The Necklace

May 8, 2017
In 2009, Cornelia “Nell” Quincy Merrihew’s great-aunt Loulou, who raised Nell’s mother, has passed away, and Nell finds herself in the company of an eccentric gaggle of Quincys, old-money Ohioans that her mother mostly avoided. She’s been made executor of Loulou’s will, and Loulou has left her a necklace of questionable provenance that she soon learns is very special indeed. Nell must fend off the Quincys, who have other plans for it. Nell, a successful lawyer, plays defense with her overbearing family, who see her as an outsider, but she finds an ally in Loulou’s estate lawyer, the handsome Louis Morrell. A glittering, Gatsby-esque second narrative set in the 1920s explores the love triangle between Nell’s grandmother, May, and two brothers, Ethan and Ambrose Quincy. When Ambrose returns from two years abroad bearing a stunning necklace bought in India as a gift for May, she’s already married Ethan, but her love for Ambrose has never dimmed. McMillan (The Gilded Age) expertly weaves the narratives together in an emotionally resonant, captivating tale of love, loss, and family secrets that culminates in a satisfying finale.

May 1, 2017
The curious story of a necklace connects two generations of women.Nell Quincy Merrihew has always felt out of step with the Quincy side of her family. Living across the country from them seemed like the proper amount of distance. But when her eccentric great-aunt Loulou passes away, Nell joins the rest of the clan in dealing with the estate. To her family's discomfort, Nell has been named executor of the will. Making things even more complicated, Nell has inherited a valuable and controversial necklace. While Nell had expected something elegant, the necklace is chunky, odd, and in bad condition from spending years stuffed in an old whiskey bag. Though family members initially deem it tacky, the necklace becomes far more interesting when they learn it contains a sapphire thought stolen from the maharajah of Baroda. The novel's second storyline goes to establishing the jewel's provenance. The necklace, brought back from India by Ambrose Quincy in the 1920s, was meant to be a gift to his beloved, May. But while Ambrose was traveling around the world, a tragic accident left his brother, Ethan, severely injured. By the time Ambrose returns home, he discovers that May and Ethan have married. Despite the look of impropriety, Ambrose gives the necklace to May and relishes watching her wear it, a jeweled centerpiece far more prominent than her own wedding ring. As the novel shifts in time, Quincy secrets and scandals are brought to the surface. For Ambrose, Ethan, and May, a painful love triangle begins to emerge. For Nell, she begins to feel the full pressure and politics of being a Quincy. With an expansive cast of vivid characters--from Pansy, Nell's class-obsessed cousin, to Louis Morrell, Loulou's sometimes-overeager estate lawyer--McMillan (Gilded Age, 2012) weaves a complex and compelling narrative that balances intensity and levity. Written with wit, compassion, and a meticulous attention to period and cultural detail, the novel is satisfying for those seeking a romance, a historical drama, or a rags-to-riches tale. Family reveals its true nature when love and money are involved.

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June 1, 2017

In 1925, Ambrose Quincy is in love with a woman named May. The only problem is Ambrose loves adventure slightly more than he loves May, so he leaves her behind to travel the world. In India, he buys a beautiful necklace from a maharini (Hindu princess), intending to give it to May as a sign of his devotion, as he has always intended to return to her. However, a letter arrives informing him that May has married Ethan, his brother. Ethan is all set to enter the family mining business, and Ambrose has become the family's black sheep. Ninety years later, Nell enters the lion's den of the Quincy family to settle an estate. Nell's great-aunt Loulou has died, and she's left a mysterious necklace to Nell, whose cousins Pansy and Emerson would prefer to keep the piece for themselves. VERDICT In McMillan's (Gilded Age) charming new novel, the historical narrative shines (Ambrose is a winning character) and the modern setting crackles with wit, as Nell outmaneuvers her kin with ease and maybe finds true love herself. Kate Morton fans will enjoy.--Jennifer Mills, Shorewood-Troy Lib., IL

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