The books of the English writer Daphne Dumorrier (19071989) became classics of 20th century literature. A master of subtle psychological portraiture and a virtuoso of intrigue, Dumarier, like no other, knows how to keep the reader in suspense. No wonder one of the admirers of her talent was the film director Alfred Hitchcock, who shot famous film thrillers based on her works. “Rebecca”, “Birds”, “Tractor “Jamaica”...” The novel “Chasing happiness, or Mary-Ann”, published between the famous books “My cousin Rachel” and “The scapegoat”, when the writer was at the top of her form, was recognized as one of the best books by Daphne Dumorrier . Immersed in the atmosphere of 19th century England, the author recreates the image of his extravagant great-great-grandmother and tells the story of her truly amazing life, full of ups and downs. Mary-Anne had an incredible destiny and an incredible character, which combined prudence and recklessness, credulity and cunning, sarcasm and good-naturedness, fearlessness and debauchery … She managed to get out of the miserable London slums, becoming a famous courtesan and mistress of the Duke of York, the brother of King George III, to reach the heights of power, and then, embroiled in a loud corruption scandal and political intrigue, she put her future and her life at stake.