The Elephant's Sapphire - The Lynnford Mysteries
Formats: E-Book, Paperback
Late Autumn, 1950. Robert Lynnford, star crime-reporter for The London Herald, is alerted to the theft of an extremely valuable exhibit from the Queen's Fine Art Museum in London - the Elephant's Sapphire, a much-coveted historic heirloom from Nepal which has been held by the museum since the 1880s.
A desperate curator asks Lynnford to recover the jewel before knowledge of its loss becomes public and the international reputation of the museum is damaged. A constitutional crisis in Nepal and the Prime Minister's imminent visit to London for urgent talks with the British government add a diplomatic imperative to Lynnford's task.
Murder, double-dealing, and betrayal in London's Docklands and world of fine art surround the sapphire's disappearance from the museum, and Lynnford needs all the help he can muster to track it down. When rival gangs lock onto the hunt, the search becomes a deadly race that will lead him around Britain and across the Channel, with only his reporter's instincts to protect him. And his friends!
The Elephant's Sapphire is the second in a series of retro-detective mysteries by SJT Riley based on the investigations of Robert Lynnford.
Reviews
5 Stars The author brings to life the London of 1950, still scarred from the war, with its docklands rife with smuggling and the type of villain you wouldn't want to bump into on a dark night. Robert Lynnford is a journalist and an amateur sleuth. He's ably assisted by Jack Worth, a particularly endearing character, who seems willing to undertake just about anything to help his friend. Anyone who likes books by Edgar Wallace and John Buchan will enjoy this gently-paced thriller with its night time dash to Scotland, and then a splendid showdown in an old windmill on the Norfolk Broads. Reading this was a bit like watching an old black-and-white film and admiring the quality of the writing rather than looking for any special effects.
5 Stars The theft of the Elephant's Sapphire in a museum and its subsequent substitution by a fake are at the centre of a vast spider's web of deceit, lies and murder. Set in London in the early 50s, this compelling and very entertaining whodunit is also a captivating fictional journey into the murky world of stolen art treasures, art forgeries and the criminal gangs that fence stolen goods. Cleverly plotted with enough twists and turns to keep you on the edge of your seat and blessed with a terrific cast of exquisitely drawn characters, this dark and sophisticated tale of criminal shenanigans and greed really deserves to be discovered and enjoyed without any moderation whatsoever!
5 Stars Despite a slow start this really picked up and I enjoyed following Lynnford and Victoria investigating the theft. Fast moving and gripping to the end.
