Your direct pipeline to the master cold reader ...


Richard Webster’s

Psychic Bookshelf


Any psychic entertainer who hasn’t heard of New Zealand’s Richard Webster has likely been living in a cave. For more than twenty years, this preeminent cold reader has penned many of the classic books in the field. From palmistry to pendulums, from aura reading to astral travel, Richard has explained both the topics and the business, and probably fueled more psychic entertainment careers than any ten other authors combined. And he writes from personal experience, not theoretical imaginings. Richard's writings for the trade are not widely available, but every single book is a gold mine to the practitioner with an interest in its subject matter.

As a courtesy to Deceptionary customers, and a personal favour to Richard, I provide this page, enabling orders for his trade publications to be placed directly with him. Please note that orders placed here go straight to Richard, who sends the books to you from New Zealand (via Air Mail). Like me, Richard is often on the road, and there may be occasional delays; fear not, though ... I wholeheartedly recommend Mr. Webster as an honest person with whom to deal, as well as the single most successful author in the history of psychic entertainment.

You may, if you wish, contact him directly by e-mail. Simply click on this image:

I have also included a list of Richard's publications for the general public. They are among the very best introductions to a wide variety of New Age topics, and provide invaluable information to the psychic entertainer as well. These books are best obtained via a conventional bookseller; I have supplied convenient links to Amazon, which carries both new and used copies of most of Richard’s titles.

Finally, as this is Richard’s page, all product descriptions are in his own words ...

Publications for the Trade

Click on any link to view a product description.


Publications for the General Public

Click on any link to view the product on the Amazon Web site.
(Some of these are out of print, though used copies are commonly available.)


The Astral Travel Workshop

A complete six-hour workshop on how to astral travel. This is the easiest way to make money in the psychic field I have ever come across. All you need is a group of people and this book to provide an entertaining and educational experience for your clients. I do not advertise these workshops, as word of mouth brings me in more than enough customers. I simply collect names until I have enough to conduct the workshop, and then set aside a day (usually a Saturday) to do it. The workshops are fun to do and extremely profitable. 56 pages. US$35.00

Astrology For The Psychic Entertainer

How to capitalize on the age-old popularity of astrology. The contents include: how to sell horoscopes with a simple code act, determining compatibility with astrology, close-up effects with an astrological theme, crystals and astrology, a complete astrology lecture, plus how to give cold readings with astrology. One chapter tells you how to predict the future with astrology, using a system that takes minutes to do. Add a new dimension to your act, or an extra string to your bow, with this material. No matter what sign you are, you’ll get useful information from this book! 74 pages. US$35.00.

Aura Reading For Fun And Profit

This book describes a simple, yet effective way of giving cold readings. You can draw a simple aura on the back of your business cards, or give a full-length reading using crayons or paints — either way it provides very effective “window dressing” for a cold reading. A great way to have your name and work remembered. 74 pages. US$35.00

“A veritable wealth of information for all readers.” — Masklyn ye Mage, The New Invocation

“Webster at his very best.” — Bascom Jones, Magick

Cashing In On Past Lives

Hypnotic regressions are easy to do and very popular. This book tells you all you need to know, and even includes my word-for-word script so that you can get started right away. Many people make good livings doing nothing but past life regressions. If you are interested in hypnotism but have never tried it, this is the easiest way to start, as you can do excellent past life regressions even if you do not succeed in hypnotising your subject! 68 pages. US$35.00

“Highly recommended.” — Bascom Jones, Magick

“Highly recommended.” — Masklyn ye Mage, The New Invocation

Cold Reading For The Magician

How to incorporate cold reading lines into your magic effects to make your performances more memorable. The information here can increase your income dramatically, as the right cold readings can generate much larger tips. They can also help you get bookings! If you have not done any cold reading, before this provides a wonderful place to start, as you will quickly gain confidence in the art, and ultimately be able to give longer readings if you wish. Improve the entertainment value of your magic, and increase both your popularity and bank account with this material. 24 pages. US$15.00

“A wealth of useful lines and practical material for the mentalist.” — Bascom Jones, Magick

