HYPNOSIS IS FOR HACKS

A former phony draws on her very real psychic skills to find a murderer while on a seaside vacation.

Being the American girlfriend of a well-to-do Brit feels like something Ellie Wilde would have schemed to do in her earlier life as a so-called medium, when she took advantage of those desperate for a connection to the past. But Ellie is on the (relatively) straight and narrow, selling teas and other herbal potions in Sussex and dating the somewhat posh Nicholas Hartford III. During a visit from her brother, Liam, the opportunity comes up for the two to accompany Nicholas’ mother, Vivian, on a last-minute trip to Brighton. Expecting a quiet vacation, Ellie’s horrified by the arrival of Armand Lamont at her would-be retreat. Armand played an active role in the imposter life Ellie left behind, and he’s made no commitment to changing his ways. Determined to avoid Armand at all costs—a tough job, since he seems drawn to her—Ellie’s certain that he’s going to shake her down for money or, worse, companionship. But before she can give Armand the slip for good, more serious trouble strikes when Ellie and Liam witness a murder whose culprits vanish like shadows into thin air. Is what they’ve seen a murder or a trick from Armand’s hypnosis tool bag? Unable to trust her eyes, Ellie relies on her wit, her cat companions, and her undeniable psychic abilities. It doesn’t hurt that Nicholas has made his way to Sussex, even if he’s posing as Liam’s love interest to stay under Armand’s radar. Hijinks ensue.

It’s hard to know who’s tricking whom in the best of ways.