Book Extract: The Queen’s Necklace by Adrienne Chinn

I’m pleased to be welcoming Adrienne Chinn to Novel Kicks and the blog tour for her novel, The Queen’s Necklace.

The most famous necklace in the world has finally been found…

Bryher Finch’s life isn’t just a disaster, it’s a catastrophe, until a chance invitation to chart her family tree changes everything. As Bryher uncovers the ancestry she never knew about, she stumbles on the find of the century – Anne Boleyn’s ‘B’ necklace, as enigmatic as Henry VIII’s most notorious Queen herself.

But Bryher isn’t the only one who wants the necklace…

Adrienne has shared an extract with us today. We hope you enjoy. 

*****beginning of extract*****

In this excerpt from The Queen’s Necklace, American actress Bryher Finch, who is filming a Tudor mini-series in England, is out on a dinner date with Dr Pieter de Beer, the historical advisor on the series. She had loaned him her cousin Betty Pilcher’s ‘B’ necklace that she’d found in an old box under Betty’s bed (she’s staying at Betty’s house while she’s filming). The cheap necklace she’d been given to wear in the series was breaking her out in hives so she borrows Betty’s necklace to wear instead. Pieter has examined the necklace and discusses it with her over dinner.

*****

Bryher scoops some dhal onto her plate. She watches as Pieter spoons a dollop of mango chutney onto the side of his plate. He couldn’t be more different from Jake, the quintessential sardonic American hero with all his rough edges. Pieter is smooth and, well, sophisticated. Where she’d always felt like a slightly clumsy girl around Jake, albeit, a lucky clumsy girl, she feels like a grown-up woman around Pieter. And she likes the feeling.

‘You said this afternoon that you wanted to talk to me about something. What is it?’ ‘

Yes. It’s about the necklace.’ He frowns. ‘Where is it?’

She swallows a forkful of the mildly spiced lentil dish. ‘I gave it back to Betty.’

He sets down his fork. ‘What?’

‘I gave it back to Betty. She was pretty upset that I took it without asking and I felt terrible. I’ll just have to wear the cheap one from the costume department and dose myself up with antihistamine pi—what’s wrong?’

Pieter pulls a pen out of his jacket pocket and grabs a paper napkin. He begins drawing. ‘Betty’s necklace. There was a maker’s mark on the back of the “B”. It’s the initials CH inside a circle.’ He pushes the napkin across the table to her. ‘I’ve seen it before.’

Bryher frowns at the sketch. ‘You’ve seen it before? Where?’

Pieter leans across the table. ‘I have an ancestor named Cornelis Hayes. He was a jeweller from Antwerp who came to London and did work for King Henry VIII. He is known to have made jewellery for the nobles and royalty of the time. I have an old reference book of Tudor goldsmiths and jewellers. It’s why I asked to borrow the necklace, to check the mark against the one known to be that of Cornelis Hayes.’

Bryher shakes her head. ‘What are you saying? I don’t understand.’

‘In 1526, Anne Boleyn’s father, Sir Thomas Boleyn, paid Cornelis four pounds for jewellery he had commissioned, so there is a documented connection between the Boleyns and one of King Henry VIII’s jewellers. Perhaps it was for the “B” necklace.’

Bryher’s eyes widen. ‘You think Betty’s necklace might be the real one?’

‘I believe that is a possibility. If it is Anne Boleyn’s necklace, it would be—’

Bryher presses her hand against her mouth. ‘Oh, my God.’

*****end of extract*****

About Adrienne Chinn –

Adrienne Chinn was born in Grand Falls, Newfoundland, grew up in Quebec, and eventually made her way to London, England after a career as a journalist.

In England she worked as a TV and film researcher before embarking on a career as an interior designer, lecturer, and writer.

When not up a ladder or at the computer writing, she often can be found rummaging through flea markets or haggling in the Marrakech souk. Her debut novel, The Lost Letter, was published in 2019. Her second novel, the international bestseller, The English Wife, was published in 2020. Her third novel, Love in a Time of War, the first in a series of four books in The Three Fry Sisters series, was published in 2022. The second book in the series, The Paris Sister, was published in 2023, and the third book, In the Shadow of War, was published in March 2024.

Her next book, an historical timeslip novel, The Queen’s Necklace, was published by One More Chapter in September 2025. The fourth book in The Three Fry Sisters series, set during WWII, will be released in 2026.

Say hello to Adrienne via her website, Facebook, Instagram and X. 

Click to buy The Queen’s Necklace on Amazon UK, Amazon US, Barnes & Noble, Waterstones, Google and WH Smith. 

by

Laura

I’m Laura. I started Novel Kicks in 2009. I wanted a place to post my writing as well as give other writers like me the opportunity to do the same. There is also a monthly book club, a writing room which features writing prompts, book reviews, competitions, author interviews and guest posts.

I grew up by the sea (my favourite place in the world) and I currently live in Hampshire. I am married to Chris, have a cat named Buddy and I would love to be a writer. I’m trying to write the novel I’ve talked so much about writing if only I could stop pressing delete. I’ve loved writing since creative writing classes in primary school. I have always wanted to see my teacher Miss Sayers again and thank her for the encouragement. When not trying to write the novel or writing snippets of stories on anything I can get my hands on, I love reading, dancing like a loon and singing to myself very badly. My current obsession is Once Upon a Time and I would be happy to live with magic in the enchanted forest surrounded by all those wonderful stories provided that world also included Harry Potter. I love reading chick lit. contemporary fiction and novels with mystery.