68 books like 11 Harrowhouse

By Gerald A. Browne,

Here are 68 books that 11 Harrowhouse fans have personally recommended if you like 11 Harrowhouse. Shepherd is a community of 12,000+ authors and super readers sharing their favorite books with the world.

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Book cover of Koh-I-Noor: The History of the World's Most Infamous Diamond

Matthew Hart Author Of The Russian Pink

From my list on stealing diamonds.

Why am I passionate about this?

I live in New York City, where I write thrillers about diamonds. My interest began when news broke of a diamond discovery in the Canadian Arctic. A reporter looking for a story, I climbed on a plane the next day. The discovery made Canada the world’s third largest diamond miner—one of the stories told in my non-fiction book, Diamond: the History of a Cold-Blooded Love Affair. I went on to write about diamonds for many publications, including Vanity Fair and the London Times, until finally, seduced by the glitter of the possibilities, I turned to fiction. The Russian Pink appeared in November 2020. The next in the series, Ice Angel, comes out in September.

Matthew's book list on stealing diamonds

Matthew Hart Why did Matthew love this book?

Part of the value of diamonds comes from how avidly people steal them. The cat-burglar on the French Riviera. The miner swallowing a stone and trying to make it past the x-ray at the gate. Or the conquerors, snatching jewels from one turban after another as they ride through history. That last is the story of the Koh-i-Noor (Mountain of Light), told with his usual panache by William Dalrymple, the celebrated historian of Mughal India, in this non-fiction account. It falls to Dalrymple’s co-author, journalist Anita Anand, to track the jewel though it's last, decidedly inglorious change of ownership—stolen by the British from the Maharaja Duleep Singh, when imperial forces prevailed upon him not only to sign away the Punjab, but also to make a “gift” of his family’s famous diamond to Queen Victoria. Sure, the Maharaja did in fact sign the document. But he was 10 years old.

By Anita Anand, William Dalrymple,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Koh-I-Noor as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Codewords have been one of The Daily Telegraph's most successful puzzles since their introduction to the paper in summer 2003, and here we are proud to present another in the popular series of Codewords books. The principle is simple: the unsolved grid shows squares containing numbers, each of which corresponds to a letter of the alphabet. Between two and five solved letters are given, and the remainder must be discovered through a combination of logic and word power. This collection contains 150 brand new puzzles. Can you crack the code?


Book cover of The Light of Day

Hugh Greene Author Of Son of Darkness

From my list on mysteries chosen by a thriller writer.

Why am I passionate about this?

I have written medical textbooks and research papers, but have a passion of writing thrillers—as Hugh Greene I have written the bestselling Dr Power mystery series which follows the forensic psychiatrist Dr Power and Superintendent Lynch as they solve murders and explore the minds that executed these crimes.

Hugh's book list on mysteries chosen by a thriller writer

Hugh Greene Why did Hugh love this book?

Ok, it’s an old thriller set in the pre-Internet, pre-mobile phone, pre-EU world of the 1960s. It’s a piece of twentieth-century clockwork, but it delivers suspense! The amoral protagonist can’t summon help by phone or Google his adversaries to gain an advantage. He must work to gain leniency from the Turkish authorities by acting as a double agent, delivering weapons to a gang of potential terrorists so that he might spy on them. The writing has a sharp precision and crisp wit.

By Eric Ambler,

Why should I read it?

3 authors picked The Light of Day as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Arthur Abdel Simpson is a failed journalist and soon-to-be failed thief, embittered by memories of his unhappy childhood in England and eking out a living in Athens. When he spots a newly arrived tourist at the airport, he offers his services as a private driver and sees an easy chance to make some money by illicit means. But the out-matched Simpson soon finds himself embroiled in blackmail and driving a highly suspicious car to Istanbul. When he is stopped by the Turkish police, it seems his luck can't get any worse - but this is just the beginning . .…


Book cover of To Catch A Thief

Matthew Hart Author Of The Russian Pink

From my list on stealing diamonds.

Why am I passionate about this?

I live in New York City, where I write thrillers about diamonds. My interest began when news broke of a diamond discovery in the Canadian Arctic. A reporter looking for a story, I climbed on a plane the next day. The discovery made Canada the world’s third largest diamond miner—one of the stories told in my non-fiction book, Diamond: the History of a Cold-Blooded Love Affair. I went on to write about diamonds for many publications, including Vanity Fair and the London Times, until finally, seduced by the glitter of the possibilities, I turned to fiction. The Russian Pink appeared in November 2020. The next in the series, Ice Angel, comes out in September.

Matthew's book list on stealing diamonds

Matthew Hart Why did Matthew love this book?

