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Of all the jewels in the world, one of the most famous is the Hope Diamond. Renowned for both its size and its blue color, it now resides on permanent display in Washington D. C. at the National Museum of Natural History. While its physical appearance alone makes it noteworthy, it is also famous for an alleged curse, wherein bad things often befall those who come to possess it. Now just suppose that the Hope had actually been cut before it came into prominence, and a stone from the famous blue diamond was embedded in a necklace called "The Eye of the Sun." Then suppose the necklace was stolen. That's the engaging literary conceit behind this involving novel.
The story begins in contemporary Florida, where a wealthy industrialist has the necklace in his home. It was a gift to his late wife and, as such, holds enormous financial value and immense sentimental significance. In a daring robbery, the necklace is stolen, and the industrialist will give anything to get it back. He implores, cajoles, and eventually convinces his nephew, Greg, to try to find and retrieve it for him. Greg is a college professor of history, not an adventurer, so he immediately recognizes that help is needed. He sets out to find a private investigator to help and winds up employing the firm of Burleson & Cheatham. Burleson is female, forceful, and framed for formidable encounters at just over two hundred pounds. Cheatham is male, macho, a womanizer, and a drinking man made for the rough and tumble of detective work. Together, the three embark on a quest for "The Eye of the Sun."
As their pursuit unfolds, they encounter a coterie of decidedly quirky characters. For example, there's Olivetti, an ex-con security specialist who also has contacts that just happen to fence stolen goods. Then there's Rivera, a drug kingpin living in the Bahamas, who can't actually come to Florida because he'll be immediately arrested. However, his son, Edmundo, can and does travel to the Sunshine State frequently to ply the family trade while occasionally skimming from his father. There's also the gorgeous Flora, a Cuban beauty who provides legal services for the Riveras. She's respectable on the outside but definitely not immune to funneling unlawful ill-gotten gains into lawful enterprises. Finally, there's Viola, a lovely wife and mother who is sleeping with Cheatham on the side and who winds up being absolutely in the wrong place at the wrong time. In one way or another, they're all after the remarkable necklace.
Author Celley's tale is engaging. He provides detailed descriptions of burglary techniques, security systems, processes for moving and fencing stolen jewelry, and more. His set pieces involving heists, gambling methods, internecine real estate deals, and drug trade operations have the ring of authenticity. He intersperses enough physical conflict and exuberant derring-do in his yarn to keep it as energetic as it is absorbing. Salty language and raunchy prose often flourish in novels of this genre. However, that's not the case here. Still, the avoidance of such stylistic choices occasionally makes his dialogue and prose feel somewhat reticent. Overall, though, this is a chronicle that can easily be read and enjoyed by those who like creative concepts, bold premises, and big stories.