Title: The Hierophant Card (The Tarot Mysteries #6)
Author: Bevan Atkinson
Published on: 3rd November 2019
Genre: Mystery and Thrillers (Cozy)
The Hierophant is not just about the traditions and religious beliefs that tie us together over history and bind us blindly or contentedly to dogma. He’s about what connects us, or, in his reversed state, separates us wilfully from others, from our environment, our community, our spirit. He cautions us when reversed, against shutting ourselves off from others and failing to listen to them and to our own soul’s guidance.
Xana receives a call from a woman named Thalia Thalassos. She was referred to Xana by Yolanda aka YoYo – Xana’s friend. Thalia wants Xana to read the Tarot for her. She doesn’t believe in all the woo-woo stuff but well, she’s trying it for the sake of it. Xana learns that Thalia’s husband Don fell off the racehorse and is now in the hospital. Thalia is a suspect – thanks to Don’s mistress and her accusations.
Xana lets Thalia pick up the cards, and The Hierophant Card is at the centre, reversed. Meanwhile, Bryce Gilbertson is a self-proclaimed angel of death. Don is in the hospital where Bryce works. Will their paths cross? In this new addition to the Tarot Mysteries, Xana gets her intuition guide her. Mater makes her appearance and brings along a twist to the story.
Dede and Bix Bonebreaker are getting married! Yay! *Throws confetti in the air*. Thorne is busy with a client as the story begins and Xana meets Thalia alone. But, as the story proceeds, DeLeon and Thorne join in the fun. Oops, I meant investigation, not fun.
Having read the first five books in this series, I was surprised (and happy) to see Xana in a new light. In every book, we get to see Xana overcoming an inner challenge. But in this story, she has to make peace with what is, rather than trying to change what’s beyond her control.
Bryce’s role in the story reminded me of Agatha in Book #2 – The Magician Card. Bryce and Xana’s paths cross at least once. Jenny, Don’s mistress, claims Bryce was acting weird and Xana wants to check out, just in case. As she meets the guy, she knows something’s wrong. But she may be picking up the wrong vibes.
Thalia is one character you might not like. She’s arrogant, rude and mannerless! Not even a thank you when she takes Xana on a ride (literally); the trip was totally unnecessary!! Madre aka Mater aka Lousia Bard makes an appearance in the story. There’s a golf tournament and Mater is a participant and so is Xana (she didn’t have a choice).
The Bard family comes together once again, thanks to Mater. Xana is richer than before, thanks to the suitcases her father sent. 😉 Suitcases full of gold and precious gems. Thorne is happy to add more gold to his money bin. All’s well that ends well. Yay! 😀 Okay, wait…
The Hierophant Card was a tad different from the other books in this series. I really like Atkinson’s approach to the story. The sub-plots and weirdo characters make the story interesting. Of course, I do not have to take much about the romance angle here because Thorne and Xana share a pretty decent, only in the bedroom kinda romance. They keep their romantic ventures private so *shrugs*.
Overall, this was a light and fun read. I love this series and I highly recommend it. Quirky and a tad different from the usual cozies. And hey, there’s some tarot Gyan in here so you wouldn’t want to miss it, wouldya? 🙂
The Book Decoder 
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