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A Klondike Mystery #1
Gold Digger
It’s the spring of 1898, and Dawson, Yukon Territory, is the most exciting town in North America. The great Klondike Gold Rush is in full swing and Fiona MacGillivray has crawled over the Chilkoot Pass determined to make her fortune as the owner of the Savoy dance hall. Provided, that is, that her twelve-year-old son, growing up much too fast for her liking; the former Glasgow street fighter who’s now her business partner; a stern, handsome NWMP constable; an aging, love-struck ex-boxing champion; a wild assortment of headstrong dancers, croupiers, gamblers, madams without hearts of gold, bar hangers-on, cheechakos, and sourdoughs; and Fiona’s own nimble-fingered past don’t get to her first. And then there’s the dead body on centre stage.
304 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2009
40 people are currently reading
451 people want to read
About the author
Vicki Delany
58 books1,920 followers“It’s a crime not to read Delany,” so says the London Free Press.
Vicki Delany is one of Canada’s most varied and prolific crime writers.
She is the author of four cozy mystery series: The Tea by the Sea series from Kensington Books, the Sherlock Holmes Bookshop series from Crooked Lane and the Year Round Christmas series from Penguin. Under the pen name of Eva Gates she writes the Lighthouse Library Series.
Visit Vicki at www.vickidelany.com , www.facebook.com/evagatesauthor, and twitter: @vickidelany
Vicki is part of Mystery Lovers Kitchen (http://www.mysteryloverskitchen.com) and Killer Characters (http://www.killercharacters.com)
Visit Vicki at www.vickidelany.com
Vicki Delany is one of Canada’s most varied and prolific crime writers.
She is the author of four cozy mystery series: The Tea by the Sea series from Kensington Books, the Sherlock Holmes Bookshop series from Crooked Lane and the Year Round Christmas series from Penguin. Under the pen name of Eva Gates she writes the Lighthouse Library Series.
Visit Vicki at www.vickidelany.com , www.facebook.com/evagatesauthor, and twitter: @vickidelany
Vicki is part of Mystery Lovers Kitchen (http://www.mysteryloverskitchen.com) and Killer Characters (http://www.killercharacters.com)
Visit Vicki at www.vickidelany.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews
January 21, 2022
*SPOILER ALERT* I gave up at 87%. Throughout most of the book, the main female character thought and acted smartly. Out of the blue, she became a stupid person and did an unbelievable dumby thing and this provoced her a seriously harm.
November 2, 2013
This is the first book in a series, that introduces us to saloon/dancehall proprietress and single mother, Fiona MacGillivary. What is unusual about Fiona is that she is raising her twelve year old son Angus alone, in wild and wooly Dawson City, in the waning days of the famous Klondike territory gold rush, circa 1898.
I enjoyed this book immensely, especially the detailed descriptions of what life was like for the inhabitants of the town-it's miners, prostitutes, storekeepers, dancehall girls, and sundry others who braved the wilds and the difficulties of reaching Dawson, to strike it rich with a gold claim, or to make a fortune catering to the needs of miners with dollars to spend, and nowhere else to go.
The murdered corpse of an American journalist is found on Fiona's dancehall stage. There are suspects aplenty, to be sussed out by various members of the Northwest Mounties Police-the forerunners of Canada's famous red-coated RCMPs, or as they are lovingly called by Canadians, the Mounties. At first, I found Fiona's character abrasive and hard to like. However, as the story progressed, she grew on me. She has her son's best interests at heart, and does not suffer fools gladly, nor does she allow herself to be pushed around by anyone-a positive character trait in a time and place where men ruled the roost, in business, in the home or in the saloon.
Vicki Delaney has done her homework, in portraying life at various socio-economic levels, in rough and tumble Dawson. I want to see where she takes Fiona, Angus and the other inhabitants of Dawson, as the turn of the century approaches. I read this book as part of my challenge to read books set in all of Canada's provinces and territories. I am looking forward to more adventures and to learning more about my country's history, prior to the incredible changes that swept across Canada when WWI called Canada's young men to defend England and The Commonwealth, against the Kaiser's armies. Many will argue that Canada truly became a nation within the next twenty-five years, despite the fact that Confederation took place in July of 1867.
I enjoyed this book immensely, especially the detailed descriptions of what life was like for the inhabitants of the town-it's miners, prostitutes, storekeepers, dancehall girls, and sundry others who braved the wilds and the difficulties of reaching Dawson, to strike it rich with a gold claim, or to make a fortune catering to the needs of miners with dollars to spend, and nowhere else to go.
The murdered corpse of an American journalist is found on Fiona's dancehall stage. There are suspects aplenty, to be sussed out by various members of the Northwest Mounties Police-the forerunners of Canada's famous red-coated RCMPs, or as they are lovingly called by Canadians, the Mounties. At first, I found Fiona's character abrasive and hard to like. However, as the story progressed, she grew on me. She has her son's best interests at heart, and does not suffer fools gladly, nor does she allow herself to be pushed around by anyone-a positive character trait in a time and place where men ruled the roost, in business, in the home or in the saloon.
