A Bid for Fortune

A Bid for Fortune by Guy Boothby is a fiction, mystery first published in 1895. A Bid for Fortune; Or, Dr. Nikola's Vendetta is a novel published in 1895. Young Australian Richard Hatteras, fresh from pearl-diving riches, travels to Sydney where he falls for the Colonial Secretary's daughter. But her father has crossed paths with the sinister Dr. Nikola, who demands a mysterious oriental object through devious schemes. As Nikola's plot threatens the woman he loves, Hatteras must race to rescue her from danger. By returning to Paranormal fiction, the work links personal experience with wider social, moral, or imaginative concerns. The reading experience is shaped by a carefully controlled structure that rewards attention to detail and shifting suspicion. At roughly 89,556 words with an easy reading profile, it offers a reading commitment that is easy to judge before beginning while still leaving room for close attention. Beyond its immediate story or argument, the book matters for its role in shaping the pleasures and conventions of detective and suspense fiction. Its strongest appeal lies in the meeting of Paranormal fiction and carefully controlled structure, giving the book both immediate character and lasting interest.