Diamond Fever!: A True Crime Story in the Wild West by Steve Sheinkin , illustrated by Jon Chad

Diamond Fever!  A True Crime Story in the Wild West by Steve Sheinkin, illustrated by Jon Chad 

Publisher:  Roaring Brook Press
Format Read:  E-ARC
Number of pages:   256 pages
Publishing:  May 12th, 2026
Source: Publisher via NetGalley

Opening Lines:  "Even train robbers have to wait for their train."

I first discovered Diamond Fever! A True Crime Story in the Wild West during School Library Journal's (SLJ) Middle Grade Magic presentation in early March.  The author and illustrator introduced the book and talked about their collaboration, and I was immediately drawn in by the premise and the hybrid format that blends graphic-novel/comic panels with prose.  

The book recounts the Great Diamond Hoax of 1872.  During the Gold Rush Era, two miners and cousins, Philip Arnold and John Slack arrive late one night at the San Francisco office of businessman George Roberts.  They ask him lock away a mysterious bag in his safe.  Roberts, curious about their secrecy, peeks inside and finds what he believes are diamonds.   His discovery pulls more and more respected figures into the scheme, sparking a diamond fever and a desperate search across the West for the supposed diamond mine that the cousin's found.

The details of the hoax are fascinating.  Jewelers attempt to authenticate the stones, partners overseas get involved, and lawyers, congressmen and even mining engineers spend years trying to secure the legal rights to the mine the cousins claim to have found.  I love learning about lesser-known historical events, and this elaborate deception, complete with "salting the land" to convince experts that rubies and diamonds were present was especially compelling.  The story also weaves in rich historical context, including the Fortieth Parallel Survey (1867-1872), the Susan B. Anthony Trial, and even mention of the construction of the Transcontinental Railroad.  

Readers will appreciate the comic-style illustrations, humor, engaging storytelling, and true crime mystery.  The author and illustrator clearly put great care into historical accuracy, character design, and detailed panels that highlight key moments in the story.  During the SLJ presentation, Jon Chad mentioned that he designed the mini character portraits at the front of the book with distinct facial shapes to make each person instantly memorable and recognizable.  The result is a wonderfully cohesive and beautiful collaboration.