Psych: Mind Over Magic [Paperback]

William Rabkin (Author)

Book Description

Series: Psych | Publication Date: July 7, 2009

Based on the hit usa network series

Shawn Spencer has convinced everyone he's psychic.

Now, he's either going to clean up- or be found out.

Murder and Magic are all in the mind...

When a case takes Shawn and Gus into an exclusive club for professional magicians, they're treated to a private show by the hottest act on the Vegas Strip, "Martian Magician" P'tol P'kah. But when the wizard seemingly dissolves in a tank of water, he never rematerializes. And in his place there's a corpse in a three piece suit and a bowler hat.

Eager to keep his golden boy untarnished, the magician's manager hires Shawn and Gus to uncover the identity of the dead man and find out what happened to P'tol P'kah. But to do so, the pair will have to pose as a new mentalist act, and go undercover in a world populated by magicians, mystics, Martians-and one murderer...

Product Details

• Paperback: 288 pages
• Publisher: Signet; Original edition (July 7, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0451227441
• ISBN-13: 978-0451227447
• Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 4.3 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (17 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #107,795 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

William Rabkin is a two-time Edgar Award nominee who writes the Psych series of novels and is the author of Writing the Pilot. He has consulted for studios in Canada, Germany, and Spain on television series production and teaches screenwriting at UCLA Extension and as an adjunct professor in UC Riverside's low-residency masters program.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A funny read!, July 13, 2009

By 

Reacher Creature (Rochester) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Psych: Mind Over Magic (Paperback)

This is the second series in the books of Psych, based on the popular tv show. I had my doubts about this book because the first one wasn't that great. That being said, I really enjoyed Mind over Magic. This has all the charm, warmth, and humor from the show. Honestly, it was as if I was watching the show, it was that good. At some points, I was laughing out loud reading it and read some parts a few times.

Shawn and Gus have to go undercover with a group of very good Magicians to solve a murder. Shawn has to use all of his "Psych skills" to solve it, and let me tell you my friends, this one isn't easy for Shawn. I don't want to say to much about it, but I explained the main plot.

The usual cast of characters are there. and add to much to the story. If you haven't read the first book, don't worry, you don't need to. Just pick up Mind Over Magic and enjoy Shawn and his friends.

If you're a fan of the show, then you won't be sorry you read Mind Over Magic.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Shawn and Gus Track a Martian, July 17, 2009

By 

Mark Baker (Santa Clarita, CA United States) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Psych: Mind Over Magic (Paperback)

The Fortress of Magic sits on the outskirts of Santa Barbara, an exclusive club for magicians to hang out and perfect their trade. It's also one of the most popular places for parties, which is why Shawn and Gus find themselves there one night. And they are in for a treat. P'tol P'kah, the fabled Martian Magician, shows up to prove to the entire crowd that he isn't a fraud. To do so, he sets out to perform his signature trick, the Dissolving Man.

However, something goes horribly wrong. Instead of the tank being empty at the end of the trick, the lights come back on to reveal a very dead man. But no one knows who he is. Even more mysterious, P'tol P'kah has vanished. Shawn and Gus are hired to locate him, a job that takes them to the strip in Vegas. Who was the man in the tank? Where is the seven foot tall green man hiding? And what is the secret of the trick?

Fans of Psych will not be disappointed with the second tie in novel. Yes, there is a mystery, and it is a good one, too. I certainly didn't know where it was going until Shawn explained it all at the end. Yet it did all make sense. But the highlight of the novel is the silly fun of the TV show. And it is captured perfectly here. I laughed quite a few times as the story progressed, especially at a reference to sister show MONK.

The book focuses almost exclusively on Shawn and Gus. The other series characters show up, and they are very true to their TV selves. There are a smattering of new characters, but, much like guest stars on a TV episode, they aren't around long enough for us to truly get to know. Not that this is a problem. They are memorable enough to remember who is who as the story progresses.

This book is just like an extended episode of the TV show. If you enjoy the show, don't hesitate to pick up this fun novel.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Like the Show, August 24, 2010

By 

Mila - See all my reviews

This review is from: Psych: Mind Over Magic (Paperback)

First of all, let me say that the description on the back of the book isn't accurate at all. Shawn and Gus don't go undercover at all, which is a shame since I was looking forward to it. Besides that, the book is every bit as good as the first: "Psych: A Mind is a Terrible Thing to Read". In fact, I might even argue that it was better. It was that good.

Once again, the witty banter, the character interactions, the funny situations Shawn lands them in, and everything else that we love about the TV show was in this book. Shawn's eccentric way of speaking was fun to read, as well as a certain magician's opinion of our favorite faux psychic.

For anybody fond of the TV series, this book is a must-read like its predecessor.