A Fortune of Sand
Detroit, 1927. A city of smoke and ambition, where glittering wealth conceals a graveyard of secrets.
Marjorie Lennox is the youngest daughter of a powerful automotive dynasty, a family known for money, not manners. Artistic, impulsive, and always slightly out of step, Marjorie has long been dismissed by her controlling father and self-absorbed siblings. But when she secretly applies to an exclusive arts program funded by an elusive benefactor, she sees a chance to redefine herself on her own terms.
The building is grand. The participants are gifted. But something…is off.
Doors lock at odd hours. Strange sounds echo through the halls amid whispers that women are disappearing. And the handsome benefactor’s presence—mostly absent, yet somehow everywhere—begins to unnerve her. As Marjorie’s sense of self begins to slip, so does her grip on the truth. What happens to women who don’t fit neatly into a gilded frame?
Set against the crumbling grandeur of 1920s Detroit and inspired by actual, long-buried historical events, A Fortune of Sand is a haunting mosaic of glamour and grift. In a city built on ambition, just how far will a dynasty go to keep their secrets?
Coming May 26, 2026. Pre-Order HERE
Discussion Resources
A Fortune of Sand Discussion Guide
Discussion guide for book clubs and readers with questions on theme, characters, plot, history, and personal reflections.
Praise for A Fortune of Sand
“A heady exploration of women’s agency, as well as a killer romance and a beguiling mystery. Wildly entertaining.”
—Fiona Davis, New York Times bestselling author of The Stolen Queen
“Enthralling . . . While history is often molded by those in power, there are always those who can wrest control and write a new story of their own. A Fortune of Sand should be required reading.”
—Marie Benedict, New York Times bestselling co-author of The Personal Librarian
“For readers seeking the glamour of The Great Gatsby with the mystery of an Agatha Christie novel, A Fortune of Sand is for you.”
—Sarah McCoy, New York Times bestselling author of Whatever Happened to Lori Lovely?
“A richly detailed portrait of the glittering city and [Detroit’s] dark underbelly. . . . This will appeal to fans of Kate Atkinson’s Shrines of Gaiety and Jennifer Egan’s Manhattan Beach.”
—Booklist, starred review
“Sepetys has meticulously researched her home city and its affluent suburbs and it shows, from descriptions of architecture down to the upper-class lingo. [She] offers a new perspective on American capitalism by examining an era and a region seldom covered in historical fiction.”
—Kirkus Reviews
