The Lucifer Cut

Matthew Hart

A heart-pounding ride through the perilous world of the modern gem trade, by the acclaimed author of Diamond.

When a New York diamond dealer and his wife are found dead in a chilling assassination, and a mysterious gem—the Lucifer Cut—goes missing, U.S. Treasury agent Alex Turner and his lover, the billionaire Russian diamond thief known as Slav Lily, are thrust into a web of global intrigue. Uncertain they can even trust each other, the two find themselves on the trail of a secret so lethal it threatens not only the world diamond trade but the national security of the United States.

In a fiction first, diamond expert Matthew Hart tears the curtain from the secretive world of lab-grown diamonds, where master “chefs” create astonishing gems in the 8,000-degree furnaces of their reactors. Finally one of them makes what no one thought possible—a fake so perfect not even experts can unmask it. But as Alex and Lily soon discover, its allure is even more profound than its beauty as a jewel, and the stone ignites a murderous race from New York to London and finally to Cape Town, as a deadly enemy tries to beat them to the diamond.

With knife-sharp dialogue and lacerating irony, Alex and Lily navigate an ever-shifting underworld and the storms of their own desire as they rush to unravel the enigma of the Lucifer Cut and the treacheries of the human heart.

Matthew Hart is the award-winning author of the nonfiction books Diamond: The History of a Cold-Blooded Love Affair, translated into six languages and adapted into a dramatic miniseries starring Sir Derek Jacobi and Judy Davis, and Gold: The Race for the World's Most Seductive Metal, made into a National Geographic television special. Matthew has written about diamonds for Vanity Fair, The Atlantic Monthly, Air Mail, and the London Times. He was a contributing editor of the New York trade journal Rapaport Diamond Report, and his expertise has been showcased on 60 Minutes and CNN. A trip into the heart of Angola’s lush and war-torn diamond rivers inspired his first thriller, The Russian Pink, also available from Pegasus Crime. He lives in New York City.

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Endorsements & Reviews

Praise for the novels of Matthew Hart

“A witty, high-octane international thriller with a plot as multifaceted as a Rubik’s cube." The Star Tribune

"A crackerjack, gem of a thriller. A shot of adrenaline. Fast-paced, expertly-written with an insider's knowledge—not just of diamonds, but much, much more—that elevates the book to another level. Honestly, this one is hard to put down. Damn near flawless." Christopher Reich, New York Times bestselling author

"Hart writes passionately about diamonds and the people who chase them, but he also has a strong handle on the personal dynamics and obsessions that drive this mysterious world." Dwyer Murphy, CrimeReads

“Already an authority on the ways blood diamonds are formed, bought, and sold, Matthew Hart’s expertise shines in this thriller. An exhilarating read, The Russian Pink has more facets than even the world’s biggest diamond.” Mitch Silver, author of The Apollo Deception and The Bookworm

"A deft, fast-paced thriller that shines its light on a fascinating and dangerous world few of us know about: diamonds and how they get from dinosaur days to glistening around beautiful necks and promised fingers. Matthew Hart creates a saga that hurtles through mind-snapping twists at breakneck speed, with killers, con men, cops, and billionaires, all seeking to control a giant, ultra-rare pink diamond. If you want to know the real story that such treasures tell, this is the novel for you." James Grady, New York Times bestselling author of Six Days of the Condor

“A diamond is no one’s best friend in this fast-paced novel filled with greed, violence, and politics. Hart writes with skill, wit, and evident knowledge about the diamond industry. Top-quality storytelling.” Kirkus Review, starred review

“A rare gem, punning aside, this will enthrall fans for Jack Reacher and Jason Bourne, and leave them hoping for more Alex Turner." Booklist, starred review

“Studded with facts about black market diamond trading, this fictional thriller has adrenaline rushes, villainous plotters, and glamorous gems galore.”
The Christian Science Monitor

"This is a dark gem of a thriller… with lyrical prose that complements the novel’s stark setting and tone.” Publishers Weekly