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The Fortune Maker
In a world captivated by the temptation of fortune telling, twelve-year-old orphan Maud Mulligan finds herself caught up in a web where strangers are making plans for a future they believe she can foretell.
London 1913 and twelve-year-old Maud Mulligan finds herself suddenly orphaned. But Maud still plans to sail out of her docklands slum just as soon as she's saved enough pennies for the ticket - even if it means living in a rat-infested cupboard in the meantime.
But this is a time of Seers, when the wealthy use fortune tellers to help them hold onto their wealth and power, and when a foretelling is made about a girl like Maud, she finds strangers making plans for her.
London 1913 and twelve-year-old Maud Mulligan finds herself suddenly orphaned. But Maud still plans to sail out of her docklands slum just as soon as she's saved enough pennies for the ticket - even if it means living in a rat-infested cupboard in the meantime.
But this is a time of Seers, when the wealthy use fortune tellers to help them hold onto their wealth and power, and when a foretelling is made about a girl like Maud, she finds strangers making plans for her.
- GenresFantasy
230 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 2, 2023
5 people are currently reading
46 people want to read
About the author
Catherine Norton
4 books8 followersI grew up in more than one place – England first, and then a couple of cities in Australia. In Adelaide, where I live now, I went to an unconventional high school, where we called the teachers by their first names, toured plays we wrote ourselves, and went on three school camps every year. Then, for my final year, I went to the kind of girls’ college where prefects tell you off for not wearing your blazer or having socks the wrong length. It was like going to another country, and so it’s probably no surprise that my stories are often about people finding out how the world looks to someone else, or if they stand in another place.
I’ve wanted to write since I was very young (although back then, in the 1980s, I probably said I wanted to be an ‘authoress’). My room was always littered with bits of paper and there were usually half a dozen half-read books lying in and around my bed. I am still a person of many bookmarks.
By the time I grew up, I’d got it into my head that writing wasn’t something you could easily do as an Actual Job, so I spent quite a number of years trying my hand at other things, and travelling around the world. What I didn’t know was that, apart from reading all those books, trying new things and seeing new places and meeting all sorts of people – basically, gathering ideas for characters and stories – is the best writer training around.
It gets tiring, though, so after a decade or so I stayed still long enough to get married, have a son, and go to university, where I learnt all sorts of other useful, fascinating and necessary things about reading and writing.
I’ve also learnt that the path to where you’re going can often be circuitous.
And this: the more words you know, the easier it is to say what you mean. A dictionary can be handy.
I’ve wanted to write since I was very young (although back then, in the 1980s, I probably said I wanted to be an ‘authoress’). My room was always littered with bits of paper and there were usually half a dozen half-read books lying in and around my bed. I am still a person of many bookmarks.
By the time I grew up, I’d got it into my head that writing wasn’t something you could easily do as an Actual Job, so I spent quite a number of years trying my hand at other things, and travelling around the world. What I didn’t know was that, apart from reading all those books, trying new things and seeing new places and meeting all sorts of people – basically, gathering ideas for characters and stories – is the best writer training around.
It gets tiring, though, so after a decade or so I stayed still long enough to get married, have a son, and go to university, where I learnt all sorts of other useful, fascinating and necessary things about reading and writing.
I’ve also learnt that the path to where you’re going can often be circuitous.
And this: the more words you know, the easier it is to say what you mean. A dictionary can be handy.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
February 21, 2024
The Fortune Maker is a beautifully written middle grade novel that can be enjoyed by adults as well as children. The characters are complex and realistic, and the setting- London in 1913- is well researched and evocatively described. The story line is exciting, so much so that I stayed home for the morning to finish reading the book.
October 10, 2023
Transports you so vividly to a place and time in history. I hope it is the first of a series.
March 3, 2024
Very sophisticated writing for the middle-grade space. A little bit of magic and some memorable villains.
January 26, 2024
Our Review...
The Fortune Maker is a mesmerising tale of danger and deceit, set in London in 1913.
12-year-old Maud Mulligan knows she can’t rely on the pricey Seers that tell the future to rich families to help her, or her father, get out of the slums. But that doesn’t stop one of those very rich families snatching her away to save them from financial ruin after the Royal Seer sees her in his vision.
Soon, Maud is swept into a world of suffragettes, scientists and magic, where nothing is as it seems.
This historical fiction with a touch of fantasy will have you on the edge of your seat from page one. It is perfect for fans of action and mystery stories.
Review by Malia (Age 13) @ Great Escape Books
The Fortune Maker is a mesmerising tale of danger and deceit, set in London in 1913.
12-year-old Maud Mulligan knows she can’t rely on the pricey Seers that tell the future to rich families to help her, or her father, get out of the slums. But that doesn’t stop one of those very rich families snatching her away to save them from financial ruin after the Royal Seer sees her in his vision.
Soon, Maud is swept into a world of suffragettes, scientists and magic, where nothing is as it seems.
This historical fiction with a touch of fantasy will have you on the edge of your seat from page one. It is perfect for fans of action and mystery stories.
Review by Malia (Age 13) @ Great Escape Books
October 30, 2023
I loved this book. It is a great read with rich and compelling characters. Maud must use her wits, determination, new found friends, and special gift to take hold of her own destiny when the cards seem stacked against her. I felt the ending was a little rushed but overall still an excellent story.
September 30, 2025
The front cover drew me in and so did the premise behind this book.
I was sadly disappointed. This book let me down. It could have been far much more than it was.
I also has to read a number of sections over again until I fully comprehended what was happening.
I was sadly disappointed. This book let me down. It could have been far much more than it was.
I also has to read a number of sections over again until I fully comprehended what was happening.
August 24, 2023
A new youth fiction book, with engaging action on each page, mixing history, fortune telling and bribery.
October 13, 2023
Exciting and suspenseful. Lots of stuff happening.
June 10, 2024
Went into the book not expecting much, was very pleasantly surprised at how it handled the worlds magic system, as well as the books feminist and anti-capitalist themes
January 17, 2025
Pretty standard, I liked it but wasn't amazing, for a younger reader.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews