March 1, 1999
Divorced parents Liana Robeson and Cullen Lewellyn are forced together once again when their son, 14-year-old Matthew Lewellyn, runs away from home. Their search takes them from San Francisco to Australia, as a multigenerational saga of strife between two families unfolds. At its crux is the Pearl of Great Price, a marble-sized perfect pearl. Many flashbacks reveal the desperate actions of those who have tried to possess the pearl (beginning when, in the early 1900s, Archer Lewellyn murdered his partner, Tom Robeson, rather than share the wealth). Presently, someone seeking revenge is after Matthew. Adding suspenseful tension, all diversions are but a backdrop to the eventual romantic reunion of the missing boy's parents. Some descriptions of settings stand out, others fall short, but Richards's (Iron Lace) characterization and plotting are all on target.