Book excerpt: Can a ring be cursed with bad luck? Or are the owner's calamities simply the byproduct of bad choices, coincidence, or merely life itself? When Brooklyn jeweler Abel Moody is asked by his friend, Julia Townsend, to clean and appraise her heirloom sapphire engagement ring, he remembers an old sketch his deceased father left him - it matches the ring. This remarkable coincidence sends him on a clandestine journey to Paris where at an ancient church a priest gives him a book - Women of the Ring - that reveals centuries of the ring's ownership. In it, he discovers the long hidden story of the world's first engagement ring and the tragic death of its owner. He also learns of those who subsequently owned the ring and the heart wrenching misfortunes that followed them from a reigning Queen of France to the world's most beloved actress. This prompts Abel to ponder the crucial question: If Julia wears the ring, will she endure some heartbreak or catastrophe like they did? Woven throughout the mystery are poignant scenes from the jeweler's and young Julia's earlier mentor/mentee relationship. Abel's unconditional love for her proves the catalyst in wanting to protect her from the ring's apparent past, no matter what the cost. A riveting contemporary mystery bound to a remarkable past.