One of the best ways to learn about a person is by asking questions, so let’s get to know Taylor and Glimmer.
What is your full name?
Taylor Hunter. Everyone calls me Hunter—except my grandmother when I’ve done something unforgivable. Then it’s Taylor, and I know I’m in trouble. According to her, I was named after Elizabeth Taylor and the famous Taylor-Burton Diamond. Diamonds were apparently my destiny before I could walk. My twin sister’s name is Hope.
Taylor and Hope. Bet you can guess what my parents were thinking.
Glimmer’s note: My name is Glimmer. No explanation needed.
How old are you?
Thirty-five. But if you tell anyone, I may have to kill you.
Kidding. Mostly.
What is your profession?
I’m a diamond detective. Yes, it’s a real job, and yes, it’s every blingaholic’s dream. I work mostly for insurance companies, recovering lost and stolen diamonds. Usually, I’m called in after law enforcement hits a dead end—or when somebody would prefer the police didn’t know about the missing stone. Diamonds have a way of bringing out the worst in people. Fortunately, I’m pretty good at finding both.
Glimmer’s note: She finds the people. I find the diamonds.
Do you have a significant other?
I’m divorced. I swore I’d never get married again. Absolutely, positively, never. Then I met an FBI agent who has me thinking about things I thought I’d forgotten. His name is Rocky Rockman. Yes, really. I try not to hold that against him.
Do you have any children?
No children. I have Glimmer, which some days requires roughly the same amount of supervision.
She’s a miniature long-haired dachshund with an attitude several sizes larger than she is and an uncanny ability to sniff out diamonds. She’s convinced she’s human.
Glimmer’s note: I beg to differ. Hunter needs supervision.
Who is your best friend?
My twin sister, Hope. We have one of those twin connections people talk about but can’t really explain. Frankly, I can’t explain it either. Sometimes I know something is wrong with Hope before she says a word. Sometimes I know what she’s thinking before she does.
We’re two halves of a whole. Only a handful of people can reliably tell us apart.
Glimmer’s note: They use different soap.
Do you have cats, dogs, or other pets?
Besides the diamond-sniffing diva, I have a beautiful palomino named Vajra, named for the ancient symbol associated with the diamond and thunderbolt.
Someday I’d like to fill my barn with more horses. First, I need to stay home long enough to finish the barn.
What town do you live in?
Sunset Peak, Arizona, near Cave Creek, just north of Phoenix. That’s where I live when I’m not chasing stolen diamonds around the world—which lately seems to be most of the time.
My latest case took me to Québec City in January. For the record, I am an Arizona girl. What was I thinking?
What type of dwelling do you own or rent?
I recently finished building a ranch house next door to my sister’s in Sunset Peak. The land once belonged to my grandmother’s family around the turn of the twentieth century, so buying it back felt like reclaiming a little piece of our family’s history.
Stone, high ceilings, desert views, and a barn out back. It’s exactly what I wanted. Now, I’d just like to spend enough time there to unpack.
Do you have any hobbies?
Hobbies require free time. Not sure what that is.
When I can, I ride Vajra. Someday I’d like to try competitive mounted shooting. Yes, shooting from horseback. It’s a cowboy thing.
Glimmer’s note: I will be watching from a safe distance.
If you were to write a memoir, what would you call it?
Easy. Catching My Father, the Jewel Thief. I’m still working on the ending.
Are you an amateur or professional sleuth and who do you work with?
Definitely professional. I work with law enforcement agencies around the world, although I’m not technically one of them. I’m not bragging, but my gadgets are usually better than theirs. That’s Sophie’s doing.
Sophie and I worked together at De Beers in Africa about ten years ago. She’s now head of recovery for Sterling & Sons, the insurance company that hires me for some of my more unusual cases.
Sophie can find information other people can’t. Let’s just say she has…connections. MI6 connections. She’d deny that, of course. I don’t ask.
Some diamonds are better left uncut. Some questions are better left unanswered.
Unfortunately, I’ve never been particularly good at the second one.
Glimmer’s final note: No kidding. Any wonder my job is never done.
THE ICE DIAMOND
Series: A Gem Hunters Mystery, Book 3
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Release: November 2026
Format: Print, Digital
Purchase Link
Every diamond has a story… This one is colder than betrayal
Taylor Hunter has tracked stolen gems across the globe. She knows thieves, cons, and impossible heists. But she’s never faced a theft from a locked room carved entirely from ice.
When the priceless Ice Diamond vanishes during a glittering gala at Québec City’s legendary Hôtel de Glace, Hunter expects a brilliant jewel thief. What she gets is murder, an Olympic “Ice Princess” with a dangerous secret, and clues that point disturbingly close to home.
Luckily, Hunter has Glimmer—a diamond-sniffing dachshund with a genius nose for precious gems and an unfortunate talent for finding trouble.
Together, they race through the frozen streets of Old Québec and follow a trail of clues into an icy labyrinth where someone has been hiding the truth for decades.
Recover the diamond. Catch the killer.
Easy. Except when your father is one of the world’s most notorious jewel thieves, nothing is ever simple.
About the author
Award-winning author CB Wilson (cbwilsonauthor.com) writes the Gem Hunters and the Barkview Mysteries—two series that blend intrigue, heart, and unforgettable animal companions. A GIA-trained gemologist, she brings authenticity and insider detail to her fast-paced stories of stolen jewels, hidden histories, and high-stakes recovery.
Her Gem Hunters series follows diamond recovery specialist Taylor “Hunter” and her diamond-sniffing dachshund, Glimmer, as they unravel mysteries spanning generations. The series includes The Fire Diamond, The Water Diamond, The Ice Diamond, and The Christmas Diamond. (Part of the Christmas Traditions & Wagging Tails collection)
CB’s Barkview Mysteries offer a Hallmark-style escape to the dog-friendliest town in America, where mysteries and canine companions go paw in paw.
A member of Sisters in Crime, International Thriller Writers, Dog Writers Association of America, and Book Lovers Bench, CB lives in Arizona, where she enjoys horseback riding, pickleball, and spending time with animals. Her stories combine adventure, humor, suspense, and heart—because every diamond has a story.