It may be that the wanting to be in on the trick makes it keep your attention and makes the surprise worthwhile.

Anyway, I think you're onto something and it would be great to see your post get fleshed out.

But if you are in on the trick, there aren't any surprises. and surprises are one lovely thing of stories. so there must be some amount of the reader still being willing to have the trick played on them. 

Looking forward to your review.

Scoresby

To stick with the analogy, tricks can be either hostile or good-natured, I think. I might prefer, when reading, to be in on the trick, but I cannot always have it that way. At least, I'd like to know the trick is being done in good spirit, even if I am not, and is not being made at my expense. Sometimes--I'd even say, often--advertising is done at the audience's expense.

I just finished reading a book whose tricks I didn't enjoy. I plan to write a review about it.

the_stacker_muse

Writing is hostile

billytheked

To stick with the analogy, tricks can be either hostile or good-natured, I think. I might prefer, when reading, to be in on the trick, but I cannot always have it that way. At least, I'd like to know the trick is being done in good spirit, even if I am not, and is not being made at my expense. Sometimes--I'd even say, often--advertising is done at the audience's expense. 

I just finished reading a book whose tricks I didn't enjoy. I plan to write a review about it.