Cold Reading The Future With Numerology

This book teaches you how to use basic numerology to answer your clients’ questions about the future. “Will I be happy?” “Will my marriage last?” “Should I change jobs?” These, and many more, are the typical questions that psychics are regularly asked. This book will help you to predict the trends in your clients’ lives, and provide satisfactory answers to their questions about the future. A bonus booklet called You and Your Lucky Numbers is enclosed, and you have full permission to reprint or use it in any other way, with your name as author. 64 pages. US$35.00

Cold Reading Variations

This book is for experienced readers who want to add a bit of variety, or increase the range, of their readings. If you already have a system, such as numerology, you can immediately do all the suggested variations in this book. The variations covered include sand, paper, doodle, tree, dice, dominoes, tea leaves, coins, colour, and gemstone readings. 64 pages. US$35.00

Entertaining Mentalism

Thirteen routines for the psychic entertainer. One is for the stage performer, the rest for close-up workers. Interesting themes, such as aromatherapy and dowsing, are used to add to the audience’s interest. Standard ideas, such as psychometry, numerology, and the Tarot are given a new twist. One chapter includes ideas for cold readers. 64 pages. US$35.00.

Gemstone Reading For Profit

by Hobrin (Brian Howard)

Crystals are “hot” right now, and this book explains exactly how to give a full reading using them. Hobrin uses a number of colored crystals (tumble polished stones are ideal) to make a very attractive display that further dresses the reading. People find the stones attractive and mysterious, making crystal reading very popular. 40 pages. US$20.00

“Timely, due to the crystal and stone craze.” — Bascom Jones, Magick

Great For Two Book Test

This is the book test used by Kreskin, Peter Reveen, Paul Daniels, and many other leading professionals.

This is the book test I use in every show. A husband and wife are invited up from the audience. The husband is given a dictionary to hold and the wife a novel. The husband opens up the dictionary and calls out the page number. His wife opens her novel at that page and tries to transmit the first word to her husband. He fails to pick it up. After three attempts, the mentalist asks the wife to tell her husband the word. He looks it up in the dictionary and finds the page is missing. The mentalist removes a page from his pocket and shows that it is the missing page, and the word the wife was concentrating on is circled.

You are provided with a specially printed, 476 page dictionary, which can be used as a normal dictionary. You also get the hilarious routine that has been perfected over hundreds of performances. You provide your own novel. For the last two years I have been telling everyone that I had sold out of these, but when we moved house I found another box. Because of the difficulties in production this will not be reprinted. US$100.00.

Home Psychic Parties For Fun And Profit

For seven years I performed home psychic parties almost every night of the week. They provided a wonderful opportunity to develop as a performer and as a reader. Every night my performing situation was different, and to get repeat bookings my readings had to be of a consistently high standard. This book outlines everything I did at these parties, from the first contact over the phone to the thank you letter I sent afterwards. The 15 chapters cover: what exactly is a home psychic party?, the three stages of the party (psychic experiments, crystal ball gazing, and the private reading), what persona to use, what products to sell, suitable effects, marketing (how to get started and get further bookings from every party you do), advance preparation, how much to charge, etc. The actual business cards and letters I used are included. I also include details of Psychometry Parties and Psychic Development Parties for people who want more.

Very little has been written on this lucrative area of mentalism. The wonderful thing is that you can start these parties in your own neighbourhood and not have to travel vast distances to make a living. This material got me started as a full-time entertainer. 64 pages. US$35.00

“Richard Webster has done it again. You’ll find that your first, easy-to-book psychic party will pay you many times over the cost of the book.” — Bascom Jones, Magick

How To Build Up A Psychic Practice
With Full Length Cold Readings

The only book available on how to give full length (30–60 minute) readings, and how to build this ability into a business. A complete reading is included, along with an annotated explanation to make it as clear as possible. Other chapters cover: extending the length of your readings, repeat business, the first 10 minutes of the reading, and how to make money in private practice. Being a private reader can be extremely lucrative. Learn how to do it in this book. 76 pages. US$35.00

“A gold mine.” — Stephen Minch, Letter from Hades

“A great new book, a MUST for serious psychics.” — Bascom Jones, Magick

“The most comprehensive, thorough, and lucid explanation for one to set up a complete psychic business ever produced. UNRESERVEDLY RECOMMENDED!” — Masklyn ye Mage, The New Invocation