Vicki Delaney has done her homework, in portraying life at various socio-economic levels, in rough and tumble Dawson. I want to see where she takes Fiona, Angus and the other inhabitants of Dawson, as the turn of the century approaches. I read this book as part of my challenge to read books set in all of Canada's provinces and territories. I am looking forward to more adventures and to learning more about my country's history, prior to the incredible changes that swept across Canada when WWI called Canada's young men to defend England and The Commonwealth, against the Kaiser's armies. Many will argue that Canada truly became a nation within the next twenty-five years, despite the fact that Confederation took place in July of 1867.
January 14, 2022
Set in the Yukon during the Klondike Gold Rush, Gold Digger introduces single mother and dance hall proprietor Fiona MacGillivray who gets pulled into a murder investigation when a universally disliked American journalist runs up dead on her stage. Though the story felt a bit too drawn out at times, I really enjoyed the setting and the protagonist and on the whole found this an entertaining read. Might check out more from this series.
July 29, 2017
This book had promise. The promotional blurb promised a murder mystery set in a interesting location with lots of interesting characters. I was expecting suspense and drama.
What I got instead was a disjointed story that jumped back and forth between first person and third person (a completely unnecessary first person, I should add; at no point did it give the reader extra insight into her character) and had zero suspense. In fairness, there might have been suspense had I not constantly been pulled out of the story by yet another narrative switch.
Because I was reading this for two reading challenges, I powered through anyway, but I was turning pages for the sake of getting to the end of the book and moving on to something more enjoyable.
What I got instead was a disjointed story that jumped back and forth between first person and third person (a completely unnecessary first person, I should add; at no point did it give the reader extra insight into her character) and had zero suspense. In fairness, there might have been suspense had I not constantly been pulled out of the story by yet another narrative switch.
Because I was reading this for two reading challenges, I powered through anyway, but I was turning pages for the sake of getting to the end of the book and moving on to something more enjoyable.
November 24, 2014
I might have enjoyed the story more if I did't get so affected by the ambience which was knee deep in swampy mud, swarming with vicious biting bugs, and peopled for the most part by putrid smelling stumbling, vomiting drunks. I shuddered through out. I'm sure they all had hearts of gold.
July 26, 2017
Meh. I wanted to like this book more than I did. It is a first book of a new series, and these often have some bugs to work out so I am more lenient with my ratings and reviews. But, in this case three stars gives a lot of leeway.
I tended to dislike the protagonist, Fiona MacGillivary. Often, I asked myself 'would this characteristic bother me if the protagonist were male?'. On a couple of occasions, I sheepishly admitted 'no'. But overall, the answer was 'yes', the same characteristics would bother me if the character were male. Fiona is callous and self-serving, which bothers me no matter the gender of the character. Also, while she pretends to be and regularly claims to be super intelligent, she makes some fairly stupid decisions. Plus, she also pretends and claims to be people-savvy - and she is when she is manipulating people, but overall she really has little/no emotional intelligence and so also little/no social intelligence. I got the sense that Delany was aiming for 'hard past led to hard shell with soft heart' in Fiona, but I did not buy it. The only redemption was that Fiona seems to love her son, though even then in a somewhat selfish way. On the other hand, I did like many of the other characters, including Fiona's son.
After that, the plot plods along through the Yukon mud, which the reader is told about frequently. Actually, the reader is frequently told about a lot of things. Yes, this book seems well researched, but it is also repetitive. I often checked that my e-book reader had not jumped backward as similar incidents were reported repeatedly through the book, often with nearly the same turn of phrase each time (and really, how many times does someone need to get thrown out of a bar before the reader understands that yes, they were are literally thrown out of the bar?).
Overall, and OK read. Not terrific. Not terrible. But OK. I will likely read the next of the series to see where it goes and who the characters develop. I also have a book from one of Delany's other series on my TBR list, which I am still planning to read. I am at least intrigued enough to see where things go.
I tended to dislike the protagonist, Fiona MacGillivary. Often, I asked myself 'would this characteristic bother me if the protagonist were male?'. On a couple of occasions, I sheepishly admitted 'no'. But overall, the answer was 'yes', the same characteristics would bother me if the character were male. Fiona is callous and self-serving, which bothers me no matter the gender of the character. Also, while she pretends to be and regularly claims to be super intelligent, she makes some fairly stupid decisions. Plus, she also pretends and claims to be people-savvy - and she is when she is manipulating people, but overall she really has little/no emotional intelligence and so also little/no social intelligence. I got the sense that Delany was aiming for 'hard past led to hard shell with soft heart' in Fiona, but I did not buy it. The only redemption was that Fiona seems to love her son, though even then in a somewhat selfish way. On the other hand, I did like many of the other characters, including Fiona's son.
After that, the plot plods along through the Yukon mud, which the reader is told about frequently. Actually, the reader is frequently told about a lot of things. Yes, this book seems well researched, but it is also repetitive. I often checked that my e-book reader had not jumped backward as similar incidents were reported repeatedly through the book, often with nearly the same turn of phrase each time (and really, how many times does someone need to get thrown out of a bar before the reader understands that yes, they were are literally thrown out of the bar?).
