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Isabelle Webb #1
Legend of the Jewel
Former Pinkerton spy Isabelle Webb needs a vacation. The broken leg she suffered while trying to warn President Lincoln of his impending assassination has mended a little, but her grief over his death has not. She and her young charge, Sally Rhodes, have an open itinerary when they board a steamer ship to Bombay. But upon meeting Utah blacksmith James Ashby, the two women opt to join the search for his younger brother Phillip, who's traveling abroad with the ill-reputed Thaddeus Sparks in search of a mystical treasure. Upon arrival in India, other passengers are also interested in taking up the search. But the seeming good will of some soon turns dark on the streets of Bombay. As murder and kidnapping tears the group apart, James and Isabelle race to uncover the hidden motives and harrowing connections that threaten not only Phillip's life, but also their own. First in N.C. Allen's new series, this tale's cunning characters and twisting plot will wrap you tightly in the action, intrigue, and romance surrounding the Jewel of Zeus.
283 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2008
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 112 reviews
June 29, 2015
Second Read (September 2011): This is my second time reading Legend of the Jewel and I’ve enjoyed it as much as I did the first time around. It is a fun adventure full of mystery, legends and romance. I really like that the relationship between James and Isabelle grows at a normal pace, even though it all takes place in a relatively short amount of time, I could believe their feelings for each other. I also liked Sally and Alice. I liked the friendship that is growing between the two and the good influence they have on each other. I am so glad I have the second book on hand and can begin reading right away.
First Read (December 2008): It took me about twenty pages into the story to realize that this was a spin-off book from N.C. Allen's popular "Faith of our Fathers" series. It has been a few years since I read that series, which I thoroughly enjoyed, and while reading this book it made me want to revisit that series and read up on Isabelle. I've read and enjoyed all of N.C. Allen's books, she always has interesting story ideas. "Legend of the Jewel" was a fun, quick read. It takes place in India right after the Civil War in America ended. I learned a lot about India and its history while reading the book, and thought it was a great setting for a mystery. Isabelle and James and their new relationship is fun to read about. It ends with a cliffhanger and I'm anxious to pick up the second book, The Pharaoh's Daughter to find out what happens next.
Merged review:
It took me about twenty pages into the story to realize that this was a spin-off book from N.C. Allen's popular "Faith of our Fathers" series. It has been a few years since I read that series, which I thoroughly enjoyed, and while reading this book it made me want to revisit that series and read up on Isabelle. I've read and enjoyed all of N.C. Allen's books, she always has interesting story ideas. "Legend of the Jewel" was a fun, quick read. It takes place in India right after the Civil War in America ended. I learned a lot about India and its history while reading the book, and thought it was a great setting for a mystery. Isabelle and James and their new relationship is fun to read about. It ends a bit too abruptly, without all the loose ends being tied up. I suppose this was done to better lead into the second book. I liked the story, although it wasn't my favorite of her books.
I debated between giving this 3 or 4 stars. I don't think the writing is the best, but the story and plot idea were inventive so I went with 4 stars.
First Read (December 2008): It took me about twenty pages into the story to realize that this was a spin-off book from N.C. Allen's popular "Faith of our Fathers" series. It has been a few years since I read that series, which I thoroughly enjoyed, and while reading this book it made me want to revisit that series and read up on Isabelle. I've read and enjoyed all of N.C. Allen's books, she always has interesting story ideas. "Legend of the Jewel" was a fun, quick read. It takes place in India right after the Civil War in America ended. I learned a lot about India and its history while reading the book, and thought it was a great setting for a mystery. Isabelle and James and their new relationship is fun to read about. It ends with a cliffhanger and I'm anxious to pick up the second book, The Pharaoh's Daughter to find out what happens next.
Merged review:
It took me about twenty pages into the story to realize that this was a spin-off book from N.C. Allen's popular "Faith of our Fathers" series. It has been a few years since I read that series, which I thoroughly enjoyed, and while reading this book it made me want to revisit that series and read up on Isabelle. I've read and enjoyed all of N.C. Allen's books, she always has interesting story ideas. "Legend of the Jewel" was a fun, quick read. It takes place in India right after the Civil War in America ended. I learned a lot about India and its history while reading the book, and thought it was a great setting for a mystery. Isabelle and James and their new relationship is fun to read about. It ends a bit too abruptly, without all the loose ends being tied up. I suppose this was done to better lead into the second book. I liked the story, although it wasn't my favorite of her books.
