Don’t Blink by Yvan Garmy (Vanishing Inc.) (£25.99)
First up this week is Don’t Blink by Van G, released through Vanishing Inc, a fresh take on the classic torn and restored newspaper.
You start with a folded magazine page, tear it into quarters, give a little flick, and boom! it instantly restores. The page is then unfolded and shown completely intact.
It’s slick, visual, and very satisfying. Personally, I’m a bit old-fashioned and still do Alex Elmsley’s classic version, but this one genuinely impressed me. It adds a second magical beat, first the flash restoration, then the clean reveal.
The gimmick is smartly made and simple to prepare. You get:
- Pre-printed refill pages, perfectly aligned for gimmick setup
- A ready-made gimmick (so you can perform straight out of the box)
A 40-minute tutorial by Yvan Garmy is clear and detailed. (The man deserves a medal for his Scotch tape handling skills.)
Limitations? You’re restricted to magazine-sized pages, not too big or too small and the packet can feel a bit thick. You’ll need natural, light handling to sell the illusion of holding just a couple of sheets.
That said, the restoration moment is gorgeous. It’s bright, visual, and plays beautifully for parlour or stage. Simple construction, clear teaching, and two strong beats of magic.
A modern, clever twist on a visual classic.
https://monstermagic.co.uk/products/dont-blink-by-yvan-garm
The Button by Chris James & Craig Petty (£85.50)
Created by Chris James, produced by João Miranda, and featuring Craig Petty. Wow… this one surprised me.
The idea: you introduce a red “magic button.” Every time it’s pressed, something magical happens. You perform a multi-phase card routine, each phase triggered by that button. Then, in the finale, the button stops working and when opened, your spectator’s signed card is found inside. Brilliant.
At first, I thought it was just another novelty prop. But I was wrong. The button is beautifully engineered and solid even though it is 3D printed however the electronics are simply glued in and can come loose. Otherwise it is a thoughtful design that allows you to:
- Choose or program your own sounds
- Use tactile guides so you always know its orientation
- Open or close it with a simple quarter-turn twist
The teaching is excellent. João Miranda covers setup and customization, while Craig Petty delivers a full course in card magic, 25 routines ranging from beginner-friendly to advanced. You even get a section from Chris James on handling and switches with really useful insights.
Highlights:
- Clear structure with separate tutorial videos
- Includes sleight teaching (double lifts, forces, switches, Mercury Card Fold, etc.)
- Performances that show real-world reactions.
At £85.50, it’s not cheap but the versatility, and teaching absolutely justify it.
A smart, engaging, and genuinely magical prop.
https://monstermagic.co.uk/products/the-button-by-chris-james-and-joao-miranda-featuring-craig-petty
Trinity Book Test by Alex Latorre (£49.99)
Trinity by Alex Latorre is his ambitious take on the book test.
You show the audience a copy of Animal Farm, three spectators each think of:
- A word,
- A word from a paragraph, and
- A page number.
You reveal the first two words then for the third reveal, the named page is missing from the book… and found sealed in an envelope that’s been in view the entire time. A triple-phase routine that feels impossible.
The book looks convincing, a U.S.-sized edition of Animal Farm with excellent production quality. You can display it freely (though not hand it out), and the method combines three classic principles seamlessly.
While it’s not the strongest version of each individual effect, the combination makes for a tight, engaging 8-minute routine involving three spectators. The tutorial (around 40 minutes) is well-shot, and you get a full P3 Theater performance that shows how well it plays on stage.
You can’t hand the book out, but the structure and pacing make up for it. Quick setup, smart design, and three strong reveals in one prop.
For £49.99, it’s a great all-in-one mentalism routine especially for parlor or stage performers.
https://monstermagic.co.uk/products/trinity-book-test-by-alex-latorre
The Peak Pack by Brian Gillis (feat. Gregory Wilson)
The Peak Pack is a powerhouse mentalism effect from the late Brian Gillis, with insights from Gregory Wilson.
It’s essentially a supercharged version of Hoy’s Tossed Out Deck, but more direct and controlled.
Six participants each glimpse a card. You immediately name every card they’re thinking of, no fishing, no hesitation.
The deck is a heavily gimmicked Bicycle Rider back, designed for smooth forcing and easy peeks. You can’t hand it out, but you don’t need to it flies by under perfect presentation.
The tutorial is more of a relaxed conversation than a structured lesson, but it’s full of wisdom about audience handling, scripting, and psychology. You’ll need a bit of practice to get the feel for the force, but once mastered, it’s bulletproof.
Unlike the classic tossed deck, this version stays in your hands trading some spectacle for complete control. And the best part: you can directly identify which spectator thought of which card, adding a strong personal connection.
It’s an ideal opener, quick, interactive, and powerful, perfect for close-up, parlor, or walk-around.
At £38.99, it’s clever, practical, and genuinely strong mentalism.
https://monstermagic.co.uk/products/the-peek-pack-by-brian-gillis-feat-gregory-wilson