A Jewel in the Crown

“The action is expertly propelled forward by a well-constructed plot and the scintillating dialogue that showcases the skills of the author . . .”

David Lewis’s A Jewel in the Crown is a well-researched historical thriller that brings to the reader a critical point in Great Britain’s history and one of its iconic figures during World War II: Winston Churchill.  

Shortly after the evacuation of British troops at Dunkirk and with Britain on its knees as a German attack on the British Isles looms, the Prime Minister devises a daring plan to rescue the Crown Jewels from falling into the hands of the Nazis. He sees these historic objects as a symbol of Britain, and fears that if Adolf Hitler gets a hold of them, he will use them to try to destroy the resolve and courage of the British populace.

The idea he comes up with is to remove the precious objects from the Tower of London and to have two secret operatives masquerading as a married couple haul a horse box packed with them behind their car as they travel to Scotland, from where they would ostensibly be transported to Canada by HMS Talisman, Britain’s fastest long-distance submarine.

For this operation, he chooses the beautiful Caitrin Colline, the outspoken daughter of a Welsh coalminer, an unrepentant socialist, who had been serving as a police constable when she was selected to be part of a secretive group of female operatives and is now chosen for the mission because of her commitment and superlative skills. For her purported husband, Churchill selects the handsome Lord Marlton, Hector Neville-Percy, a well-connected member of the aristocracy already serving as a first-class secret agent in MI5.

This unlikely pairing of opposites gives the reader an insight into the vast class differences in Britain, and it is testimony to Lewis’s skills as an author to use this dichotomy—with a tinge of humor at times—to move the plot forward. The two protagonists stop at various aristocratic mansions on their trip up north, and a secondary but equally important part of their mission comes into play: unmasking members of “die Brücke,” Nazi sympathizers and anti-war activists at the pinnacle of Britain’s aristocracy who will do anything to counter Churchill’s war effort.

Not sure whom to trust along the way—Caitrine even comes to suspect her supposed husband, and his treachery seems to be confirmed to her later in the project—she decides to go solo in her unrelenting dedication to carry out the mission to its conclusion. Caitrine’s life is threatened a number of times as the two protagonists and the precious objects seem to fall into the hands of the traitors. The danger-filled chase takes them all over the British Isles and the surrounding waters before moving even farther afield.

The main characters are well shaped, and depictions of Churchill’s personal habits and quirks—the cigar smoking, relentless drinking, unabashed nudity in front of others— provide an extra dollop of fun and interest alongside his commitment to an ultimate British victory. The action is expertly propelled forward by a well-constructed plot and the scintillating dialogue that showcases the skills of the author—who, as it happens, previously made a name for himself as a screenwriter and director.

David Lewis has crafted an exciting, well-designed story based on first-class research into a pivotal moment of British and European history. The reader will no doubt be keen on delving into subsequent episodes in the secret Churchill files that the author will be bringing to his public.

This is a book that titillates and excites, as well as informs the reader.