I enjoyed the subject of magicians and poker play. This wasn't really that suspenseful but it did keep you going and had a great ending.

WOW, how did he do that? I have found myself saying those words regarding actual magic, but seldom about an author and book. Michael Kardos offers readers such a well woven feat of writing, my praises are high. As the subject is magic, I guess I will make the inevitable comparison to the magic show. It starts out small and builds and builds to the epic finale. I think what I appreciated most was Mr. Kardos' ability to tell the story from the female point of view - I definitely heard and believed the heroines voice. The plot is tightly woven and oh so intricate. There are red herrings for sure. I thought I knew things quite often, and then it twisted and the element of surprise is splendid! I absolutely want to read more from this talented writer.

What a well written and well researched book. This book was so fresh in the character detailing and the way it pushed forward , the boundaries between magic and reality fading in every chapter . Natalie is a good magician who is pushed to a bad corner due to her circumstances. She is true to her art and her heart , both. She is looking for a card sharp for a story and ends up finding the perfect one , only to get involved in being a cheat herself for one night. The night turns out to be nothing one would expect and yet Nat finds her calling , afterall.

This is not your happy forever story but a story that has so much of the mind put in the game. I enjoyed this one a a lot.

Really a good book. Unusual main character - a woman magician with doves as pets - a refreshing change from the usual cop or PI or writer etc. with a dog or cat. The story itself was a masterful use of 'misdirection' such as a magician uses in his or her act. The narrative moved smoothly with some stunning twists. Great ending!

The whole point of this book is in the title. You know that someone is being bluffed and you should know it's you - the reader. That's OK as long as it's well done and this is for the most part. The sense of tension is awesome and builds throughout the story. The ending is a letdown in a number of ways. I really wanted to know where the whole con started and that is left unclear. The heroine's escape plan seems to consist of laying low and letting someone else take care of her problem, risky at best. Finally her plans for the future are totally underwhelming. Still if you can let yourself get caught up in this, you'll have fun.

Magic and poker games! My first reaction to Natalie was that no 27 year old is washed up as a magician or anything else - there's always something out there. Well, she finds that something. Natalie doesn't make the best choices, that's for sure, but she makes for an entertaining character. There are some twists and turn here that will keep you guessing as to what exactly is going on. It's not often I suggest this but this would make a great movie. Thanks to the publisher for the ARC.

This book took me a while to settle into. The pace at the beginning was good but it was clumsy at times. Finally around the halfway mark things started coming together and my interest piqued. The ending was oddly satisfying in a way you would not expect.

Excellent tight crime novel. Introducing a unique protagonist-a down on her luck magician/card sharp. Story has the kind of twists and sunrises you’d expect to find in a book abort card sharps and magicians. Fast paced and literate- not. A wasted word. Cynthia wait for obvious sequel.

Not a fan. I just didn't find this interesting at all. I was bored.

Ok, this book had me at magician. I'll read just about any story with magic or magicians, however that is something of a (to use professional jargon) misdirection. One of many. This really is a story of a con, a gamble and a larceny. And it's done via cards, sort of appropriate, goes with the author's name. I really enjoyed this one, nice writing (bleak Jersey practically comes alive) great pacing, clever plotting, plenty of surprises, terrific characters, particularly the protagonist, a child prodigy, now a young prematurely washed up legerdemain (love that word) who gets offered what seems to be a deal of a lifetime only to find out too late the game might be rigged. This book just read so well and was so entertaining and so utterly engaging...it ate up an evening in a most awesome way. Fresh like a new deck of cards and as exciting as a magic show, this is a really great read. Recommended. Thanks Netgalley.

Magic tricks, sleight-of-hand, card sharks, high stakes poker, short cons, cheaters, and the big con are all featured here. Bluff is a lesson in storytelling. It's a story that doesn't seem like much at first, but you can't put it down. There's no walking away till this tale is told. And what the storyteller does here is he cons you into thinking it's a quick simple story about a struggling magician who is having trouble with the simplest gig, but the story grows and the tension builds bit by bit as the con unfolds. A quick easy read told in a very comfortable narrative voice and, in the end, a satisfying read.