Colin Edmonds and The Curiosity Collection
Colin Edmonds brings a rare voice to crime fiction. With more than 40 years as a leading comedy writer, including work as Bob Monkhouse’s chief writer and scripts for a wide range of major stars, he knows exactly how to make dialogue sparkle, scenes move, and clever ideas land with precision. That wit and timing run straight through The Curiosity Collection.
These books are best described as locked room mysteries set in a steampunk world. The machinery, mood, and Victorian atmosphere are all part of the appeal, but the real engine is crime. When Scotland Yard is completely baffled, they turn to Michael Magister and Phoebe Le Breton, whose unusual talents allow them to see what everyone else has missed.
That is where Edmonds’ particular magic lies. His stories are intelligent, stylish, and full of misdirection, but they also have a playful edge. They crackle with energy. There is menace when needed and the occasional brush of horror, but the heart of the series is clever mystery fiction with a knowing wink.
Steam, Smoke & Mirrors
If you are starting anywhere with Colin Edmonds, start here. Set in Victorian London in 1899, Steam, Smoke & Mirrors introduces Michael Magister and Phoebe Le Breton in a mystery that immediately shows what makes the series such fun. A Music Hall hypnotist escapes from the London County Asylum, murder follows, and the authorities find themselves facing a case that refuses to behave.
This is exactly the sort of locked room puzzle Edmonds relishes. Scotland Yard is out of answers, so attention turns to Magister and Le Breton, whose unusual abilities make them the people you call when logic alone is not enough. They do not simply question suspects and follow footprints. They investigate through illusion, misdirection, deception, and performance.
The novel also brings in the Metropolitan Police Special Branch, the forerunner of MI5, which adds another layer of intrigue to the case. Suddenly the mystery is not just baffling, but politically charged too. Secrets matter. Appearances matter. And in Edmonds’ hands, the difference between a stage trick and a criminal method becomes deliciously thin.
What makes Steam, Smoke & Mirrors stand out is its tone. The book has atmosphere, certainly, but it is not interested in brooding for the sake of it. It is sharp, witty, and constantly alive to the pleasure of a clever mystery well told. The steampunk setting gives it style, while the crime at its centre gives it momentum.
The Clever Appeal of Edmonds’ Investigative World
One of the great pleasures of The Curiosity Collection is the way Edmonds makes deception part of the detective work. Illusion is not there as decoration. It is method. Misdirection is evidence. Performance is strategy. In the hands of Magister and Le Breton, the skills of the stage become the tools that unlock impossible crimes.
That gives the series its distinctive flavour. First and foremost, these are crime novels: tightly built mysteries, often with locked room elements, set against a richly imagined steampunk backdrop. The horror touches are there, but lightly used, adding flavour rather than taking over the whole dish.
Edmonds’ comedy background matters here too. He understands rhythm, surprise, and the value of a perfectly timed line. That keeps the books nimble on the page. They are intelligent without becoming heavy, playful without losing the stakes, and stylish without losing sight of the mystery.
Other Books in The Curiosity Collection
Beyond Steam, Smoke & Mirrors, Edmonds continues to develop the series with the same mix of clever mystery, theatrical flair, and steampunk atmosphere. The Lazarus Curiosity throws Magister and Le Breton into another intricate investigation, this time involving the Black Bishop, a renegade Jesuit, and a conspiracy lurking beneath Victorian London. It is darker in places, but still driven by puzzle, pace, and ingenuity.
The Nostradamus Curiosity builds on the series’ taste for impossible situations and high-stakes intrigue, blending crime, invention, and just a whisper of the uncanny. The horror elements never overwhelm the mystery; they sharpen it.
The Windsor Curiosity and The Magister Curiosity expand the world further, adding depth to Magister’s story while keeping the same witty, intelligent spirit. Across the series, the appeal is consistent: clever crimes, memorable characters, and a Victorian world where almost nothing is quite what it seems.
Why The Curiosity Collection Stands Out
There is no shortage of steampunk on the market, but Colin Edmonds gives the genre a distinctly clever twist. These are not novels built only on brass fittings and foggy streets. They are lively, well-crafted crime stories, full of locked room intrigue, deceptive surfaces, and characters who solve problems by thinking sideways.
For Caffeine Nights readers, that makes The Curiosity Collection a strong recommendation. It has the atmosphere steampunk fans want, the puzzle-solving satisfaction crime readers love, and just enough shadow at the edges to keep things deliciously unpredictable. If you enjoy mysteries with brains, style, and a dry smile, Steam, Smoke & Mirrors is the perfect place to begin.
Explore Colin Edmonds at Caffeine Nights Books
If you are ready to enter the world of Michael Magister and Phoebe Le Breton, browse the Colin Edmonds Collection at Caffeine Nights Books.
You can also explore more dark fiction from across our list:
Comments