The Reluctant Fortune-Teller by Keziah Frost

Norbert has spent most of his life in the background.  He's not forceful, he was an accountant, and he's a widower.  His only joy in life is the chihuahua that his aunt left him.  He's behind in his bills and he has to get food from the local food bank to carry him through the month.  When one of the members of a woman's club sees his visit the food bank, she tells the others in the group.  It isn't long until their unofficial leader decides to take him in hand and get him better suited financially.  She has the perfect idea.  He can be a fortune teller using what the cards tell him.  He scoffs.  She leaves him books to read about it...

Park Row and Edelweiss allowed me to read this book for review (thank you).  It will be published March 6th.

While Norbert is skeptical about fortune reading, he does need money.  And from observing people all his life, he's learned things.  Another handy resource for him are the Reader's Digests he reads.  Others brush them off as not important but it helps him save the life of one client.  He also finds that often he just has to make them think about their situations and they can find their own solutions.  All is going well until he starts to get harassed for being a fraud.  And then a young woman goes missing after his discussion with her...

I spent a lot of my growing up time with my grandparents.  They had a lot of knowledge, a lot of memories, and may be a bit weird to young ones but they think you are, too.  Books like these take me back to those days.

The people in this story change; they change for the better.  Norbert has something to live for now and people enjoy having their fortunes told.  After all, if you can help them see their way forward how could they be upset?