3.5/4

The Lost Jewels by Kirsty Manning follows "respected jewelry historian" (dream job?) Dr. Kate Kirby as she investigates the mystery of the Cheapside gems - a huge cache of priceless jewelry found in London in 1912. The story jumps between Kate in present day, to her great-grandmother Essie in 1912, and to various people throughout history who have a connection to the jewels (from who buried them in England in the 1600s to how the diamonds were mined in Sri Lanka).

Overall, I found this to be a quick and enjoyable read. I grew up working at my uncle's jewelry store, so I was immediately drawn to the plot. I also used to work for Joan Rivers where I did a lot of research on the history of her jewelry collection (it's insane). Of course, you have to suspend reality a bit to believe that this jewelry historian gets an all-expenses-paid trip from a "top American magazine" for a research project. She's jetsetting all over the world for one article while print is dying as we speak!?

I found Kate to be a *bit* annoying. Her main issue is trying to figure out if her great-grandmother stole jewelry from the worksite or not, and if she should report it. I feel like Kate's privilege was just distracting - who cares if Essie stole something in 1912? Does Kate not understand what poverty in the early 1900s was like? And like, report it to who? Her righteousness was a constant eye roll to me. There was also a romantic plot line with an Australian photographer that was pretty tame, and just okay. Kate kind of just acted as a catalyst for Essie's story, which was fine with me.

The writing was very descriptive and engaging, and you could tell the author did a lot of research for this project. It didn't blow me out of the water, but it was an easy read that wrapped up nicely.

Though "The Lost Jewels" was a rather flawed novel, it was a fascinating history, and for that I can overlook its flaws. This novel chronicles the story of the Cheapside Jewels through the intertwining narratives of several individuals with connections to specific pieces in the collection, not all of which are given equal narrative weight or attention. While this decision is understandable, it also made it significantly harder to connect with any one character or set of characters. I kept reading because I was entranced by the mystery of the jewels, not because I felt a connection to any of the characters (save for Essie, whose story was difficult not to get sucked into). The plot and characters were relatively thin, but the story of the jewels themselves was absolutely riveting, and if you are looking for a historical fiction novel that's heavier on "historical" than "fiction," I would absolutely recommend this book.

(Also, I had no idea that jewelry historians existed before I read "The Lost Jewels," and now I wish I could be one!)

I love historical fiction and this book did not disappoint. I found it fascinating how the author has traced the origins of jewels from their origins and their travels all over the world to their present locations and the families involved.. Good read.

A wonderful read a book that goes back and forth in time. jewels buried hidden a mystery to be solved.Characters that come alive.I was immediately drawn into this fascinating story based on real facts.So well written will be recommending.#netgalley#harpercollins

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The author brought 17th Century London to life. From the food, the different social classes and jewelry. I had never heard of the Cheapside Hoard until this book. It is thoroughly researched and you can vividly picture these gems from 400 years ago. The author intertwines the past and the present through different periods in history. She interweaves the story of the jewels with fictional characters (and a few real ones) whom you will love and hate. She brings all the generations together in a wonderful ending.

I had never heard of the Cheapside Hoard -- hundreds of pieces of beautiful jewelry that were found buried in a London cellar that was the fascinating basis for this novel. The parallel narratives let us follow several characters throughout hundreds of years of history, and the stories wove together well. I enjoyed it!