Reviewed by Saifunnissa Hassam for Readers' Favorite

Robert Alan Henricks' Jewels of the Crown is a riveting contemporary detective story about a 13th-century mystery that has remained unsolved for eight centuries. The story draws its inspiration from legends about the lost crown jewels of King John of England who died in 1216. In the novel, King John's wagon master Norman Gervase is entrusted with the safe passage of the king's crown jewels along Norfolk's North Sea shores. When Gervase finds out that the king has died, he remains loyal to King John and forms an organization named the Patriciate to protect the royal treasures. Gervase's Patriciate remains elusive and shadowy for centuries until modern times. An investigation into the murder of a well-known London attorney becomes more complex, drawing attention to the existence of the Patriciate. The publication of a digitally restored 15th-century map of Europe immediately attracted the attention of historians. Why is the Patriciate also interested in the map?

I enjoyed reading Robert Alan Henricks' Jewels of the Crown immensely. It is a suspenseful and gripping mystery spanning two timelines, and several remarkable characters. In particular, I liked the way that the timelines interweave, vividly bringing to life the character of Norman Gervase in the 13th century and the characters of Professor Sidney Blackmon, Sarah Murphy, and Constable Andrew Stokes in modern times. I thoroughly enjoyed how the story became more convoluted and multilayered, both in the 13th century and modern times. While Yale Professor Sidney Blackmon and Sarah Murphy pursue their questions about the events, places, and artifacts of the past, Constable Andrew Stokes follows up on clues to find the London attorney's murderer. I was drawn deeper into the mystery as the three sleuths came together to figure out connections between their findings. The worldbuilding of the Patriciate is highly imaginative. The settings were detailed and evocative, expressing vividly how King John's treasures remained protected over the centuries, with different characters, a world of secrets and intrigue, and a group powerful at all levels of society. A well-crafted historical account, with puzzling clues, riddles, a mysterious organization, and three sleuths, all determined to solve a medieval mystery.