A priceless Burmese ruby leads Mallory Jones on a journey from the remote mountains of Burma to the swelter of Bangkok in search of redemption. In 1995, Mallory Jones, a Seattle chef, embarked on an adventurous trip to Rangoon, Burma, in pursuit of a dream project. Immersed in a foreign world of beauty, stifling heat, and political turmoil, Mallory's life takes an unexpected turn when she befriends a British diplomat and a charismatic French gem dealer, unwittingly becoming entangled in a treacherous plot to steal a priceless Burmese ruby. Haunted by her traumatic past, Mallory must confront her own capacity for violence and deceit, all while clinging to the elusive hope of a new beginning. The Worth of a Ruby transports readers to the mesmerizing landscapes of Southeast Asia, where a priceless ruby becomes a powerful metaphor for Mallory's journey of self-discovery. Can Mallory finally break free from the disaster of her former life or will her inner demons consume her? The story is a riveting exploration of the human psyche and the search for one's true worth. Weaving elements of mystery, suspense, and personal transformation, this story leaves readers pondering the true value of the ruby of the heart. -- "A taut psychological thriller...Seattle chef Mallory Jones is drawn into the heat, monsoon rains, and the 'impression of grand architecture melting into decay' of 1990s Rangoon, where cooking, for her, is 'part chemistry and part magic.' She muses that 'there was no chapter in The Lonely Planet Guide' for the dark deeds she's pushed to-but she's full of surprises and has a way with a knife...as the story delves into an impoverished upbringing marked by trauma and abuse and a priceless ruby that suggests sinister corruption within, exploring the boundaries of morality with depth and menace. This engaging thriller will resonate with anyone drawn to a fast-paced saga concerned with material as well as spiritual wealth." - BookLife Reviews