Madame Midas

"Madame Midas" by Fergus Hume is a story set against the backdrop of the Australian gold rush, about the pursuit of wealth and the dark side of ambition. It begins with two escaped French prisoners who arrive on a desolate coast, dreaming of riches. Their journey is intertwined with that of Mrs. Villiers, the daughter of Robert Curtis, who has created a new life for herself as a respectable mine owner after a difficult marriage. Her past comes back to haunt her when her estranged husband returns, seeking to regain control just as new figures come into her life. The novel sets the stage for a dramatic clash of desires, showing how the characters' lives become tangled in a web of secrets, betrayals, and the relentless drive for fortune that defines their world.