Book Pick for July 2026
Ruta Sepetys is a genius of historical fiction. Maybe that is overstating it, but I truly believe she has a gift of encompassing young adults’ experiences across generations that have not been heard. She has written about the Cold War in Romania in 1989, Lithuanians brutal treatment by the Soviets post-World War II, and love under Franco’s Spanish dictatorship in the 1950s. These very heavy topics seem far removed from her latest book, a fun romp through motor city in the roaring ‘20s. Or so it seems.
A Fortune of Sand focuses on the heirs to the fortune of their grandfather, who made his wealth off the automobile glass company he has run during the Ford heydays. Unfortunately, his son does not have his work ethic or scruples after he takes over managing the business. The nepo-babies of the ‘20s range in age and demeanor, from the oldest married to a possible mobster, the playboy son, studious daughter, and the wild child. The wild child, Marguerite, is their father’s daughter by his second wife after the other children’s mother passed. When Marguerite’s latest audacious stunt is showing up practically naked in her latest fashion creation in society, her older siblings quickly deposit her at an artistic commune where she has earned a spot to work on her art and escape their father’s wrath. The strict rules to remain in the program seem unusual to Marjorie, but not wanting to upset her father any further, she abides by them to the best of her “wild child” ability. But when her new friends and fellow artists start to allude to the other artists who have been there and gone missing, Marjorie begins to sense something is off with her opportunity. Her father’s friend, who is the mysterious benefactor of her stay, and Marjorie’s childhood crush, appears on the scene, reigniting her childhood flame. Drawn by his rumored presence at her sister’s housewarming party, Marjorie is persuaded to attend the party with her new friends. When they stalk their benefactor to his home following the party, he invites them in. Knowing they have broken the lease, the girls return to their apartments ready to be evicted. However, Marjorie finds that while the other girls have mysteriously disappeared, she remains in her room. Marjorie’s curiosity leads her to investigate the building that she is living in for her stay. What Marjorie finds out about her friends and the art commune she is living in reveals a hidden agenda behind her benefactor leading straight to the underworld of Detroit. What she finds there disrupts her home life and ultimately shakes her belief in the world to its core. A coming-of-age tale emerges from the fun romp through the twenties and brings the reader back to more familiar territory with Ruta Sepetys, the untold stories of the lives of people who faced persecution throughout history.