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Sunny Meadows Mystery #1
Tempest in the Tea Leaves
Using various fortune telling tools to interpret her visions, Sunny seeks to aid the residents of Divinity, New York. But when she uses tea leaves to read the frazzled town librarian, what lies at the bottom of the cup is anything but helpful.
294 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published August 2, 2011
560 people are currently reading
3597 people want to read
About the author
Kari Lee Townsend
54 books459 followersNational Bestselling Author, Agatha, RT Reviewer's Choice & Golden Duck Award Nominee. Kari lives in Central New York with her husband & Samoyeds. She's a lover of wine & travel, obsessed with reality TV, and loves a good book with mystery, romance & humor. Inspired by TV shows like SMK, Moonlighting, Bones & Castle, she writes cozy mysteries & upper Middle Grade as Kari Lee Townsend, romantic suspense, romantic comedy & women's fiction as Kari Lee Harmon.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 329 reviews
August 16, 2017
My rating: 1 of 5 stars
I won this book in a giveaway hosted by Violette @ The Mystery Bookshelf.
*I rarely give one stars, but this was bad and I feel the need to rant so spoilers beware! You've been warned.*
The main character is Sunny Meadows (Nope, I am not fibbing. She changed her name because she was CLEARLY not a Sylvia. And Sunny is much better.) and wants to start her own Fortune Teller business. She decides it's time to move out of her parents house and has chosen Divinity, NY as her new home. She is 29 years old after all and wants to take care of herself... with her handy-dandy trust fund, of course. She buys up an old Victorian, which she promptly names Vicky, and plans to remodel and redecorate it herself so she can reside there and run her business out of it as well. This is all very shocking considering the degree of genius we're dealing with.
"Shivering, I realized how cold it was in the house. The thermostat read fifty-five degrees. It was a wonder the pipes hadn't burst."
We're obviously dealing with Einstein-level genius here.
So her business gets started and she has her first customer and she gives her a tea reading and reports that she sees a deer which of course means a dispute and also a flag which means danger! But then! THE KETTLE. Which means he won't be making her tea... he'll be killing her soon.
DUN DUN DUN.
Okay so dramatic business aside, in addition to the eye-rolling storyline this was very poorly written with the most ridiculous set of characters. She was extremely immature for a 29 year old and was so very unrealistic. This entire book was honestly unrealistic. Cozy mysteries have an air of silliness as a standard, however, the few I've read have managed to still at least make sense and been funny and entertaining. But when Sunny is made the prime suspect in the death and then is promptly recruited by the police department to aid in the investigation... I'm sorry, what? Plus, she acted like a teenager half the time and couldn't control herself from blurting out case details at the most highly inopportune times. Then there was the nonsensical romance between Sunny and the cop and her parents showing up to also assist in the case and then there's Morty the magic cat and Sunny's ongoing absurdity like when she broke into a suspects house but ends up having to hide in the closet while the suspect and her boyfriend watch porn....
This was clearly not my cup of tea. (ha-Sorry. I couldn't resist.) I manage to somehow possess more willpower to keep going when I'm reading a crappy book as a buddy read so that's my only explanation for actually finishing this ridiculous mess of a book. As ridiculous and unbelievable as this book managed to consistently be, the ending and answer to the whole mystery was infuriating. I will definitely not be continuing this series
I won this book in a giveaway hosted by Violette @ The Mystery Bookshelf.
*I rarely give one stars, but this was bad and I feel the need to rant so spoilers beware! You've been warned.*
The main character is Sunny Meadows (Nope, I am not fibbing. She changed her name because she was CLEARLY not a Sylvia. And Sunny is much better.) and wants to start her own Fortune Teller business. She decides it's time to move out of her parents house and has chosen Divinity, NY as her new home. She is 29 years old after all and wants to take care of herself... with her handy-dandy trust fund, of course. She buys up an old Victorian, which she promptly names Vicky, and plans to remodel and redecorate it herself so she can reside there and run her business out of it as well. This is all very shocking considering the degree of genius we're dealing with.
"Shivering, I realized how cold it was in the house. The thermostat read fifty-five degrees. It was a wonder the pipes hadn't burst."
We're obviously dealing with Einstein-level genius here.
So her business gets started and she has her first customer and she gives her a tea reading and reports that she sees a deer which of course means a dispute and also a flag which means danger! But then! THE KETTLE. Which means he won't be making her tea... he'll be killing her soon.
DUN DUN DUN.
Okay so dramatic business aside, in addition to the eye-rolling storyline this was very poorly written with the most ridiculous set of characters. She was extremely immature for a 29 year old and was so very unrealistic. This entire book was honestly unrealistic. Cozy mysteries have an air of silliness as a standard, however, the few I've read have managed to still at least make sense and been funny and entertaining. But when Sunny is made the prime suspect in the death and then is promptly recruited by the police department to aid in the investigation... I'm sorry, what? Plus, she acted like a teenager half the time and couldn't control herself from blurting out case details at the most highly inopportune times. Then there was the nonsensical romance between Sunny and the cop and her parents showing up to also assist in the case and then there's Morty the magic cat and Sunny's ongoing absurdity like when she broke into a suspects house but ends up having to hide in the closet while the suspect and her boyfriend watch porn....
This was clearly not my cup of tea. (ha-Sorry. I couldn't resist.) I manage to somehow possess more willpower to keep going when I'm reading a crappy book as a buddy read so that's my only explanation for actually finishing this ridiculous mess of a book. As ridiculous and unbelievable as this book managed to consistently be, the ending and answer to the whole mystery was infuriating. I will definitely not be continuing this series
October 30, 2011
Let this be a lesson to us all- just because one is bored while in line at Acme and in need of a Tuesday evening activity does not mean one should purchase a book solely based on the fact that it is within reach.
September 8, 2011
Sunshine Meadows (no I am not kidding) moves to the small town of Divinity, NY to start her fortune telling business. Her first customer is the town librarian. Sunny warns her that she is going to be killed by a man and then sends her one her merry way. The librarian is killed before Sunny can contact the police and Sunny becomes the prime suspect, even though she just met the woman and has no motive to kill her. So of course, Sunny has to clear her name.
