Stolen Brilliance by Michael G. Colburn
“Can breaking the law ever be the right thing to do?”
That’s the moral question young Edie Black ponders early in Michael Colburn’s historical thriller Stolen Brilliance: A Lady Black Mystery, which brings Victorian London to life.
It’s an intriguing question — and Edie has a vested interest. She thinks of the thief Robin Hood who robbed from the rich to help the poor. Is that so bad? In Stolen Brilliance, she is thinking about her savior and love interest Benji Diamond, whose activities, she comes to learn, are on the wrong side of the law. But he is helping down-on-their-luck people survive, right? Providing them with jobs so they can feed their families. Get them educated (a bit). No physical harm. Who gets hurt?
Actually, Edie — or Lady Edith Black as we know her from page one, a noblewoman with a hidden past — not only looks the other way at Benji’s station but becomes a master criminal in her own right. As readers, we root for both of them. Funny thing, crime.
Steamship Hiests and International Intrigue
Colburn weaves an intricate tale of how Edie is rescued from the slums of London and given a chance with a band of women thieves known as the Forty Elephants and run by a Mrs. Hill, an upper-crust, high-society Londoner with a flood of contacts. While the elegant Mrs. Hill is well insulated from her “business activities,” she is indeed the mastermind behind what she refers to as “sophisticated crime with a purpose.”
The story advances when Mrs. Hill, using Edie as a central figure, orchestrates a major heist aboard the steamship Ferret. Then nothing like bags of priceless diamonds gone missing to wreak havoc among the players.
The gang’s success vaults Edie into a world of international intrigue, traveling to destinations around the world. While Edie is drawn into this risky business and exotic life, she begins questioning her loyalty to Mrs. Hill, her own involvement in the dangerous lifestyle, and starts laying the groundwork to set up her own operation.
A Brilliant Historical Thrill Ride
The great joy of reading Stolen Brilliance is keeping track of all the characters (and their aliases): understanding the significance of their actions in the bigger picture, what their motivations are, and where their loyalties lie. I can only imagine the author creating an intricate spreadsheet while writing, to keep track of who knows what and whom and when, who is privy to what information, and the connections between characters. It’s cliché to say that things are not as they seem, but in this case, take those words at face value. That’s what makes for all the fun.
Stolen Brilliance is, well, about stolen goods and in many ways a brilliant piece of writing. With its plot twists and the emotional depth of the characters, all captured within an historical setting, and historical intrigue, Michael Colburn delivers a tight, thought-provoking narrative with heavy doses of love, betrayal, and redemption.
There’s no crime in that.
Michael G. Colburn has studied and written about the creative process for several decades. He started several businesses and one manufacturing company based on creation and invention. He served on industry associations and was treasurer and then Food Service Consultants Society International president. He has authored over twenty patents. His books include the bestselling Invent, Innovate & Prosper, and How Julia Found Happiness and Financial Success. He now devotes his time to writing fiction.
He lives with his wife in Vermont. When he is not writing, they like to travel and take long-distance walking trips, exploring paths and cultures around the world. Pictures of their paths accompany his monthly blog, A Writers Odyssey, published on Medium and posted on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.
