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The Hope Keeper
Heather Webb
Publication Date: May 19th, 2026
Sourcebooks Landmark
368 Pages
Amazon | Goodreads | Bookshop.org
Genre: General Fiction | Historical Fiction | Women’s Fiction
I have never read anything by this author before. While I enjoyed this book for the most part, it didn’t wow me. It’s set in the exclusive world of Washington, D.C., in 1919. The story is about the Hope Diamond and the supposed curse that follows it. Elisabeth’s brother has died in an accident; her family are well-known jewellers, and Elisabeth now has to save their family business. Elisabeth then joins the social circles her brother used to belong to. It is there she meets Evalyn, who owned the Hope Diamond. Elisabeth then becomes Evalyn’s jeweller. This is when Elisabeth starts to learn about her brother’s secrets and the dark side of the upper-class D.C. elite.
I loved entering the Jazz Age and the way the author brought it to life. Elisabeth was a character I liked, especially when she had to enter what was mostly a man’s world. She is trying to get over her brother’s death while saving the family business at the same time. She was amazing in trying to find answers about her brother’s death. I did not like Evalyn at all, but the author did a good job showing the working class versus the spendthrift. The diamond of all diamonds is sort of a character as well, and I enjoyed reading about its history and the curse. I found the so-called friendship of Elisabeth and Evalyn a little unrealistic; it was very toxic, and Evalyn and her behaviour got to be a bit repetitive. I also found the middle of the book and getting to know the social circles of D.C. a tad drawn out, and then the answers about Julian’s death felt rushed.
Overall, this would be a good read for historical fiction fans who enjoy a story around true events with a touch of mystery and suspense. Because of the uneven pacing, it isn’t always as great as it could be, but the emotional needs of the protagonist and the interesting look into the history of the world-famous diamond make it worthwhile.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.
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