The Lost Jewels

Kristy Manning has yet again dove into a fascinating pocket of history that not much is known about. The Lost Jewels is based on the true story of the Cheapside Hoard that was discovered during excavation of a cellar during 1912 in London. This is one of the most famous jewel finds in history and the mystery behind it remains unsolved. Manning took this mystery and the question, “How could someone neglect to retrieve five hundred precious pieces of jewelry and gemstones?” to create her latest riveting tale. With her knack for impeccable research, Manning brought this fictional tale to life in a powerful and thrilling way.

The story weaves back and forth from present day to 1912 London, and to really add to the rich history of the jewels, the reader gets whisked back to 1630 Golconda, India and 1666 London. Manning is an absolute master at combining multiple timelines while keeping the narrative flowing and unencumbered. I found my self on a treasure hunt I wasn’t sure I wanted to end.

Synopsis: Present Day. When respected American jewelry historian, Kate Kirby, receives a call about the Cheapside jewels, she knows she’s on the brink of the experience of a lifetime.

But the trip to London forces Kate to explore secrets that have long been buried by her own family. Back in Boston, Kate has uncovered a series of sketches in her great-grandmother’s papers linking her suffragette great-grandmother Essie to the Cheapside collection. Could these sketches hold the key to Essie’s secret life in Edwardian London?

In the summer of 1912, impoverished Irish immigrant Essie Murphy happens to be visiting her brother when a workman’s pickaxe strikes through the floor of an old tenement house in Cheapside, near St. Paul’s Cathedral in London. The workmen uncover a stash of treasure―from Ottoman pendants to Elizabethan and Jacobean gems―and then the finds disappear again! Could these jewels―one in particular―change the fortunes of Essie and her sisters?

Together with photographer Marcus Holt, Kate Kirby chases the history of the Cheapside gems and jewels, especially the story of a small diamond champlevé enamel ring. Soon, everything Kate believes about her family, gemology, and herself will be threatened.

As the story of The Lost Jewels begins, and as the layers develop and begin to unfold, the reader gets to fully dive into the story of Essie, her sisters, a diamond ring and jeweled buttons. From almost the beginning the tale takes off and you don’t want to set this book down or miss a minute of time with the Murphy sisters, their love, bonds and the kindness and generosity of others looking to help them in their time of need.

I found myself completely immersed in the lives of the sisters with their struggles as the “have-nots” of society, and just trying to survive with their alcoholic mother. I was especially fond of Essie with her wonderful soul full of love and optimism. Between Essie and her beautiful sisters, their heartbreak and despair only seemed to unite them further along with their love for each other, and the hope that the jewels could possibly help the sisters secure the future of their dreams.

I loved following this awe-inspiring story and this forgotten piece of history. Reading about the Cheapside Jewels and their history even had me jumping on Google to learn more. One of my favorite things in all of Manning’s books are her “Author’s Notes” at the end of the story that explain her work process, extensive research and inspiration for writing this fabulous tale in history.

This book is truly a jewel to read and will stick with you after the last page is turned.