
The King of Diamonds
The Search for the Elusive Texas Jewel Thief
Failed to add items
Add to Cart failed.
Add to Wish List failed.
Remove from wish list failed.
Follow podcast failed
Unfollow podcast failed
Buy Now for $35.90
No default payment method selected.
We are sorry. We are not allowed to sell this product with the selected payment method
-
Narrated by:
-
Erin Dion
-
Written by:
-
Rena Pederson
About this listen
As a string of high-profile jewel thefts went unsolved during the Swinging Sixties, the press dubbed the elusive thief the King of Diamonds. Like Cary Grant in To Catch a Thief, the King was so bold that he tip-toed into the homes of millionaires while they were home, hiding in their closets and daring to smoke while they were sleeping.
Rena Pederson, then a young reporter with UPI, started following the elusive thief while she managed the night desk. With gymnastic skill, he climbed trees and crawled across rooftops to take jewels from heiresses, oil kings, corporate CEOs—some of the richest people of their time. Scotland Yard and Interpol were on the look-out, but the thief was never caught nor the jewels recovered.
To follow the tracks of the thief, Rena has interviewed more than two hundred people, from cops to strippers. She went to pawn shops, Las Vegas casinos, and a Mafia hangout—and discovered that beneath the glittering façade of Dallas debutante parties was a world of sex trafficking, illegal gambling, and political graft. When one of the leading suspects was found dead in highly unusual circumstances, the story darkened. High society crashed head-first into Mickey Spillane.
The odd psychological aspects of the The King of Diamonds give us a different kind of crime story. Detectives were stumped: Why did the thief break into houses when his targets were inside, increasing the risk of being captured? As one socialite put it, “It was a very peculiar business.”
©2024 Rena Pederson (P)2024 Dreamscape MediaYou may also enjoy...
-
A Friend in the Dark
- Written by: Samantha M. Bailey
- Narrated by: Alex Picard, Libby McKnight
- Length: 8 hrs and 5 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Eden Miller’s world is crumbling. Her husband blindsided her with divorce, and her daughter barely speaks to her. In an impulsive decision to escape her present and revisit the past, she sends a friend request to her college crush, Justin Ward. One night twenty-three years ago changed the course of her life. It closed the door on Justin and opened the door to her husband, Dave. But what if Eden could have a do-over?
-
-
Disappointing main character
- By Jessica on 2024-09-07
Written by: Samantha M. Bailey
-
Slow Noodles
- A Cambodian Memoir of Love, Loss, and Family Recipes
- Written by: Chantha Nguon
- Narrated by: Kim Green, Clara Kim
- Length: 10 hrs and 58 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
A haunting and beautiful memoir from a Cambodian refugee who lost her country and her family during Pol Pot's genocide in the 1970s but who finds hope by reclaiming the recipes she tasted in her mother's kitchen.
Written by: Chantha Nguon
-
Death in the Spires
- Written by: KJ Charles
- Narrated by: Tom Lawrence
- Length: 9 hrs and 8 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Jem begins to track down the people who were there the night Toby died – a close circle of friends once known as the ‘Seven Wonders’ for their charm and talent – only to find them as tormented and broken as himself. All of them knew and loved Toby at Oxford. Could one of them really be his killer? As Jem grows closer to uncovering what happened that night, his pursuer grows bolder, making increasingly terrifying attempts to silence him for good. Will exposing Toby's killer put to rest the shadows that have darkened Jem’s life for so long? Or will the gruesome truth only put him in more danger?
-
-
Same classic flavour minus the spice
- By Keikie on 2024-04-26
Written by: KJ Charles
-
What You Leave Behind
- A Novel
- Written by: Wanda M. Morris
- Narrated by: Joniece Abbott-Pratt, Lynnette R. Freeman
- Length: 10 hrs and 32 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Award-winning author Wanda Morris returns with a powerful, haunting thriller following a lawyer who after the mysterious disappearance of a local landowner and the death of his sister just months before, uncovers a conspiracy that dates back to Reconstruction and persists in half the United States today.
-
-
Engaging story and narrative
- By Seemz on 2025-01-19
Written by: Wanda M. Morris
-
The North Line
- A Novel
- Written by: Matt Riordan
- Narrated by: Dan Bittner
- Length: 8 hrs and 32 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Everyone believes Adam to be something he’s not. Sometimes that’s because he’s told them a story. Sometimes he’s told himself one. But when Adam joins an Alaskan fishing crew that’s promising quick money, the dangerous work and harsh lifestyle strip away all fabrications and force a dark-hearted exploration of who he really is. On the unforgiving Bering Sea, Adam finds the adventure and authenticity of a fisherman’s life revelatory. The labor required to seize bounty from the ocean invigorates him, and the often crude comradery accompanies a welcome, hard-earned wisdom.
