The King of Diamonds Summary
With the publication of The Inheritance, Simon Tolkien was acclaimed as a naturally gifted storyteller who possesses a terrific command of language and a unique perception into the darker sides of human nature. The grandson of J.R.R. Tolkien, with whom he had a very special relationship, Simon Tolkien's writing is set firmly in this world and is informed by his career as a barrister in England specializing in criminal justice.
Building upon themes of his last novel, Tolkien delves deeper into the human psyche with The King of Diamonds, exploring the depths of human depravity, and the overwhelming power of forgiveness.
It's 1960, and David Swain is two years into his life sentence for murdering the lover of his ex-girlfriend, Katya Osman. In the dead of night, David escapes from prison, and that same night Katya is found murdered in her uncle’s home.
Inspector Trave of the Oxford Police heads a manhunt for David, even though his suspicions lead him to Katya's uncle, a rich diamond dealer, and his sinister brother-in-law who has gone to great lengths to hide his ties with the Nazis. But when unseemly details regarding the diamond dealer and Trave’s wife come to light, Trave's motives themselves are suspect, and a newcomer to the Oxford Police, Inspector Macrae, is eager to exploit Trave's weaknesses. Once David is captured and put on trial for his life, Trave is willing to risk everything to uncover the truth.
Simon Tolkien has once again written a gripping and nuanced thriller laced with historical detail, treachery, and his signature writing style - a uniquely suspenseful blend that the Los Angeles Times called "half Christie and half Grisham."