Overall, and OK read. Not terrific. Not terrible. But OK. I will likely read the next of the series to see where it goes and who the characters develop. I also have a book from one of Delany's other series on my TBR list, which I am still planning to read. I am at least intrigued enough to see where things go.
January 13, 2023
A Woman Strong Enough to Survive in the Klondike
Fiona Macgillivray has buried her past. From a childhood in the Scottish Highlands to the stews of London and life as a mistress of wealthy men, Fee keeps moving to keep herself and her son Angus from harm. After travelling thousands of miles, they end up crossing the treacherous Chilicoot Pass and arrive in Dawson City, Yukon in the midst of the Gold Rush.
Fiona founds the Savoy Dance Hall where lonely miners spend their nuggets and gold dust on liquor, gambling and the chance to dance with a woman. The beautiful Fiona has found that the surest way to riches is to give them respite from the filth, desperation and danger of the miners' lives.
Her carefully crafted world is threatened when a nasty journalist starts writing stories filled with scurrilous lies. Then his body is found on The Savoy's stage and Fiona must fight for her livelihood and her life since most of the town despised the dead man. She also wants,to keep her secret past from the dashing Mountie. Richard Sterling, her son's hero.
The atmosphere of the frontier town is vividly drawn and the cast of characters from grungy Sourdoughs to green Chechackos, who have yet to winter over in the Yukon, are captured convincingly. As one who spent seven years in rural
Alaska and who has visited the Yukon Territory, Vicki Delaney has reflected the power of nature and the strength of those pioneers who sought wealth and adventure in the land of the Midnight Sun.
Fiona Macgillivray has buried her past. From a childhood in the Scottish Highlands to the stews of London and life as a mistress of wealthy men, Fee keeps moving to keep herself and her son Angus from harm. After travelling thousands of miles, they end up crossing the treacherous Chilicoot Pass and arrive in Dawson City, Yukon in the midst of the Gold Rush.
Fiona founds the Savoy Dance Hall where lonely miners spend their nuggets and gold dust on liquor, gambling and the chance to dance with a woman. The beautiful Fiona has found that the surest way to riches is to give them respite from the filth, desperation and danger of the miners' lives.
Her carefully crafted world is threatened when a nasty journalist starts writing stories filled with scurrilous lies. Then his body is found on The Savoy's stage and Fiona must fight for her livelihood and her life since most of the town despised the dead man. She also wants,to keep her secret past from the dashing Mountie. Richard Sterling, her son's hero.
The atmosphere of the frontier town is vividly drawn and the cast of characters from grungy Sourdoughs to green Chechackos, who have yet to winter over in the Yukon, are captured convincingly. As one who spent seven years in rural
Alaska and who has visited the Yukon Territory, Vicki Delaney has reflected the power of nature and the strength of those pioneers who sought wealth and adventure in the land of the Midnight Sun.
March 2, 2024
#1 in A Klondike Mystery cozy mystery series
I read this book simply because it finished up a challenge for me, but I am so glad I discovered it because I enjoyed it very much. The setting is the Gold Rush days in the Yukon in 1898. The author could make me see and feel the venue without ever being boring about describing the scene. I found her writing to be easy-to-read and comfortable, right from the first page, and she kept my interest throughout. Not only was it fun to learn about the time period, but I enjoyed the interactions between the characters and the small-town camaraderie. Fiona is a starchy co-owner of a dance hall, which means she's in charge of women who perform as well as actually dance (a dollar for a minute) for a living. She's British and obviously has a past (which she thinks about from time to time), but she's very successful and well-known in the town. She has a 12-year-old son who is sweet, but he's allowed to run wild in the town (along with all the other boys). Secondary characters of Constable Sterling (from the Mounted Police), Ray Walker (her business partner), Irene (popular dancer), Sam Collins (head bartender), and various others all added to the colorful background of the story. The mystery was interesting (and not unexpected), and it was fascinating to see how an investigation was conducted in such a remote place in the 1800s. I will definitely continue with this series and will look for more from this new-to-me author.
I read this book simply because it finished up a challenge for me, but I am so glad I discovered it because I enjoyed it very much. The setting is the Gold Rush days in the Yukon in 1898. The author could make me see and feel the venue without ever being boring about describing the scene. I found her writing to be easy-to-read and comfortable, right from the first page, and she kept my interest throughout. Not only was it fun to learn about the time period, but I enjoyed the interactions between the characters and the small-town camaraderie. Fiona is a starchy co-owner of a dance hall, which means she's in charge of women who perform as well as actually dance (a dollar for a minute) for a living. She's British and obviously has a past (which she thinks about from time to time), but she's very successful and well-known in the town. She has a 12-year-old son who is sweet, but he's allowed to run wild in the town (along with all the other boys). Secondary characters of Constable Sterling (from the Mounted Police), Ray Walker (her business partner), Irene (popular dancer), Sam Collins (head bartender), and various others all added to the colorful background of the story. The mystery was interesting (and not unexpected), and it was fascinating to see how an investigation was conducted in such a remote place in the 1800s. I will definitely continue with this series and will look for more from this new-to-me author.
October 26, 2019
North to the Yukon, the Gold Rush is on!!