I debated between giving this 3 or 4 stars. I don't think the writing is the best, but the story and plot idea were inventive so I went with 4 stars.
April 4, 2016
Isabelle Webb is unlike any historical heroine I have ever read before. Capable, strong, confident, and female in a time when women didn't do much outside of their own homes. I found the education on place and culture to be fascinating, and the story was gripping and definitely held my attention. I picked this book up on a day when I didn't have time to read, and I somehow made the time to finish this book in a day. Very well done, one of my favorite LDS fiction novels.
March 22, 2018
Put this on my to-read list after a book blogger friend reviewed it but it was never available anywhere. Finally requested it through inter library loan and now wondering why none of my locals have it!
While perhaps not an award-winning book, the historic time period, strong characters, unlikely plot and exotic settings surely make it better than tons of others. It was fast-paced, exciting, dramatic and tense, and had a few shots of humor. I will certainly seek out the next two in the series to read.
This is by an LDS author and one of the characters is a Mormon. It doesn't play a huge plot-point. This book is totally clean in language and sexual content. Well, it's PG. A little romance makes everything better! There is some violence to go with the excitement - not too graphic but probably better for 12 and up.
While perhaps not an award-winning book, the historic time period, strong characters, unlikely plot and exotic settings surely make it better than tons of others. It was fast-paced, exciting, dramatic and tense, and had a few shots of humor. I will certainly seek out the next two in the series to read.
This is by an LDS author and one of the characters is a Mormon. It doesn't play a huge plot-point. This book is totally clean in language and sexual content. Well, it's PG. A little romance makes everything better! There is some violence to go with the excitement - not too graphic but probably better for 12 and up.
February 21, 2018
I liked this first book in the Isabelle Webb series. Isabelle is a former Pinkerton detective who is recovering from wounds she incurred while trying to prevent Pres. Lincoln's assassination. She is traveling in India with a young woman she met in the South named Sally. On the voyage she meets James, a blacksmith from Utah who is trying to find his brother who has taken up with a suspicious man in search of a mysterious treasure. As Isabelle is drawn into the mystery, she insists on helping James with the search.
With lots of action, exotic locations, and a sweet romance, this book really kept me turning the pages. It's a quick, enjoyable read. I'm looking forward to the next book in the series.
With lots of action, exotic locations, and a sweet romance, this book really kept me turning the pages. It's a quick, enjoyable read. I'm looking forward to the next book in the series.
February 25, 2025
This was a fun adventure. Ir is clear that Isabelle has had plenty of adventure before this, which helps it feel more believable. The relationships between her and James as well as between Sally and Alice, however, felt less so. One of my biggest qualms with the book is how much somebody "murmurs." I can also appreciate that it does not follow a common pattern in "church books" where a member and nonmember fall in love and the nonmember becomes converted for a lovely, spiritual happily ever after. Religion is not mentioned much more than in passing and it does not end with a bow on everything-probably because that wouldn't bode well for reader retention into the next book. That said, it does have quite the abrupt cliffhanger.
April 30, 2025
This trilogy has been on my TBR list for a while. I have read most of Nancy Campbell Allen's more recent works, and enjoy her writing quite a bit. I read a lot of historical fiction and love to learn a bit through a well researched story in another time and place. This series is an action, adventure, mystery, romance series set in 1865. It covers several continents and countries, which makes it even more interesting. The book ends on a cliffhanger, so have the next ready to go. I enjoyed the characters and their unique qualities. There is still plenty to discover about them, which I assume will be revealed in the rest of the series.
November 21, 2020
This is first in a series of three. Don’t expect everything to be wrapped up at the end. There are only a few things resolved and many unanswered questions. I was a little disappointed in the development of Isabelle’s character. She started much stronger and confident than she finished. I am still not sure how I feel about James. He is not my favorite hero. I almost gave this 3 stars based on character development but I was engaged in the story and anxious to see how things turned out. It will interesting to see if both characters develop better as the series continues.
June 5, 2023
I love reading about other places. Reading this made we want to travel. I really liked the characters. Isabelle is a strong, independent woman who thinks she can do just about anything. Her physical limitations have her questioning her abilities. I really can relate to this right now. I really like James as well. A very good brother who makes sacrifices to find his brother who has gone missing. I didn't like that his faith was identified as "Mormon" so what? It had nothing to do with the story line. It felt our of place.
