The Pearl Thief
The Pearl Thief takes the reader on a thrilling adventure, rich in culture, identity and love. Set in the summer of 1938, the Scottish murder-mystery immediately grabs the attention of the reader. Julie’s final summer in Strathfearn house is sure to be a memorable one. However, an unlikely chain of events, beginning with a vicious riverside attack, changes not only the course of the summer, but also the course of many interwoven lives, in a truly unpredictable way.
Wein’s writing is addictive and lively. The emotive and thrilling first-person narrative allows the reader to experience the story from the protagonist’s point of view. While exploring a mysterious disappearance, and showing respect to the historical context of the writing, Wein carefully and masterfully crafts complex characters rich in depth and personality. The relationships within the story address themes such as friendship, abuse of power and respect with a great amount of plausibility. Wein confronts discrimination against Travellers from a first-person and onlooker point of view, in an extreme and raw manner. The use of strong imagery and vernacular dialogue brings interactions to life, evoking an array of emotional reactions from the reader. Wein’s fine writing highlights discrimination, the rich cultural identity of Travellers and the Scottish and the ever-complicated lives led by women of all ages. Contains some mildly intimate romantic moments, gory details of a murder and two incidents relating to consent.
