The Fortune Teller: A Novel

by Gwendolyn Womack

Overview

NOW A USA TODAY AND LOS ANGELES TIMES BESTSELLER

From the award-winning author of The Memory Painter comes a sweeping and suspenseful tale of romance, fate, and fortune.

Semele Cavnow appraises antiquities for an exclusive Manhattan auction house, deciphering ancient texts—and when she discovers a manuscript written in the time of Cleopatra, she knows it will be the find of her career. Its author tells the story of a priceless tarot deck, now lost to history, but as Semele delves further, she realizes the manuscript is more than it seems. Both a memoir and a prophecy, it appears to be the work of a powerful seer, describing devastating wars and natural disasters in detail thousands of years before they occurred.

The more she reads, the more the manuscript begins to affect Semele’s life. But what happened to the tarot deck? As the mystery of her connection to its story deepens, Semele can’t shake the feeling that she’s being followed. Only one person can help her make sense of it all: her client, Theo Bossard. Yet Theo is arrogant and elusive, concealing secrets of his own, and there’s more to Semele’s desire to speak with him than she would like to admit. Can Semele even trust him?

The auction date is swiftly approaching, and someone wants to interfere—someone who knows the cards exist, and that the Bossard manuscript is tied to her. Semele realizes it’s up to her to stop them: the manuscript holds the key to a two-thousand-year-old secret, a secret someone will do anything to possess.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781250099778
Publisher:	Picador
Publication date:	06/06/2017
Pages:	368
Sales rank:	405,419
Product dimensions:	5.40(w) x 7.60(h) x 1.00(d)

About the Author

Originally from Houston, Texas, GWENDOLYN WOMACK studied theater at the University of Alaska, Fairbanks and holds an MFA in Directing Theatre, Video, and Cinema from California Institute of the Arts. She is the USA Today bestselling author of The Fortune Teller and the RWA Prism Award-winning reincarnation thriller, The Memory Painter. She resides in Los Angeles with her family.

Editorial Reviews

04/03/2017
Semele Cavnow, an expert in historical manuscripts, thinks the only complication of her job in Switzerland is the inappropriate sexual chemistry between her and Theo Bossard, her client. Grieving her father’s sudden death and hurt by a fight with her mother, Semele retreats into her work. When she discovers a prophetic manuscript on her last day of the job, she embarks on a quest that stretches back through her personal history and all the way to the ancient world. The prophecy, written by a seer with ties to the library of Alexandria, contains vignettes from throughout history. These are much more interesting than Semele’s story, which is both predictable and slightly melodramatic. With considerable attention to historical detail, Womack gives the readers windows into life in ancient Gundeshapur, Renaissance-era Milan and Paris, and revolutionary Russia. The destination isn’t very satisfying, but the journey is delightful. Agent: Brianne Johnson, Writers House. (June)

Publishers Weekly

Another tale by Womack that can’t be put down. Superb storytelling. Rounded characters. Stakes worth killing—or dying—for. This is summer reading for every season.”—New York Journal of Books

"A heart-pounding page-turner...Womack is the Dan Brown for the tarot world. The Fortune Teller is a luscious and enchanting read. I highly recommend [it]."—Benebell Wen, author of Holistic Tarot and The Tao of Craft

"Even better than [The Memory Painter]...This is a fascinating story, one that keep you in suspense until the end."—The Oklahoman

"Beginning as a clever mystery based on an ancient manuscript and evolving into a family epic spanning centuries, an international thriller, and a destined romance, The Fortune Teller has something for everyone. Offer it to fans of A.S. Byatt's Possession and Lauren Willig's Pink Carnation series."—Booklist

“Traveling around the world and across many lifetimes, this ambitious historical romance makes it clear that Womack has done some extensive research. Fans of Diana Gabaldon’s Outlander series may become swept up in this labyrinthine tale.”—Library Journal

"Womack alternates back and forth between a whirlwind history that spans thousands of years and the suspense of Semele's search...Entertaining."—Kirkus Reviews

“With considerable attention to historical detail, Womack gives the readers windows into life in ancient Gundeshapur, Renaissance-era Milan and Paris, and revolutionary Russia....the journey is delightful.”—Publishers Weekly

