Mary Fortune
Mary Fortune, born Mary Helena Wilson in 1833 in Belfast, Ireland, was a pioneering writer of detective fiction. After immigrating to Canada with her father, she moved to Australia in 1855, where she began her writing career. Fortune's literary contributions gained recognition in 1865 with the publication of her first detective stories in the Australian Journal, featuring characters like James Brooke and her own creation, Mark Sinclair. She is noted for publishing "The Detective's Album" in 1871, which is considered the first known collection of detective fiction by a woman. Her work is associated with the casebook fiction genre, blending elements of crime-solving with the Australian frontier, often set against the backdrop of the bush. Fortune's narratives frequently included mysterious deaths and intricate plotlines, showcasing her ability to engage readers with suspenseful storytelling. Throughout her career, she authored over five hundred detective stories, leaving a significant mark on the literary landscape of Australia. Despite her success, Fortune's later life was marred by personal struggles, including alcoholism, and the circumstances of her death remain unclear.
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Mary Fortune
Writer
- Born: 1833
- Birthplace: Belfast, Ireland (now in Northern Ireland)
- Died: c. 1910
Biography
Mary Fortune was born Mary Helena Wilson in Belfast, Ireland, in 1833. As a young child, she immigrated to Canada with her father. In 1851, she married Joseph Fortune, and the marriage produced one child, a son. When Fortune’s father migrated to the goldfields of Australia 1855, she and her son traveled with him. Little is known of what became of Joseph Fortune, but he probably remained in Canada. Three years after arriving in Australia, Fortune married a policeman, probably bigamously, named Percy Brett. The marriage was unhappy, and it did not last long. The money that Fortune earned as a writer helped to support her family. Fortune died an alcoholic, and the exact date and place of her death remain a mystery.
Mary Fortune began her writing career using pseudonyms. Her first detective stories were published in the Australian Journal in 1865. Fortune’s first stories featured a detective named James Brooke, who was originally created by fellow Australian crime writer, James Skipp Borlase. Later Fortune created her own detective, Mark Sinclair, who is featured in many of her works. Fortune’s The Detective’s Album was published in 1871. It is the first known collection of detective fiction written by a woman.
Fortune’s writings belong to a literary school known as casebook fiction. The casebook school was popular in England and Australia, but the British school was more influential. Like the work of her British counterparts, Fortune’s stories featured heroic lawmen. Whereas British detectives solved crime in urban settings such as London and Paris, Fortune’s stories were set in the Australian frontier and often involved the tracking of criminals through the Australian bush. Fortune’s writings often feature bodies that mysteriously appear and are often found in trunks or suitcases, and sometimes in ponds. In all, Fortune wrote more than five hundred detective stories before her death.