Fortune Hunter: A Novel of New York Society

Published in 1854, 'Fortune Hunter: A Novel of New York Society' by Anna Cora Mowatt Ritchie is a comic melodrama set in New York. The story follows two fashionable men, Brainard and Ellery, as they pursue wealthy wives, while the Clinton sisters navigate the complexities of love and fortune hunting. Rachel Clinton rejects the game, while her sister Ester embraces it, leading to a series of twists and turns. The novel, which won a contest held by the New World newspaper, combines elements reminiscent of Jane Austen and Charles Dickens, offering a unique Victorian Americana perspective.