The Fortune Seller

• Author: Rachel Kapelke-Dale
• Genre: Mystery/Suspense
• Publication Date: February 13, 2024
• Publisher: Macmillan Audio

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for providing me with an ARC of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

Middle-class Rosie Macalister has worked for years to fit in with her wealthy friends on the Yale equestrian team, but when she comes back from her junior year abroad with newfound confidence, she finds the group has been infiltrated by the mysterious Annelise Tattinger.

A talented tarot reader and a brilliant rider, the Annelise is unlike anyone Rosie has ever met—but when one of their friends notices money disappearing from her bank account, Annelise’s place in the circle is thrown into question. As the women turn against each other, the group’s unspoken tensions and assumptions lead to devastating consequences.

It’s only after graduation, when Rosie begins a job at a Manhattan hedge fund, that she begins to uncover Annelise’s true identity—and how her place in their elite Yale set was no accident. Is it too late for Rosie to make right what went wrong, or does everyone’s luck run out at some point? Set in the heady days of the early aughts, The Fortune Seller is a haunting examination of class, ambition, and the desires that shape our lives.

I was quickly sold on the idea of this book after realizing it was going to involve two things I enjoy reading about—dark academia and tarot. However, I was a bit curious to see how the author was going to work these two things in with the Yale equestrian team and a bunch of wealthy girls on the team and their financially stable but not wealthy friend Rosie. The fact that this was presented in audiobook format was just the cherry on top.

To start with, Stephanie Cannon did a fantastic job as narrator. She managed to make all the characters sound different and easy to identify from the others, even affecting posh overtones to her speech for certain characters. Her narration kept me engaged and laser-focused on the story, even when my mind wanted to drift off.

As for the story, it kind of felt like there were two different aspects to it—the first half, which focused more on the relationships between the young women in her social circle, and how the dynamics change throughout their senior year as a result of Annelise’s place in their life. The second half focused more on who Annelise really was and what actually happened to her, and was a bit faster moving.

In the first half, we’re given the time to meet and get to know the characters. I personally feel that it can be nice to have the space to bond with characters before anything happens, so that I’m invested in what happens to them. In this story, I was drawn to Rosie’s sweet personality—she’s a genuinely good and kind yet somewhat naïve individual. Some of the other characters have their moments, but I found her friends to be a difficult bunch to like, with the exception of Annelise. She was such an intriguing character, mainly because she wasn’t afraid to be different in a world where so many people were the same. Yet each of the characters is thoroughly rendered, with a full story and motivation and personality to them. Even Annelise, has background provided, although we are aware that there is some mystery or secret in her past. 

I absolutely loved the emphasis on tarot throughout the book. In addition to Annelise performing readings throughout the first half of the book for her friends, each chapter begins with a tarot card and an explanation of what the card means. It’s clear that Kapelke-Dale has done some serious research on the cards, if she isn’t a practitioner herself. And throughout is the competitive nature of equestrian riding, as well as the distinct advantages gained through privilege—access to better horses and training, which means better skills and opportunities. 

Amongst the discussions of class and elitism, there are some pretty big plot twists that blindsided me. I saw one coming, but the others were shocking. I found myself rooting for Rosie to find out the answers, even as I knew it would change things forever, and kept waiting for her to finally find her voice and speak up. Overall, this was a fantastic story on so many levels, and I’m excited to go and check out her backlist after this. 

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links, and I may earn a small commission at no cost to you if you purchase through my links.