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The King of Diamonds

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Admittedly, I downloaded The King of Diamonds based on the Tolkien name and little else since I had not previously read any of Simon Tolkien's novels but name recognition only helped to introduce me to a thoroughly compelling writer and story. S. Tolkien's wrting style is so effortless and flowing that this sweeping historical saga unfolds from Oxford to all of Europe and beyond in the time it takes to unplug the Kindle and turn off the bed table light. What at first seemed to be a nod to Agatha Christie, P.D. James or Elizabeth George, quietly blosssomed to the epic proportion of Leon Uris. The King of Diamonds has it all in spades; love gone awry, dogged detectives pursuing their foe in the face of adversity, dastardly villains who happen to be Nazis and a frantic, last minute discovery of a diary of proof that leads to justice for a condemned man.

Tolkien's smooth writing style belies the complexity of his plot and storyline. Multiple stories are seamlessly interwoven from one chapter to the next with characters you can see and feel. Any reader will be challenged to forget the villainous Franz Claes, the vulnerable Vanessa or the unethical Detective McCrae... not to mention our hero Trave who stands as tall as Commander Dalgliesh or Inspector Lindley. Overall, The King of Diamonds is a superb read that should not be missed.

In 1958 at the Old Bailey in London, David Swain stands on trial for the murder of Ethan Mendel in what has been sensationalized as a crime of passion. David accused Ethan of interfering with his relationship with Katya Osman. Oxford Detective Inspector William Trave testifies, which is a prime reason Swain is convicted and sentenced to life in prison. Although he did his duty, something about the case annoys Trave.

Two years later, Trave's marriage to Vanessa falls apart. At the same time Katya's diamond dealer paternal Uncle Titus lends his support to the DI while ironically having an affair with Vanessa. Osman also conceals that he and his brother-in-law former Nazi sympathizer Franz Claes have kept his niece locked away in her home. Meanwhile, acrimonious and raging Swain works on his escape in order to kill his duplicitous former girlfriend. Just after Swain succeeds in breaking out of prison, someone murders Katya. Although the obvious suspect is the escaped convict who swore he would kill his former lover but Trave hypothesizes that her uncle and his in-law murdered the niece and Mendel. The problem with his theory is his motives re Vanessa.

Although a bit over the top of the Old Bailey, the second DI Trave police procedural (seer The Inheritance) is a super exciting thriller that transports readers back to 1960 Oxford. Trave is terrific as he investigates the second homicide tied to Katya, but this time she is the victim. His peers scoff at his theory as Swain is an easier culprit to hang and besides Trave has a motive to want Osman to hang because his estranged wife and the King of Diamonds dealer are having an affair. Fans will enjoy Simon Tolkien's entertaining historical thriller.

Harriet Klausner

With such a name, drawn from an illustrious heritage, one expects great things. No magical tales here, no golden rings or underground caves, however we do find our share of monstrous Nazis, hidden diamonds and damsels in distress.
The tale, set in Britain in 1960, has Inspector Trave of the Oxford constabulary investigating two murders at Blackwater Hall, both allegedly committed by young David Swain, the jilted lover of young Katya. The first murder was the new boyfriend, out of jealousy and the second, for which Swain had to breakout of prison to commit, the revenge killing of Kaya herself.
Trave, who is the lead detective, refuses to remove himself from the investigation even though the owner of Blackwater Hall is now courting his soon to be ex-wife and indeed seems to be going out of his way antagonize the family. This period tale reads more like England in the stilted era of the thirties more than the country of loosening mores of the sixties. Without the references to the happenings of Nazi Germany one might be forgiven to think they where reading about circumstances after the Great War, however in no way does this period-mixing detract from the grand storyline that has Tolkein sweeping us away with its telling.
With a trail of blood diamonds from Antwerp, two Jewish brothers seeking the truth of what happened to their parents and a trail that leads to the concentration camps of Mechelen, Belgium, Tolkien leads us on the familiar and mysterious path of deceit, revenge and betrayal.The King of Diamonds

Carrying the surname "Tolkien" can be a double-edged sword. On the one hand, if you show a knack for writing, you are joining a fine lineage started by the immortal J.R.R. Tolkien. On the other hand, the expectations may be way too high, making success a difficult leap. Thankfully, Simon Tolkien, J.R.R.'s grandson, has paved his own literary pathway. THE KING OF DIAMONDS represents another literary success for him.

