A review by johnw613
City of Fortune by Victoria Thompson

adventurous informative lighthearted mysterious fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

Victoria Thompson is really hitting her stride in this series. Her usual cast of con artist characters takes a delightful Dick Francis turn in this story centered around the horse racing world. A well known jockey, Cal Regan, is injured during a race, it turns out through malicious intervention by another jockey, and it falls to Elizabeth Bates, her husband Gideon, and their extended family to create a most elaborate scheme to restore the injured jockey’s prospects, especially his plans to marry Irene Nolan, the daughter of the stable owner he works for.  The revelations are unveiled fast and furious and the deceptions more and more ingenious, including the last at the end of the story that allows Cal to save face and finally propose to Irene. Along the way we learn a lot about horse racing as well as the social confinement of women and the prevalence of pride among men in early twentieth century America. A stellar entry in an increasingly vigorous series.