Books Like Chasing Amanda
From crystal balls and tarot cards to tea leaves and palm reading, mankind has been fascinated with fortune-telling since its earliest days. Although many believe it to be a fraudulent practice, there are also plenty of people who believe in fortune-telling or claim to have this gift. Due to its popularity, fortune-telling has also been a popular subject for authors to explore, particularly in books that deal with murders and mystery. For example, in Chasing Amanda by Melissa Foster, a woman named Molly Tanner finds her occasional clairvoyance showing her the abduction of a young girl. Molly fails to act on her visions and is consumed by guilt when the girl’s body is found two days later. This traumatic event causes her to flee the city and move to a close-knit rural community where she gets her life back on track. However, when a young girl disappears from a park near her home, she puts her life and marriage on the line by trying to decipher her visions and find the girl. For more stories where fortune-telling and visions of the future play a prominent role, check out the following books like Chasing Amanda.
The Reluctant Fortune-Teller
By Keziah Frost
The Reluctant Fortune-Teller by Keziah Frost is the story of Norbert Zelenka, a man who has always lived his life on the sidelines. At seventy-three years old, the retired accountant finds himself alone and broke with only his chihuahua for company. However, Norbert soon finds himself caught up in the schemes of three strong-willed seniors who call themselves “Carlotta’s Club.” Their plan is for Norbert to make some money by establishing himself as the town’s fortune-teller. Norbert reluctantly agrees but then finds that his years of observing other people have actually made him an excellent card reader. Unfortunately, Norbert feels compelled to help bring a young woman home safely after she goes missing following a bad reading of his.
The Leaf Reader
By Emily Arsenault
The Leaf Reader by Emily Arsenault is about a teen named Marnie Wells who has been raised by her eccentric grandmother ever since her mother took off. Marnie is aware that people think she’s creepy, so when she finds an old book about reading tea leaves and uses it to start telling fortunes, nobody even bats an eye. Marnie finds the ceremony and symbols involved weirdly soothing but knows that none of it is real. However, when Matt Cotrell, the basketball star, asks for a reading, things take a darker turn. He appears to be getting emails from someone who claims to be his best friend, Andrea, who is presumed dead after disappearing. Even worse, Marnie finds herself increasingly attracted to Matt despite the readings telling her things about him that make him seem increasingly dangerous.
Madam Tulip
By David Ahern
Derry O’Donnell, an out-of-work actress, is the protagonist of Madam Tulip by David Ahern. Derry finds herself turning to fortune-telling as a means to earn income after her mother cuts her off financially. Derry has a gift for sometimes seeing the future, so aided by her theatrical friends, Derry assumes the persona of Madam Tulip and touts herself as a celebrity fortune teller. She gets her big break performing as Madam Tulip at a celebrity charity event held at a lavish castle. All goes well as the celebrities enjoy their sessions with Madam Tulip and have no qualms about confiding their secrets with her. However, Derry finds herself having to really use her gift when a famous rap artist ends up dead, and Derry’s best friend is arrested for being the prime suspect.
The Fortune Teller’s Garden
By Frances DeleCourt Winters
The Fortune Teller’s Garden by Frances DeleCourt Winters is a heartwarming romance set in the sleepy seaside town of Cobweb Corners. It is here where Keighley Woodson lives in her grandparents’ old Victorian home and makes a living telling fortunes. Keighley has everything she needs except for a forever romance. Then, Connor Jake, a reporter driven by pain, arrives in town as part of his mission to expose the frauds inside New England’s psychic industry. However, seeing Keighley guiding those in trouble back toward their dreams makes him realize that she’s not a fraud. Keighley is unaware of Connor’s intentions while he struggles between sticking to his assignment and letting go of the past.
Vanessa Yu’s Magical Paris Tea Shop
By Roselle Lim
Vanessa Yu, the star of Vanessa Yu’s Magical Paris Tea Shop by Roselle Lim, is gifted with the ability to see people’s futures in tea leaves. It is an ability that she has had for as long as she can remember but never wanted it because of the effects it has on her love life. Despite her best efforts, she can’t help revealing the future she sees to her boyfriends, which means none of them stick around for very long. Things get worse when her parents decide to enlist the services of a matchmaking expert from Shanghai, which prompts Vanessa to see a vision of death for the first time. Desperate to get rid of her uncanny ability, Vanessa follows her Aunt Evelyn, a gifted fortune-teller, to Paris, where she is opening a tea shop.
The Fool Dies Last
By Carol Miller
The Fool Dies Last is the first book in The Fortune Telling Mysteries series by Carol Miller. It is the tale of two sisters, Hope and Summer Bailey, who run a mystic shop called Bailey’s Boutique in Asheville, North Carolina. The shop sells crystals and tinctures, and while Hope can do Tarot readings, she prefers palm readings for reasons she doesn’t want to discuss. However, the town is shaken up when a doctor bursts into the shop, accusing them of poisoning one of his patients with a tincture. To make matters worse, a Tarot card of “The Fool” is found on the woman’s body after she dies of an allergic reaction. When more victims end up dead with this card, Hope realizes that she will have to engage the tarot again to find the killer.
