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Ruta Sepetys is taking on adult fiction for the first time with her latest novel, A Fortune of Sand, which follows a family dynasty in 1927 Detroit

The book is inspired by "a series of long-buried true stories about the city during the Prohibition era," Sepetys tells PEOPLE exclusively

A Fortune of Sand will hit shelves in summer 2026

Ruta Sepetys is breaking into adult fiction with a novel set in her home city — 100 years ago.

The bestselling author, best known for her YA historical fiction, is releasing a new novel set in Prohibition-era Detroit next year. Billed as The Great Gatsby meets The Royal Tenenbaums — and a “haunting mosaic of glamour and grift” — A Fortune of Sand will hit bookshelves in June 2026 and PEOPLE can exclusively reveal the cover.

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