The Case of the Diamond Eye

by Amelia Elizabeth Walden

Somewhere in Europe or South Africa, private detective Jake Jefferson and his young assistant, Lisa Clark, hope to find the answer to a murder mystery and a missing diamond amulet.

192 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1969

About the author

Amelia Elizabeth Walden was born January 15, 1909 in New York City, and died in 2002. After graduating from Columbia University in 1934, she attended the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, also in New York. From 1935 to 1945 she taught English and Dramatics at Norwalk High School, Norwalk, Connecticut. In 1946 Miss Walden married John William Harmon. This was also the year that her first book was published. At the request of her editor she revised the manuscript, entitled Gateway, to fit a new genre emerging at the time, called the "young adult" novel which was aimed at a post-adolescent but not yet adult audience, approximately ages 16 to 18. She is considered a pioneer in this area of American literature. Miss Walden found success writing for this audience, and commented, "I respond to young people because I remember my own adolescence so vividly - and fondly. It was a period of total involvement, of enjoying life to the hilt."

Miss Walden wrote over 40 novels published by McGraw-Hill, Lippincott, William Morrow, The Westminster Press, and Appleton Century-Crofts. She was residing in Westport, Connecticut when she died.

Reviews

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first book in a series featuring Lisa Clark and Jake Jefferson. Amelia Walden is very adroit with writing spy stories. This is termed a detective story but is actually an international spy type story. I was a little disappointed that 20 year-old Lisa is not the main character. Those honors go to her partner and sort of guardian, 40 something year old Jake Jefferson.

Jake becomes involved in an investigation involving a diamond merchant who was murdered. The hunt takes him across Europe and into Africa. Everywhere he goes informants are found dead either before he gets to them or after he has spoken to them.

It is an exciting story.