This book is about a lady who escapes from her former life to become co-owner of a saloon, dance hall and gambling establishment in Dawson in the Yukon during the Gold Rush. She is a pretty widow woman with a 12-year boy and her business is making her a lot of money. An unsavory newspaper reported from San Francisco comes to Dawson and Immediately makes enemies of the whole town. He ends up murders and his body is found on stage at Fiona's saloon (Fiona is the widow-owner). The rest of the book is about finding the killer; which is hard because there are so many suspects.
This book is about a lady who escapes from her former life to become co-owner of a saloon, dance hall and gambling establishment in Dawson in the Yukon during the Gold Rush. She is a pretty widow woman with a 12-year boy and her business is making her a lot of money. An unsavory newspaper reported from San Francisco comes to Dawson and Immediately makes enemies of the whole town. He ends up murders and his body is found on stage at Fiona's saloon (Fiona is the widow-owner). The rest of the book is about finding the killer; which is hard because there are so many suspects.
November 12, 2021
#1 in A Klondike Mystery series. This 2009 series entry by author Vicki Delany is an intriguing new series. Fiona, a Scotswoman (with an English accent) and her 11 year old son flee the law, and the murderers of her parents, and arrive in Canada's Not being a miner, she teams up with a fellow Scot and buys a bar that she grows into a successful dance hall and gambling parlor. The atmosphere is first rate, the supporting characters are fine, but the small town of Dawson and the series entries taking place right after one another seemedto doom the series to a short run.
dnf
November 21, 2024This wasn't for me. I realized that very early on, and calling it a DNF without reading much, I'm not rating the book, but wanted to review it so I remember I gave it a try.
Turns out the Yukon isn't my kind of location. I wasn't interested in the hard-scrabbly world it was or the people who live there.
This just had nothing to interest me.
Turns out the Yukon isn't my kind of location. I wasn't interested in the hard-scrabbly world it was or the people who live there.
This just had nothing to interest me.
June 27, 2017
Good entertaining plot, and great descriptions of life in the Yukon at the end of the gold rush. Too bad the main character was not very likeable: arrogant, self-absorbed, and most unlikely to have survived in the harsh culture of the time.
Read
December 18, 2020it was a free book and the story sounded good but sometimes the way an author writes can rub me the wrong way. This was one of them. I don't want to give a bad review because it wasn't anything she did with the story, just couldn't connect with the writing.
October 23, 2025
Not as good as her later books, certainly. The characters were a lot less likeable and there was a lot of backstory hinted at but never developed. Sure, it might do so later but I don't intend to find out.
September 20, 2020
Another good mystery from Vicki Delaney with much interesting background description of Dawson at the time of the Gold Rush.
July 19, 2023
Never got into it
I used this book to fall asleep. I did like how she described clothes and scenery. It was easy to picture.
I used this book to fall asleep. I did like how she described clothes and scenery. It was easy to picture.
February 20, 2017
Enjoyed this to the point of not being able to put it down. So, a good read!
Vicki Delaney is a well known author in Canada and I have no clue why I have not read her before now. Must stop shelving books on my actual bookcases and read the darn things when they're purchased. So glad I read this excellent tale set in Gold Rush era Yukon, mud-filled Dawson, 1898. Fiona MacGillvray is the formidable saloon co-owner and most savvy gal of the world. Instantly likeable, she is a take no prisoners type of person and this has sustained her through numerous past experiences which are revealed throughout the book. Her son, Angus, 12, is a chip off the old block, inquisitive and devoted to her and his dream, to become a Mountie!
The Gold Rush years were hard, very hard and the men lived hard, worked hard and enjoyed themselves wholeheartedly after weeks digging in the gold fields, the Savoy was there bliss, Fiona and her business partner, Ray Walker's saloon/dancehall. All sorts of folk end up in Dawson, shacks are built daily, and re-built if there's a fire; all sorts sail into town or come over the Pass. One such fellow is hated on sight by many: Mr. Ireland, a newspaperman, a womanizer, a dandy more like a wolf in sheep's clothing. Trouble happens wherever he is, on the planks, at the Savoy, everywhere in town.
When he ends up dead on the empty Savoy stage, several people are immediate suspects.
The town Mountie, Richard Sterling, is on the case (and kinda has a crush on Fiona) along with two other men from the Fort. Maybe the fave dance hall girl, Irene did it or Ray or even Sam, the bartender, or even Graham Donohue, town reporter who's been acting right aggressive whenever Ireland's around?
The aha moment comes at just the right time and the chase is on.
Delany infuses this historical/fictional/mystery with just the right amount of wit, humour, accuracy and a fantastic cast of Yukon-ites to keep us turning pages to the finale. The setting makes you crave a taste of the far north.
Description is perfect, "Ray himself looked like he'd been dragged out of a snowdrift and left to thaw in front of a one-twig fire" and "The scar running the base of my throat down to the swell of my breasts, I still carry today. I am told that men find it fascinating."
This is a great period read and Fiona is a superwoman ahead of her time. Saucy, clever, beguiling, delightful.
