Dorothy Arnold's Escape

by Mrs. Georgie Sheldon

Despite the title, it is unlikely this has to do with the real-life disappearance of Dorothy Arnold, New York socialite, in 1910, especially since the book was first published in 1883. It is volume one of a two volume novel, the second being True Love Endures.

232 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1883

About the author

Sarah Elizabeth Forbush Downs (1843–1926) was a "dime novelist" from the United States.

In 1868, she married George Sheldon Downs. She used a form of his name as a pseudonym in much of her writing.

Her career began with newspaper contributions in 1869. She was signed by Theodore Dreiser to write for his Smith's Magazine. Dreiser considered her to be one of the "three most popular authors in the world." Between 1880 and 1889, she serialized 47 romances for Street and Smith's New York Weekly.

Reviews

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mrs. Georgie Sheldon was definitely one of the more sensational of the sensation novel authors in the late 19th century, and this volume, while not as crazy as A Hoyden's Conquest, which takes the cake for most insane things happening to one person in a single chapter, is still a fast-paced ride on the melodrama train. While it has nothing to do with the famous 1910 disappearance of a New York socialite of the same name, it is clear that this 1911 edition was rushed back into print to bank on that tragedy, as the typesetting is terrible with whole lines transposed and there are numerous spelling errors. The story itself, which follows beautiful young Dorothy's romancing by the good, kind Leroy Davenport and the handsome-but-amoral Gilbert Fontaine and quickly devolves into Gilbert kidnapping Dorothy after she marries Roy and he falls ill before Gilbert tries to poison him in the hospital (in France!), is basic Victorian melodrama. Sheldon's gift, however, was to write that melodrama so that it becomes difficult to put down, while sneaking in small feminist statements about Dorothy's strength of will and desire to make her own choices. She's no Mrs. E.D.E.N. Southworth, but if you're looking for a good example of a popular female author of the 1880s who didn't make the cannon, she's one you really should check out.

Now I have to see if I can find the sequel, True Love Endures. After all, I need to know if Roy survives the poisoning attempt or if plucky NYC street kid Bert Tain can save him!