The Psychic Mafia

The Psychic Mafia is a 1976 exposé written by former spiritualist medium M. Lamar Keene, with co-author Allen Spraggett. The book details Keene's experiences as a fraudulent psychic and medium operating in Florida during the 1960s. Keene reveals the methods and techniques used by psychics, mediums, and fortune-tellers to convince clients of their supernatural abilities. The narrative includes accounts of séances, spirit communications, and the network of practitioners who shared information about wealthy clients. As an insider account, the book documents the planning and execution of various spiritualist schemes, from basic cold readings to elaborate theatrical productions. Keene describes the psychological manipulation employed by practitioners and the financial motivations behind their operations. The work stands as both a confession and a warning, examining the human desire to believe and the exploitation of grief and hope. Its revelations about the mechanics of deception raise questions about faith, skepticism, and the search for meaning.

Readers describe this as an insider exposé detailing techniques used to deceive spiritualist followers. The firsthand perspective from a former fraudulent medium gives specifics about cold reading methods and ways psychics manipulated grieving clients. Readers appreciated: - Step-by-step explanations of deceptive techniques - Detailed examples of séance tricks - Raw honesty about the author's own participation - Historical context about spiritualist churches Common criticisms: - Writing style can be dry and repetitive - Some sections feel padded or overlong - Author's motivations for confession unclear - Limited scope beyond American spiritualist movement Ratings: Goodreads: 3.9/5 (291 ratings) Amazon: 4.3/5 (108 ratings) Notable reader comment: "A fascinating look behind the curtain, though the author sometimes comes across as trying too hard to atone for his past." - Goodreads reviewer Multiple readers noted the book's value as a skeptical resource, while wishing for tighter editing.

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🔮 M. Lamar Keene worked as a fraudulent medium for 13 years before exposing the industry's secrets, earning him the nickname "Prince of the Spiritualists" during his career. 📚 The book reveals the existence of a "Blue Book" - a secret directory shared among fake mediums containing detailed personal information about clients to help create convincing "readings." ⚡ Keene exposed how mediums used a technique called "hot reading," gathering information about clients beforehand through private investigators, obituaries, and shared networks of informants. 🏛️ The author operated from the Spiritualist Temple of Truth in Tampa, Florida, where he claims to have earned over $250,000 annually (equivalent to over $2 million today) performing fake séances. 🎭 After publishing his exposé, Keene faced death threats and harassment from other mediums and had to move to another state, eventually leaving the public eye completely.