-
-
A solid adventure story told well
- By clevrgrl on 2025-01-24
Written by: Matt Riordan
-
Time of Justice
- Mara Brent Legal Thriller Series, Book 1
- Written by: Robin James
- Narrated by: Vivienne Leheny
- Length: 8 hrs and 10 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
This trial should be a slam-dunk. A faceless powerbroker has other ideas.... Small-town prosecutor Mara Brent must be tough as nails to succeed in her male-dominated profession. But she harbors a soft spot for the victims who rely on her courtroom skill, especially the wheelchair-bound rape survivor she’s known since her first day on the job. So when her friend’s unsolved case reopens with a DNA match and an arrest, she’s determined to finally bring a monster to justice.
-
-
Derivative…Simple Plot
- By Audible Listener on 2023-06-16
Written by: Robin James
-
A Friend in the Dark
- Written by: Samantha M. Bailey
- Narrated by: Alex Picard, Libby McKnight
- Length: 8 hrs and 5 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Eden Miller’s world is crumbling. Her husband blindsided her with divorce, and her daughter barely speaks to her. In an impulsive decision to escape her present and revisit the past, she sends a friend request to her college crush, Justin Ward. One night twenty-three years ago changed the course of her life. It closed the door on Justin and opened the door to her husband, Dave. But what if Eden could have a do-over?
-
-
Disappointing main character
- By Jessica on 2024-09-07
Written by: Samantha M. Bailey
-
Slow Noodles
- A Cambodian Memoir of Love, Loss, and Family Recipes
- Written by: Chantha Nguon
- Narrated by: Kim Green, Clara Kim
- Length: 10 hrs and 58 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
A haunting and beautiful memoir from a Cambodian refugee who lost her country and her family during Pol Pot's genocide in the 1970s but who finds hope by reclaiming the recipes she tasted in her mother's kitchen.
Written by: Chantha Nguon
-
Death in the Spires
- Written by: KJ Charles
- Narrated by: Tom Lawrence
- Length: 9 hrs and 8 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Jem begins to track down the people who were there the night Toby died – a close circle of friends once known as the ‘Seven Wonders’ for their charm and talent – only to find them as tormented and broken as himself. All of them knew and loved Toby at Oxford. Could one of them really be his killer? As Jem grows closer to uncovering what happened that night, his pursuer grows bolder, making increasingly terrifying attempts to silence him for good. Will exposing Toby's killer put to rest the shadows that have darkened Jem’s life for so long? Or will the gruesome truth only put him in more danger?
-
-
Same classic flavour minus the spice
- By Keikie on 2024-04-26
Written by: KJ Charles
-
What You Leave Behind
- A Novel
- Written by: Wanda M. Morris
- Narrated by: Joniece Abbott-Pratt, Lynnette R. Freeman
- Length: 10 hrs and 32 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Award-winning author Wanda Morris returns with a powerful, haunting thriller following a lawyer who after the mysterious disappearance of a local landowner and the death of his sister just months before, uncovers a conspiracy that dates back to Reconstruction and persists in half the United States today.
-
-
Engaging story and narrative
- By Seemz on 2025-01-19
Written by: Wanda M. Morris
-
The North Line
- A Novel
- Written by: Matt Riordan
- Narrated by: Dan Bittner
- Length: 8 hrs and 32 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Everyone believes Adam to be something he’s not. Sometimes that’s because he’s told them a story. Sometimes he’s told himself one. But when Adam joins an Alaskan fishing crew that’s promising quick money, the dangerous work and harsh lifestyle strip away all fabrications and force a dark-hearted exploration of who he really is. On the unforgiving Bering Sea, Adam finds the adventure and authenticity of a fisherman’s life revelatory. The labor required to seize bounty from the ocean invigorates him, and the often crude comradery accompanies a welcome, hard-earned wisdom.
