The Missing Millionaire

The True Story of Ambrose Small and the City Obsessed with Finding Him

By: Katie Daubs

Narrated by: Catherine McGregor

Length: 6 hrs and 22 mins

Publisher's summary

In December 1919, Ambrose Small, the mercurial owner of the Grand Opera House in Toronto, closed a deal to sell his network of Ontario theatres, deposited a million-dollar cheque in his bank account, and was never seen again. As weeks turned to years, the disappearance became the most "extraordinary unsolved mystery" of its time. Everything about the sensational case would be called into question in the decades to come, including the motivations of his inner circle, his enemies, and the police who followed the trail across the continent, looking for answers in asylums, theatres, and the Pacific Northwest.

In The Missing Millionaire, Katie Daubs tells the story of the Small mystery, weaving together a gripping narrative with the social and cultural history of a city undergoing immense change. Daubs examines the characters who were connected to the case as the century carried on: Ambrose's religious wife, Theresa; his long-time secretary, Jack Doughty; his two unmarried sisters, Florence and Gertrude; Patrick Sullivan, a lawless ex-policeman; and Austin Mitchell, an overwhelmed detective. A series of trials exposed Small’s tumultuous business and personal relationships, while allegations and confessions swirled. But as the main players in the Small mystery died, they took their secrets to the grave, and Ambrose Small would be forever missing.

Drawing on extensive research, newly discovered archival material, and her own interviews with the descendants of key figures, Katie Daubs offers a rich portrait of life in an evolving city in the early 20th century. Delving into a crime story about the power of the elite, she vividly recounts the pause-resisting tale of a cold case that is truly stranger than fiction.

©2019 Katie Daubs (P)2019 Penguin Random House Canada

Critic reviews

“This is an exceptional work of deeply researched historical non-fiction. Katie Daubs’s nimble storytelling takes us on a journey through Toronto’s often cantankerous past, uncovering forgotten details while bringing a century-old mystery and the characters involved vividly back to life. This book is an essential piece of Canadian history that will change the way you think of Toronto. And it’s all true.” (Shawn Micallef, author of Frontier City)

“This tale of money, power, and betrayal at the dawn of the Roaring Twenties has all the ingredients of a classic murder mystery: a reviled millionaire, a sudden disappearance, feuding families and plenty of suspects with a motive to lie or to kill. Richly detailed, tenaciously reported and engagingly written.” (Dean Jobb, author of Empire of Deception)

“The Missing Millionaire is not only a lively and entertaining account of the unsolved mystery of theatre magnate Ambrose Small’s disappearance, it is a window into a century-old Toronto on the cusp of becoming a major metropolitan hub, and on how the pursuit of power and riches can lead so easily to ruin. Katie Daubs is a welcome addition to the narrative non-fiction landscape.” (Sarah Weinman, author of The Real Lolita)