13 Steps to Mentalism by Tony Corinda, Richard Osterlind, and Murphy's Magic

Effect

The 13 Steps to Mentalism is a comprehensive mentalism system that allows performers to create the illusion of mind reading, predictions, and psychic abilities. The audience sees impossible feats like knowing a spectator's chosen card, predicting random numbers, or revealing personal thoughts written on billets. The effects range from close-up mentalism to stage performances, all designed to make the performer appear to have genuine mental powers.

Full details

The 13 Steps to Mentalism is based on Tony Corinda's classic book, modernized with custom props and 12 hours of video tutorials by Richard Osterlind. The set includes practical tools like ESP cards, billets, a prediction device, nail writers, and a Billet knife. The material covers all aspects of mentalism, from basic techniques to advanced routines. Reviewers note it transforms the original book's concepts into a fresh, hands-on toolkit suitable for both beginners and experienced mentalists.

Who should consider the trick

This set is ideal for magicians wanting to add mentalism to their repertoire. Beginners will find it an excellent starting point, while experienced performers can refine their skills with the updated methods. Mentalists looking for a complete system with professional props will benefit from having everything in one package. As AlakazamMagicUK states, "Whether you're a beginner that wants to get into mentalism mind reading or magic... or even if you're a pro that wants to extend their mental knowledge, this is going to talk about everything."

Information on how difficult it is to perform

The difficulty varies by routine. Some effects like the ESP card routine are relatively simple to perform, while techniques like muscle reading require significant practice. The video tutorials make learning accessible, with Richard Osterlind demonstrating each step clearly. Magic-TV notes that while some methods are "simple and bold," others like lip reading "you can't just learn to do overnight." Most reviewers agree the material is presented in a way that makes complex concepts manageable for performers at different skill levels.

What magicians say

Magicians praise the set's completeness and quality. AlakazamMagicUK calls it "the Bible of mentalism" and says "with this kit alone you've got enough for as many different close-up sets as you want, as many different stage sets as you want." They highlight the value of having all necessary props custom-made, noting "the great thing about this... is they're very very simple props that can be adapted to perform hundreds of different mentalism and mind reading routines."

Magic-TV's review mentions some presentations feel dated but appreciates how Osterlind updates routines: "What Richard did was... he updated the routines, he brought them up to date." They particularly praise the prediction techniques: "The map prediction is a really good... how cheeky is that."

EruditeMagic includes the original book in their recommended "5 Foot Shelf of Magic," calling it "somewhat encyclopedic in nature" and noting it covers "a different facet of mentalism" in each of the 13 steps.

Multiple reviewers emphasize the set's value for performance. As AlakazamMagicUK summarizes, "If you want to get into mind reading, you want to get into mentalism, with this kit alone you've got enough... to put on a world class mind reading and mentalism act."