“Magic for Liars” Book Review

By: Zoe Ohye

Staff writer

“Magic for Liars” by Sarah Gailey is a light fantasy novel with a murder mystery at the center. The novel takes place at Osthorne Academy for Young Mages, a highschool for people that have magical abilities.

The main protagonist, Ivy Gamble, is a private investigator who usually deals with cheating spouses and hunting down parents trying to escape paying child support.

At the beginning of the novel, a strange individual shows up at Ivy’s office and asks her to take on a murder investigation at Osthorne Academy. Ivy is hesitant because her twin sister, Tabitha, is a professor there and the two have been tense with each other since Tabitha is magical, while Ivy is not.

At first, Ivy doubts her abilities to take on a big murder case but finally accepts the offer and the novel takes off with the twists and turns that is expected with any murder mystery.

I had high expectations going into this book, the plot seemed very entertaining and promising. Unfortunately, it did not cut it for me. I found the middle of the story to be boring and predictable. However, I did like the character development throughout the novel.

In the beginning, Ivy had many doubts about herself and her abilities to be a good enough private investigator, but as the novel progressed, she became stronger and more confident.  Also, the relationships that Ivy formed with the staff of the school were interesting.

While I enjoyed the characters, the plot was not gripping enough for me. The ending was supposed to be heartfelt and surprising, but I did not connect with it the way I think Gailey wanted the reader to. Overall, I would recommend this book for people who enjoy light mysteries and character arcs more than plot. I rate this three out of five stars.