John Russo, The Vandenberg Diamonds

The Vandenberg Diamonds

John Russo

Twilight Times Book, Dec 2006, $18.95

ISBN: 1933335383X

In 1941, the Ladybird, with a military crew of three, was flying to Pretoria, South Africa, to protect a horde of uncut diamonds worth £8,000,000. However, instead they crashed in Italian-occupied Egypt. Brian Cutler, managing director of Vandenberg Diamonds, Europe's largest diamond exchange, who made the decision to move the raw gems to a safer locale, is upset to learn that two chests probably sunk in the Mediterranean where military hostilities between the Allies and the Axis make it impossible to search. At the same time, Italian Lieutenant Brazzi and his superior officer Colonel Marchi find the diamonds and one of the British soldiers in Sicily. Marchi hides the diamonds on his cousin's pig farm.

In 1947, Vandenberg Mining's security chief Sean Corklin makes inquiries into the missing diamonds; others of a more criminal and lethal bent have heard rumors of uncut "glass" and begin a search. However Corklin starts from his home in Pretoria, travels to England to interview those involved in the original plan, journeys to Suez where the Ladybird was to refuel, and finally reaches Sicily with adversaries wanting him eliminated so they can abscond with THE VANDENBERG DIAMONDS.

This is an exciting, historical, suspense thriller that brings to life somewhat early WWII and moreso 1947 as Europe and Saharan Africa recover. The storyline is action-packed in both years, but especially soars when Sean begins his quest. Readers who appreciate a deep historical background in an exhilarating mystery will want to follow Corklin's adventures as his goal is to complete the mission so he can go home while others see him as an obstacle to stealing the diamonds. John Russo provides his audience with a great adventure thriller from the moment the Ladybug goes down and never slows down until the final conflict at the Sicilian pig farm.

Harriet Klausner