Steam, Smoke & Mirrors

Better Than Sherlock Holmes!

Set in Victorian London Colin Edmonds, author, entertains his listeners with a unique, entertaining and fast-paced steampunk mystery. A Music Hall Hypnotists escapes from the Asylum leaving behind, written in blood, one word – Magister. Unable to solve the killing spree or capture the escaped woman, Scotland Yard’s Special Branch brings in master illusionist Michael Magister and his side-kick. Together they try to see through the Steam, Smoke & Mirrors to solve the case and save themselves!

Edmonds does a magnificent job of providing detailed imagery and creating a dialog that flows smoothly as well as providing depth to the story and characters. Just when you think you know something, Edmonds throws in a twist, then a sharp turn leaving the listener stunned.

The narrator, Karl Jenkinson, performs the book expertly. His voice is smooth and flexible providing calmness or excitement at the drop of a hat. I cannot imagine anyone else narrating this exciting book.

Overall a book I enjoyed and I would highly recommend this book to those who have a passion for mystery and especially for those who enjoy the steampunk genre.

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

Steam,smoke and mirrors

A really great story!The visuals are fantastic.Karl Jenkinson was a terrific narrator. I was given this book by the narrator,author or publisher free for an honest review.

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

Sherlock Holmes meets Steampunk

Classic Victorian detective style story with a steampunk twist.
it's a fun book with interesting characters.
The narrator does a great job engaging the listener with unique voices for each character and a dramatic flair in the suspenseful scenes.

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

Steampunk mystery

I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review."

A little magic, a little mystery, some humor, and a lot of steampunk make this book very enjoyable. There was a mystery and a few twists and turns to keep you interested through the whole book. The characters were lively and intriguing.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Would make a great movie!

Whimsical, witty, well-written, loved the language.

Karl Jenkinson did a great job bringing the characters to life.

I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Thoroughly Enjoyable!

First of all: "I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review" - but free doesn't mean it will influence my review in any way... so here goes: 

Never heard of this book, author, or narrator, so I had absolutely no expectations. I love being surprised when starting a new book knowing absolutely nothing about it. The steampunk world was interesting, anchored with references to actual historical figures and events. I enjoyed the narrative from the point of view of the 'professor' who works behind the scenes of the theater with Magister and Phoebe and is the creator of outlandish inventions that is always essential in a steampunk environment. The story was interesting, with good plot twists, and enough suspense to keep me hooked and listening for the entirety of the book. The 9 hours & 43 minutes flew by! The narrator did a great job with all the myriad accents, including the American/New York accent of the main character in the midst of all the various English/Scottish/Irish ones. I especially loved the foul mouthed, lecherous priest... It's the little things too... I liked the fact that Magister's vocabulary and grammar are always being tested... that he often leaps to odd conclusions... and that Phoebe is more the brains of the pair but that Magister still comes off heroic. All in all, a terrific listen. Too bad Book 2 isn't available on Audible - because I checked right away, eager to hear more... oh well. I'll keep my eyes open for other books by Colin Edmonds going forward!

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

An Excellent Find

What a story! What a narrator! I'll start by saying Karl Jenkinson easily just became one of my favorite narrators! Just an astonishing job with all the different and unique voices he uses for the characters, great inflection, easy on the ears, holds your attention, audio is crisp and clear, just excellent quality work. He masterfully paints the picture Colin has written so well for us; overall 10/10.

I loved the story line and the setting, 10/10 on it as well. The author does an amazing job of going into details. I really feel like I just finished the movie, the visuals he enables you to draw upon are just that great. I loved how he thought out the details of the magic acts and even went into explaining how some of the tricks work. The steampunk devices and gadgets he came up with are great as well, I'd like two pair of the goggles please! Any fan of magical mysteries should give this a go, any fan of steam punk should do the same. Shoot, anyone looking for a book to fill the void of silence should get it. I'm so glad it says book 1, that means book 2 at minimum to me.

I received a free copy of this book at my request in exchange for a fair and unbiased review.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Entertaining

I received this book for free. I am voluntarily posting this review and all opinions expressed herein are my own.

This story is a lot of fun - there's magic, good humor, fun characters, a murder mystery and crazy inventions. There were several laugh out loud moments - whether it was a quick quip or driven by the actions of the characters. I loved that the main character Michael Magister was the brains of the operation for the magic show [hiring a priest to bad mouth his magic show to fill the seats - genius] but respectfully took a second seat to Phoebe, his assistant, during the investigation. Just a really enjoyable witty story.

The narrator, Karl Jenkinson, is wonderful. He does a myriad of voices/accents - from American to English to Irish - all expertly done. His voice is a rich baritone who made this listen pure fun.

this book was given to me at my request for review

I had a hard time finishing this book to me it was boring. I didn't enjoy this book.

Magic!

A great romp through Victorian London in the company of a cast of wonderfully imagined characters. Edmonds & Jenkinson ( a fine Music Hall Pairing, by any other name) do a splendid job in realizing a story that both enchants and captivates. It rattles along a pace, peppered with oddities, banalities and frivolities. Bravo, Sirs!