The Honeybee Emeralds

Tector’s enchanting debut transports listeners to glittering Paris, where the discovery of a magnificent diamond-and-emerald necklace reveals long-buried secrets and sets off an epic adventure through France’s iconic past. Iranian British Alice Ahmadi, an intern at the struggling expat magazine Bonjour Paris, uncovers the necklace in the magazine’s basement storeroom. Hoping that a high-profile article about the necklace’s provenance could save the magazine, editor Lily enlists the support of art expert Daphne, magazine owner, Luc, fellow writer Jacob, and next-door neighbor Alexander. Narrator Lameece Issaq ably brings out the excitement as this group, affectionately dubbed the “Fellowship of the Necklace,” makes one amazing discovery after another, connecting the necklace to Louis Napoléon III’s mistress, American singer Josephine Baker, and even the dancer and spy, Mata Hari. In the process of their investigation, the group learns as much about themselves as they do the necklace. Issaq’s skillful characterizations and accent work round out this audio, imbuing each character with depth and breadth.