Vicki Delaney is a well known author in Canada and I have no clue why I have not read her before now. Must stop shelving books on my actual bookcases and read the darn things when they're purchased. So glad I read this excellent tale set in Gold Rush era Yukon, mud-filled Dawson, 1898. Fiona MacGillvray is the formidable saloon co-owner and most savvy gal of the world. Instantly likeable, she is a take no prisoners type of person and this has sustained her through numerous past experiences which are revealed throughout the book. Her son, Angus, 12, is a chip off the old block, inquisitive and devoted to her and his dream, to become a Mountie!
The Gold Rush years were hard, very hard and the men lived hard, worked hard and enjoyed themselves wholeheartedly after weeks digging in the gold fields, the Savoy was there bliss, Fiona and her business partner, Ray Walker's saloon/dancehall. All sorts of folk end up in Dawson, shacks are built daily, and re-built if there's a fire; all sorts sail into town or come over the Pass. One such fellow is hated on sight by many: Mr. Ireland, a newspaperman, a womanizer, a dandy more like a wolf in sheep's clothing. Trouble happens wherever he is, on the planks, at the Savoy, everywhere in town.
When he ends up dead on the empty Savoy stage, several people are immediate suspects.
The town Mountie, Richard Sterling, is on the case (and kinda has a crush on Fiona) along with two other men from the Fort. Maybe the fave dance hall girl, Irene did it or Ray or even Sam, the bartender, or even Graham Donohue, town reporter who's been acting right aggressive whenever Ireland's around?
The aha moment comes at just the right time and the chase is on.
Delany infuses this historical/fictional/mystery with just the right amount of wit, humour, accuracy and a fantastic cast of Yukon-ites to keep us turning pages to the finale. The setting makes you crave a taste of the far north.
Description is perfect, "Ray himself looked like he'd been dragged out of a snowdrift and left to thaw in front of a one-twig fire" and "The scar running the base of my throat down to the swell of my breasts, I still carry today. I am told that men find it fascinating."
This is a great period read and Fiona is a superwoman ahead of her time. Saucy, clever, beguiling, delightful.
December 23, 2013
Really enjoyed this book but it did take me longer than usual to get into the story. This may be because I had just read several books in Delany's 'Constable Molly Smith' series before beginning 'Gold Digger' and so I had to adjust to changes in writing style, main character, and setting.
Stories about the Klondike gold rush have always appealed to me but the sense of the struggles and hardships experienced by people traveling to the gold fields became real to me during trips to Alaska - visiting Skagway, seeing parts of the trail of '98', experiencing the terrain and elevation changes from the coast of Alaska to the summit to reach the border of the Yukon Territories, and the knowledge that this climb was repeated multiple times since each person was required to have a ton of supplies before the Mounties would allow them to enter Canada.
In 'Gold Digger', the author makes reference to the struggles people endured to reach the Yukon but the bulk of the story is set in Dawson City. Delany does an excellent job of describing the hastily-thrown-together, rough but relatively peaceful, muddy/dusty community that existed for the sole purpose of provisioning and entertaining the miners. Throw an occasional murder into this mix of rough and tumble characters and the story becomes even more entertaining.
Fiona MacGillivray is a wonderful heroine, although I will admit that I didn't really care for her at the beginning of the book. Strong, independent, resourceful, intelligent, and a tiny bit antisocial, Fiona has only one weakness - her son. Regardless of what life throws at her, she always lands on her feet. In the early chapters, all these qualities made Fiona appear somewhat cold and harsh, but as the story evolves, and we learn more about her background, Fiona becomes a more likeable and possibly even more loveable character. I was a big fan of her son, Angus, right from the start. Early in the book, we are introduced to many characters but they become distinguishable fairly quickly.
Unlike other mysteries that I've read, discovering the identity of the killer is only a small portion of the plot in this book. The bulk of the plot deals with Fiona's dealings with her son, her staff, and the assorted inhabitants of Dawson.
I liked the writing but found the changes in perspective, third-person to first-person narration, a little abrupt at times - enough to throw me out of the book on occasion. Overall though, I found this a very entertaining and enjoyable story. Immediately after finishing this book I started 'Gold Fever' - also a good read. To really appreciate Fiona, I'd suggest reading this series in order.
Stories about the Klondike gold rush have always appealed to me but the sense of the struggles and hardships experienced by people traveling to the gold fields became real to me during trips to Alaska - visiting Skagway, seeing parts of the trail of '98', experiencing the terrain and elevation changes from the coast of Alaska to the summit to reach the border of the Yukon Territories, and the knowledge that this climb was repeated multiple times since each person was required to have a ton of supplies before the Mounties would allow them to enter Canada.
In 'Gold Digger', the author makes reference to the struggles people endured to reach the Yukon but the bulk of the story is set in Dawson City. Delany does an excellent job of describing the hastily-thrown-together, rough but relatively peaceful, muddy/dusty community that existed for the sole purpose of provisioning and entertaining the miners. Throw an occasional murder into this mix of rough and tumble characters and the story becomes even more entertaining.
