Set predominately in modern New York, this debut thriller caught my attention because it is centred around a 15th century Tarot deck.
The book tells the story of a shy academic who lands a summer internship at the Cloisters, part of the Met museum, in NYC. Once at the Cloisters she finds herself at the centre of a search to find a deck of tarot cards where the principal protagonists share the same goal but have very different motivations.
Not surprisingly, a theme of the book was about fate and free will. The main character, Anne, is initially sceptical of divination of any kind, however as the book progresses and she starts to engage with tarot cards she finds she has an affinity for them. However, whilst readings are a component of the storyline Hays avoids a heavy reliance on mysticism to drive the plot which pushes the weight of responsibility onto the characters for their actions.
Hay’s writing is lavish, her descriptions of the Cloisters bring the unique environment to life. The way she talks about New York, whilst not exhaustive (and understandably so) both set the museum apart from the city and at the same time give it a sense of belonging. She doesn’t talk about the city as though it is a homogeneous sprawl in which the Cloisters stands out, more a grouping of distinct locations and boroughs that are pulled together within the city.
The city makes a suitable backdrop to both the story and the discussion the book touches on about the nature of academic careers and the roll class and connection play in them. Interestingly I feel that this theme is far more of a driver for the plot than the cards, or the question of destiny and self-determinism. However, neither of these themes overshadow the story to the extent that I felt the author strays away from writing a damn good thriller.
Hay’s story and her characters drew me in and kept me captivated from the first to the last page. The story built gently, teasing just enough to keep me turning the page until the final crescendo of action. I found Hay’s decision to not lean into giving the cards a more supernatural aspect refreshing. I believe this kept the focus on her well-crafted characters and their machinations.
The Wizard's Bookshelf 