Gold Rush Girl

Victoria Blaisdell has been raised in high society, but she wishes she could take control of her destiny and make her own path. When her father loses his job, he sets his eyes on the California gold rush and determines he’ll regain his fortune out there. But Tory is equally determined that she won’t be left behind to keep her aunt’s house in order and watch over her ailing mother. She stows away on the ship to San Francisco and seals her fate. 

The filthy, crowded streets of San Francisco are a complete shock compared to their clean, orderly home of New Providence. But Tory soon finds that she’s able to make money by dressing in men’s clothing and taking on odd jobs–there is always someone in need of an extra set of hands. She makes fast friends with Thaddeus, a problem gambler her age who never sees her as a romantic option, and adjusts to her new life. But when her father goes to the gold fields, her younger brother Jacob grows sullen and anxious. And then he disappears while she’s out fishing one day. 

Tory is determined to find him, but her best lead–a Black burgler called Sam who is the last person to have seen Jacob before he disappeared–at first leads to worse than a dead end. The police don’t want to hear about another missing persons case, and Tory gets Sam in trouble for speaking to a white woman. But as Tory, Sam, and Thad follow the trail, they uncover a man called Mr. Kassel, who drugs people and sells them into slavery. Luckily, they’re able to find Jacob among the abandoned ships in Rotten Row, and break the case wide open. The three friends then decide to strike out together to find their fortunes. 

An exciting adventure in a well-depicted historical setting. Tory’s gumption and zeal are inspiring, and her changing perspective on racial and class privilege is presented naturally and clearly. The mystery and conspiracy are well-thought-out and thought-provoking, further tying in the themes of justice and responsibility. 

 historical, adventure, missing persons, corruption, justice, race, class, California Gold Rush, sea voyage, responsibility, siblings, family

 Adults drink in a gambling hall (p. 104). Mr. Kassel is known to feed drink or drugs to his potential victims to make them easier to kidnap (p. 148).