Publisher:
I.P. Publishing

Publication Date:
09/01/2024

Copyright Date:
N/A

ISBN:
N/A

Binding:
Paperback

U.S. SRP:
.99

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STOLEN BRILLIANCE: A Lady Black Mystery

By Michael G. Colburn

IR_Star-black
IR Rating:
3.0
With realistic historical and maritime detail, Michael G. Colburn's STOLEN BRILLIANCE: A Lady Black Mystery tries to do too much but still makes for an ambitious thriller.
An intelligent young woman adopts an alias in a crime syndicate to help her outlaw-beloved leave gang life for good.

In Michael G. Colburn’s historical mystery STOLEN BRILLIANCE: A Lady Black Mystery, wily orphan Edie falls in love with criminal Benji, who rescued her from her abusive stepfather. At first, she is appalled by his organized crime, but her love for him outweighs her moral qualms. Soon, she too joins a crime syndicate, and the tables turn when Benji decides he wants to leave the dark world of theft and smuggling. Edie takes on an alias for one last big mission on a stolen ship traveling from England to Australia in the hopes of making enough money to buy her and Benji’s way out of the syndicate so they can start their life together as a couple.

The backstory presented in the book’s first quarter is an engaging tale on its own, before the main plot begins, describing Edie’s youth, her rescue by Benji, and her rise through the ranks of the women’s crime syndicate to become a skilled thief. At the book’s start, Edie’s black-and-white thinking is indicative of her youth. Her childlike reasoning is neither unique nor profound, but it expresses her naive characteristics. For instance, she justifies her decision to partake in crimes by comparing Benji to Robin Hood. When Edie becomes a young adult after the book’s first few chapters, though, she dives right into a life of crime with no hesitation—even with excitement. Her seriousness and intellect make her a powerful heroine; she’s “a beautiful lady, but all business,” whose ambition makes her likable.

Edie and Benji bounce from city to city and ship to ship, navigating troubled waters, dangerous criminals, and the police at every turn. The plot is ambitious, following Edie’s involvement in the women’s crime syndicate—where she steals makeup, hygiene products, and jewelry. There is an elaborate ship-stealing scheme, a diamond heist, and more. Paralleling her years-long journey is Benji’s (who takes a ship going the opposite direction), that of a man the two ripped off, and that of the police investigating them. The heart of Edie and Benji’s love story gets lost among so many plot threads, and the book is winding and overlong as a result.

The story is at its most absorbing when it centers on Edie or Benji. Offshoot scenes that follow the police investigations of the ship’s theft and fraudulent activities are bare play-by-plays of detectives’ actions that move the plot forward but lack suspense, as the information is provided swiftly and without adornments. For instance, “Walker’s real identity became clear in Melbourne. He too was taken to the city lockup. The three suspects believed to be behind the crimes related to the steamship Ferret were now under lock and key and awaiting court action. No charges were made for the theft and sale of the coffee.” When Edie and Benji ruminate on their relationship and get intimate with each other, the romantic tension grows; but they spend little time together, and most of their pining (to their love story’s detriment) is relayed in bland terms that diminish passion: “Benji’s mind returned to his last few hours with her. He was ready to settle down and begin their new life together. But first he and Edie had to finish their assignments and collect their earnings.”

Other characters’ emotions are told flatly while additionally being shown through action, dialogue, or introspection, as when a man Edie must ensure follows her syndicate boss’s rules is described as “not pleased to take orders” from Edie—after which he slams a door and mutters “dratted woman.” The reinforcement of description is sometimes redundant but can be a welcome reminder of minor characters’ motivations in a book with a large cast. Characters have long conversations laying out their plans, which slow the book’s pace.

The story’s realistic historical maritime setting comes to life through rich, convincing detail. After-dinner drinks, cigars, coal stoves, gas lanterns, horse-drawn carriages, and weeks-long voyages weave together with occasional vivid language to build a tangible, believable historical setting. When a newly landed man who was long at sea, for instance, feels “the swaying of waves just standing in his room,” his queasiness is palpable. Characters note details that show how cities have modernized since their previous visits, conveying a dynamic world.

Though its large cast and ambitious plot slow its pace, STOLEN BRILLIANCE is a thrilling historical novel with an engaging heroine.

With realistic historical and maritime detail, Michael G. Colburn’s STOLEN BRILLIANCE: A Lady Black Mystery tries to do too much but still makes for an ambitious thriller.

~Aimee Jodoin for IndieReader

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