I usually don't do bad reviews because I usually don't finish books I am not enjoying but I kept hoping this would get better. Sadly, it did not. I found Sunny annoying, the magic cat just a bit too magical and the mystery weak. I don't want to put in any spoilers, I will just say that even for a cozy this book just did not make sense. I will say that I did not guess the killer, but I think that is mostly because it was such a bad story in the end. I will not be visiting Divinity again.
I usually don't do bad reviews because I usually don't finish books I am not enjoying but I kept hoping this would get better. Sadly, it did not. I found Sunny annoying, the magic cat just a bit too magical and the mystery weak. I don't want to put in any spoilers, I will just say that even for a cozy this book just did not make sense. I will say that I did not guess the killer, but I think that is mostly because it was such a bad story in the end. I will not be visiting Divinity again.
January 16, 2016
In the fortune telling business there are a lot of pretenders, but Sunshine Meadows is the real deal—and her predictions can be lethally accurate…
Sunny is a big city psychic who moves to the quaint town of Divinity, NY to open her fortune-telling business in an ancient Victorian house, inheriting the strange cat residing within. Sunny gives her first reading to the frazzled librarian and discovers the woman is going to die. When the woman flees in terror, Sunny calls the police, only she’s too late. The ruggedly handsome, hard-nosed detective is a ”non-believer.” He finds the librarian dead, and Sunny becomes his number one suspect, forcing her to prove her innocence before the real killer can put an end to the psychic’s future.
I fell quickly and fell hard in love with Sunny and Morty. You can't help it. Sunny, her real name is Sylvia, but she is only called that by her parents, has her hands full. She has moved away from her home, her parents and their money to live a life of her own. Her parents believe she is just going through a phase.
Wonderfully written. As a mom, I know her parents are only trying to protect her. As a daughter, I completely understand the need to strike out on your own. This whole relationship adds a lot of humor to this story, as does Sunny's unique relationship with Detective Mitch Stone. The big tough cop who is afraid of a lovable harmless cat.
The murder mystery itself was full of plenty of "red herrings" that kept you guessing.
I have not been a fan of paranormal mysteries until recently and then relatively tame ones. The psychic elements of this story are very light and fun and I loved it.
I rarely give the first book in a series a five star rating because I believe you have to get comfortable with the characters and watch them evolve, but I absolutely love the characters in this book. Especially Morty, closely followed by Sunny of course. I hope we won't have to wait too long for another trip back to Divinity. As you can tell from my rating this book is the purrfect escape!!!
Sunny is a big city psychic who moves to the quaint town of Divinity, NY to open her fortune-telling business in an ancient Victorian house, inheriting the strange cat residing within. Sunny gives her first reading to the frazzled librarian and discovers the woman is going to die. When the woman flees in terror, Sunny calls the police, only she’s too late. The ruggedly handsome, hard-nosed detective is a ”non-believer.” He finds the librarian dead, and Sunny becomes his number one suspect, forcing her to prove her innocence before the real killer can put an end to the psychic’s future.
I fell quickly and fell hard in love with Sunny and Morty. You can't help it. Sunny, her real name is Sylvia, but she is only called that by her parents, has her hands full. She has moved away from her home, her parents and their money to live a life of her own. Her parents believe she is just going through a phase.
Wonderfully written. As a mom, I know her parents are only trying to protect her. As a daughter, I completely understand the need to strike out on your own. This whole relationship adds a lot of humor to this story, as does Sunny's unique relationship with Detective Mitch Stone. The big tough cop who is afraid of a lovable harmless cat.
The murder mystery itself was full of plenty of "red herrings" that kept you guessing.
I have not been a fan of paranormal mysteries until recently and then relatively tame ones. The psychic elements of this story are very light and fun and I loved it.
I rarely give the first book in a series a five star rating because I believe you have to get comfortable with the characters and watch them evolve, but I absolutely love the characters in this book. Especially Morty, closely followed by Sunny of course. I hope we won't have to wait too long for another trip back to Divinity. As you can tell from my rating this book is the purrfect escape!!!
July 10, 2014
This was such a strange read for me. It was like reading a middle school book in the guise of an adult cozy mystery. The main character, Sunny, speaks like a very young teen, making up silly names to call people and every line is a cliched joke. It reminded me very much of 12-year-olds who restate lines that they hear on television as they practice their communication skills. On 29-year-old Sunny, it just makes her sound stunted, and she never develops past that as a character. The plot is also something that might spring out of a child's imagination, as they don't yet understand adult reality and just make things up as they go. Here are some choice examples: 1.) Sunny is a murder suspect, so the police immediately make her a partner with the detective in charge of the investigation so she can prove that she didn't commit the murder (???) and the detective shares the details of the investigation with her parents so they can help clear her (???); 2.) If you are a lightweight with alcohol and get stone cold drunk on 4 whiskey double shots, just take a short nap and there's no hangover (???); 3.) House pipes freeze at 55 degrees (???); and 4.) If someone standing in front of you holds a gun up to you and starts shooting, just feint to the left and right to avoid the bullets (???). See? Middle school level magical thinking. This book was just so very weird.
August 14, 2011
Rarely do I give a novel a five-star review on the first debut, however, I read "Tempest in the Tea Leaves" in record time. Why? Because, as one reviewer stated, it is "Destined to become a classic." A 29yr old young lady feeling out of touch with the world she was born to, decides it is time to venture out and live her own life, in her own way.
Sunshine Meadows is our sleuth's chosen name (to the chagrin of her parents.) I think the name is perfect. Lady Vicky, is the name of Sunny's new Victorian home...again perfect. Sunny is a fortune teller and uses a room in Lady Vicky referred to as "Sunny's Sanctuary" perfect! There is a magical cat, Morty, whom I wanted to adopt myself, and we are 'dog' persons. I adore his personality. Then, there is the town of Divinity, NY. What can I say? Divine! I love the characters living in town, even the naughty ones.
This book had it all. Humor, mystery, detective to drool over, gal pals, caring parents that should live at a distance, and a haunted house/or cat?
The ending was a complete surprise. I had an inclination but did not get the full picture until the clever author revealed it to me.
Now to impatiently await the next book in this series. Go, buy it and sit back and truly enjoy!
