Synopsis; Rescued from the slums of Victorian London, Edie finds herself ensnared in a web of crime orchestrated by Mrs. Hill, the mastermind behind an infamous gang of lady thieves. While perfecting her skills at deception, Edie falls deeply in love with Benji, a criminal who saved her from a troubled past and is working to build a better future.

Led by Mrs. Hill, Edie embarks on a daring heist of the steamship Ferret. Soon, she finds herself navigating crime and adventure in far-flung locations from France and South Africa to Brazil and Australia.

When a massive diamond heist occurs in Cape Town, Benji is implicated as the thief. He is pursued by Lloyd’s of London investigators, corporate interests, rival gangs, and Mrs. Hill. As secrets unravel and alliances shift, Edie must save Benji’s life and her own by seeking the true perpetrators.

Critique: Although a deftly penned work of fiction, “Stolen Brilliance” by author Michael Colburn was inspired by actual events. A deftly crafted historical mystery that will keep the reader’s rapt attention from start to finish, “Stolen Brilliance” is a fun read from cover to cover and prove a welcome and enduringly popular pick for community/public library Mystery/Suspense collections. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of dedicated mystery fans that this hardcover edition of “Stolen Brilliance’ from I. P. Publishing is also readily available for personal reading lists in a paperback edition (9798990542013, $18.00) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $4.99).

Editorial Note: Michael G. Colburn (https://michaelgcolburn.com) retired from a successful career in inventing to write full time. After three books on creativity and inventing, he discovered historical crime fiction. He’s currently writing the third installment of the Lady Black mystery series. The first Lady Black novel, “Stolen Brilliance”, springs from stories he heard on one of his trips to Scotland.