Heather Webb on The Hope Keeper & the Hope Diamond

Some stories begin with glitter.

A diamond. A museum. Jazz Age Washington, humming with ambition and carefully guarded secrets.

But beneath the shine of the Hope Diamond lies something far quieter — grief. Questions left unanswered. A young woman searching not for glamour, but for truth.

In this Behind the Book conversation, bestselling author Heather Webb shares how The Hope Keeper grew from a lifelong love of beautiful stones into a layered story of loss, resilience, and the long journey back to an idea that wasn’t ready — until it was.

A Story Years in the Making

The Hope Keeper did not arrive fully formed.

Heather Webb first explored the idea of writing about the Hope Diamond six years ago. She drafted a proposal. She wrote sample chapters. And then — as often happens in the writing life — it was set aside. Her editor suggested back-burnering the project, and for a time, the story waited.

When Heather returned to it years later, something had shifted. A new direction began to take shape. A research trip to Washington, DC sealed it. Walking the neighborhoods. Revisiting the Smithsonian. Standing again before the famous blue diamond housed in the Natural History Museum.

On a rainy, off-season morning just after opening, she raced to the exhibit — only to discover one person had arrived before her. When that visitor moved on, Heather found herself alone with the Hope Diamond for five uninterrupted minutes. In a space usually crowded with dozens of onlookers, she had the rarest thing: stillness.

For a writer of historical fiction, moments like that matter. They clarify tone. They anchor place. They remind us that history is not abstract — it is physical, present, and waiting to be seen.

Grief at the Center of the Glitter

While The Hope Keeper is set against the shimmer of Jazz Age Washington and the intrigue surrounding the Hope Diamond, its emotional center is far more intimate.

Heather’s protagonist, Elizabeth Bowmont, is a young woman navigating the aftermath of tragedy. Her twin brother has died in what appears to be a tragic accident — but questions linger. Why was he acting strangely before his death? What connections might exist between him and the powerful McLean family who once owned the diamond?

Elizabeth’s journey is not only one of investigation, but of grief.

As Heather explains, a compelling character must struggle — against her environment, against the central story problem, and against herself. Elizabeth finds herself out of her depth in an elite circle of women whose social power and privilege contrast sharply with her own position. At the same time, she is forced to reconsider her career path during the early years of women working at the Smithsonian Museum.

Throughout the novel, Elizabeth must grapple with loss while untangling mystery — and, ultimately, learn what it means to let go.

Beneath the glitter of the diamond lies a far quieter story: one of resilience, growth, and the courage to face uncomfortable truths.

Research as Immersion

For Heather, research is not an afterthought — it is a foundation.

Now writing her eleventh novel, she begins with what she calls “front-loading.” She gathers primary and secondary sources, reads widely, and builds a historical outline organized by topic before drafting deeply into the story.

But books alone are not enough.

Whenever possible, she visits the location itself. She walks the neighborhoods. Studies the architecture. Returns to museums and monuments not as a tourist, but as a novelist searching for texture.

Her time in Washington, DC shaped The Hope Keeper in tangible ways. Revisiting the Smithsonian’s Natural History Museum — and standing before the Hope Diamond — grounded the story in physical reality. Even the memory of racing through the museum on a rainy morning carries the energy of the novel’s atmosphere: urgency, intrigue, and the quiet pull of something rare.

Historical fiction thrives on that balance — meticulous research paired with lived experience.

If you prefer to watch or listen to our full conversation, you can view the Behind the Book interview with Heather Webb below.

There is something enduring about stories that begin with brilliance — a rare diamond, a glittering city, a storied family — and then turn inward toward something far more human.

In The Hope Keeper, Heather Webb pairs the mythology of one of history’s most famous jewels with a deeply personal journey through loss and self-discovery. It is a reminder that even in the most dazzling eras, private grief and unanswered questions still shape the lives of those who lived there.

If you enjoy historical fiction that blends immersive research with emotional depth, this is a conversation — and a novel — worth exploring.

Happy reading.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is The Hope Keeper about?
The Hope Keeper is set in Jazz Age Washington, DC and centers on Elizabeth Bowmont, a young woman investigating the mysterious circumstances surrounding her twin brother’s death. The story weaves together grief, elite society, and the intrigue surrounding the Hope Diamond.

Is The Hope Keeper based on a true story?
The novel is inspired by real historical elements — including the Hope Diamond, the McLean family who once owned it, and the early years of women working at the Smithsonian Museum. However, Elizabeth Bowmont and her personal story are fictional.

When does The Hope Keeper release?
The Hope Keeper releases on May 19. For tour dates and updates, readers can visit Heather Webb’s website or subscribe to her newsletter.