A Fortune of Sand by Ruta Sepetys, A Gripping Gothic Historical Fiction Novel Set in 1920s Detroit

About the Book

A Fortune of Sand is a bold, atmospheric historical fiction novel by #1 New York Times bestselling author Ruta Sepetys. Set in the smoke-filled grandeur of Detroit in 1927, this story pulls back the curtain on wealth, secrets, and the cost of silence for women who refuse to disappear. It is Ruta Sepetys’s first adult novel, and it arrives with the same emotional power and deep research that made her earlier books beloved around the world.

From the Back Cover

Detroit, 1927. The city gleams with new money and hides its darkest secrets behind gilded doors. Marjorie Lennox, the overlooked daughter of a powerful automotive dynasty, slips away from her family’s control and joins an elite arts program run by a mysterious and magnetic benefactor. The building is grand. The talent is real. But doors lock at odd hours, whispers of missing women fill the halls, and nothing about this place is what it seems.

About the Author

Ruta Sepetys is an internationally acclaimed, #1 New York Times bestselling author of historical fiction published in over sixty countries and forty languages.  Winner of the Carnegie Medal, Ruta was born and raised in Michigan in a family of artists, readers, and music lovers. The daughter of a refugee, she is drawn to underrepresented stories of strength through struggle and gives voice to those who were never able to tell their own. Her previous novels, including Salt to the Sea and Between Shades of Gray, have won more than forty literary prizes worldwide.

Who Is This Book For?

This book is perfect for readers who love rich, research-driven historical fiction with strong female characters at the center. If you enjoy stories set in the Jazz Age, tales of women reclaiming their power, or mysteries wrapped in social history, A Fortune of Sand will keep you up well past your bedtime. It is also a great pick for longtime fans of Ruta Sepetys who have been waiting for her first full adult novel.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q1: Is A Fortune of Sand suitable for adult readers or is it a YA novel? A Fortune of Sand is Ruta Sepetys’s first adult historical fiction novel. While her earlier books like Salt to the Sea were popular with teens and adults alike, this one is written specifically for adult readers. It deals with mature themes including control, women’s agency, and institutional abuse, making it best suited for readers aged 18 and up.

Q2: Is A Fortune of Sand based on real historical events? Yes. The novel is inspired by the documented lives of the nouveau riche automotive dynasties and the undocumented stories of the infamous Eloise Asylum in Prohibition-era Detroit. Ruta Sepetys is known for her deep historical research, and this book brings a forgotten chapter of American history back to life in a powerful way.

Q3: If I loved The Great Gatsby or Agatha Christie novels, will I enjoy this book? Absolutely. For readers seeking the glamour of The Great Gatsby with the mystery of an Agatha Christie novel, A Fortune of Sand is exactly that kind of read.  It blends lavish 1920s atmosphere with a gripping mystery and a strong, emotionally satisfying story at its core.

Q4: What makes A Fortune of Sand different from other historical fiction books? What sets this novel apart is Ruta Sepetys’s ability to combine real, forgotten history with deeply personal storytelling. This is not just a story about the Roaring Twenties. It is a story about women who were erased from history and the ones who fought to survive. Paired with Sepetys’s award-winning writing style, it delivers an experience that stays with you long after you turn the final page.