The Fortune Hunter: A Novel of New York Society

Mowatt wrote The Fortune Hunter to be submitted to a contest held by the New World newspaper. (The novel won the $100 prize.) Contest rules dictated that the title of the work, that the setting had to be New York, and that the text had to be completed within six months. So, recycling a few characters from short stories written under the pen name “Helen Berkeley,” Mowatt quickly created a tale that started with two fashionable fellows in search of wealthy wives -- Brainard and Ellery. They, in turn, are pursued by the inexorable debt collector, Mr. Badger. Then the reader is introduced to the objects of the bachelors’ chase, the Clinton sisters. The elder sister, Rachel, has become so disgusted with this cynical game of fortune hunting that she has decided to renounce her claim to her portion of her father’s fortune to escape the mendacity of suitors like Brainard and Ellery. Ester, the melodramatic, Byron-quoting, younger sister (who is now trying to go by the name Estelle) is perfectly happy to play the game, as long as it is by the rules she sets. Love is no game to Miss Arria Walton, the penniless orphan ward of the Clinton’s father and best friend of the sisters, who is desperately in love with young Dr. Edgar Chadwick. Rapid twists and turns of fate and sudden reversals of fortune characterize the plot of this comic melodrama that is part Jane Austen, part Charles Dickens, but establishes a delightful Victorian Americana flavoring all of its own. - Summary by Kelly S. Taylor (7 hr 29 min)

Chapters

Chapter I	38:31	Read by Kelly S. Taylor
Chapter II	40:47	Read by Kelly S. Taylor
Chapter III	20:55	Read by Kelly S. Taylor
Chapter IV	6:33	Read by Kelly S. Taylor
Chapter V	43:27	Read by Kelly S. Taylor
Chapter VI	22:25	Read by Kelly S. Taylor
Chapter VII	24:40	Read by Kelly S. Taylor
Chapter VIII	14:25	Read by Kelly S. Taylor
Chapter IX	23:58	Read by Kelly S. Taylor
Chapter X	16:17	Read by Kelly S. Taylor
Chapter XI	8:40	Read by Kelly S. Taylor
Chapter XII	10:50	Read by Kelly S. Taylor
Chapter XIII	18:12	Read by Kelly S. Taylor
Chapter XIV	10:58	Read by Kelly S. Taylor
Chapter XV	15:10	Read by Kelly S. Taylor
Chapter XVI	13:10	Read by Kelly S. Taylor
Chapter XVIII	14:40	Read by Kelly S. Taylor
Chapter XVII	14:36	Read by Kelly S. Taylor
Chapter XIX	31:06	Read by Kelly S. Taylor
Chapter XX	6:48	Read by Kelly S. Taylor
Chapter XXI	48:41	Read by Kelly S. Taylor
Chapter XXII	4:15	Read by Kelly S. Taylor

Reviews

Absolutely loved it!

(5 stars)

JaneC

Despite the reader being overdramatic (in which I absolutely agree with other reviewers), she tried to do her best and Mr Badger's speeches voiced by her made me laugh! I got used to Kelly Taylor's manner and even liked it towards the end. Her intonation made me smile many times, I sped up the audio, which made the listening easier. The story itself is a good old Victorian melodrama: birth secrets, marrying for money and for love, revealings and humorous scenes - all that makes a perfect mix. The novel includes bits of Jane Austen's irony snd social depictions, Dickens's humour, Brontë's mysteries. The characters are well-written: beautiful, reasonable and dutiful Arria, plain, but wise Rachel, prejudiced yet not evil Dr Chadwick and others. And hilarious Mr Badger! Another good point is that the narration is dynamic, not dragged at all. Highly recommended, if you like such stories!

(2 stars)

Granny G

Hard to really appreciate the story because, yes, over exaggerated voice characterisations are as difficult to listen to as monotones, apparently. I felt it was an insult to the author when the unbearable tone prejudiced me against a character before they were properly introduced into the narrative.

(1 stars)

Unknown

This review is for the reader, not the book. Lively (too lively) exaggerated reading. I couldn’t get past the first half of chapter 1. Can’t speak to the content of the book because I can’t find the text to download and let Siri read it.

(0.5 stars)

A LibriVox Listener

Omg I'm exasperated tonight. This is the 4th useless narrator. She's shouting and overly dramatic, it's as annoying as monotone. She grates on my nerves.

not worth listening to

(1 stars)

Suzie

Incredibly boring story that isn’t helped by overly dramatic annoying reader.

Delightful!