This is another great diamond yarn where the movie by Alfred Hitchcock is better known than the book. A series of high-end robberies is plaguing the French Riviera. Police suspect that retired jewel thief John “The Cat” Robie may not be as retired as he claims. They come to arrest him. Robie escapes. To prove his innocence, he persuades an insurance broker to give him a list of the wealthiest diamond owners on the Cote d’Azur, so he can intercept and apprehend the new “Cat” committing the robberies, and thus clear his name. On the list is a wealthy American, with whose daughter, played by Grace Kelly, Robie develops a romance. The plot plays out in the ravishing landscape, but the real message is the diamond industry’s favorite—that owning diamonds makes you part of a glamorous world.

By David Dodge,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked To Catch A Thief as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

TO CATCH A THIEF is David Dodge's most famous novel, and rightly so. Alfred Hitchcock firmly cinched its place in the annals of crime fiction by adapting it into an Academy Award winning film starring Cary Grant and Grace Kelly. The story centers on John Robie, American expatriate and skilled gymnast, who once-upon-a-time was Le Chat, the famous and elusive cat burglar who worked the South of France. The legend of Le Chat grew with each crime. Following the war, Robie retires to a quiet life in France and vows to leave his past behind. His retirement is shattered when…


Book cover of Hope: Adventures of a Diamond

Matthew Hart Author Of The Russian Pink

From my list on stealing diamonds.

Why am I passionate about this?

I live in New York City, where I write thrillers about diamonds. My interest began when news broke of a diamond discovery in the Canadian Arctic. A reporter looking for a story, I climbed on a plane the next day. The discovery made Canada the world’s third largest diamond miner—one of the stories told in my non-fiction book, Diamond: the History of a Cold-Blooded Love Affair. I went on to write about diamonds for many publications, including Vanity Fair and the London Times, until finally, seduced by the glitter of the possibilities, I turned to fiction. The Russian Pink appeared in November 2020. The next in the series, Ice Angel, comes out in September.

Matthew's book list on stealing diamonds

Matthew Hart Why did Matthew love this book?

Marian Fowler’s lavish non-fiction account tracks the storied diamond from its origins in India, where it was bought by the great French jewel merchant Jean-Baptiste Tavernier, who sold it to Louis XIV. Weighing 110 carats in the rough, the blue was eventually cut into a heart-shaped jewel of 67.13 carats, known to history as the French Blue. In the turbulent early days of the French Revolution, all the crown jewels were moved from the Palace of Versailles to the Garde-Meuble, a treasure house in central Paris. On the night of September 11, 1792, thieves broke in and stole the jewels. Many were recovered, but the French Blue vanished forever. Too famous to be sold as it was, the London jeweler who eventually bought it, cut it down to 44.5 carats—the jewel sold to Henry Philip Hope in 1830. The Hope diamond passed through many hands, leaving behind a trail of…

By Marian Fowler,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Hope as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Allegedly a curse to those that own it, the Hope Diamond - a flawless blue diamond of over forty-five carats - has inspired centuries of legends and lies, fabulous superstition and fierce passion. In rich, shimmering prose, Marian Fowler explains how the Hope Diamond was formed in nature - and how it was taken from the mines and temples of India to the royal courts of seventeenth-century Europe. Acquired and cherished by Louis XIV, the stone was stolen in an almost farcical French Revolution robbery. It resurfaced twenty years later in London and passed through numerous hands, including those of…


Book cover of The Man in the Brown Suit

D.K. Rajagopalan Author Of The Disappearing Uncle: and other stories

From my list on mysteries starring unlikely female sleuths.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’ve always loved a good character-driven mystery, with people in all their wonder and weirdness at its heart. The perfect book to me is one that has enough of a puzzle to allow me to escape into it, while offering a sense of comfort that it will all come together in the end. My family moved around a lot when I was a child, before finally settling down in Chennai, India and books – particularly mystery novels – were a real constant in my life. I moved to Sydney, Australia as an adult and live here, where I write stories that celebrate my heritage and my love of a good mystery. 

D.K.'s book list on mysteries starring unlikely female sleuths

D.K. Rajagopalan Why did D.K. love this book?

While I do love Miss Marple (if you don’t, I’m not sure we can be friends), I also love a good romp, which is exactly what this is. Our heroine Anne Beddingfield is in search of an adventure. Heading up to London, she finds herself investigating a murder involving mysterious clues, stolen diamonds, and the Secret Service. Her investigation quickly leads to a one-way passage on the Killmordan Castle, a liner heading for South Africa.

She soon finds herself mired deep in a complex intrigue but is bright, resourceful, and just foolhardy enough to be believable as a complete amateur who unravels it (with a touch of kidnapping along the way). 

Read this if you’re looking for a book where the author subverts expectations to deliver a punchy, action-packed adventure. 

