The Wrecker’s Prize by Henry J. Thomas
Price: $1.95
ePublished by
June 2023
Originally published February 2, 1864
Dime novel, Age of Sail
Author: Henry J. Thomas
ePublished by
June 2023
Originally published February 2, 1864
Dime novel, Age of Sail
Author: Henry J. Thomas
The Wrecker’s Prize, No. 65 of the Beadle’s Dime Novels series, is about a community along the Long Island seashore who, like so many seashore communities during the Age of Sail, eagerly took advantage of shipwrecks to collect the often valuable debris that would wash ashore—but in this case the biggest treasure turns out to be an unidentified infant girl of obviously wealthy social standing. This unfortunate orphan is raised by her poor adoptive parents and considered the “Pearl” of the community.
About the author, Henry J. Thomas, next to nothing is known, other than they wrote a number of dime novels for Beadle and Company’s various series. There is one interesting and mysterious fact: that more often than not the identifier Mrs. appeared in front of the name, so either husband and wife were both writers, or the writer was female and Beadle sometimes omitted the Mrs. (because in the 19th century crediting a female writer could have a negative effect on sales).
About the author, Henry J. Thomas, next to nothing is known, other than they wrote a number of dime novels for Beadle and Company’s various series. There is one interesting and mysterious fact: that more often than not the identifier Mrs. appeared in front of the name, so either husband and wife were both writers, or the writer was female and Beadle sometimes omitted the Mrs. (because in the 19th century crediting a female writer could have a negative effect on sales).