How To Make Money Giving Free Talks

There are many clubs and organisations in your community that are always looking for guest speakers. As they usually cannot afford to pay a fee, they find it hard to attract good speakers. Talking to these groups offers you a variety of benefits:

  • It increases your visibility in the community.
  • It enables you to hone your speaking skills and develop new talks.
  • It gives you an opportunity to sell products and services after your talk.
  • It gives you an opportunity to pitch for future paid shows.
This book includes chapters on Money, How to Get Booked, Publicity, and four talks that you can use immediately (“The Wonderful World of Magic”, “Weight-Loss”, “The World of the Psychic”, and “The World of the Con Man”). Everything is included to get you started in this niche market, and make money giving free talks. 72 pages. US$35.00.

King of the Small Towns

How to Make a Comfortable Living as a Psychic or Psychic Entertainer in a Small Town

The first chapter of this book discusses the several years I spent performing my show in small towns (as few as 5,000 people). It describes exactly how I self-promoted my show, and what I did to make it financially successful. The rest of the book covers how to make a good living if you live in a small town. The subjects covered include: private readings, classes and workshops, setting up your own secret magic circle, promoting psychic days, séances, home psychic parties, monthly talks, horoscopes, ghost hunting, ghost walks, and, yes, even magic shows. This book is for people who live in a small market, or are interested in taking their show into smaller communities. 60 pages. US$35.00

Ladies Nights

A complete system for getting bookings on the quiet nights of the week, promoting your own Ladies Nights. The evenings are part lecture, part demonstration, and are fun for the spectators — and easy for the performer to present. A complete sample evening is included, word for word. If you are serious about making real money in this profession, you’ll find this book a gold mine. If you’re a hobbyist, save your money. 63 pages. US$35.00.

The Mail Order Psychic

This is the only book telling you how to set yourself up as a mail order psychic. Part One is on selling computerized charts, covering which charts sell best, where to get them and how to market them. Part Two covers selling readings on cassette. The bulk of this section is on clairvoyancy readings, but my other readings are also covered. An entire clairvoyancy reading is included to show you exactly how I do them. Selling readings by mail creates an excellent extra source of income for both the psychic entertainer and cold reader. 72 pages. US$35.00.

Money-Making Psychic Development Classes

I’ve been promising to reveal the secrets in this book for several years, and have finally done it. This book contains everything you need to know to start offering your own classes on psychic development. For years I have done these in my own home, and almost always have a waiting list of people wanting to attend. This book explains every detail of my course, which is held for ninety minutes a week for six weeks. I tell you how to get clients, what to teach them, and what items to sell to them. One of the features of my course is that I hand out 24 sheets of detailed notes. These are all included in the book, ready for you to use yourself. If you put your name and address on these, they become advertisements, as your students will show them to others. My classes are entertaining and fun for the participants. Most psychic classes are dull and boring, with the students spending most of their time writing down notes from a blackboard. Mine are designed to be enjoyable and practical. All of the experiments I use are explained, along with much of my patter. You can make a good part-time or full-time living teaching these classes. Everything you need to know is included. 77 pages. US$35.00.

Pendulum Power
For The Psychic Entertainer

69 pages of effects and routines using the much under-utilised pendulum. Included are two complete routines using no trickery whatsoever; a chapter containing 7 impromptu effects that can be done without trickery; a routine that can be used in a lecture/demonstration that has everyone taking your advertising material home with them; plus 11 effects by me and a bonus routine by Paul Marcus; and a chapter on how to hypnotize with a pendulum in a close-up situation. 69 pages. US$35.00

“Another ‘must have’ book for every mentalist.” — Bascom Jones, Magick

“Excellent. Very useful material.” — Ormond McGill

“Get this book — you won’t be sorry.” — Brother Shadow, Vibrations

Pitch Books

How to Make Extra Money by Selling Books After Your Show

This book contains 15 pages of information on how to sell your own pitch book. Included is a camera-ready pitch book for you to take to your own printer and have your name listed on the front as being the author. This 27-page pitch book, called Your Lucky Stars!, gives your clients a personal reading for every day until the end of 2020. I also include a lecture that utilizes the pitch book, and makes people want to buy your book. Also included are 13 ideas on how to sell pitch books, even if you are not a performer. US$45.00.

