A priceless inheritance leads an imperfect family on a life-changing pursuit of the truth in a “compassionate, thoughtful, and surprisingly moving” novel (Booklist).
Estranged siblings Beck, Ashley and Jake Miller are forced to reunite when their eccentric matriarch, Helen, passes away. But in between airing old resentments, they find a secret inheritance hidden among her possessions: the Florentine Diamond, a 137-carat yellow gemstone that went missing from the Austrian Empire a century ago.
Desperate to learn how one of the world’s most elusive diamonds ended up in Helen’s bedroom, the Millers suddenly realize how little they know about their grandmother. As they race to determine whether they are the rightful heirs to the diamond and the fortune it promises, they uncover a past more tragic and powerful than they ever could have imagined.
Inspired by the true story of the real, still-missing Florentine Diamond, The Imperfects illuminates the sacrifices we make for family, and how discovering our past can be the key to a better the future.
Genre: Historical
Estranged siblings Beck, Ashley and Jake Miller are forced to reunite when their eccentric matriarch, Helen, passes away. But in between airing old resentments, they find a secret inheritance hidden among her possessions: the Florentine Diamond, a 137-carat yellow gemstone that went missing from the Austrian Empire a century ago.
Desperate to learn how one of the world’s most elusive diamonds ended up in Helen’s bedroom, the Millers suddenly realize how little they know about their grandmother. As they race to determine whether they are the rightful heirs to the diamond and the fortune it promises, they uncover a past more tragic and powerful than they ever could have imagined.
Inspired by the true story of the real, still-missing Florentine Diamond, The Imperfects illuminates the sacrifices we make for family, and how discovering our past can be the key to a better the future.
Genre: Historical
Praise for this book
"The Imperfects by Amy Meyerson is an addictive and beautifully written novel about siblings, family secrets and the unraveling of the real historical mystery of the Florentine diamond. Each one of the Miller's well-drawn stories and their search to uncover their matriarch's past, her narrow escape from the Holocaust and her connection to the Florentine diamond, kept me quickly turning the pages. I absolutely devoured this novel--a riveting family saga with the pace of a thriller." - Jillian Cantor
"Delicious, compulsively readable... Both a gripping mystery and a family tale of imperfect people... Large gemstones have a certain magic of their own, and Meyerson expertly captures that fascination, in her wonderful tracing of the origin of the secret brooch. I read this book morning and night until it was done, unable to break free of its spell. A sheer delight." - Janet Fitch
"Amy Meyerson has created a captivating story about a hilariously dysfunctional family that comes into a shocking inheritance--a world-famous, priceless 137-carat diamond. Part expertly-plotted historical mystery, part tender family drama, and part juicy international caper, The Imperfects has it all. An absolute pleasure to read, guaranteed to have readers turning the pages late into the night." - Angie Kim
"The Imperfects is many things, all of them wonderful: a tale of the calamity and change of the twentieth century; a finely observed character study that focuses on the deliciously memorable Miller family; and a true page-turner that enthralled me from the start. It's also a work of grace, sensitivity, and perfectly observed attention to detail... Certain to delight and entrance its readers." - Jennifer Robson
"Even better than her enchanting debut, Meyerson's sophomore novel is an exquisitely researched, propulsive tale about the resilience of a splintered family and the power of secrets through a century of lies, betrayals, and life-changing fortune. A wonderfully structured multigenerational family drama woven with international intrigue, The Imperfects is a truly beautiful and truly American story full of unspoken history, loss, and hope. Absolutely winning." - J Ryan Stradal
"The matriarch of a perfectly imperfect family bequeaths them the perfect diamond--but is it a family heirloom or stolen treasure? In this clever, meticulously plotted tale of secrets, family dynamics, and resilience, Amy Meyerson takes readers on a what-if journey filled with equal parts history, tenderness, and intrigue." - Cynthia Swanson
"Helen Auerbach must have stolen the Florentine Diamond. Why else would an ordinary woman have kept the long-lost gem, once the property of Austrian royalty, hidden for so long? When Helen dies, her family must put their differences aside if they want to have any hope of holding on to this unexpected inheritance and, more importantly, unraveling the mystery of Helen's past and clearing the matriarch's name. Amy Meyerson's second novel The Imperfects is a book that shines as brightly as the jewel at the center of its tale and will leave readers wondering what mysteries might be hidden in their own pasts, waiting to be revealed." - Meghan MacLean Weir
"Delicious, compulsively readable... Both a gripping mystery and a family tale of imperfect people... Large gemstones have a certain magic of their own, and Meyerson expertly captures that fascination, in her wonderful tracing of the origin of the secret brooch. I read this book morning and night until it was done, unable to break free of its spell. A sheer delight." - Janet Fitch
"Amy Meyerson has created a captivating story about a hilariously dysfunctional family that comes into a shocking inheritance--a world-famous, priceless 137-carat diamond. Part expertly-plotted historical mystery, part tender family drama, and part juicy international caper, The Imperfects has it all. An absolute pleasure to read, guaranteed to have readers turning the pages late into the night." - Angie Kim
"The Imperfects is many things, all of them wonderful: a tale of the calamity and change of the twentieth century; a finely observed character study that focuses on the deliciously memorable Miller family; and a true page-turner that enthralled me from the start. It's also a work of grace, sensitivity, and perfectly observed attention to detail... Certain to delight and entrance its readers." - Jennifer Robson
"Even better than her enchanting debut, Meyerson's sophomore novel is an exquisitely researched, propulsive tale about the resilience of a splintered family and the power of secrets through a century of lies, betrayals, and life-changing fortune. A wonderfully structured multigenerational family drama woven with international intrigue, The Imperfects is a truly beautiful and truly American story full of unspoken history, loss, and hope. Absolutely winning." - J Ryan Stradal
"The matriarch of a perfectly imperfect family bequeaths them the perfect diamond--but is it a family heirloom or stolen treasure? In this clever, meticulously plotted tale of secrets, family dynamics, and resilience, Amy Meyerson takes readers on a what-if journey filled with equal parts history, tenderness, and intrigue." - Cynthia Swanson
"Helen Auerbach must have stolen the Florentine Diamond. Why else would an ordinary woman have kept the long-lost gem, once the property of Austrian royalty, hidden for so long? When Helen dies, her family must put their differences aside if they want to have any hope of holding on to this unexpected inheritance and, more importantly, unraveling the mystery of Helen's past and clearing the matriarch's name. Amy Meyerson's second novel The Imperfects is a book that shines as brightly as the jewel at the center of its tale and will leave readers wondering what mysteries might be hidden in their own pasts, waiting to be revealed." - Meghan MacLean Weir
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