Mary Fortune (1833–1909) was an Australian author and journalist. She is best known for her detective stories, which were published in the Australian Journal between 1864 and 1907. Born in Scotland, Fortune moved to Australia in 1852. She began writing for the Melbourne-based newspaper The Argus in 1856, and later wrote for the Australian Journal. Her stories featured a detective named Detective W. Fortune, who was based on her husband, William Fortune. Fortune's stories were popular with readers, and she was one of the first female authors to write detective fiction. She was also one of the first female journalists in Australia. Fortune's work has been praised for its realism and its insight into the lives of women in the 19th century. She was also a pioneer in the use of the detective genre to explore social issues. Fortune died in 1909. Her work has been reprinted and is still read today.
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