June 4, 2021
Legend of the Jewel is an engaging read that introduces us to Pinkerton spy Isabelle Webb. She is traveling with her friend and ward and finds herself in the midst of another mystery. From England to India, ship to train, and everything in between, this book has it all. Romance, murder, kidnapping, and urban legends.
If you're looking for a quick and fun read, this is a perfect one. Clean content is appropriate for 14 and up.
If you're looking for a quick and fun read, this is a perfect one. Clean content is appropriate for 14 and up.
October 7, 2020
This was cute with a sense of adventure/travel. Banter was written well but the romance felt too forced and inorganic. While I believe this is religious fiction the author is subtle about it so if I hadn't known it going in I'm not sure I would've noticed.
September 22, 2017
Fun & engaging adventure! Clean and fun. I enjoyed it.
October 7, 2017
Former Pinkerton spy during Civil War heads to India for relaxation and recuperation. Isabelle Webb in a delightful heroine.
November 29, 2017
Nice adventure and intrigue.
August 31, 2018
3.5 stars
December 5, 2018
Chasing the legend of the jewel all over India
September 11, 2020
Clean read--it was ok.
March 31, 2021
Takes place within a year of Lincoln’s death. It’s a relic hunter tale with a little romance. The first of a series of three. Strong female lead.
April 11, 2021
Cute story. It definitely leaves the reader ready to start the sequel. I really enjoy the interactions between Isabelle and James. I'm excited to see where they go from here.
June 3, 2021
Fun story, I liked the mystery
January 17, 2023
Thoroughly enjoyed this story!
February 3, 2023
Isabelle Webb, former Pinkerton agent and now at leisure to travel with her ward Sally, meets James Ashby, who is hunting for brother who is controlled by Sparks, in search for fabulous jewel.
February 10, 2023
Hard to get into but mostly interesting story
June 10, 2025
Good writing. Adventurous mystery romance
February 10, 2026
This was a fun read with very enjoyable characters.
June 25, 2017
I've read some of Allen's more recent books - I really liked My Fair Gentleman - and Beauty and the Clockwork Beast remains one of my all-time favorite books, so I thought I'd give some of her older ones a try. While I didn't love this one as much as the ones I've mentioned, I did enjoy it.
April 21, 2023
Isabelle Webb is a spy. One of the few female spies in the United States in 1865. After the assassination of President Lincoln, Isabelle is pained with her failure to a man she knew and loved. Taking a much needed holiday to exotic India, Isabelle and her young Ward Sally Rhodes meet James Ashby, who is looking for his brother who is caught up in a search for an ancient Jewel. Isabelle and Sally form a friendship with James and they offer to help him find his lost brother. In the process things spiral out of control, and the search becomes a deadly one. And not only that, but she finds that she is looking at James quite more than she should…will their ending be happy, or entirely too short?
This book was given to me for Christmas, and I just finished it today. It was interesting enough, and a very quick read, and fast-paced. I found it lacking in many ways, one of which was the caliber of the writing, which seemed a little novice and perhaps was published a little too soon. For a mystery it was fairly obvious. I wanted more of the gospel in it, versus the few references to James being Mormon and the mention of praying. I did however enjoy the romantic parts of it, though they were very cheesy. But I like cheese! The characters were good, but I found a little too much contradiction and not enough depth to many of them. To be honest I didn’t much care for this book. But since it is a series, I suppose it has the potential to get better. It left a little too much open-ended for my tastes. Oh, well, it was fun enough to read.
This book was given to me for Christmas, and I just finished it today. It was interesting enough, and a very quick read, and fast-paced. I found it lacking in many ways, one of which was the caliber of the writing, which seemed a little novice and perhaps was published a little too soon. For a mystery it was fairly obvious. I wanted more of the gospel in it, versus the few references to James being Mormon and the mention of praying. I did however enjoy the romantic parts of it, though they were very cheesy. But I like cheese! The characters were good, but I found a little too much contradiction and not enough depth to many of them. To be honest I didn’t much care for this book. But since it is a series, I suppose it has the potential to get better. It left a little too much open-ended for my tastes. Oh, well, it was fun enough to read.
