The Rich Mrs. Burgoyne
1912
In the sun-drenched California town of Santa Paloma, wealth is both a passport and a prison. When Mrs. Sidney Burgoyne, a wealthy widow, arrives at Holly Hall with her two daughters seeking peace after her husband's turbulent death, she finds that reinvention is harder than it appears. The town buzzes with curiosity. Who is this rich Mrs. Burgoyne? What secrets does she carry from her past? And will her money open doors or build walls around her? Through glittering card parties and quiet moments of reflection, Norris crafts a sharp portrait of early California society: the hired help rushing to prepare for company, the neighbors measuring worth by inheritance, and the newcomer navigating a world where every smile might conceal calculation. Memories of her past with the Holly family surface as she tours her potential home, hinting at deep connections that refuse to stay buried. For readers who relish the social comedies of Edith Wharton and Willa Cather, this is a portrait of a woman learning that money cannot buy what matters most: genuine belonging in a community that sees her, truly sees her, rather than just her fortune.