-
-
A solid adventure story told well
- By clevrgrl on 2025-01-24
Written by: Matt Riordan
-
Time of Justice
- Mara Brent Legal Thriller Series, Book 1
- Written by: Robin James
- Narrated by: Vivienne Leheny
- Length: 8 hrs and 10 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
This trial should be a slam-dunk. A faceless powerbroker has other ideas.... Small-town prosecutor Mara Brent must be tough as nails to succeed in her male-dominated profession. But she harbors a soft spot for the victims who rely on her courtroom skill, especially the wheelchair-bound rape survivor she’s known since her first day on the job. So when her friend’s unsolved case reopens with a DNA match and an arrest, she’s determined to finally bring a monster to justice.
-
-
Derivative…Simple Plot
- By Audible Listener on 2023-06-16
Written by: Robin James
-
The Mango Tree
- A Memoir of Fruit, Florida, and Felony
- Written by: Annabelle Tometich
- Narrated by: Annabelle Tometich
- Length: 10 hrs and 56 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
When journalist Annabelle Tometich picks up the phone one June morning, she isn’t expecting a collect call from an inmate at the Lee County Jail. And when she accepts, she certainly isn’t prepared to hear her mother’s voice on the other end of the line. However, explaining the situation to her younger siblings afterwards was easy; all she had to say was, “Mom shot at some guy. He was messing with her mangoes.” They immediately understood.
-
-
authentic and honest.
- By anne nonomus on 2024-11-17
Written by: Annabelle Tometich
-
A Rough Way to Go
- Written by: Sam Garonzik
- Narrated by: Victor Warren
- Length: 12 hrs and 8 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In this all-consuming, suspenseful story, a stay-at-home father with something to prove finds a wealthy Wall Street investor's body washed up on the shore—and decides to take the investigation into his own hands…
-
-
Good story but some sections are way too rambling.
- By J. McHale on 2024-11-29
Written by: Sam Garonzik
-
Zetas Till We Die
- Written by: Amber Brown, Danielle Brown
- Narrated by: Inés del Castillo, Ariel Blake
- Length: 12 hrs and 55 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
It’s been ten years since Priscilla and her Zeta Phi Zeta sorority sisters graduated college. Ten years since they were all in the same room together. Ten years since one of them died. And now Lupé’s killer has been released from prison on a technicality, days before their ten-year reunion. Priscilla decides that the party must go on; Lupé would have wanted it to. And besides, an epic reunion bash might be the perfect distraction. Back together, the Zetas party like it’s 2012, and it’s wild, just the way it used to be. Maybe too wild.
-
-
Weirdly Offensive
- By Anynomous on 2025-02-22
Written by: Amber Brown, and others
-
If the Tide Turns
- Written by: Rachel Rueckert
- Narrated by: Pilar Witherspoon
- Length: 12 hrs and 5 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Set during the Golden Age of Pirates and the shadowy aftermath of the Salem witch trials, this vivid literary debut is inspired by the captivating true story of real-life pirate Samuel Bellamy, combining high seas adventure, star-crossed longing, surprisingly timely questions about social justice and freedom, and the emotionally satisfying tale of one strong-willed young woman determined to choose her own path.
-
-
🥹
- By @haylingbookstorm on 2024-07-23
Written by: Rachel Rueckert
-
Remember, You Are a Wiley
- Written by: Maya Wiley
- Narrated by: Maya Wiley
- Length: 10 hrs and 45 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Born in a country that has repeatedly traumatized her and her loved ones, Maya Wiley grew up in a household that prioritized activism, hope, and resilience above all else. This attitude landed her father on President Nixon’s enemies list as her mother organized third-party political platforms. Still, they modeled hope for their children. In the decades since, she has borne witness as presidents and political figures used racism and fascism to gain power, and as cities have again and again elected white men, effectively shutting out people of color and women from having a political voice.
Written by: Maya Wiley
-
Mistakes We Never Made
- Written by: Hannah Brown
- Narrated by: Juliette Goglia
- Length: 9 hrs and 46 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Emma Townsend can sum up her situationship with hot-as-hell romantic red flag Finn Hughes in one word: almost. They almost dated in high school. They almost hooked up after college. They almost took things too far one magical night. Their whole story is one series of “almosts” and “nearlys,” and now they just kind of can’t stand each other. Like, at all. But this weekend, one of their mutuals is getting married...and Emma and Finn will have to pretend they don’t remember how disastrous it was the last time they were in a room together.
-
-
Great beach read!