November 26, 2009
Really liked this one. First book in a series about a former Pinkerton spy named Isabelle Webb. Needing a change of scene from her failed attempt to warn President Lincoln of an assassination plot, Isabelle takes on the task of guardian and chaperon for Sally Rhodes who is a young woman who has been orphaned by the Civil War. Both women need a vacation from the effects of their experiences during the war. They embark on a journey with an open itinerary. On a ship bound for Bombay, India they meet James Ashby, an educated blacksmith from Utah who is headed for Bombay in search of his younger brother who is traveling abroad with a man of ill repute in search of a fabled jewel. Mysterious events take place aboard ship that ultimately result in Isabelle and Sally joining forces with James to find his brother. This story is reminiscent of an Agatha Christie mystery with a variety of characters and interesting plot twists. This is a book written by an LDS author, primarily for an LDS readership. Consequently, the scenes of romance and murder are done with a light touch. Isabelle Webb is an eminently likable character and I am looking forward to books two and three of this series.
March 24, 2010
(Genre:LDS historical fiction/mystery) Entertaining read, but be warned...it's ending is very much a cliff hanger and no sequel has yet been published. I found this book in the mystery section of the library and decided to give it a try. It is the story of a female spy who is traveling on vacation with her young ward post Civil War. They meet a fellow American who is also traveling to India, following the trail left by his younger brother. This brother has hooked up with a man who is chasing a famed jewel that is said to grant power to it's owner. I found several things in the story unbelievable. For the time period piece that it is, I couldn't swallow the main character traveling to India for a vacation. It's 1866 or something like that! So she has/had a job, would she really pick India? Why? I also questioned the Utahn who is traveling to India to find his errant brother. Pioneer blacksmith's didn't generally have the financial reserves to globe trot. The jewel story was far fetched, too. But I did enjoy the British/India history and culture that was included and the main characters were good. I would read the sequel if it ever comes out, but if I had known the adventure would be unresolved I would probably have passed for the time being.
May 30, 2017
I picked this audio book up at the library to give us something to listen to while traveling. I knew nothing about it before hand.
On the plus side it was clean. And the female is strong and independent. There is a bit of a mystery and adventure in the story but also romance. The negative side was that romance. Personally I think the mystery and adventure part was the better written aspect. There was more than one spot of romantic dialog that was just cheesy cringe worthy stuff. So that was disappointing to me.
I kind of felt like the fact that James is a Mormon was odd. The story had nothing to do with that. He could have been a believer from any faith and it would have made no difference. Maybe it matters in the rest of the series but I would have liked it better with him as just a believer.
There is some violence but no language or sex. The violence isn't too graphic.
I didn't like the cliff hanger ending. I like all story lines to tie up neatly. At the end of this one my husband and I both said, "That's it? That is the ending?". Neither of us liked that much. And I didn't love the book well enough to seek out the second book so we'll just never know I guess...
On the plus side it was clean. And the female is strong and independent. There is a bit of a mystery and adventure in the story but also romance. The negative side was that romance. Personally I think the mystery and adventure part was the better written aspect. There was more than one spot of romantic dialog that was just cheesy cringe worthy stuff. So that was disappointing to me.
I kind of felt like the fact that James is a Mormon was odd. The story had nothing to do with that. He could have been a believer from any faith and it would have made no difference. Maybe it matters in the rest of the series but I would have liked it better with him as just a believer.
There is some violence but no language or sex. The violence isn't too graphic.
I didn't like the cliff hanger ending. I like all story lines to tie up neatly. At the end of this one my husband and I both said, "That's it? That is the ending?". Neither of us liked that much. And I didn't love the book well enough to seek out the second book so we'll just never know I guess...
January 15, 2022
Reread 2022: I definitely enjoyed this more when I was 15. It's a spinoff of the Faith of our Fathers series about the Civil War, and it follows the character Isabelle Webb, a former Pinkerton agent, in her overseas adventures post-war. These books inspired my interest in Allan Pinkerton, whom I did a whole project and 'Hero Paper' on in high school. I originally read the first two in the trilogy, but the third hadn't come out, so I decided to just start over and experience them again. I'm kind of sad I did, because I am a much more critical person than I was ten years ago. The dialogue is stilted, and most of the plot is just all of the characters discussing what they should do next while eating a meal. I'm not going to change the rating because this book was a huge deal for me at the time, but this go around was not a 5 star experience. This is an example of why I have developed my rule of not starting a series unless it is already complete.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 112 reviews