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Dorothy Gentleman #1
Murder by Memory
Becky Chambers meets Miss Marple in this sci-fi ode to the cozy mystery, helmed by a formidable no-nonsense auntie of a detective
A mind is a terrible thing to erase...
Welcome to the HMS Fairweather, Her Majesty’s most luxurious interstellar passenger liner! Room and board are included, new bodies are graciously provided upon request, and should you desire a rest between lifetimes, your mind shall be most carefully preserved in glass in the Library, shielded from every danger.
Near the topmost deck of an interstellar generation ship, Dorothy Gentleman wakes up in a body that isn’t hers—just as someone else is found murdered. As one of the ship’s detectives, Dorothy usually delights in unraveling the schemes on board the Fairweather, but when she finds that someone is not only killing bodies but purposefully deleting minds from the Library, she realizes something even more sinister is afoot.
Dorothy suspects her misfortune is partly the fault of her feckless nephew Ruthie who, despite his brilliance as a programmer, leaves chaos in his cheerful wake. Or perhaps the sultry yarn store proprietor—and ex-girlfriend of the body Dorothy is currently inhabiting—knows more than she’s letting on. Whatever it is, Dorothy intends to solve this case. Because someone has done the impossible and found a way to make murder on the Fairweather a very permanent state indeed. A mastermind may be at work—and if so, they’ve had three hundred years to perfect their schemes�
A mind is a terrible thing to erase...
Welcome to the HMS Fairweather, Her Majesty’s most luxurious interstellar passenger liner! Room and board are included, new bodies are graciously provided upon request, and should you desire a rest between lifetimes, your mind shall be most carefully preserved in glass in the Library, shielded from every danger.
Near the topmost deck of an interstellar generation ship, Dorothy Gentleman wakes up in a body that isn’t hers—just as someone else is found murdered. As one of the ship’s detectives, Dorothy usually delights in unraveling the schemes on board the Fairweather, but when she finds that someone is not only killing bodies but purposefully deleting minds from the Library, she realizes something even more sinister is afoot.
Dorothy suspects her misfortune is partly the fault of her feckless nephew Ruthie who, despite his brilliance as a programmer, leaves chaos in his cheerful wake. Or perhaps the sultry yarn store proprietor—and ex-girlfriend of the body Dorothy is currently inhabiting—knows more than she’s letting on. Whatever it is, Dorothy intends to solve this case. Because someone has done the impossible and found a way to make murder on the Fairweather a very permanent state indeed. A mastermind may be at work—and if so, they’ve had three hundred years to perfect their schemes�
112 pages, Hardcover
First published March 18, 2025
145 people are currently reading
18.3k people want to read
About the author
Olivia Waite
20books1,071followersOlivia Waite writes queer historical romance, science fiction, and fantasy. She is the romance fiction columnist for the New York Times Book Review.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 517 reviews
December 1, 2024
I IMMEDIATELY need this to be a successful series!! Cozy sci-fi murder mystery with a sapphic aunt investigator who likes to knit? Yes please! Murder by Memory was a delight and I want more.
On a thousands-year space flight to a new planet, the residents of the HMS Fairweather are able to upload their memories to a digital library, and then awaken in newly grown bodies when they die. Permanent death is only supposed to occur when they reach their destination. But when Dorothy Gentleman awakens in a body that is decidedly not hers, she must investigate. Because it seems that by erasing memory banks, a true murder has occurred...
I cannot tell you how happy I am that cozy sci-fi mysteries seem to be a thing we're getting more of. This novella was wonderful, and if you're looking for more I suggest the Mossi and Pleiti series by Malka Older, or The Spare Man by Mary Robinette Kowal (which I desperately want turned into a series as well!!) If you are also a fan of this niche subgenre, definitely pick this one up when it releases in March. I received a copy of this book for review from the publisher, all opinions are my own.
