Description:
In New York City a century apart, two women's fates are bound by the dark legacy of the Midnight Diamond
2010. Jennie is working as a runner in the Diamond District when a friend's sudden death leaves her with a cryptic note: "Not Safe." Her search for answers leads her to an antique jewelry box, a clue to a century-old mystery and the legend of the Midnight Diamond--a rare blue gem rumored to bring ruin to all who possess it. As Jennie is pulled deeper into a world of secrets and danger, she realizes she is not just chasing a lost treasure; she is uncovering a story that was meant to stay buried.
1910. On an ocean liner bound for New York, heiress Marcella Porter returns home after being disgraced by scandal in London. Her path collides with a charismatic nobleman and the magnificent Midnight Diamond, which she unknowingly smuggles into the city. Mesmerized by its brilliance, Marcella feels an irresistible pull toward the diamond, and when the glittering façade of her charmed life begins to crack, Marcella must decide whether the Midnight Diamond is her salvation--or her doom.
Can Jennie break the centuries-old curse before it brings more ruin? Inspired by history's most captivating gemstone, The Cursed Diamond is a thrilling mystery about fate, obsession, and the deadly costs of ambition.
Brief description: Anna Rasche is a historian and gemologist who has previously worked in the jewelry collection at the Metropolitan Museum of Art and as a curatorial fellow at the Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum. Rasche's debut is based on original research she conducted on the uses of gemstones in medieval medicine at the Cooper Hewitt Museum and on site in Italy. She lives in Brooklyn with her husband and infant daughter.
Review Quotes: "Rasche brings her vast knowledge of gems to another stunner of a story, one that delves into the dark side of a sparkling diamond that becomes the fixation of all who encounter it. The clues come fast and furious as Jennie and Marcella race to track down the Midnight Diamond across centuries and locales in this entrancing tale. Marvelously plotted and full of rich details, this is one to savor." --Fiona Davis, New York Times bestselling author of The Stolen Queen
"The Cursed Diamond is a gripping dual-timeline that shines with mystery as two women whose obsessions with the same gem transcend time and consume them both. Anna Rasche combines a gemologist's expertise with evocative prose, crafting a dazzling and immersive story that will absolutely captivate readers." --Madeline Martin, New York Times bestselling author of A Time of Witches "A cursed blue diamond that destroys the lives of all who possess it. Two women searching New York City for the jewel, one hundred years apart. Anna Rasche again employs her impressive knowledge of gemology to add heft and sparkle to the story as she shifts seamlessly from past to present, and her charming cast of characters will have you rooting for them from the start. At once thrilling and heartwarming, The Cursed Diamond will have you turning pages deep into the night." --Elizabeth DeLozier, author of Eleanore of Avignon & The Whitechapel Full Moon Society "Anna Rasche's new novel is a glittering, mesmerizing tale of intrigue, legend, and an infamous gemstone--I gobbled it up as fast as I could read it. Utterly gripping and beautifully rich, The Cursed Diamond, should be on everyone's fall reading list!" --Heather Webb, USA TODAY bestselling author of The Hope Keeper