Sunshine Meadows is our sleuth's chosen name (to the chagrin of her parents.) I think the name is perfect. Lady Vicky, is the name of Sunny's new Victorian home...again perfect. Sunny is a fortune teller and uses a room in Lady Vicky referred to as "Sunny's Sanctuary" perfect! There is a magical cat, Morty, whom I wanted to adopt myself, and we are 'dog' persons. I adore his personality. Then, there is the town of Divinity, NY. What can I say? Divine! I love the characters living in town, even the naughty ones.
This book had it all. Humor, mystery, detective to drool over, gal pals, caring parents that should live at a distance, and a haunted house/or cat?
The ending was a complete surprise. I had an inclination but did not get the full picture until the clever author revealed it to me.
Now to impatiently await the next book in this series. Go, buy it and sit back and truly enjoy!
September 8, 2021
This left a nasty bitter taste on my psyche. It was just so bad on so many levels.
Let's start with Silvya, I mean Sunshine, no, I mean Sunny, or, as the detective/romantic interest calls her Tink. Of course he doesn't just call her Tink, he calls her Tink five or six times every page. Tink. Tink. Tink. Tink. Tink. Yeah, not annoying at all.
So Sunny is 29, and finally asserting her independence and leaving her helicopter high achieving parents - but never fear, she has her trust fund. She's never fit in - buying vintage clothes, a used car, a run down house - which is supposed to make her.... special? Likeable? I don't know. All I know is she's kind of a ditz, giggles (constantly) calls the Detective - Detective Grumpy Pants - which is not childish at all.
Somehow she is assigned by the Mayor of the cutsie town to partner up with the detective after only being in town six hours AND being the main suspect. So not stupid at all.
Yes, I know this is a cosy mystery, but besides the small town setting it doesn't succeed on any levels. None of the secondary characters are memorable or quirky. The detective is arrogant and needlessly antagonistic to Sunny. And no sane police detective would say or do anything he does.
Oh - and just some advice for this 'supposedly' best selling author - when you switch the narrative to a different location or jump in the time line - use stars or some kind of parentheses to warn the reader. Too often I was reading and then the next paragraph I was elsewhere and the heroine was suddenly talking to a whole bunch of new characters. It was beyond weird and jarring.
The plot was needlessly silly and layered - but badly so - the nonsensical clumsy situations Sunny keeps putting herself in are just excruciating. I winced at the constant stupidity and found myself skimming heaps because the plot, the characters and world building was just so very, very bad.
Let's start with Silvya, I mean Sunshine, no, I mean Sunny, or, as the detective/romantic interest calls her Tink. Of course he doesn't just call her Tink, he calls her Tink five or six times every page. Tink. Tink. Tink. Tink. Tink. Yeah, not annoying at all.
So Sunny is 29, and finally asserting her independence and leaving her helicopter high achieving parents - but never fear, she has her trust fund. She's never fit in - buying vintage clothes, a used car, a run down house - which is supposed to make her.... special? Likeable? I don't know. All I know is she's kind of a ditz, giggles (constantly) calls the Detective - Detective Grumpy Pants - which is not childish at all.
Somehow she is assigned by the Mayor of the cutsie town to partner up with the detective after only being in town six hours AND being the main suspect. So not stupid at all.
Yes, I know this is a cosy mystery, but besides the small town setting it doesn't succeed on any levels. None of the secondary characters are memorable or quirky. The detective is arrogant and needlessly antagonistic to Sunny. And no sane police detective would say or do anything he does.
Oh - and just some advice for this 'supposedly' best selling author - when you switch the narrative to a different location or jump in the time line - use stars or some kind of parentheses to warn the reader. Too often I was reading and then the next paragraph I was elsewhere and the heroine was suddenly talking to a whole bunch of new characters. It was beyond weird and jarring.
The plot was needlessly silly and layered - but badly so - the nonsensical clumsy situations Sunny keeps putting herself in are just excruciating. I winced at the constant stupidity and found myself skimming heaps because the plot, the characters and world building was just so very, very bad.
July 31, 2017
Sunny Meadows moves to the small town of Divinity, New York.
Hoping to make a new start in her own home and her job as a psychic.
Sunny uses all kinds of divination methods to aid her clients.
When the town librarian asks for a reading, Sunny reads her clients tea leaves.
But what she sees in that cup doesn't bode well!
When the librarian ends up dead as predicted by Sunny, detective Mitch Stone knocks on her door.
Now she has to find the real culprit or she can see herself crystal clear in jail.
Tempest in the tea leaves is the first book in ''A fortune teller mystery'' series!
I liked the main character, for a spiritual person she still remained very ''down to earth'' for me.
I thought the story was written in a nice way and it didn't take me long to be engrossed in it!
The other characters felt very real to me as well and i really liked the tensions between Sunny and the detective!
And i just loved Morty the cat!
The book kept me guessing who the killer was till the end!
This is a nice magical mystery to enjoy yourself with this season and i look forward to ''Corpse in the crystal ball'' which will be published next year!
Hoping to make a new start in her own home and her job as a psychic.
Sunny uses all kinds of divination methods to aid her clients.
When the town librarian asks for a reading, Sunny reads her clients tea leaves.
But what she sees in that cup doesn't bode well!
When the librarian ends up dead as predicted by Sunny, detective Mitch Stone knocks on her door.
Now she has to find the real culprit or she can see herself crystal clear in jail.
Tempest in the tea leaves is the first book in ''A fortune teller mystery'' series!
I liked the main character, for a spiritual person she still remained very ''down to earth'' for me.
I thought the story was written in a nice way and it didn't take me long to be engrossed in it!
The other characters felt very real to me as well and i really liked the tensions between Sunny and the detective!
And i just loved Morty the cat!
The book kept me guessing who the killer was till the end!
This is a nice magical mystery to enjoy yourself with this season and i look forward to ''Corpse in the crystal ball'' which will be published next year!
June 6, 2015
Sunny Meadows had left home and moved to Divinity, New York. She realized that at age 29, it was time that she followed her passion and live her life the way she wanted to. Her parents do not understand her and are not happy with her career choice. You see, Sunny is a fortune teller and a darn good one, if she does say so herself. She has moved into a “haunted “ house, which she feels will be good for business. What is not so good for business is the fact that her first customer winds up dead only a few short hours after the reading. A reading that warned that the client was in danger and would be killed.