"I was completely enthralled...This is a great novel and a pitch-perfect summer read. Those of you with an inclination toward metaphysical romance novels (was there ever such a thing?): this book is for you. Pack it in your beach bag and dive right in!"—TarotbyHilary

"The Fortune Teller is a gripping, twisting tale that spans thousands of years, thousands of miles, and perhaps even crosses over to the 'other side.' A fascinating read that is that unlikely combination of unputdownable and thought-provoking."—B.A. Shapiro, bestselling author of The Art Forger and The Muralist

"There aren't enough words to adequately describe how much I love The Fortune Teller. It is a gripping and masterfully woven combination of history, mystery, fate, adventure, and family ties: a true page-turner that enthralls from the first sentence with unique characters, fascinating settings, and intriguing artifacts. Womack brilliantly illuminates how there is more at play in the world than logic can explain."—Kelli Estes, USA Today bestselling author of The Girl Who Wrote in Silk

"The Fortune Teller takes you on an international thrill ride across centuries—with fascinating research and memorable characters—proving once again that Gwendolyn Womack is a magician, keeping readers turning pages with wonder and awe."—M.J. Rose, New York Times bestselling author

"What a mesmerizing journey. The suspense increases steadily throughout the novel, as Semele realizes her identity is caught up in the mysterious manuscript and that the truth of her own abilities is a secret people will kill for. Readers who enjoy the novels of Katherine Neville, Kate Mosse and Diana Gabaldon will savor this treat."—Nancy Bilyeau, author of The Crown

From the Publisher

05/01/2017
Semele Cavnow works as an appraiser of ancient manuscripts, and she's given the assignment of a lifetime. A renowned collector has died, and Semele is sent to his castle in Switzerland to sort out his perfectly maintained treasures. The man's son, the handsome and mysterious Theo, wants no part of the collection and makes plans for it to be auctioned in Manhattan. As Semele does her work, she comes across a hidden cache containing an ancient manuscript. The document seems to foretell the future, and it also describes a long-lost deck of tarot cards. Semele realizes that this manuscript holds some sort of powerful magic that will change her life in ways she cannot yet imagine. Many elements are at play here: mystery, antiquity, history, prophecy, crime, and the occult. Add in wealth and beauty, and romance is bound to happen. Semele and Theo develop a long-smoldering attraction to each other. VERDICT Traveling around the world and across many lifetimes, this ambitious historical romance makes it clear that Womack has done some extensive research. Fans of Diana Gabaldon's "Outlander" series may become swept up in this labyrinthine tale. [See Prepub Alert, 1/8/17.]—Susanne Wells, Indianapolis P.L.

Library Journal

2017-03-21
An ancient manuscript seems to predict the future—including the dangerous journey set in motion by the woman who discovers it.Semele Cavnow works for a prestigious New York auction house. When she's called to Switzerland after the death of a famous manuscript collector, she makes an amazing discovery in his library: a manuscript dating back to the time of Cleopatra, written by the daughter of a librarian at the great Library of Alexandria. Even more amazing—the script's writer is an oracle, able to trace her progeny's stories forward in time from ancient Egypt through World War II. As the oracle traces her line, and reveals the history of an ancient set of symbols that eventually come to comprise the modern tarot deck, Semele's professional interest is piqued. When the manuscript suddenly addresses Semele by name, she becomes obsessed with discovering the connections between the manuscript's fortunetellers and her own life. As Semele learns more about the tumultuous histories of the oracle's descendants, she also learns that the people she thought she could trust are not what they seem. Womack (The Memory Painter, 2015) alternates back and forth between a whirlwind history that spans thousands of years and the suspense of Semele's search—but without one constant character threading the historical narrative, those sections can leave readers itching to get back to the contemporary mystery, which unfolds at a thriller's pace. However, Semele herself can be a vague protagonist. Her characterization frequently feels haphazard and belated—for the first 150 pages, we know little about her personality other than that she favors vintage clothing that's "elegant yet comfortable"—but the book ultimately pleases based on clever details and a galloping plot. A well-worn template with entertaining embellishments.

Kirkus Reviews