Automotive Heiress Uncovers Secrets of Detroit's Gilded Age

Ruta Sepetys, the acclaimed author of young adult historical fiction, is set to release her first adult novel in June 2026. Titled "A Fortune of Sand," the book is inspired by "actual, long-buried historical events" from the Prohibition era in Sepetys' hometown of Detroit.

The story follows Marjorie Lennox, the youngest daughter of a powerful automotive dynasty in 1927 Motor City. Artistic and impulsive, Marjorie has long been dismissed by her controlling father and self-absorbed siblings. But when she secretly applies to an exclusive arts program, she sees a chance to redefine herself on her own terms.

However, Marjorie soon becomes unnerved by the program's restrictive nature and strange occurrences, including the presence of a "handsome benefactor" who is "mostly absent, yet somehow everywhere." As her sense of self begins to slip, so does her grip on the truth, leading her to uncover the city's forgotten splendor and the dark secrets that lie beneath its glittering facade.

Sepetys, who has long been captivated by the "glamour and grift of Detroit during its Golden Age," aims to transport readers into the forgotten world of 1920s Motor City, where "glittering wealth conceals a graveyard of secrets."