“One of the most provocative books published for psychic entertainers during the past twelve months.’ — Bascom Jones, Magick

Plan For Success

A Business Plan for Magicians

A simple, easy to follow business plan that could change your life. You can do reasonably well without a business plan. I did for years. Once I discovered the advantages of using a plan, however, I started to make much more money with less effort than before. My business plan forced me to focus my energies and devise ways to achieve my various goals. I finally knew where I was going. You can draw up your own business plan very quickly. Once you have your own plan, you’ll wonder how you ever managed to get by without one. 37 pages, including four pages of worksheets. US$20.00.

The Psychic Business

This book is an overview of the various things I have done over the last 30 years, looking at how and why I did them, and discussing how I would go about doing them again if I were starting today. Topics covered include home psychic parties, private readings, hypnotism, psychic development classes, séances, one-day workshops, Ladies Nights, and mail order sales. 60 pages. US$35.00

Psychometry From A To Z

A simple system of doing psychometry the way “real” psychics do — without any secret marks. Using this system you can do psychometry anywhere, any time. A chapter on traditional methods of doing psychometry is included, plus some background information, and a chapter of effects and routines. 74 pages. US$35.00

“A gold mine for the working mentalist, as well as the private reader. I think it’s his best.” — Bascom Jones, Magick

Quick And Effective Cold Reading

A complete text on how to give brief cold readings to anyone and astound them with your accuracy. With this system you can give different readings to everyone, so if you are doing readings for a group it doesn’t matter if everyone listens to everyone else’s. 74 pages. US$35.00

“One of the all-time GREAT publications in mentalism.” — Bascom Jones, Magick

“This book alone could start many on a road to profit and career. Highly recommended.” — Masklyn ye Mage, The New Invocation

Quick Readings With Numerology

A quick and easy way to give brief numerology readings on the back of your business card. This system is ideal for radio talk shows as all you need is the person’s date of birth. 12 pages US$10.00

“A ‘must’ for private readers.” — Bascom Jones, Magick

“Jam-packed with excellent (and quotable) interpretations. Recommended.” — Masklyn ye Mage, The New Invocation

The Tarot For Fun And Profit

When most people think of fortune telling, they think of the tarot. This means that the ability to read tarot cards is virtually an essential requirement for psychic entertainers and psychic readers. Unfortunately, many people feel intimidated when faced with the task of learning the meanings of 78 cards. It all seems too hard, and the cards are put away in a drawer and forgotten. My new book explains a straightforward, uncomplicated way to learn the cards, using the pictures on each card as a memory aid. Chapters include: Story-telling with the cards, How to give brief readings, Longer readings, Setting yourself apart from all the other tarot readers, and Making money. I even includes two of my favorite tarot effects. 68 pages. US$35.00.  new item!

Using Your Intuitive Edge
For Fun And Profit

Professional speaking offers huge rewards for good entertainers. It never ceases to amaze me, as a magician, that people will pay several times my performing fee just to hear me talk — but they do! This book explains what is needed to make money in this exciting field, how to get started, and what to offer. One chapter covers suitable effects to perform, and another shows how to have your audience demonstrate their psychic capabilities. I include two of my own sixty-minute talks: one on using your intuition in business and the other on motivation. If you want to make really big money in the psychic world, you need this book! 64 pages. US$35.00

You Are A Rainbow!

Tick sheets make excellent giveaways, and because they are personalized, they are often kept, providing wonderful advertising for you and your services. Your client is asked to answer three questions, and from these the sheet is filled out in seconds. You are a Rainbow! tells the people a little about themselves, what they enjoy doing, a keyword to describe them, and even suggests the best type of partner for them. This provides an excellent basis for a cold reading, of course, but more importantly, it is something they will keep forever. US$15.00

“Get this book.” — Docc Hilford, The New Invocation

“A ready to print novelty tick sheet that is an excellent giveaway and lets you do a quick reading.” — Bascom Jones, Magick

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