(82) The Grift by Debra Ginsberg

Through another wesbsite I discovered a little place called Shelf Awareness.
http://www.shelf-awareness.com/.

When you visit Shelf Awareness and sign up for their newsletter, you get daily emails about what is going on in the book industry. From bookstore openings & closings, to author appearances, to what's new & hot. Publishers also offer up Advanced Readers Copies from time to time. It is a neat little newsletter that I look forward to everyday.

Well, I received this book in the mail last week. It wasn't an ARC, but a finished, hardback book.

And it was a good book.

Marina had a rough life growing up. Her mother went from man to man, living off anyone and anything she can. On a whim she takes Marina to see a psychic, who says that Marina has "the gift". And from there, Marina's life is nothing but one long grift.

1.
(sometimes used with a plural verb) a group of methods for obtaining money
falsely through the use of swindles, frauds, dishonest gambling, etc.
2.
money obtained from such practices. –verb (used without object)
3.
to profit by the use of grift: a man known to have grifted for many years.
–verb (used with object)
4.
to obtain (money or other profit) by grift.

Even after Marina's mother passes away, Marina continues the Grift. Her finely tuned skills of observations & ability to read body language like a book , has made her a very successful "psychic". She drifts from town to town, from state to state. Making a very lucrative living by, essentially telling people what they want to hear.

Marina finally lands in California. But her past soon catches up with her. She falls in love & suddenly, she really does have "the Gift". But when someone tries to harm her & she "sees" a murder, her life starts spiraling out of control.

While a bit predictable, The Grift was a good mystery, full of new (to me) concepts and plots. Overall a good mystery.