After the client left, Sunny was so concerned about what was going to happen that she called the police. When a detective (Mitch Stone) showed up, Sunny tells him that a murder is going to happen and even who the victim is. Even though the detective is skeptical, he pays a visit to the victim’s house, only to find her dead. Sunny becomes the number one suspect, since she warned of the murder and tea was found at the crime scene. Being a suspect will not be good for business, so Sunny decides there is only one thing she can do. Find the killer herself. And much to the chagrin of both Sunny and Mitch, they eventually find themselves working together to solve the case.
I found the concept of a fortuneteller unique and refreshing. There are probably other fortuneteller series that have been written, but I have not read any. I love reading paranormal cozies and this fit the bill nicely. The fortunetelling and the “haunted” house and the magical cat, Morty, that just appears inside the house were the perfect combination of mystical and mysterious. I loved how the author wove all of these elements to give the story a magical feel.
Another thing that I found refreshing was the fact that Sunny is basically on her own. In most of the cozy series I read, the protagonist always have a group of friends to help her investigate. Most of the time they have been friends forever. And do not get me wrong, I enjoy these and love reading about their friendships and relationships. But I also enjoyed the fact that Sunny did not have that group of friends to lean on and had to rely more on her own skills (and those of Morty) to solve the case. I really enjoyed that and made this book a standout, in my opinion.
I thought this book had it all. There was humor, mystery, supernatural and suspense. I found myself laughing out loud reading about the relationship between Sunny and Mitch. I enjoyed the bickering and bantering between the two. I loved the loyalty Morty had to Sunny and how he was able to relay messages to Sunny and help her with the case. The mystery was carried out through much of the book and I thought it was well plotted. I eventually figured out who the killer was before it was revealed but that was alright. I still did not know how the book would end.
I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a paranormal cozy read. This is the first book in the series and There are two more books already written. I will definitely be reading both of them. I am just sorry that it took me so long to read the first book.
After the client left, Sunny was so concerned about what was going to happen that she called the police. When a detective (Mitch Stone) showed up, Sunny tells him that a murder is going to happen and even who the victim is. Even though the detective is skeptical, he pays a visit to the victim’s house, only to find her dead. Sunny becomes the number one suspect, since she warned of the murder and tea was found at the crime scene. Being a suspect will not be good for business, so Sunny decides there is only one thing she can do. Find the killer herself. And much to the chagrin of both Sunny and Mitch, they eventually find themselves working together to solve the case.
I found the concept of a fortuneteller unique and refreshing. There are probably other fortuneteller series that have been written, but I have not read any. I love reading paranormal cozies and this fit the bill nicely. The fortunetelling and the “haunted” house and the magical cat, Morty, that just appears inside the house were the perfect combination of mystical and mysterious. I loved how the author wove all of these elements to give the story a magical feel.
Another thing that I found refreshing was the fact that Sunny is basically on her own. In most of the cozy series I read, the protagonist always have a group of friends to help her investigate. Most of the time they have been friends forever. And do not get me wrong, I enjoy these and love reading about their friendships and relationships. But I also enjoyed the fact that Sunny did not have that group of friends to lean on and had to rely more on her own skills (and those of Morty) to solve the case. I really enjoyed that and made this book a standout, in my opinion.
I thought this book had it all. There was humor, mystery, supernatural and suspense. I found myself laughing out loud reading about the relationship between Sunny and Mitch. I enjoyed the bickering and bantering between the two. I loved the loyalty Morty had to Sunny and how he was able to relay messages to Sunny and help her with the case. The mystery was carried out through much of the book and I thought it was well plotted. I eventually figured out who the killer was before it was revealed but that was alright. I still did not know how the book would end.
I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a paranormal cozy read. This is the first book in the series and There are two more books already written. I will definitely be reading both of them. I am just sorry that it took me so long to read the first book.
August 21, 2011
Tempest in the Tea Leaves is the first book in Kari Lee's new series.
Sunny leaves her parents house to live in an old Victorian home in a small town called Divinity and start her own business in fortune telling. In her first reading for the town librarian she sees the woman getting murdered. She informs the police and just as she predicted the woman is murdered. The detective on the case Mitch Stone is a non-believer and Sunny put herself right on top of the suspect list. Well she is the only suspect to be exact. The major of the of Divinity, who is a believer and wants this murder solved as soon as possible, makes Sunny and detective Stone work together to get to the bottom of this.
Sunny is one quirky but very likeable character. And her name fits her well since she's a funny, positive and upbeat. What I liked most about her that she isn't your typical 'detective' you read in cozy mysteries. No she really has no clue what she's doing. She blurts out every clue and evidence in front of other people and she gets into the much funny situations every time she does her 'detective thing'. You kind of have to feel for detective Stone to have to work with her on this case.
This makes for some fun scenes between Sunny and detective Stone who seemed to be as annoyed with each other at times as they are attracted to each other. I'm looking forward to see how this relationship works out.
And let’s not forget Morty. The mysterious big white cat who kind of came with the house. I am definitely looking forward to learning more about him.
This is a great, light and fun read. Kari had me laughing out loud a few times. It's a whodunit with a hint of paranormal, with Sunny reading someone's future and even seeing it in front of her.
I didn't figure out who it was until somewhere near the end of the book so that makes this a great whoduit for me (I hate figuring out haf way to the book who it is)
I can recommend this book to any lover of cozy mysterie. I'm looking forward to reading the second book in Kari's Fortune Teller Mystery series.
Sunny leaves her parents house to live in an old Victorian home in a small town called Divinity and start her own business in fortune telling. In her first reading for the town librarian she sees the woman getting murdered. She informs the police and just as she predicted the woman is murdered. The detective on the case Mitch Stone is a non-believer and Sunny put herself right on top of the suspect list. Well she is the only suspect to be exact. The major of the of Divinity, who is a believer and wants this murder solved as soon as possible, makes Sunny and detective Stone work together to get to the bottom of this.
Sunny is one quirky but very likeable character. And her name fits her well since she's a funny, positive and upbeat. What I liked most about her that she isn't your typical 'detective' you read in cozy mysteries. No she really has no clue what she's doing. She blurts out every clue and evidence in front of other people and she gets into the much funny situations every time she does her 'detective thing'. You kind of have to feel for detective Stone to have to work with her on this case.