Fiona MacGillivray is a wonderful heroine, although I will admit that I didn't really care for her at the beginning of the book. Strong, independent, resourceful, intelligent, and a tiny bit antisocial, Fiona has only one weakness - her son. Regardless of what life throws at her, she always lands on her feet. In the early chapters, all these qualities made Fiona appear somewhat cold and harsh, but as the story evolves, and we learn more about her background, Fiona becomes a more likeable and possibly even more loveable character. I was a big fan of her son, Angus, right from the start. Early in the book, we are introduced to many characters but they become distinguishable fairly quickly.
Unlike other mysteries that I've read, discovering the identity of the killer is only a small portion of the plot in this book. The bulk of the plot deals with Fiona's dealings with her son, her staff, and the assorted inhabitants of Dawson.
I liked the writing but found the changes in perspective, third-person to first-person narration, a little abrupt at times - enough to throw me out of the book on occasion. Overall though, I found this a very entertaining and enjoyable story. Immediately after finishing this book I started 'Gold Fever' - also a good read. To really appreciate Fiona, I'd suggest reading this series in order.
July 10, 2009
The Yukon's past still provides good stories.
In Gold Digger, readers from Outside will find author Vicki Delany has recreated the Yukon mythos admirably, even dredging up details of little known habits of our working girls. Overall Gold Digger is an intriguing frolic through the romantic past of a remote land. With damsels in distress, rugged miners, ruthless killers and dauntless Mounties, Gold Digger has all the flavour and frivolity of a play the heroine, Fiona MacGillivray, would have produced on her own Savoy stage. In fact, Gold Digger is well-suited for adaptation by the real Gaslight Follies troupe that performs nightly throughout the summer in Dawson.
Sourdoughs will recognize Fiona’s newcomer attitudes and knowledge of the North when she mistakes singing voles for rats (a species that does not exist in the Yukon) and believes her son when he says he’s going frog hunting (permafrost being inhospitable to reptiles). They’ll appreciate that while Fiona denigrates her customer base as unkempt and uncouth, the filthiest miners were the most successful; they got that dirty by moving muck to get to the gold at bedrock. And they’ll understand that while Fiona questioned the miners’ intelligence, a fair number had formal schooling and those who didn’t made up for it with ingenuity. Locals will understand that Fiona’s behaviour is in keeping with that of her contemporaries when she turns a blind eye to the local First Nations, even though they supplied the meat and food that kept the stampeders alive during the starvation winter of ’97-’98.
Delany has left plenty of space for Fiona’s growth as a Yukoner and I look forward to watching the character’s understanding deepen as she moves into the ranks of Pioneer. I pray Fiona stays in Dawson rather than hightailing it to Nome in 1899 with the rest of the stampeders. I foresee her exposure of the triumvirate of powerful men who maintained Paradise Alley (as hinted at in Lael Morgan’s book Good Time Girls), and anticipate a feminist uprising when Dawson’s society ladies campaign to clean up the capital by moving Paradise Alley to Lousetown, after they forceably relocate the First Nations.
With the Gold Digger series, Delany has created a prime opportunity to upgrade the quality of Klondike fiction, and I applaud her effort to gradually develop a comprehensive portrayal of the gold rush era.
In Gold Digger, readers from Outside will find author Vicki Delany has recreated the Yukon mythos admirably, even dredging up details of little known habits of our working girls. Overall Gold Digger is an intriguing frolic through the romantic past of a remote land. With damsels in distress, rugged miners, ruthless killers and dauntless Mounties, Gold Digger has all the flavour and frivolity of a play the heroine, Fiona MacGillivray, would have produced on her own Savoy stage. In fact, Gold Digger is well-suited for adaptation by the real Gaslight Follies troupe that performs nightly throughout the summer in Dawson.
Sourdoughs will recognize Fiona’s newcomer attitudes and knowledge of the North when she mistakes singing voles for rats (a species that does not exist in the Yukon) and believes her son when he says he’s going frog hunting (permafrost being inhospitable to reptiles). They’ll appreciate that while Fiona denigrates her customer base as unkempt and uncouth, the filthiest miners were the most successful; they got that dirty by moving muck to get to the gold at bedrock. And they’ll understand that while Fiona questioned the miners’ intelligence, a fair number had formal schooling and those who didn’t made up for it with ingenuity. Locals will understand that Fiona’s behaviour is in keeping with that of her contemporaries when she turns a blind eye to the local First Nations, even though they supplied the meat and food that kept the stampeders alive during the starvation winter of ’97-’98.
Delany has left plenty of space for Fiona’s growth as a Yukoner and I look forward to watching the character’s understanding deepen as she moves into the ranks of Pioneer. I pray Fiona stays in Dawson rather than hightailing it to Nome in 1899 with the rest of the stampeders. I foresee her exposure of the triumvirate of powerful men who maintained Paradise Alley (as hinted at in Lael Morgan’s book Good Time Girls), and anticipate a feminist uprising when Dawson’s society ladies campaign to clean up the capital by moving Paradise Alley to Lousetown, after they forceably relocate the First Nations.
With the Gold Digger series, Delany has created a prime opportunity to upgrade the quality of Klondike fiction, and I applaud her effort to gradually develop a comprehensive portrayal of the gold rush era.
