Author: Susan Wakeford Angard

Publisher: Tudor House

ISBN: 978-1-7338984-4-7

Readers familiar with Susan Wakeford Angard’s debut novel, On Wings of a Lion, will in the sequel, The Persian Glories, recognize the spunky documentary filmmaker Kathryn Whitney, and her fiancé, the courageous photographer Anthony Evans.

 

The couple are passionately in love with each other and will not let anyone come between them, no matter what perilous situations they may encounter. As a side remark, reading the first novel is not a prerequisite to enjoying the second one. 

Both narratives focus on Iran’s precious jewels and are set against the backdrop of the Iranian Revolution. 

The Prologue to The Persian Glories presents readers with a glimpse of the unfolding tale.

The kickoff scene takes place in the Niavaran Palace in Iran in September 1942. The event is the annual ball given by the crown prince of Iran, Mohammad Reza Shah, the future Shah.

It is here where we are introduced to eighteen-year-old Rena Anjani. Rena has been married for four months to the Iranian Prime Minister, Valik Ajani, twenty years her senior. And as we shall learn, Rena is quite “a piece of work” that you wouldn’t want to cross. 

She is jealous of her beautiful older sister, Ilyia, who was always the preferred one in their household. However, now being married to Valik permits her bountiful freedoms to throw around her power and get whatever she demands. 

The central event of the evening is the placing on display in the palace’s reception hall Iran’s precious jewels, the Persian Glories. It is believed that these jewels carry a remarkable legacy, and when you unselfishly give them to someone you care for, they produce wonderful love.

While adoring and craving the jewels, Rena encounters Lieutenant Omar Houdin, who is part of the prince’s guard. Rena is flustered and orders him to stay away from her, as she is now a married woman. In the past, Rena had a slight teasing fling in her father’s garden with Omar. Both of these figures will play treacherous critical roles in the novel.

There is quite a fuss when an Englishman, Richard Evans of England, the next Earl of Edyton, enters the hall. The prince and Richard are close friends, dating back to their school days. Richard recently married Rena’s sister Ilyia, which was shocking news to Rena. She had no notion that the couple were married, as she had not been in contact with her sister for the previous four months. 

And if this was not sufficient of a disturbance to Rena, the prince declares that he is granting with love and friendship, the Persian Glories upon Richard, sealing their countries bond for their lifetime. Rena shrieks silently to herself, believing that the jewels should be hers, as the prince loved her first. Now, they belong to her sister; once again, her sister outshone her for the entire world to see. 

Fast forward to Tehran, October 1978, where we come across Mirdad Ajani, son of Rena Anjani, who has just been told that Iran’s precious treasures have been moved from the palace by his cousin Anthony Evans, whose parents, as we shall read, were killed in a mysterious plane crash.

Mirdad is ordered to assassinate Anthony. 

We also meet film director Kathryn Whitney, who is on her way to the airport and out of Iran after a failed film shoot. Kathryn and Anthony pledge to meet in two weeks in England.

Not only is Anthony on Mirdad’s hit list, but also on the merciless Black Glove terrorist list for his activities in helping Iranians escape Iran.

Iran’s famous Persian Glories crops up in the narrative when we learn that Kathryn has wrapped them in her crystal evening bag. They were a betrothal gift and a legacy from Anthony’s mother. Kathryn was tasked with delivering the jewels to Anthony’s grandfather’s vault in England.

She is unaware that Anthony forgot to tell her not to take The Persian Glories as it was very dangerous and life threatening. To make matters worse, she did not have the necessary documents that would get her through England's customs. In addition, she was bringing in a gift that Anthony received from a client that she knows nothing about.

In another part of the story, Mirdad discovers something about his cousin Anthony and cousin's late parents that will have devastating effects on his relationship with his mother Rena.

What ensues over the remaining pages is a mix of a nail-biting thriller with a captivating family drama. The result is an imaginative novel that is, at moments, daunting and exceptionally visual. Angard has a propensity for well-paced and well-blocked flurries of turbulent action. Scenes are driven by a flowing narrative style with alarming undercurrents, where we have a complex tapestry of sibling rivalry, love, hate, sinister evil secrets, duplicity, resentment, and maliciousness. How the narrative plays out is too exciting to be spoiled by revealing what happens.

Follow Here To Read Norm's Interview With Susan Wakeford Angard