This makes for some fun scenes between Sunny and detective Stone who seemed to be as annoyed with each other at times as they are attracted to each other. I'm looking forward to see how this relationship works out.
And let’s not forget Morty. The mysterious big white cat who kind of came with the house. I am definitely looking forward to learning more about him.
This is a great, light and fun read. Kari had me laughing out loud a few times. It's a whodunit with a hint of paranormal, with Sunny reading someone's future and even seeing it in front of her.
I didn't figure out who it was until somewhere near the end of the book so that makes this a great whoduit for me (I hate figuring out haf way to the book who it is)
I can recommend this book to any lover of cozy mysterie. I'm looking forward to reading the second book in Kari's Fortune Teller Mystery series.
February 13, 2015
“Tempest In The Tea Leaves” is a new series I’ve savoured; expecting.... my cup of tea. I love a fortune-teller buying a house she adores and establishing a special career. I’m willing to wave away the cliché of attraction with the reigning town cop. Indeed, a psychic needn’t be an elderly foreigner in hoop earrings. However ‘Sunny’ does not carry the mature, composed demeanour of this discipline. The aura of wonderment and enticement are missing.
It’s all right that she’s young and determined but her spunk is too argumentative for my taste. All scenes with her parents ruin the ethereal atmosphere we want in books like these. For their part, they stretch too far in the direction of snobby stereotypes. You would think their sole child’s talents would have long been validated in front of them. It may well be me groaning but I found it unlikely and irritating that she stood on someone’s feet during a kiss! It wasn’t a one-time silly moment; it’s twice! Who does that!? I’m not even excited about the angle of an unexplained cat, even though felines are my passion, because it makes no sense my interest can latch onto. That’s saying a lot. He isn’t a ghost but he vanishes and doesn’t drink or eat. It would have sufficed to adopt this dependable, strong-willed cat, minus the bizarre factor.
I enjoy the setting and plot ideas surrounding this series. I eagerly credit originality. The mystery itself was excellent and poignant, too. You want the outcome and people involved to matter. The reader is off-guard and entertained by the plot itself, which succeeds at being complex. I’d have liked more psychic activity, which I heard is in greater drought in volume II. I don’t like this protagonist enough, without an abundance of magical components.
It’s all right that she’s young and determined but her spunk is too argumentative for my taste. All scenes with her parents ruin the ethereal atmosphere we want in books like these. For their part, they stretch too far in the direction of snobby stereotypes. You would think their sole child’s talents would have long been validated in front of them. It may well be me groaning but I found it unlikely and irritating that she stood on someone’s feet during a kiss! It wasn’t a one-time silly moment; it’s twice! Who does that!? I’m not even excited about the angle of an unexplained cat, even though felines are my passion, because it makes no sense my interest can latch onto. That’s saying a lot. He isn’t a ghost but he vanishes and doesn’t drink or eat. It would have sufficed to adopt this dependable, strong-willed cat, minus the bizarre factor.
I enjoy the setting and plot ideas surrounding this series. I eagerly credit originality. The mystery itself was excellent and poignant, too. You want the outcome and people involved to matter. The reader is off-guard and entertained by the plot itself, which succeeds at being complex. I’d have liked more psychic activity, which I heard is in greater drought in volume II. I don’t like this protagonist enough, without an abundance of magical components.
dnf
November 20, 2014I really wanted to like this one. On paper it is perfect. A small town cozy with a nice side of paranormal. And what a cute cover! Sadly I just could not get past the protagonist. Sunny has to be the most immature, bordering on stupid protagonists, I’ve read about to date…and that includes children’s books! At first , I just thought she was going to be a little ditzy…but after a few chapter I had to bail.
I really want to say…it’s not you it’s me…but it really was you…
I really want to say…it’s not you it’s me…but it really was you…
July 21, 2022
This was a 2.5-3 stars. I liked the premise of it, the execution of it was just to over the top at times. That a cat and haunted haunted house chose their owner was a great plot line and Marty the cat is an intriguing part of the story. The main character is 29 and behaves like she’s 16 at times 🙄, Sunny is just to.. immature at times for a woman who is being “independent” and striking out to live on her own away from her parents influence.
Sunny becomes the prime suspect in a murder after giving a reading to a client (she’s a fortune teller) and meets the detective on the case- who she so juvenilly names Det Grumpy Pants 🙄🙄, from there be prepared to suspend all belief as she tries to clear her name, becomes a consultant (while being a suspect) and envisions a romance with the Detective.
Anyway, there were some good parts to the book, so it wasn’t all bad, it’s just that the bad parts were just bad and irritating. Hopefully the series got better.
Sunny becomes the prime suspect in a murder after giving a reading to a client (she’s a fortune teller) and meets the detective on the case- who she so juvenilly names Det Grumpy Pants 🙄🙄, from there be prepared to suspend all belief as she tries to clear her name, becomes a consultant (while being a suspect) and envisions a romance with the Detective.
Anyway, there were some good parts to the book, so it wasn’t all bad, it’s just that the bad parts were just bad and irritating. Hopefully the series got better.
September 22, 2024
I like Morty. Sunny as a character is a bit strange. She appears to be younger and more naive than her actual age. And her relationship with her parents is equally strange. And why does the police make use of her as an investigator? That is not very believable.
Only read once. But I will read the next one in the series. Because I want to find out more about Morty.
Only read once. But I will read the next one in the series. Because I want to find out more about Morty.
August 8, 2011
Tempest in the Tea Leaves is a light and fun cozy mystery with a touch of the paranormal and a hint of romance. This is the first book in Kari Lee Townsend's A Fortune Teller Mystery series. I enjoyed this book!
Fortune teller Sunshine Meadows (aka Sunny) leaves New York City for the small town of Divinity in upstate New York, because she's tired of her high society parents not believing in her or her special gift. Determined to make a new start in Divinity before her trust fund money runs out, she buys an old Victorian house to set up shop, complete with its own mysterious white cat.
Unfortunately for Sunny, things go down hill quickly. Her first customer is the frantic town librarian who wants a reading. After reading her tea leaves, Sunny has a vision of the librarian's murder. Sunny warns the police of her vision, but alas it is too late. The librarian is dead just as she predicted, and Sunny is the prime suspect.
