Fiona McIntosh
Reviewed by Helen
This is the first book from MS McIntosh that I have read and it won’t be the last, she transported me back to the diamond rush days in Africa it is 1870’s when we get to meet six year old Clementine Knight and share her moving journey to adulthood.
James and Louisa Knight with their daughter Clementine are leaving the wealth and England that Louisa is used to make a new life in Australia, James is a poor Scotsman, an engineer but he loves his wife and daughter, but when the ship reaches Africa James decides that staying here and searching for diamonds will change their lives, life doesn’t turn out the way he thought when his beloved Louisa loses her life to Malaria and he is left to bring his daughter up in a shanty town, but they have befriended a Zulu warrior who Clem names Joseph One- Shoe, Joseph and Clem share a special bond, they teach each other so much and life goes on.
Joseph and James finally find the big rock they have been searching for and it is time for a return to England but when James brother in law Reggie arrives to take Clementine back to the Grant family and her heritage and the life he feels she should have, things change when James loses his life and Reggie takes young Clem away from Joseph the man who has been a father to her and the diamonds disappear.
Clementine grows up in wealth looked after by her uncle, they have a good life and although Clem never forgets Joseph a lot of her memories of her life have been buried, that is until Will comes into her life and memories are starting to return and she wants to solve the mystery of the diamonds and find Joseph One-Shoe.
This is a compelling story one that had me turning the pages, beautifully written the settings and the scenery feel so real, the characters come to life and the story is moving and poignant, the love and bond that a young Clem and Joseph share is beautiful, I loved this one and highly recommend it to anyone who loves a great read, this is a story to fall into with lots of emotions, thank you MS McIntosh and Penguin Books Australia.
5 stars
Published
November 1st 2019
by Penguin Random House Australia
