The Effect of the Book Test Mentalism Trick

Derren Brown has performed this on many occasions. A Derren Brown Mentalism Trick at its best!!

You show three paperback books and invite a volunteer to choose one of them… They chose one of the three..

Another volunteer cuts a deck of cards anywhere they like and adds together the values of the first two cards on the bottom pile.

Whatever number they get, you ask the first volunteer to turn to that page in the book and concentrate on the first line of the page.

You concentrate and then announce a couple of words. Then you pick up a notepad and scribble something onto it.

You ask the spectator to read the sentence aloud and it matches what you have written. 

These tests are a staple part of mind reading and there are many methods. This is one of the simplest and uses another stacked deck, called a 14/15 stack.

To create the stack, remove the Ace of Hearts and Ace of Spades and arrange the remaining cards as follows, with the 7D at the bottom, all cards face down: 7C 8C 6D 9S 5C 10H 4D JS 3C QS 2D KS AC KH 2H QC 3D JH 4S 10C 5D 9C 6S 8S 7S 8D 6H 9H 5H 10D 4C JD 3S QH 2S KD AD KC 2C QD 3H JC 4H 10S 5S 9D 6C 8H 7H 7D

Wherever the cards are cut, the first two cards on the bottom stack will always total 14 or 15.

You have probably figured out that you use the magician’s choice explained earlier to force your spectator to choose the book you need…

Book Test Alternative Handlings:

A variation on this effect is to get a general impression of what’s happening on pages 14 and 15. You can then draw a picture that illustrates the action in the book. 

You can also perform this giving the spectator a completely free choice of book. Write lines 14 and 15 from each of the three books very lightly in pencil on your notepad.

This will not be visible from a distance but means you do not have to memorize each of the six lines.

It is a very powerful trick to use on stage or in front of a group of people. It plays small but ends big. Worth adding to your repertoire.

Practice it a few times before you try it on the public.. Keep it slick and real and they will be blown away at the finish.

For more magic tricks like this Book Test Trick then click here