The Star of Simbako by PJ Skinner
Diamond mining should be easy; Especially in an area famous for large gems
But the secrets lurking at Fona are bigger than any of them
It’s 1990 and Geologist Sam Harris goes to West Africa to work in the diamond fields of Fona. She is soon involved with a cast of characters who operate in a dangerous mix of superstition, cultural practices and ignorance (mostly her own).
When she uncovers the tale of a massive diamond missing since a rebel attack during the civil war, the stakes are raised even higher. Add a love triangle and a jealous woman who wants her dead, and Sam is in trouble again.
Where is the Star of Simbako? Is Sam going to survive the chaos?
The Star of Simbako is the third book in the riveting Sam Harris Adventure series of international thrillers. If you like Indiana Jones, you'll love this exciting adventure with realistic storylines set in an exotic location before modern technology.
About the author
PJ Skinner is geologist who has spent thirty years roaming the planet and collecting tall tales and real-life experiences. Most of her postings were in remote and dangerous sites which provide background settings for her novels. She now writes fact-based novels from the relative safety of London. She still travels worldwide collecting material for the series and having her own adventures.
Review
‘The Star of Simbako’ is the third book in the Sam Harris series and it is a welcome return and this time we find our heroine in Africa! What I love about these books is that you very quickly understand and love these characters as if they are your friends and you are just catching up. Sam is a plucky, funny, independent woman trying to make in it a male-dominated world but soon has them eating out of her hands. I have a feeling that PJ Skinner may resemble Sam very much indeed as the series is based on her experiences working as a geologist in this period.
Sam is back home and is wanting to find her next job and this time it turns out she is off to Africa! Before then though she finds out that her sister has been sleeping with her boyfriend and is devastated by the news. But she leaves it all behind and heads off to Fano, a country which has only just emerged from a horrible civil war. She has been tasked with searching the alluvial deposits for diamonds. When she gets there she bonds with the chief and his daughter and soon learns of the fabled diamond ‘The Star of Simbako’ which went missing during the civil war. We all know that Sam likes a mystery….
This was a fantastic read and I flew through it over the weekend. It was funny and fast-paced, has nods to the local cultures and traditions but feels fresh and modern. The characters were extremely well drawn and I am beginning to love the little exchanges between Sam’s parents as they are so hilarious! But Sam is the star of the show and she is a great character.
I can't wait to read book four!
