Ronjo Death At Hand by Gary Brown

Show four Tarot Cards, measuring 2 3/4" x 4 3/4". Three are blank, the fourth is the Death card. Deal one blank onto the table, covered by the spectator's hand. Slowly mix the Death card and the other two blank cards. Where is Death? Astonishingly, the three cards you hold are blank, while the spectator's hand is resting on Death! The effect is repeated.

Then the finale: Deal the Death card onto the table. Drop the three blank cards. Instantly, the Death card has turned blank. Meanwhile, the three blank cards have magically transformed into three Death cards while under the spectator's hand!

This startling and fun effect uses only four cards, none of which are gimmicked in any way. The cards can withstand close examination by spectators. "Death at Hand" is virtually self-working, uses one basic sleight done only once and does not uses any switches wallets or apparatus.

Be sure to check out Fool For You, also by Gary Brown. Same effect and handling but with a lighthearted theme!

"If you are like me and love Michael Skinner's Ultimate Three Card Monte, Martin Lewis's Sidewalk Shuffle or Michael Ammar's Virginia City Shuffle, you are going to love Gary Brown's Death At Hand even more! Why? Because Death At Hand is easier to do, it’s more visually appealing, has a compelling story line, may be completely examined and instantly resets. I have been performing Skinner's Monte nearly every day, several times a day, since roughly 1992. It is my go to card effect and always has been. I've tried to expand my horizon by doing the Sidewalk Shuffle but found the fourth card handling awkward and confusing and thought the instructions were terrible and never really got it down pat. Virginia City Shuffle is great too but I think my brain would explode trying to remember what to do. Then along comes Death At Hand, which completely destroyed me! During Gary’s performance of the effect I am "not fooled" because I am in the know, or am I? I am however loving his performance, his new twist on the above stated similar effects. It was after the trick was done that he got me. Gary left the cards on the table.  I just sat there with the cards in my hands, expecting to see things about the cards that simply were not there. No mis-pips, no double faced, no double backs, no rough and smooth, no split cards. No gaffs?  I was in awe. How is this possible? I was dumbfounded for the first time in very long time. I learned the routine in seconds because it has similarities though much, much simpler than Skinner's Monte. It really is a brilliant creation! Death At Hand or Fool For You will be my new go to card trick from now on depending on who my audience is at the time." - Peter Albertson, Ronjo Magic