By Agatha Christie,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Man in the Brown Suit as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Nadina, a dancer in Paris, receives a visit from Count Sergius Paulovitch. Both are in the service of "the Colonel", an international agent provocateur and criminal. "The Colonel" is retiring, leaving his agents high and dry. Nadina has a plan to blackmail the Colonel. Anne Beddingfeld is an orphan after the sudden death of her archaeologist father. Longing for adventure, she jumps at the chance live in London. Returning from an unsuccessful job interview, Anne is at Hyde Park Corner tube station when a man falls onto the live track, dying instantly. A doctor examines the man, pronounces him dead,…


Book cover of The Nature of Diamonds

Cally Oldershaw Author Of Stones: A Material and Cultural History

From my list on books for people with a passion for picking up pebbles.

Why am I passionate about this?

As a geologist and gemmologist, I am particularly fascinated with how the Earth works and landscapes change; how mountains, valleys, rivers, and seas are made; where and why volcanoes and earthquakes occur; and about crystals and gemstones for jewelry. My mother reminds me that since I was a toddler, I have loved to collect small pebbles and "sparkly things." I am passionate about teaching and writing for adults and children and lecture in universities and on cruise ships worldwide. Formerly the curator of more than 5,000 gemstones at the Natural History Museum, I am an examiner for the Gem-A, internationally recognised by jewelers worldwide.

Cally's book list on books for people with a passion for picking up pebbles

Cally Oldershaw Why did Cally love this book?

I am in awe of the sheer breadth of knowledge in this book about diamonds. I am amazed that diamond has such simple chemistry, made by bonding carbon atoms, yet forms the hardest natural substance known. Scientific experts, including geologists, gemmologists, and physicists, tell the story of its formation, exploration, mining, and economic value, but I found that there is so much more in this book of interest than just the science.

What I particularly liked was reading about the cultural nature of diamonds and what makes diamond so special to so many people worldwide from artisanal miners scraping a living out of the ground, to monarchs and millionaires who adorn themselves with diamond jewellery.

The new technologies of making diamonds in the laboratory left me wondering what that might mean for the future of diamond mining and sales.

By George E. Harlow (editor),

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Nature of Diamonds as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

The paragon of physical perfection and a sparkling example of Earth's forces at work, the diamond has fascinated all realms of society, from Russian tsars and Hollywood stars to scientists and brides-to-be. The Nature of Diamonds is an authoritative and richly illustrated look at nature's most coveted gem. Leading geologists, gemologists, physicists, and cultural observers cover every facet of the stone, from its formation in the depths of the Earth and its explosive ascent to the surface, to its economic, regal, social, and technological roles. The book takes the reader to cutting-edge research on the frontiers of diamond exploration and…


Book cover of The Moonstone

James Irving Author Of Friends Like These

From my list on quest for justice in an unjust world.

Why am I passionate about this?

James V. Irving was born and raised in Gloucester, Massachusetts. He is a graduate of the University of Virginia, majoring in English. He holds a law degree from the College of William and Mary. After completing his undergraduate studies at UVA, Mr. Irving spent two years employed as a private detective in Northern Virginia, where he pursued wayward spouses, located skips, investigated insurance claims, and handled criminal investigations. In his early years as a lawyer, he practiced criminal law, which, along with his investigative experience and trial work, informs this fictional account of Joth Proctor. Mr. Irving and his wife, Cindy, live in Vienna, Virginia.

James' book list on quest for justice in an unjust world

James Irving Why did James love this book?

I was looking for a writer to breathe new life into the sometimes-stuffy traditional English novel format, and Wilkie Collins is that man. In what is widely considered the first detective novel, Collins introduces many of the tropes of the classic whodunit, including the English country house setting, the gentleman detective, the skilled professional contrasted with the bungling local investigator, and a generational curse arising from the initial theft.

Underlying this gripping tale is the truth that the moonstone belongs not to one of the principal players who compete for it but to the religious site in India from which it was originally stolen. Justice has an immediate, local, eternal, and global context. The result is a book with memorable characters and enough twists and turns to keep you guessing until the end.  

By Wilkie Collins,

Why should I read it?

3 authors picked The Moonstone as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Who, in the name of wonder, had taken the Moonstone out of Miss Rachel's drawer?

A celebrated Indian yellow diamond is first stolen from India, then vanishes from a Yorkshire country house. Who took it? And where is it now? A dramatist as well as a novelist, Wilkie Collins gives to each of his narratorsa household servant, a detective, a lawyer, a cloth-eared Evangelical, a dying medical manvibrant identities as they separately tell the part of the story that concerns themselves.

One of the great triumphs of nineteenth-century sensation fiction, The Moonstone tells of a mystery that for page after…


Book cover of Acres of Diamonds

Jim Stovall Author Of The Ultimate Gift

From my list on the secret to changing your life and the world.