- By anon on 2024-05-29
Written by: Hannah Brown
-
The Vineyard Remains
- A Novel
- Written by: Addison McKnight
- Narrated by: Carlotta Brentan, Maria McCann, Angelina Rocca
- Length: 11 hrs and 4 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
A desperate murder committed by Angela Miller’s mother tore Angela’s life apart and brought her to Martha’s Vineyard to live with her wealthy grandparents. It’s where her cousin, Kiki King, was born and raised, and Kiki now wants nothing more than to see the world beyond its sandy perimeter. Kiki’s mother escaped it. She took a late-night swim off Tashmoo Beach and was never seen again.
-
-
Unlikeable characters, weak women and selfish men.
- By Anonymous User on 2024-09-26
Written by: Addison McKnight
-
Someone You Know
- An Unforgettable Collection of Canadian True Crime Stories
- Written by: Catherine Fogarty
- Narrated by: Jennifer Blom
- Length: 9 hrs and 31 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Someone You Know is an anthology of twelve unforgettable Canadian true-crime stories by Story Hunter podcast producer, host and writer Catherine Fogarty. Each story reveals the haunting truth and statistical reality that a person is more likely to be murdered by someone they know than by a stranger. And while “stranger danger” is often the stuff of our nightmares and Hollywood horror films, sometimes those who are closest to us are even more dangerous than strangers.
-
-
Heart-wrenching true crime stories
- By Arshdeep Arora on 2024-12-14
Written by: Catherine Fogarty
-
Imaginary Strangers
- Dangerous Strangers Thrillers, Book 1
- Written by: Minka Kent
- Narrated by: Renata Friedman
- Length: 7 hrs and 58 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Camille Prescott has it all. A doting husband, two children, a charming home in a seaside enclave, and a beautiful, fixed smile that exudes normalcy. But behind her polished mask lurks a much different Camille—one with a padlocked vault of secrets. Raised by a vindictive and psychotic woman, Camille has gone to great lengths to bury her past and for good reason: if her mother ever finds her, she will kill her.
-
-
A most surprising ending
- By Guy Robillard on 2025-01-27
Written by: Minka Kent
-
Gray After Dark
- Written by: Noelle West Ihli
- Narrated by: Megan Tusing, Will Damron
- Length: 9 hrs and 12 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Miley's plans take a terrifying detour when she's abducted during a morning run. Held captive in a desolate off-grid cabin, she'll have to use her athletic prowess, cunning mind, and courage to survive. As the nightmare at the cabin escalates, Miley is forced to form an unlikely alliance and attempt a risky escape.
-
-
Started a bit slow but soon couldn’t stop
- By Andrew Goetz on 2024-06-21
Written by: Noelle West Ihli
-
The Light Eaters
- How the Unseen World of Plant Intelligence Offers a New Understanding of Life on Earth
- Written by: Zoë Schlanger
- Narrated by: Zoë Schlanger
- Length: 10 hrs and 56 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The Light Eaters is a deep immersion into the drama of green life and the complexity of this wild and awe-inspiring world that challenges our very understanding of agency, consciousness, and intelligence. In looking closely, we see that plants, rather than imitate human intelligence, have perhaps formed a parallel system.
-
-
so fascinating
- By Brittany on 2024-07-31
Written by: Zoë Schlanger
-
The Wife You Know
- Written by: Chad Zunker
- Narrated by: Thor Knai, Helen Laser
- Length: 6 hrs and 8 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Widower Luke Driskell didn’t expect to fall in love and marry again so quickly. But Ashley and her daughter, Joy, are special—a quality borne out when Ashley rushes into a burning day-care center to save the children. Immediately she’s a social media sensation and hero. Then, just as suddenly, Ashley and Joy disappear into the bitterly cold night. With no trace of their whereabouts, Luke begins a panicked investigation. Alarmingly, he can find no proof that the woman he loves even exists. Left behind: just a hidden stash of fake IDs. Different names. Different cities. Same haunted face.
-
-
Would not recommend
- By Private on 2024-09-11
Written by: Chad Zunker
What listeners say about The King of Diamonds
Average Customer RatingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Balognes
- 2024-09-13
BRUTAL
Boring details that are completely irrelevant. I couldn’t get through this book and stopped reading.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Xero Hax
- 2024-09-01
Goes on and on about irrelevant details
The headline speaks for itself. There is an incredible amount of time spent on things like Dallas party culture, the estates of the rich, etc., but not in a way that adds anything to the story.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Donna Daman
- 2024-08-29
Wayyyyy too long
All I wanted to know was who was the diamond thief….could have been cut in half easily
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!