The Gin & Tarot Club: Book 2
Publication Date: May 13, 2025
Four friends discover that their new magical skills may not be enough to save them from a stalker hell-bent on turning their lives upside down.
Alyssa, Nina, Lanie, and Corinne’s friendship is being put to the test. With Nina’s marriage falling apart, Lanie acting distant, Alyssa’s new romance, and no one quite trusting Corinne, this may be more than their bond can take. But when Nina appears at Alyssa’s door, and confesses not just a decades-old secret, but a newfound magical power, the friends know that the only way to face this is together.
Someone has been blackmailing Nina for years, but lately the threats to reveal her secret have changed to threats on her life, and on the lives of those she loves. With Alyssa contacting ghosts for insight and Nina getting used to her telepathy skills, they dash from city to city to track down the threat. There’s someone out there that will go to any lengths to keep their control over Nina, and it will take all four friends to get out of this without ruining, or losing, their lives. But with the strength of their friendship—and a little help from the beyond—these women are out to prove they’re not to be messed with.
A Charming Touch of Tarot is the second book in The Gin and Tarot Club series by Author Melissa Holtz. Not having read the first book, I was at a loss at times, but there were enough details given that I could usually figure out some of what happened before.
This paranormal mystery is a little darker than a cozy mystery, with lots of ghosts, poltergeists, darkness, and danger. Multiple stories occur, and various crimes are committed. Through it all, Alyssa, her detective boyfriend, Nick, and several friends are in the thick of things. Alyssa can see and talk with ghosts, and her friend, Nina, touches people and knows what’s going on in their lives or thoughts. Lainie is sometimes there as comedic relief but also knows more about an organization with its tentacles in many places. I chuckled a few times at their outlandish actions to figure out whodunnit.
With multiple murders, lots of bad dreams that have meaning, some disbelief, and reconciliation, the story proceeded at a good pace. The flow was sometimes interrupted, not realizing that a location change or a new day was unfolding. They all seem to get on board with the ghost, dreams, and what they’re trying to tell them. We are taken on multiple adventures through Massachusetts, Florida, and New Orleans to gather clues and discover additional connections and details.
Nick seems to need the help of Alyssa and her friends behind the scenes to save some lives. The story does have closure with a chance of a few happily ever afters, but it ended too abruptly. The chapter titles all related to tarot cards were an added bonus.
A Charming Touch of Tarot is darker than a cozy mystery and has a lot of paranormal effects. Sit back as Alyssa, Nick, and the others gather the clues to figure out whodunnit.
Melissa Holtz is a former publicist and marketing expert in the romance genre. Now in an advisory role to several bestselling authors, she consults on industry marketing trends. A Charming Touch of Tarot follows An Enchanting Case of Spirits, her debut novel.
