A Desperate Fortune

Susanna Kearsley's novel intricately weaves the stories of two women from different centuries—Mary Dundas, a Jacobite exile, and Sara Thomas, an amateur codebreaker—linked through a centuries-old cipher. As Sara embarks on her quest to decode Mary’s cryptic journal in Paris, both women confront themes of rebellion, betrayal, and the true nature of trust. The narrative explores how their lives and secrets are unexpectedly connected across time, revealing the power of fate and love.