Book dossier

Dorothy's double

by G. A. Henty

Dorothy's Double, is the story of a young Enlish girl named Dorothy Hawtrey. She has major problems when someone begins blackmailing her for money, making it look like she'd done something wrong. Then, matters worsen when someone impersonates her, and robs two people, while keeping up the deception so well, that they both think it's Dorothy. As one was an old family friend, it shows that her "double" is very like her. A young friend of Dorothy's, an officer in the Indian police force, determines to find out who is ruining her name, and eventually traces the crooks to America, clear out to California, during the Gold Rush. It's a very interesting story, and one with quite a surprise at the end. As Henty actually traveled the gold fields during or right after the Rush, his picture of them may be taken as accurate. In fact, historians have noted that Henty's books are remarkably accurate ones. He would often travel to do on-site research, or read very closely the accounts of men who did so. All his books are very well written, and use good English.