Sunny insists she's innocent - she's new in town and has no motive! Detective Mitch Stone doesn't believe in any of her psychic woo-woo, but he gives her the benefit of the doubt - for now. That will change if and when hard evidence turns up against her, so it's up to Sunny to help the detective find the real killer.
Tempest in the Tea Leaves was a delightful read. Sunny was a likable character with the perfect job for helping to solve a murder, even though it's her fortune telling that got her in trouble in the first place! The author crafted an entertaining mystery that kept me guessing up until the end. There were a few times I thought "that would never really happen with a murder suspect," but I went with it anyway.
The engaging characters pulled me into the story. I had plenty of giggle out loud moments, especially the witty exchanges between Sunny and "grumpy pants" Detective Stone, and Sunny and her snooty parents. Even her mysterious cat Morty was a hoot. He had a personality all his own. I'm so curious about Morty and his (and Sunny's) spooky Victorian house (aka Vicky). I'm looking forward to finding out more about them in future books.
Tempest in the Tea Leaves is a strong start to a new series. I would recommend it to fans of cozy mysteries who like the addition of a paranormal element. I give it 4 out of 5 stars!
Fortune teller Sunshine Meadows (aka Sunny) leaves New York City for the small town of Divinity in upstate New York, because she's tired of her high society parents not believing in her or her special gift. Determined to make a new start in Divinity before her trust fund money runs out, she buys an old Victorian house to set up shop, complete with its own mysterious white cat.
Unfortunately for Sunny, things go down hill quickly. Her first customer is the frantic town librarian who wants a reading. After reading her tea leaves, Sunny has a vision of the librarian's murder. Sunny warns the police of her vision, but alas it is too late. The librarian is dead just as she predicted, and Sunny is the prime suspect.
Sunny insists she's innocent - she's new in town and has no motive! Detective Mitch Stone doesn't believe in any of her psychic woo-woo, but he gives her the benefit of the doubt - for now. That will change if and when hard evidence turns up against her, so it's up to Sunny to help the detective find the real killer.
Tempest in the Tea Leaves was a delightful read. Sunny was a likable character with the perfect job for helping to solve a murder, even though it's her fortune telling that got her in trouble in the first place! The author crafted an entertaining mystery that kept me guessing up until the end. There were a few times I thought "that would never really happen with a murder suspect," but I went with it anyway.
The engaging characters pulled me into the story. I had plenty of giggle out loud moments, especially the witty exchanges between Sunny and "grumpy pants" Detective Stone, and Sunny and her snooty parents. Even her mysterious cat Morty was a hoot. He had a personality all his own. I'm so curious about Morty and his (and Sunny's) spooky Victorian house (aka Vicky). I'm looking forward to finding out more about them in future books.
Tempest in the Tea Leaves is a strong start to a new series. I would recommend it to fans of cozy mysteries who like the addition of a paranormal element. I give it 4 out of 5 stars!
June 24, 2021
Sunny Meadows is the duck out of water daughter of two high powered professionals. A psychic with a heart surgeon father and a high powered lawyer of a mother who wants nothing to do with the lifestyle of people born into their kind of money. She just wants to be left in peace to live her life her way. In an old VW bug, in an old house that people think is haunted, building up her fortune telling business.
I wanted to like this book. I really did. I liked the idea of the character. I liked the cat and the house. Up until she turned into a complete ditz upon meeting the cop who is also a central character to the book and probably the series with the way these things go. After a while, it felt almost like the author couldn't take her own sleuth seriously. I started to wonder if the author made a Fortune Teller as her main character because this type of mystery had become popular and not because she could actually get behind the character herself.
Everything about this book could have been very interesting if the main character wasn't so annoying. Several specific things really bothered me. I won't mention most which would be spoilers. But I will mention that it seemed very childish of Sunny to get mad at people who don't believe her visions are real just because she tells them they are real. If she has a history of always being right, even if she didn't know what something meant right away, it might be understandable in the case of family and friends. But people who only just met her and were skeptics would need more. A reasonable adult with her abilities would understand that there are skeptics. But she gets her nose out of joint when anyone doesn't believe her.
I only finished to book to find out who the murderer was. I doubt I will read anything else in this series.
I wanted to like this book. I really did. I liked the idea of the character. I liked the cat and the house. Up until she turned into a complete ditz upon meeting the cop who is also a central character to the book and probably the series with the way these things go. After a while, it felt almost like the author couldn't take her own sleuth seriously. I started to wonder if the author made a Fortune Teller as her main character because this type of mystery had become popular and not because she could actually get behind the character herself.
Everything about this book could have been very interesting if the main character wasn't so annoying. Several specific things really bothered me. I won't mention most which would be spoilers. But I will mention that it seemed very childish of Sunny to get mad at people who don't believe her visions are real just because she tells them they are real. If she has a history of always being right, even if she didn't know what something meant right away, it might be understandable in the case of family and friends. But people who only just met her and were skeptics would need more. A reasonable adult with her abilities would understand that there are skeptics. But she gets her nose out of joint when anyone doesn't believe her.
I only finished to book to find out who the murderer was. I doubt I will read anything else in this series.
August 11, 2021
Sunny (previously Sylvia) Meadows leaves behind big city life to set up her business as a psychic in a strange old house that she nicknames Vicky. Her plans go swiftly awry when her first client is discovered dead not long after a session with Sunny.
There's a strange mix of good and bad in this story. I feel somewhat justified in using such basic terms because it is that disparate.
Starting with the good, then: The story itself has a lot of unique elements. Though it's a cosy, Sunny's profession as seen through the eyes of the practitioner herself is a fresh take. The character is sure of herself and determined and speaks with a unique voice. The kitty made for an interesting guardian. And the house, too, seemed to be a character in its own right.
The bad: Oh dear me. Not one of the people in this story acts in an adult manner. Everyone was infantile. Everyone. Moreover, even a small-town police force would have functioned with more formality than shown in this tale. Mishandling evidence in chain of custody, allowing a suspect to question other suspects, effecting an unlawful search and seisure, breaking and entering, conduct unbecoming - the list of things done wrong goes on and on.
