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A Desperate Fortune  By  cover art

A Desperate Fortune

By: Susanna Kearsley
Narrated by: Katherine Kellgren
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Publisher's summary

Beloved New York Times best-selling author Susanna Kearsley delivers a riveting novel that deftly intertwines the tales of two women, divided by centuries and forever changed by a clash of love and fate.

For nearly 300, the cryptic journal of Mary Dundas has kept its secrets. Now, amateur codebreaker Sara Thomas travels to Paris to crack the cipher.

Jacobite exile Mary Dundas is filled with longing - for freedom, for adventure, for the family she lost. When fate opens the door, Mary dares to set her foot on a path far more surprising and dangerous than she ever could have dreamed.

As Mary's gripping tale of rebellion and betrayal is revealed to her, Sara faces events in her own life that require letting go of everything she thought she knew - about herself, about loyalty, and especially about love. Though divided by centuries, these two women are united in a quest to discover the limits of trust and the unlikely coincidences of fate.

©2015 Susanna Kearsley (P)2015 Audible, Inc.

Critic reviews

A grand adventure...Susanna Kearsley just keeps getting better and better! (Lauren Willig, New York Times best-selling author)

What listeners say about A Desperate Fortune

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Very good narration. Nice, absorbing story

Miss Kellgren is one of the best narrators I've ever listened to at Audible. Her very good narration made the story come alive. And another wonderful novel from Miss Kearsley. Hope she writes book 2 on Mary and McPherson's adventures in Spain.

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  • Overall
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Thoroughly enjoyed the dual stories...

What did you love best about A Desperate Fortune?

The historical side of the tale

What was one of the most memorable moments of A Desperate Fortune?

Mary being swept away by her long lost brother

What does Katherine Kellgren bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

she brings to life both main characters

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

Engulfed

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1 person found this helpful

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2 in 1

I have had this on my TBR list for a while now, and I’m sorry I didn’t get to it sooner!
It is a Great story coupled with Amazing narration!
I particularly liked that the story followed 2 woman in 2 separate time periods, yet their stories were not intertwined, which keep for an interesting story, wanting to know what happened to both of them!
The narration was fabulous! It is rare that a single narrator can pull off male and female, as well as different languages and accents.
I have now added both Susanna Kearsley AND Katherine Kellgren to my favourite search’s.

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