Most Helpful Customer Reviews
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
J.R.R. would be proud..., June 21, 2011
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.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Yes
No
2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
exciting police procedural, March 15, 2011
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
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Yes
No
4.0 out of 5 stars
deceit, revenge and betrayal, March 29, 2011
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
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Yes
No
|
![[Start the discussion]](http://g-ecx.images-amazon.com/images/G/01/x-locale/communities/discussion_boards/start-new-discussion-sec._V192250339_.gif){kind=small}
