pattern is realised.

Fast forward to 2025 and we meet Beatrice, a future generation relative of Portia. She has lost her mother and dealing with grief and the fact her father is remarrying (which she does not approve of as nobody can equal her mother). She moves to a new location, gets a shop and begins her new life. While unpacking boxes she finds a package of unique Tarot cards that are unlike any she has seen before. They are very old, from Italy, and although she has heard they had been packed away in the attic, she never saw them previously. But her mother talked about the tarot cards, and others in general, how she learned to use them from her own mother and grandmother: a skill passed down from mother to daughter for many years and generations. Beatrice also has the gift and offers readings in her shop. When asked if she gives lessons, she says, 'No'. ‘Reading the cards was something in her blood, as though she’s always been able to do it. She could not teach that to someone else, it was part of who she was, and that wouldn’t happen with just anyone.’ It is quite interesting to read of the descriptions of the connections that Beatrice feels with her pack of tarot cards.

Beatrice consults a tarot card historian, about her find. He writes to her of an ancient pack with a missing Devil card. Various sightings have been recorded over the years. This card has been ‘reputed to have the power to make people disappear.’ And that it caused women to be murdered. The mystery begins and Beatrice cannot help but follow the trail of clues to find the answers and missing card. Some lead to even more mystery and illusion (like the card itself). The more she digs, the more secrets unfold—including information about Portia. But one thing Beatrice knows is that tarot cards are meant as an aid for people and not meant to bring about death. So what is going on here?

Two good men, one in each timeline, play a gentle part as support to these two women. A romance blossoms for each which adds a sweet ingredient to the mix of tragic events. Nothing else matters to Jack but books, coffee and friends and he surrounds himself in their beauty. But he falls for Beatrice and is on the journey with her to find the truth about the card she seeks to re-join with her pack. In the past, John is a wonderful kind man who would do anything for Portia. There is a particular heart-warming scene I loved that shows his dedication when Portia is in danger.

As with all of Clare Marchant’s dual timeline books, I truly enjoyed the journey through past and present and how the two stories come together. And what a tense lead up to the climax in 1644 and an exciting resolution in 2025! This is another exceptional delivery that pulled me in with its mystical theme, stunning plot, vivd descriptions and believable characters. This book will resonate with many and I am so glad I read it! Highly recommend. 5 Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank to Boldwood Books and Netgalley for a review copy.

With thanks to Clare Marchant, the publisher and NetGalley for an ARC of this book.

A beautifully atmospheric and emotionally resonant story that travels between centuries, Daughter of the Tarot delivers historical mystery with a mystical twist.

In 1644 London, Portia reads tarot cards to survive—but each time she delivers the Devil card, another woman finds escape from danger. Portia’s own secrets lurk close behind, threatening everything she’s built. Meanwhile, in the present day, Beatrice opens a tarot shop after her mother’s death and discovers an antique deck missing one haunting card: the Devil. Her search to uncover its past draws her into a chilling tale of murder and magic that spans generations.

Clare Marchant’s prose is rich and immersive, and the dual narrative is handled with grace and purpose. Both heroines—Portia and Beatrice—feel fully formed and deeply relatable, bound by intuition, courage, and a connection that defies time.

Perfect for fans of timeslip fiction, tarot folklore, and stories of strong women unraveling centuries-old secrets. Enchanting, mysterious, and full of heart.

Daughter of the Tarot is a richly atmospheric dual-timeline mystery. Set in 1644 and the present day, this novel weaves together the stories of Portia—an Italian woman who escapes into 17th-century London and earns her living reading tarot cards—and Beatrice, her modern-descended relative who opens a tarot shop and discovers a centuries-old deck missing a crucial card: the Devil’s Card.

Marchant skillfully uses tarot as both metaphor and narrative device, binding two eras through secrets that threaten to repeat themselves across generations. Portia's storyline is gritty and harrowing, revealing a woman determined to survive and assist other marginalized women through coded tarot messages. In contrast, Beatrice’s contemporary narrative is more introspective—delving into family legacy, identity, and an eerie series of murders linked to the missing card. The generational link between them creates a suspenseful, sometimes chilling echo that drives the novel’s emotional impact.

The novel excels at creating authentic historical setting and emotional resonance. It is haunting, gripped me from the first page, and a real page-turner that’s hard to put down. Marchant is praised for crafting strong, courageous heroines and for building atmospheric tension that transcends time periods. The tarot elements feel more than ornamental—they become tools of liberation, revelation, and danger.

The pacing is slightly uneven between timelines. While Portia’s story is urgent and action-packed, Beatrice’s present-day investigation unfolds more slowly.

Overall, Daughter of the Tarot stands out as an immersive and emotionally rich historical mystery. Readers who enjoy books like those by Jeanette Winterson or Barbara Erskine will appreciate its lush detail, psychological depth, and the timeless pull of the tarot’s mysteries. It’s an evocative, compelling read—perfect for those seeking mystery, feminine resilience, and a touch of magical realism.