Why am I passionate about this?

Although I’ve written over 50 books, the ones that have had the greatest impact are the novels that have been turned into movies. Through my books and the films based on them, I’ve had the privilege of sharing thought-provoking, life-changing stories with millions of people around the world. As a blind person, myself, I realize the absurdity of writing books I can’t read that are turned into movies I can’t watch, but a powerful story delivers life-changing lessons and endures forever. 

Jim's book list on the secret to changing your life and the world

Jim Stovall Why did Jim love this book?

Acres of Diamonds is a timeless tale that has impacted generations of readers including me. It reminds us that before we begin searching throughout the world for the things we think we don’t have, we need to look inside of ourselves and explore what we really do have. As an African farmer leaves his home and everything he knows to begin a frantic search for diamonds, he discovers the eternal lesson that we get what we love when we learn to love what we have. 

By Russell H. Conwell,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Acres of Diamonds as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

This stirring manifesto shows how to discover everything you need to succeed-where you least expect it.

So begins one of the most famous speeches of the twentieth century, a talk that educator and minister Russell H. Conwell delivered before literally thousands of audiences before his death in 1925. In its printed version Acres of Diamonds reached millions of readers around the world. Conwell's great manifesto imparts one extraordinary lesson: All the wealth you could ever dream of, search for, or yearn after-in whatever form you wish for-exists right beneath your own feet. It is a message of determination, unconventional thinking,…


Book cover of The Diamond Throne

Gary J. Martin Author Of Knight of Gaelgara

From my list on immersive world-building and possibilities.

Why am I passionate about this?

For me, one of the most exciting things about a great book is discovering the world in which the story takes place. I absolutely love it when I find a story with a rich tapestry into which the characters are woven and which brings the story to life. If the world created by an author tantalizes the senses and feels believable (no matter how fantastical), it makes the characters and story feel real. This makes it feel like the stakes and the consequences of the character’s actions matter in the context of the world and brings us along on the journey and all the possibilities that await the reader.

Gary's book list on immersive world-building and possibilities

Gary J. Martin Why did Gary love this book?

This is the opening book of the Elenium series and is an excellent example of the heroic quest-type tale. The cynical but lovable Pandion Knight, Sparhawk and his fellow companions must venture to find a cure for a mysterious illness that is besetting their queen.

The mixture of personalities of the companions in the questing group and how they play off one another is what I felt made this book such an excellent read. The world-building is strongly written and realistic for the characters to traverse, and the pacing of the story never lets the reader forget about the ticking clock counting down the seconds of life remaining to the queen, making the stakes of the character's actions all the higher.

By David Eddings,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Diamond Throne as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.


Book cover of The Trial of Two

J.V. Hilliard Author Of The Last Keeper

From my list on fantasy that have unconventional elements.

Why am I passionate about this?

Before I was published, I played Dungeons and Dragons for years. I grew up on games involving fantasy, and though my career took me into government, it stayed my passion. I’m well on my way to publishing the last two books in my four-part saga as well as venturing into Kindle Vella, and I can’t wait to see what is next for me in the realm of fantasy. When writing in the genre, it’s easy to fall into the same old tropes and utilize the same creatures. These five books are atypical in this age of overdone plots and monsters. I hope you find your next read among them.

J.V.'s book list on fantasy that have unconventional elements

J.V. Hilliard Why did J.V. love this book?

The Season of the Runer series is a great book for fans of The Witcher. It is unique in that it doesn’t focus on western European culture, but rather eastern European or middle-eastern or Eastern. Runers are humans who have committed a crime and been genetically altered. They’re bounty hunters, essentially. It follows Tzarik, a Runer, as he struggles with the will to go on. He meets Sybal, a diamond mine heiress and brand new Runer, and trains her to help him take down a necromancer. I enjoyed everything about this story, and I’d recommend it to those wanting a darker fantasy.

By Abigail Linhardt,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Trial of Two as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

WRITER'S DIGEST AWARDS HONORABLE MENTION WINNER

The endless road and life of a monster-hunting Runer has gone stale for Tzarik and death is the only alternative. Tired of risking his life for the prejudiced people of Al’Myrah, it’s time to just let go. The only thing that stands in his way: A Runer cannot take his own life, breaking his oath to the dark magic that binds him to the hunt. When a warlord from the far east threatens her family, Sybal, a young diamond mine heiress with a lavish lifestyle, takes action to protect her family and estate. But…


Book cover of Koh-I-Noor: The History of the World's Most Infamous Diamond
Book cover of The Light of Day
Book cover of To Catch A Thief

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Interested in diamonds, London, and presidential biography?

Diamonds 14 books
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