The King of Diamonds

It's 1960, and David Swain is two years into his life sentence for murdering the love of his ex-girlfriend, Katya. But David escapes, and later Katya is found murdered in her uncle's manor. Inspector Trave of the Oxford Police heads the manhunt for David. But Trave's suspicions lead him to Katya's uncle Titus Osman, a rich diamond dealer. But Trave's motives are suspect - Osman is having an affair with Trave's estranged wife. Once David is captured, Trave is willing to risk everything-professionally and personally-to pursue his obsessive belief in Osman's guilt. In this expertly crafted novel, 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."

Simon Tolkien was a successful criminal law barrister in London, specializing in criminal justice, before moving to California with his wife and two children. His first novel, Final Witness, was published in 2002 to widespread acclaim and his second, The Inheritance, received equally positive reviews when it came out in 2009. He is the grandson of J.R.R.Tolkien.

Praise for The King of Diamonds

"A thick web of family tensions and psychological dysfunction with a whodunit chaser, Tolkien's third novel (The Inheritance, 2010, etc.) is elegantly written, with Masterpiece Theatre pacing and embellishments." --Kirkus, starred review

Critical Acclaim for Simon Tolkien and The Inheritance

“Tolkien’s writing has a timeless quality [and] the haunting undertones of other great masters of mystery.” –USA Today

“A fine novel. A thinking person’s Da Vinci Code.” --Chicago Tribune

“Simon Tolkien’s grandfather is J. R. R., but his new novel owes more to Agatha Christie—and Dan Brown.” --New York Times

"A deft combination of Agatha Christie manor-house whodunit, Erle Stanley Gardner courtroom drama and Dan Brown thriller, The Inheritance is nonetheless unique to its creator. And Tolkien, with this compelling read, proves himself worthy—and then some—of his literary pedigree." --Richmond Times Dispatch

“Display[s] a narrative skill that the author of The Lord of the Rings would surely have recognized and admired.” --Philadelphia Inquirer

“A first-rate writer…Written with great surety and absolutely compelling.” --Booklist (starred review)

“This second novel (after The Final Witness) by J.R.R. Tolkien's grandson is a legal thriller, World War II historical novel, and Da Vinci Code treasure hunt all rolled into one… an absorbing 1950s-era mystery.” --Library Journal

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Summary

Author Biography

Table of Contents

Supplemental Materials