July 11, 2009
Enjoy history? Like a mystery? Gold Digger is an absolutely delightful historical
mystery. I thoroughly enjoyed spending time back in 1898, the Yukon Territory, in the rip roaring mining town of Dawson. A native born Californian, I was raised on stories of the 1849 Gold Rush and the founding of San Francisco, so reading about the last great Gold Rush had a lot of familiarity but the great Canada wilderness was an unique setting. Vicki Delany has made the town of Dawson and its inhabitants come alive with a vivid realism of a great historical, without making one feel like they are reading a travelogue or passages quoted from a dry history tome.
The story’s heroine, Fiona MacGillivray, is a woman of great courage and strength of will in a time when most women were thought of as no more than chattel. She owns a saloon, the Savoy, named after the fashionable London hotel. She is a woman of class and breeding, in a place where even a saloon owner can be considered respectable, if she acts as such. She has a 12 year old son Agnus, a smart inquisitive lad who hero worships the local Mountie, Constable Sterling, and wants to become a Mountie himself.
After surviving the arduous journey to get to the Klondike and the near starvation of the first winter, summer is extraordinary beautiful, with fields of glorious wild flowers, warm days, sapphire blue sky. Life is good in Dawson, the Savoy’s business is booming, until Jack Ireland arrives. A newspaper reporter from San Francisco, he immediately makes enemies and within 3 days is found dead, throat cut, on the stage of the Savoy. Was it the rival newspaper man? Or Fiona’s lead singer, Irene, whom Jack physically abused? Or Fiona’s partner, jealously protective of Irene? Or the good woman that Jack called a prostitute in his first story sent back to San Francisco? Or Fiona herself, whom Jack threatened to destroy for standing up for Irene and defending herself? Or someone else?
Not a particularly complex mystery, it is still satisfying all the way around. It works because of the well drawn characters and setting handled with a careful attention to detail.
In my opinion, Gold Digger really strikes gold!
I understand it is the start of a new series, and I look forward to once again visiting Dawson and its interesting and colorful inhabitants.
mystery. I thoroughly enjoyed spending time back in 1898, the Yukon Territory, in the rip roaring mining town of Dawson. A native born Californian, I was raised on stories of the 1849 Gold Rush and the founding of San Francisco, so reading about the last great Gold Rush had a lot of familiarity but the great Canada wilderness was an unique setting. Vicki Delany has made the town of Dawson and its inhabitants come alive with a vivid realism of a great historical, without making one feel like they are reading a travelogue or passages quoted from a dry history tome.
The story’s heroine, Fiona MacGillivray, is a woman of great courage and strength of will in a time when most women were thought of as no more than chattel. She owns a saloon, the Savoy, named after the fashionable London hotel. She is a woman of class and breeding, in a place where even a saloon owner can be considered respectable, if she acts as such. She has a 12 year old son Agnus, a smart inquisitive lad who hero worships the local Mountie, Constable Sterling, and wants to become a Mountie himself.
After surviving the arduous journey to get to the Klondike and the near starvation of the first winter, summer is extraordinary beautiful, with fields of glorious wild flowers, warm days, sapphire blue sky. Life is good in Dawson, the Savoy’s business is booming, until Jack Ireland arrives. A newspaper reporter from San Francisco, he immediately makes enemies and within 3 days is found dead, throat cut, on the stage of the Savoy. Was it the rival newspaper man? Or Fiona’s lead singer, Irene, whom Jack physically abused? Or Fiona’s partner, jealously protective of Irene? Or the good woman that Jack called a prostitute in his first story sent back to San Francisco? Or Fiona herself, whom Jack threatened to destroy for standing up for Irene and defending herself? Or someone else?
Not a particularly complex mystery, it is still satisfying all the way around. It works because of the well drawn characters and setting handled with a careful attention to detail.
In my opinion, Gold Digger really strikes gold!
I understand it is the start of a new series, and I look forward to once again visiting Dawson and its interesting and colorful inhabitants.
June 19, 2015
Knowing my first journey with Vicki Delany would be the Klondike, I learned about it. The thinking, people, and wilderness are laid out so well; anyone would acclimatize. Her grasp of Canada in 1898 is colourful and astute. When we reach suspense and danger, they are well-plotted. Her characterization is excellent. Angus, Constable Richard Sterling, Mrs. Mann, and Helen are especially likeable. Fiona MacGillivray, I admire as a firm, intelligent businesswoman but prefer as Angus’ adoring Mother.
What I noticed is, this didn’t feel like a mystery until page 114. Announcing a crime doesn’t make it one and if there’s a genre that needs to be strict about keeping the focus and pace on it, it is this one. Nearly the whole felt like a tableau of general fiction, albeit with superb wit. Even when we reached the murder that we backtracked over those pages; the focus was on making money, as police presumably performed in the background. The death affected no protagonist, presented no danger. Fiona’s role as a sleuth did not begin until the tail end. It was one encounter that suddenly became adventurous. As exciting as these parts were when they gelled together and generated belated suspense, they were too little too late.
Description was too detailed; especially when everyone’s smell, dirty or mended appearance, repeated on the same personages. Highlighting emotions is what keeps us in a character’s head, which was done very well with Angus. The recognizable setting and saloon are exceedingly creative but should have played a distant fiddle to an atmosphere of mystery, nor do we need to know every citizen so well right away. Anyone is likely to find their footing after volume #1. The pace might well surge ahead in the succeeding novels. I am invested and keen to read them.