Tolkien's writing has been called a unique blend of Agatha Christie and John Grisham. That is another high bar to reach, but his writing backs up this statement. The prologue is set in London, circa 1958, and the action begins inside the famous courthouse known as the Old Bailey. The trial of David Swain is nearing its conclusion, and the judgment seems to be a foregone conclusion. David is accused of killing Ethan Mendel, his girlfriend's lover. Katya Osman has already produced a number of threatening letters that David sent to her, which is more than enough for the jury to quickly render a verdict of guilty with a sentence of life imprisonment.

The novel quickly jumps forward two years to 1960. David's new bunkmate, Eddie Earle, has a penchant for prison breaks, and they begin to hatch a scheme. Meanwhile, Katya is living at Blackwater Hall, an estate belonging to her uncle, Titus. She's depressed most of the time and drug-addled, which makes her think strange things and become highly suspicious of those around her. This may be with good reason, as some of her fellow housemates include the eerie brother and sister duo of Franz and Jana Claes.

Katya is growing more and more suspicious of her Uncle Titus for two reasons. First, he has been dating Vanessa, the soon-to-be ex-wife of Detective Inspector Trave, who still believes in the innocence of her former boyfriend, David. Secondly, Titus and Franz seem to be hiding some dark secret that she cannot quite put her finger on. Katya begins to believe more and more in David's innocence and feels that Franz may have had something to do with Ethan's murder. At the same time, David and Eddie successfully break out of prison, and David heads directly to Blackwater Hall in an effort to confront Katya and her family to clear his good name. Unfortunately, David never gets the chance to reunite with Katya as she is murdered in her own bedroom. Once again, an APB is put out on David, and he is now listed as the prime suspect in the slaying.

Detective Inspector Trave works hard to prove David's innocence and seems to be the only person besides Katya who recognizes that something else is going on at Blackwater Hall. Regrettably, Trave is promptly taken off the case after questioning the residents for fear that his judgment may be tainted due to the fact that his wife left him for Titus. David is soon captured and sent back to prison awaiting a new trial. Trave is peremptorily suspended from duty due to his attempts to assist David. However, prior to Trave being given the sack, he travels to Antwerp to track the history of two brothers --- Ethan and Jacob. What Trave begins to unravel is a deadly secret that dates back to the Holocaust camps at Auschwitz. Even more sinister is the fact that Franz and Titus may be implicated in assisting the SS Guard under the leadership of infamous Nazi Adolf Eichmann.

David is convicted yet again of murder --- and this time is sentenced to hang for his crime. Can Trave race against the clock to clear David of not one but two murders that are both tied to Titus and Franz? Will he be able to uncover Katya's missing diary, which may tell the true story? Is it possible that Titus's fortune as a diamond merchant may have come from personal effects taken from the millions of Jews who were sent to their slaughter during the Holocaust? The answers may lie not only in Katya's mysterious diary but also with the one living person who can validate all of this: Jacob. The only issue is that Jacob is nowhere to be found, and time is running out for both David and Trave.

The claim comparing Simon Tolkien to Dame Agatha Christie and John Grisham is not to be taken lightly. The ironic part is just how true this statement is. THE KING OF DIAMONDS combines a deeply-layered mystery with several interesting characters along with the intrigue of criminal trails and police chases. Set against very real historical context like the Holocaust and the hunt for Adolf Eichmann --- who was not convicted of war crimes until 1962 --- gives much credibility to a great read and a thoroughly engaging thriller.

--- Reviewed by Ray Palen

There is nothing like a book that is able to tell a story, take you on a journey and make you feel something after finishing it. Simon Tolkien is able to capture that gift and run with it in his newest work THE KING OF DIAMONDS. For those who have not read Tolkien's work before, he takes you into the life and mind of a man convicted by the system and finds himself imprisoned both physically and in his mind. Only with the help of a man that is willing to give up everything to help him can he find a way to be free---but we all know that such freedom in itself is relative.

Great storytelling, amazing dialogue and a plot that keeps you going right to the end, Tolkien definitely reigns supreme with THE KING OF DIAMONDS.