Despite the negatives, I did like the story for the most part. There was one scene that set my teeth on edge which gives me pause when I consider whether or not to continue reading this series.
There's a strange mix of good and bad in this story. I feel somewhat justified in using such basic terms because it is that disparate.
Starting with the good, then: The story itself has a lot of unique elements. Though it's a cosy, Sunny's profession as seen through the eyes of the practitioner herself is a fresh take. The character is sure of herself and determined and speaks with a unique voice. The kitty made for an interesting guardian. And the house, too, seemed to be a character in its own right.
The bad: Oh dear me. Not one of the people in this story acts in an adult manner. Everyone was infantile. Everyone. Moreover, even a small-town police force would have functioned with more formality than shown in this tale. Mishandling evidence in chain of custody, allowing a suspect to question other suspects, effecting an unlawful search and seisure, breaking and entering, conduct unbecoming - the list of things done wrong goes on and on.
Despite the negatives, I did like the story for the most part. There was one scene that set my teeth on edge which gives me pause when I consider whether or not to continue reading this series.
July 28, 2011
This the first book in the A Fortune Teller Mystery series from Townsend.
I really enjoyed this book. I love to be told a story and this book told a great story. There were a couple things that I thought were stretching a point, but overall they worked in very well and contributed to the overall story>
Sunny has left the Big Apple to start her life in the small town of Divinity, NY. She has purchased an old Victorian home, that could be haunted, and plans to set up a business as a psychic. The house hasn't been open for some time and the first thing Sunny finds is a white cat. The cat seems to be able to go from room to room faster than Sunny!!!
Sunny's first client is the towns libraian and she choose to read her tea leaves. Sunny is right on with her reading and tell the librarian that she sees that someone is going to kill her. Within an hour of leaving the her reading the librarian is found dead. It is determined that the tea she drank was laced with digoxin. And she got the tea leaves from.
Soon Detective Stone (Grumpy Pants) and Sunny(Tink) are put together as partners/assistant to find the killer. For me, this unlikely duo provided a good deal of the entertainment in this book. Needless to say neither one was really enjoying working together on this case.
I'm looking forward to the next book to see how Stone and Sunny will interact. And am looking forward to learning more about Morty the white cat.
I really enjoyed this book. I love to be told a story and this book told a great story. There were a couple things that I thought were stretching a point, but overall they worked in very well and contributed to the overall story>
Sunny has left the Big Apple to start her life in the small town of Divinity, NY. She has purchased an old Victorian home, that could be haunted, and plans to set up a business as a psychic. The house hasn't been open for some time and the first thing Sunny finds is a white cat. The cat seems to be able to go from room to room faster than Sunny!!!
Sunny's first client is the towns libraian and she choose to read her tea leaves. Sunny is right on with her reading and tell the librarian that she sees that someone is going to kill her. Within an hour of leaving the her reading the librarian is found dead. It is determined that the tea she drank was laced with digoxin. And she got the tea leaves from.
Soon Detective Stone (Grumpy Pants) and Sunny(Tink) are put together as partners/assistant to find the killer. For me, this unlikely duo provided a good deal of the entertainment in this book. Needless to say neither one was really enjoying working together on this case.
I'm looking forward to the next book to see how Stone and Sunny will interact. And am looking forward to learning more about Morty the white cat.
October 16, 2015
2 1/2 stars.
This had a really good plot, and likable characters but just too implausible to be taken seriously. I'm not entirely convinced it was written by an adult. Teenager, maybe, or a really ditzy young woman who doesn't have social skills.
Sunny Meadows, fledgling psychic, defies her parents (at the age of 29) and moves from NYC to a small town in central NY to start a fortune telling business. She buys an old, haunted Victorian house, and immediately forecasts her first customer's murder. Sunny is then suspected of the murder and is commanded by the chief of police to work with the detective to solve the case and clear her name.
Seriously, if you can get through that synopsis without rolling your eyes, this might be the book for you.
The book read like a teenaged girl's ramblings about what it's like to be an adult, right down to the childish name calling. The whole sexual tension angle between the MC and the detective was contrived and unrealistic, as were a lot of aspects of the story.
The only thing that stopped this from being a DNF was the excellent plot, which was amazingly good. I hear the second book is better, and I'll give it a try, but frankly, I don't have a whole lot of faith in it being better than this one.
This had a really good plot, and likable characters but just too implausible to be taken seriously. I'm not entirely convinced it was written by an adult. Teenager, maybe, or a really ditzy young woman who doesn't have social skills.
Sunny Meadows, fledgling psychic, defies her parents (at the age of 29) and moves from NYC to a small town in central NY to start a fortune telling business. She buys an old, haunted Victorian house, and immediately forecasts her first customer's murder. Sunny is then suspected of the murder and is commanded by the chief of police to work with the detective to solve the case and clear her name.
Seriously, if you can get through that synopsis without rolling your eyes, this might be the book for you.
The book read like a teenaged girl's ramblings about what it's like to be an adult, right down to the childish name calling. The whole sexual tension angle between the MC and the detective was contrived and unrealistic, as were a lot of aspects of the story.
The only thing that stopped this from being a DNF was the excellent plot, which was amazingly good. I hear the second book is better, and I'll give it a try, but frankly, I don't have a whole lot of faith in it being better than this one.
April 23, 2017
Sunny Meadows, formerly Sylvia, moves to the upstate NY town of Divinity having bought an old Victorian house to open her business as a psychic.
Her house is purported to be haunted, adding to the charm of her whole new endeavor.
Her first client is a frightened librarian and what Sunny reads in the leaves is death and murder. She informs the police, only to be met with skepticism. When the librarian is murdered, Sunny is targeted as the prime suspect. She works with and against the handsome Detective Mitch Stone to prove herself innocent and real.
A good mystery with some flaws. I'll read the next one since the author is a good storyteller.
This is the second mystery series where the heroine is nicknamed Tinkerbell (the other series does it better, and Sunny seems to move back and forth between screwball and smart cookie. The character of Sunny needs a little work but she's still likeable and interesting.
Her house is purported to be haunted, adding to the charm of her whole new endeavor.
