A Bid for Fortune; Or, Dr. Nikola's Vendetta

Metadata

Gutenberg ID

21640

Title

A Bid for Fortune; Or, Dr. Nikola's Vendetta

Language

en

Book source

Project Gutenberg

Description max 80 words

In this late-Victorian adventure, a mysterious Dr. Nikola orchestrates a complex international vendetta involving kidnapping, exotic locales, and a sinister plot centered on a magical artifact. Blending romance, suspense, and globe-trotting intrigue, the novel delivers a thrilling tale of escape, rescue, and the ultimate triumph of justice over villainy.

Summary up to 500 words

In Guy Boothby's *A Bid for Fortune; Or, Dr. Nikola's Vendetta*, the narrative begins in London at the Imperial Restaurant, where the manager anxiously prepares for a peculiar dinner hosted by the enigmatic Dr. Nikola. Three guests arrive from distant corners of the globe: Eastover from the Americas, Prendergast from Africa, and Baxter from Asia. They are joined by Nikola, a handsome but dangerous man with a dark past. The dinner is interrupted by the arrival of Lord Beckenham and his companion, who are immediately imprisoned by Nikola and his associates. The captives are chained in a room with no means of escape. After weeks of despair, the prisoners devise a plan to communicate with a beggar who passes their window daily. Using a mouse to carry a note through a pipe in the wall, they secure a file from the beggar. This allows them to cut their chains and escape. They flee to an island where they discover Nikola has kidnapped the Colonial Secretary of New South Wales and his daughter, Phyllis. The protagonists, including the rescued Marquis of Beckenham, infiltrate Nikola's camp. They find the Secretary tied to a post in a cave. A confrontation ensues, during which Nikola reveals his obsession with a small Chinese stick, a magical artifact he believes grants him immense power. In a climactic moment, the stick is lost, and Nikola's plans are thwarted. The villains are defeated, the hostages are rescued, and the protagonists return to Sydney. The story concludes with the marriage of the narrator, Dick Hatteras, to Phyllis Wetherell, and a reflection on the mysterious fate of Dr. Nikola and his remaining associates.

LLM editorial rating

4.2/5

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Categories

• Fiction
• Horror