The Lucifer Cut

(Hardback)

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Description

A heart-pounding ride through the perilous world of the modern gem trade, by the acclaimed author of Diamond.

When a New York diamond dealer and his wife are found dead in a chilling assassination, and a mysterious gemthe Lucifer Cutgoes missing, U.S. Treasury agent Alex Turner and his lover, the billionaire Russian diamond thief known as Slav Lily, are thrust into a web of global intrigue. Uncertain they can even trust each other, the two find themselves on the trail of a secret so lethal it threatens not only the world diamond trade but the national security of the United States.

In a fiction first, diamond expert Matthew Hart tears the curtain from the secretive world of lab-grown diamonds, where master chefs create astonishing gems in the 8,000-degree furnaces of their reactors. Finally one of them makes what no one thought possiblea fake so perfect not even experts can unmask it. But as Alex and Lily soon discover, its allure is even more profound than its beauty as a jewel, and the stone ignites a murderous race from New York to London and finally to Cape Town, as a deadly enemy tries to beat them to the diamond.

With knife-sharp dialogue and lacerating irony, Alex and Lily navigate an ever-shifting underworld and the storms of their own desire as they rush to unravel the enigma of the Lucifer Cut and the treacheries of the human heart.

Reviews

"In Harts exhilarating third adventure for U.S. Treasury agent Alex Turner, the former jewel thief goes on a globe-trotting quest to keep a powerful counterfeiting technology out of foreign hands. Hart puts the pedal to the metal and doesnt let up. This is perfect poolside reading." -- Publishers Weekly
The story is exciting and suspenseful, and Hart knows his stuff, having spent years writing about the diamond trade. This tale has a ring of truth about it that you just cant fake. Recommend it to everyone who enjoys a good, fast-paced thriller and, especially, to readers who admire gem-based thrillers. -- Booklist
Praise for the novels of Matthew Hart

A witty, high-octane international thriller with a plot as multifaceted as a Rubiks cube." * The Star Tribune *
"A crackerjack, gem of a thriller. A shot of adrenaline. Fast-paced, expertly-written with an insider's knowledgenot just of diamonds, but much, much morethat elevates the book to another level. Honestly, this one is hard to put down. Damn near flawless." * Christopher Reich, New York Times bestselling author *
"Hart writes passionately about diamonds and the people who chase them, but he also has a strong handle on the personal dynamics and obsessions that drive this mysterious world." * Dwyer Murphy,CrimeReads *
Already an authority on the ways blood diamonds are formed, bought, and sold, Matthew Harts expertise shines in this thriller. An exhilarating read,The Russian Pinkhas more facets than even the worlds biggest diamond. * Mitch Silver, author of The Apollo Deception and The Bookworm *
"A deft, fast-paced thriller that shines its light on a fascinating and dangerous world few of us know about: diamonds and how they get from dinosaur days to glistening around beautiful necks and promised fingers. Matthew Hart creates a saga that hurtles through mind-snapping twists at breakneck speed, with killers, con men, cops, and billionaires, all seeking to control a giant, ultra-rare pink diamond. If you want to know the real story that such treasures tell, this is the novel for you." * James Grady, New York Times bestselling author of Six Days of the Condor *
A diamond is no ones best friend in this fast-paced novel filled with greed, violence, and politics. Hart writes with skill, wit, and evident knowledge about the diamond industry. Top-quality storytelling. * Kirkus Review, starred review *
A rare gem, punning aside, thiswill enthrall fans for Jack Reacher and Jason Bourne, and leave them hoping for more Alex Turner." * Booklist, starred review *
Studded with facts about black market diamond trading, this fictional thriller has adrenaline rushes, villainous plotters, and glamorous gems galore.
* The Christian Science Monitor *

Author Bio

Matthew Harthas written about diamonds for Vanity Fair, the Atlantic, and the Times of London. His award-winning Diamond: The History of a Cold-Blooded Love Affair was translated into six languages and made into a four-hour dramatic miniseries. He was a contributing editor of the leading New York diamond-trade publication, Rapaport Diamond Report. Matthew has traveled from the Arctic to Angola in pursuit of diamond stories. His first two thrillers,The Russian Pink and Ice Angel,are also available from Pegasus Crime. He lives in New York City.