Her first client is a frightened librarian and what Sunny reads in the leaves is death and murder. She informs the police, only to be met with skepticism. When the librarian is murdered, Sunny is targeted as the prime suspect. She works with and against the handsome Detective Mitch Stone to prove herself innocent and real.
A good mystery with some flaws. I'll read the next one since the author is a good storyteller.
This is the second mystery series where the heroine is nicknamed Tinkerbell (the other series does it better, and Sunny seems to move back and forth between screwball and smart cookie. The character of Sunny needs a little work but she's still likeable and interesting.
May 28, 2016
Absolutely enjoyed this mystery. I bought it on a whim at the bookstore because (1) I like a good mystery and (2) this type of mystery fits my interest.
I was not disappointed.
The author does not make us wait for the mystery to start. We are introduced to Sunny's character as she leaves NYC for Divinity to start a new life, on her own.
Two chapters in we are thrust forward into a mystery surrounding the death of the librarian, a death that Sunny foretold in the librarian's tea leaves. Since Sunny predicted the death, she is the prime suspect.
She must spend her time in Divinity clearing her name instead of reading tea leaves and enjoying her new found freedom.
With Detective Mitch Stone constantly watching her back, Sunny finds it difficult to clear her name with so many different leads. After all, she is a psychic and not a detective.
With wit and humor, Townsend delivers a solid story - with a few minor flaws - that left me wanting the second novel ASAP.
I was not disappointed.
The author does not make us wait for the mystery to start. We are introduced to Sunny's character as she leaves NYC for Divinity to start a new life, on her own.
Two chapters in we are thrust forward into a mystery surrounding the death of the librarian, a death that Sunny foretold in the librarian's tea leaves. Since Sunny predicted the death, she is the prime suspect.
She must spend her time in Divinity clearing her name instead of reading tea leaves and enjoying her new found freedom.
With Detective Mitch Stone constantly watching her back, Sunny finds it difficult to clear her name with so many different leads. After all, she is a psychic and not a detective.
With wit and humor, Townsend delivers a solid story - with a few minor flaws - that left me wanting the second novel ASAP.
December 29, 2017
Sorry to the author of this book but I just plain didn't like it. It was very childish and the main character was unrelatable. the plot was illogical to the point of being nearly unreadable for an adult. I'd recommend this book to a middle schooler maybe. this book is about a trust fund girl with a magical (yeah it's actually magic...there is no other magic in this book) cat who somehow gets to help solve a murder that she is the main suspect of. because that makes sense. also she's very proud of her newfound independence from her parents (At age 29 *cringe*) but she's not independent from that trust fund? Idk just don't read this unless your 12.
August 10, 2011
This was the first cozy mystery I've ever read, and I'm so glad I did. Kari's writing is fun and fresh, and the main character, Sunny, is so quirky and lovable! Really just trying to get out there and make it on her own when she's thrown into something she never expected. With a hot detective, too! ;) There's some fabulous banter between the two of them that I positively loved. I also love the paranormal elements. All in all, this is an excellent story that I highly recommend!
April 9, 2021
Sunny and the spooky cat! In
Setting up a Fortune Telling business is hard work. Especially as the town detective has decided that you killed your last customer. And he doesn't believe in anything paranormal. He needs to take a close look at your cat, Morty. Will she be able to change his mind long enough to find the librarian's
Murderer. Or to find a happily ever after with the detective.
Setting up a Fortune Telling business is hard work. Especially as the town detective has decided that you killed your last customer. And he doesn't believe in anything paranormal. He needs to take a close look at your cat, Morty. Will she be able to change his mind long enough to find the librarian's
Murderer. Or to find a happily ever after with the detective.
July 16, 2012
This is the 7th first book in a new series I've read in the past 2 months and all have been winners. I liked the "woo woo" flavor this series has with the fortune teller, though the heroine's name is a bit silly....Sunshine Meadows?? I can't think of anyone I've ever known who would actually choose a name like that for themselves. Other than the silly name, I liked this one okay!
June 18, 2019
I very much enjoyed my introduction to the little town of Divinity, New York and Sunny Meadows. Sunny's running commentary on the things that were happening gave me more than a few giggles. So did Mort's antics. Her parents were super frustrating and I wanted to shake them both like they were martinis. All in all this was a very fun read. I'm happy I picked it up from my library's exchange rack.
September 2, 2013
This was one of the top ten worst books I have ever endured. I cannot imagine how an author can have a character do things that are so completely unbelievable. It's too bad, really, there were some really cute aspects at times, but as a whole, NO.
December 12, 2011
December 9, 2011: I'm on page 203 of 294 of Tempest in the Tea Leaves: This book is awful. At this point I am only reading it to complete my Reading Challenge. What a waste of paper!
November 20, 2012
Sunny is a moron and I have no desire to read any more about her.
November 20, 2024
The dialog in this book, just... My God!! Why are we talking about what we already know!?!? We know the reason, what's with the villain monolog about how the world will soon be his??
Also... The bickering... The God damned bickering!! I'm all for enemies to lovers trope, sign me up, that revs my engine on wanting to know what we see in the bad guy, but MY GOD SHUT UP!! The killer was literally squashed by a book case and Detective Hunkules and this Tinkerbell looking mother fucker are making out in the same room after only to then go back and forth with one another about becoming work partners with their boss in the room.
Do I need acid for this book?? Because I feel I need acid! An old man literally just tried to blow your brains out along with his Alzheimer's riddled wife after revealing he was the killer why are you not the least bit traumatized by this experience!!! Home boy got shot! SHOT!!! He is bleeding to death on your carpet, look in the yellow pages, you need a therapist!!!
Also... The bickering... The God damned bickering!! I'm all for enemies to lovers trope, sign me up, that revs my engine on wanting to know what we see in the bad guy, but MY GOD SHUT UP!! The killer was literally squashed by a book case and Detective Hunkules and this Tinkerbell looking mother fucker are making out in the same room after only to then go back and forth with one another about becoming work partners with their boss in the room.
Do I need acid for this book?? Because I feel I need acid! An old man literally just tried to blow your brains out along with his Alzheimer's riddled wife after revealing he was the killer why are you not the least bit traumatized by this experience!!! Home boy got shot! SHOT!!! He is bleeding to death on your carpet, look in the yellow pages, you need a therapist!!!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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