From Publishers Weekly
Santa Fe PI Joshua Croft gets a lively introduction to New Age spiritualism when defense attorney Sally Durrell hires him to investigate the murder of Quentin Bouvier, a practitioner of "High Magic." During a gathering of healers and psychics at the home of Brad Freefall and Sylvia Morningstar, Quentin was coshed with a healing crystal and then strangled with a scarf belonging to Sally's client, Tarot card reader Giacomo Bernardi. Before the murder, Quentin had shown off his recently purchased, very valuable antique Tarot card, which is now missing. The newly widowed Justine takes the death calmly, perhaps because she believes that "the essential Quentin" remains, or perhaps because she's having an affair with "spiritual alchemist" Peter Jones. Another murder occurs as Joshua tries to divine the straight, this-world scoop from a cast that includes an astrologer and an ex-actress with a hotline to Alpha Centauri. Satterthwait ( A Flower in the Desert ) offers a neat surprise at the end of this entertaining adventure, but he also withholds clues and obscures some of the logic that leads to the resolution, a tactic some readers may find irksome. Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Kirkus Reviews
Thirteen people attended the meeting of New Age healers at which reputed Satanist Quentin Bouvier was killed--hanged from the rafters- -after outbidding dealer Leonard Quarry for astrologer Eliza Remington's antique Tarot card. And by the time the fat lady (not Eliza) sings, Santa Fe shamus Joshua Croft (Wall of Glass, A Flower in the Desert) has interviewed each of the 12 survivors--including Leonard Quarry, who survives the interview only by a couple of minutes. Hired to vindicate Tarot reader Giacomo Bernardi, laid-back, skeptical Joshua finds lots of quirky kooks and crooks--a spiritual alchemist, a Saku master (don't ask), a muscle-bound New Age Sioux-- but there's precious little interaction between the suspects (despite the best efforts of Bouvier's predatory widow Justine, who's been sleeping around with more vigor than discrimination): except for a couple of violent interludes, this is basically a series of sedate Golden Age interviews. Interesting people, humdrum detection--nothing to raise your blood pressure to unhealthy levels. -- Copyright ©1993, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.

The New York Times Book Review
Satterthwait thrills our eyes with the wonders of the Southwest.

Publishers Weekly
Satterthwait offers local color, detail, and intriguing action along with an appealingly sensitive, slightly cynical series hero.

Book Description
At a meeting of thirteen of Santa Fe's leading New Age healers, Quentin Bouvier, a magician and possibly a reincarnated Egyptian pharaoh, has been hanged from the rafters. He outbid Leonard Quarry for astrologer Eliza Remington's antique tarot card and now he's dead and the tarot card is missing. The police quickly arrest Giacamo Bernardi, a tarot reader, and charge him with the murder and theft. Bernardi's court-appointed attorney hires private investigator Joshua Croft to prove Bernardi's innocence. Suspects from the meeting and the community abound, including astrologers and psychics, a young hermit immersed in "Spiritual Alchemy," an aging movie star who acts as a medium for an entity from Alpha Centauri, a Native American shaman who gets accountants in touch with their warrior within, and a mysterious Asian woman whose equally mysterious brother displays a near-lethal familiarity with martial arts.

From the Publisher
At a meeting of Santa Fe’s leading New Age healers, Quentin Bouvier, a magician and possibly a reincarnated Egyptian pharaoh, has been hanged from the rafters. The police quickly arrest Giacamo Bernardi, a tarot reader, and charge him with the murder.

About the Author
Walter Satterthwait resides in Santa Fe, loves to ride his motorcyle, and writes mysteries that have an international audience. In addition to the Joshua Croft series, he has written the historical mysteries Wilde West and Masquerade.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

At a meeting of thirteen of Santa Fe's leading New Age healers, Quentin Bouvier, a magician and possibly a reincarnated Egyptian pharaoh, has been hanged from the rafters. He outbid Leonard Quarry for astrologer Eliza Remington's antique tarot card and now he's dead and the tarot card is missing. The police quickly arrest Giacamo Bernardi, a tarot reader, and charge him with the murder and theft. Bernardi's court-appointed attorney hires private investigator Joshua Croft to prove Bernardi's innocence. Suspects from the meeting and the community abound, including astrologers and psychics, a young hermit immersed in "Spiritual Alchemy," an aging movie star who acts as a medium for an entity from Alpha Centauri, a Native American shaman who gets accountants in touch with their warrior within, and a mysterious Asian woman whose equally mysterious brother displays a near-lethal familiarity with martial arts.

SYNOPSIS

At a meeting of thirteen of Santa Fe￯﾿ﾽs leading New Age healers, Quentin Bouvier, a magician and possibly a reincarnated Egyptian pharaoh, has been hanged from the rafters. He outbid Leonard Quarry for astrologer Eliza Remington￯﾿ﾽs antique tarot card and now he￯﾿ﾽs dead and the tarot card is missing. The police quickly arrest Giacamo Bernardi, a tarot reader, and charge him with the murder and theft. Bernardi￯﾿ﾽs court-appointed attorney hires private investigator Joshua Croft to prove Bernardi￯﾿ﾽs innocence. Suspects from the meeting and the community abound, including astrologers and psychics, a young hermit immersed in ￯﾿ﾽSpiritual Alchemy,￯﾿ﾽ an aging movie star who acts as a medium for an entity from Alpha Centauri, a Native American shaman who gets accountants in touch with their warrior within, and a mysterious Asian woman whose equally mysterious brother displays a near-lethal familiarity with martial arts.

￯﾿ﾽSatterthwait thrills our eyes with the wonders of the Southwest.￯﾿ﾽ-The New York Times Book Review