A fun, high-stakes true crime story story set in the Wild West. Perfect for fans of MONA LISA VANISHES!

'Steve Sheinkin is more than an author―he’s a time traveler whose deep research and fabulous writing whisk readers on thrilling rides through history. Kids will be transfixed by this unbelievable-but-true story of Gilded Age diamond hunters, swindlers, and train robbers. It is one of my absolute favorites!' ―Lauren Tarshis, bestselling author of the I SURVIVED series

'A rollicking―and well-researched―adventure story... A sparkling accomplishment. ' ― Kirkus, starred review

Late one night two travel-weary miners, Philip Arnold and John Slack, show up at a businessman’s office in San Francisco. The miners seem nervous. They’ve got something that needs to be locked in a safe overnight. What is it? Well, that really has to stay secret, but it’s…

DIAMONDS! And lots of them.

Had these two miners just discovered America’s first diamond mine? Well, this is the Gold Rush era after all. Plenty of people are striking it rich. Anything is possible.

When word of the find hits the streets, diamond fever sweeps the country. Wealthy investors are desperate to elbow Arnold and Slack aside and seize control―but can they persuade the miners to reveal the location of their bonanza? At the same time, thousands of prospectors fan out across the mountains and deserts of the West―will one of them find the site before greedy bankers grab everything for themselves?

In this high-stakes Western adventure, New York Times bestselling and award-winning author Steve Sheinkin tells the true story of the Great Diamond Hoax of 1872, a rollicking tale of heists and hijinks, scams and scoundrels―and the last-minute triumph of a most unlikely hero.