Local author pens gem of a mystery
Rick Tamble -The Tennessean

The man who writes under the name W.C. Hartline could be found for years at Draper Jewelry Company on Granny White Pike, offering expert advice on precious gemstones, especially diamonds for engagement rings. Along with the two Draper ladies, Lassie and Mary Pat, Hartline established a worldwide clientele via word of mouth and Internet sales.

With his first mystery novel Death by Diamonds, this emerging local author is using his knowledge of gems to tap into a different audience. It's a fast-paced story that includes intrigue in a Norman-built castle on the British coast, murder in a Belle Meade Boulevard mansion and carats of action in the diamond district of Antwerp.

As he introduces his central character, private investigator Robert Bozeman, the author's style brings to mind Raymond Chandler: The reader can almost visualize Bogart in a trench coat as Bozeman tries to solve the disappearance of William Smith, head of one of the world's largest diamond-buying companies.

Hartline fleshes out his characters all the way through to the last page. In addition to Bozeman, there's Colonel Briggs, who was his commanding officer in the army. Part of an organization that's also looking for Smith, the colonel enlists Reggie Holland, who grew up in Dickson, Tenn., to help out.

Mona Smith, the Belle Meade beauty who hired ''Boz'' to find her missing husband, points out that he was ''different'' when he returned from a business trip to Antwerp. He wouldn't listen to the antique Victrola in their garage as he did before. After the discovery that the fingerprints on the Victrola don't match the other prints William left around the house, things get nastier.

It's too early to tell if Hartline will be the Harry Winston of murder mystery authors, but he's made an impressive start with this page-turner.

Craig Hartline, a.k.a. W.C. Hartline, is the owner of Draper Jewelry. DEATH BY DIAMONDS represents his first foray into the world of murder and deception, and his background of both diamonds and the military enable him to showcase his knowledge of espionage and jewelry. Hartline joined the Army in 1987, and worked with the Signal Corps, which is Army communications. He also worked with the National Guard and received several commendations, including a Desert Storm Ribbon. After his military experience he went into his wife's jewelry business, learning from scratch. Hartline plans nine books in his Diamonds series.

William Smith is the CEO of American Diamond House in Chicago. His position calls for discretion, and he is sorely lacking in this area. When he disappears, Robert Bozeman, a then private investigator is hired by Smith's wife until he is recalled by his former CO, Colonel Briggs, who thinks that Smith is part of an organization threatening National Security. Who is William Smith? Is he part of an International scheme involving diamonds? Bozeman answers the call, hooks up with a partner, and the fun begins. Often the bad guy becomes the good guy (or gal), and Robert Bozeman is about to meet his match in Kay Daniels:

"I tried to collect my thoughts so I could express myself without sounding like a complete idiot. (I know what you're thinking, and I don't appreciate it.) Anyway, I finally got all of my thoughts together, and I looked up at Kay and into those hazel green eyes. 'I'm not quite sure. I was very impressed with the way you handled yourself with that goon. I hadn't seen anyone move that fast since Advanced Training at Fort Bennig, and he was an instructor.' I stopped for a moment and swallowed hard."

Hartline's first Robert Bozeman diamond mystery sets the stage for a rip-roaring good time. His plot is so realistic that the reader feels like they are part of Bozeman's brain. Bozeman's character is fun because he is dragged kicking and screaming (literally) back into the military/intelligence. The world of diamond intrigue is opened up to the reader, although Hartline obviously has much more to say on the subject. But DEATH BY DIAMONDS is a great start to a promising series. Kay Daniels is one of a fascinating cast of female characters. The Robert Bozeman series should be a hit! I was thinking Michelle Pfeiffer as Kay Daniels.