What I noticed is, this didn’t feel like a mystery until page 114. Announcing a crime doesn’t make it one and if there’s a genre that needs to be strict about keeping the focus and pace on it, it is this one. Nearly the whole felt like a tableau of general fiction, albeit with superb wit. Even when we reached the murder that we backtracked over those pages; the focus was on making money, as police presumably performed in the background. The death affected no protagonist, presented no danger. Fiona’s role as a sleuth did not begin until the tail end. It was one encounter that suddenly became adventurous. As exciting as these parts were when they gelled together and generated belated suspense, they were too little too late.
Description was too detailed; especially when everyone’s smell, dirty or mended appearance, repeated on the same personages. Highlighting emotions is what keeps us in a character’s head, which was done very well with Angus. The recognizable setting and saloon are exceedingly creative but should have played a distant fiddle to an atmosphere of mystery, nor do we need to know every citizen so well right away. Anyone is likely to find their footing after volume #1. The pace might well surge ahead in the succeeding novels. I am invested and keen to read them.
August 30, 2014
Decent story. I found myself laughing out loud more than once at Fiona's thoughts and actions. The author did a good job of showing how (supposedly) sane men would throw everything away to work themselves to death and have nothing to show for it.
There was too much reference to her past with no explanation. It kind of bogged down a couple of times with the lengthy descriptions of the gold process but it was interesting how people lived during the gold rush.
Fiona was funny, strong and stood her ground but I didn't necessarily care for her Queen complex. Her son was adorable and, again, the author did a good job of showing life from his point of view, the son of a single mom living in the middle of nowhere.
There was too much reference to her past with no explanation. It kind of bogged down a couple of times with the lengthy descriptions of the gold process but it was interesting how people lived during the gold rush.
Fiona was funny, strong and stood her ground but I didn't necessarily care for her Queen complex. Her son was adorable and, again, the author did a good job of showing life from his point of view, the son of a single mom living in the middle of nowhere.
September 2, 2009
Enjoyable mystery, interesting history lesson and basically a fun read. Fiona is a single mother in the Yukon of 1898. A 12-year old boy, owning a saloon/dance hall, and trying to maintain a "proper" status in the rough and tumble world of the the Klondike gold rush is enough to keep her busy without a murdered man being found on her stage. The dead man has only been in town two/three days and already made a number of enemies and no one who met him seems to have liked him. Possible suspects are Fiona's business partner, her best dancer, and a good friend. Is one of them the killer, or someone else?
I liked this book and will read more of this author.
I liked this book and will read more of this author.
April 11, 2016
In the spring of 1898, even though it is ten years past the height of the Yukon gold rush, Fiona MacGillivray and her partner are striking it rich running a dance hall in Dawson. When a dead body is found on the stage almost everyone is a suspect because the victim, a reporter from San Francisco, was such a nasty piece of work. Fiona, who is willing to leave the investigation to Mountie Constable Sterling and is not particularly bothered by the idea of the murderer getting away nevertheless gets tangled up in the plot. The story is competently written but I could not warm to either the heroine or the setting..
April 25, 2017
A woman, a single mother, running a dance hall and casino during the gold rush in the Yukon. I get the feeling there were previous books about this woman who seems to have had an adventurous life living on the legal edge. A man is killed in her establishment. We backtrack a few days to the events leading up to it and then go forward as the Mounties investigate. She's the one that ultimately stumbles into the killer. Not a bad read.
May 23, 2020
One of the best
I read this book when it first came out and loved it then as well. But the characters have called to me over the years. When I read about Jack London and the Klondike gold rush I came back for a second look. A great mystery and an equally great glimpse into a moment in history. A moment that I'm glad I wasn't around to witness personally but fascinating none the less.
I read this book when it first came out and loved it then as well. But the characters have called to me over the years. When I read about Jack London and the Klondike gold rush I came back for a second look. A great mystery and an equally great glimpse into a moment in history. A moment that I'm glad I wasn't around to witness personally but fascinating none the less.
September 8, 2015
Delany caught essence of the Klondike under Mountie law at the turn of the century. Rough and rugged, yet striving to be common wealth proper, life is totally disrupted by the arrival of a loud and proud San Francisco report, who ends up being as much trouble dead as alive. Everyone seems to have something to hide and a reason to want the man dead. A lively "who done it"!
August 15, 2016
Vicki Delany again impresses me with with this series of historical fiction. The characters are rich and realistic. Her ability to vividly describe the time period and locations is admirable. I always feel like I am in the story when I read her books. Vicki is a very talented writer that doesn't get the fame that she deserves, and her books are hidden gems.
August 4, 2010
Get taken back in time to the gold rush, to a simpler time before all modern invention. Here a man gets murder but by who? He wasn't exactly a very well liked man, since he was killed in Fiona's saloon I guess it will be up to her to find out who killed him.
June 10, 2009
Engaging read, good effort. I just wish we knew more about the characters involved and their stories.
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