Money Magic: A Novel

Bertha, a hotelkeeper in a Colorado valley, becomes enmeshed in sudden wealth and social ascent after a wealthy, wounded stranger moves to secure her future. The story follows her navigation of new social circles—urban entertainments, art patronage, and flattering advisers—while legal maneuvers, jealous relatives, and moral dilemmas complicate her choices. Scenes alternate between mountain community life and the metropolis, examining how money alters personal loyalties, ambition, and reputation. Tensions over marriage, property, and honor lead to courtroom consequences and painful reckonings, forcing characters to confront the costs of prosperity and the limits of virtue.