On a thousands-year space flight to a new planet, the residents of the HMS Fairweather are able to upload their memories to a digital library, and then awaken in newly grown bodies when they die. Permanent death is only supposed to occur when they reach their destination. But when Dorothy Gentleman awakens in a body that is decidedly not hers, she must investigate. Because it seems that by erasing memory banks, a true murder has occurred...
I cannot tell you how happy I am that cozy sci-fi mysteries seem to be a thing we're getting more of. This novella was wonderful, and if you're looking for more I suggest the Mossi and Pleiti series by Malka Older, or The Spare Man by Mary Robinette Kowal (which I desperately want turned into a series as well!!) If you are also a fan of this niche subgenre, definitely pick this one up when it releases in March. I received a copy of this book for review from the publisher, all opinions are my own.
April 22, 2025
ARC provided by TOR - thank you so much
i feel like right now i am just craving queer scifi stories - and most of the time, they end up being new favorites! so when i heard sapphic scifi murder mystery i knew i had to get my hands on it. and friends, i loved this a lot.
this is the start of what i hope and pray will be a new series that follows a spaceship and the adventures taking place on it. and the fairweather is an extra cool ship because it has a library that holds a copy of every passenger’s mind. so whether you are living with your physical body on board, or digitally getting rest on your shelf while you are waiting for a new body, the book of your mind is being stored, and you are able to update it.
and this story starts out with dorothy gentleman waking up during a magnetic storm, sooner than expected, in a body that is not hers. she is also one of the ships detectives, and it has been two years since she went into rest mode! but now she has four items on this new body, and the ship quickly quickly informs her that there is a dead body in a passenger cabin, so it’s time for her to start investigating what is happening!
i really did adore this. it’s beautiful queer, extremely heartfelt, with conversations about autonomy and community, and so so very immersive. i truly felt like i was right beside dorothy, navigating this ship, exploring all of these neighborhoods and different places on board, and meeting so many passengers. i would happily read 100 more novellas following dorothy and more adventures on the fairweather.
trigger + content warnings: talk of death in past (sibling / parent), talk of dementia, talk of dementia caregiving in past, death, murder, attempted suicide kind of / kind of accidental, minor talk of abuse in a relationship
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� The Lady's Guide to Celestial Mechanics ★★★★
i feel like right now i am just craving queer scifi stories - and most of the time, they end up being new favorites! so when i heard sapphic scifi murder mystery i knew i had to get my hands on it. and friends, i loved this a lot.
this is the start of what i hope and pray will be a new series that follows a spaceship and the adventures taking place on it. and the fairweather is an extra cool ship because it has a library that holds a copy of every passenger’s mind. so whether you are living with your physical body on board, or digitally getting rest on your shelf while you are waiting for a new body, the book of your mind is being stored, and you are able to update it.
and this story starts out with dorothy gentleman waking up during a magnetic storm, sooner than expected, in a body that is not hers. she is also one of the ships detectives, and it has been two years since she went into rest mode! but now she has four items on this new body, and the ship quickly quickly informs her that there is a dead body in a passenger cabin, so it’s time for her to start investigating what is happening!
i really did adore this. it’s beautiful queer, extremely heartfelt, with conversations about autonomy and community, and so so very immersive. i truly felt like i was right beside dorothy, navigating this ship, exploring all of these neighborhoods and different places on board, and meeting so many passengers. i would happily read 100 more novellas following dorothy and more adventures on the fairweather.
trigger + content warnings: talk of death in past (sibling / parent), talk of dementia, talk of dementia caregiving in past, death, murder, attempted suicide kind of / kind of accidental, minor talk of abuse in a relationship
| | | | |
� The Lady's Guide to Celestial Mechanics ★★★★
February 24, 2025
4.5 stars - Love the premise, love the characters, and very excited that this is going to be a series! This is just my kind of cozy. You know, in spaaacceee with memory bending sapphic lady detectives who knit
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March 6, 2025Personally, I'm fully on board the cozy SFF train, especially when it comes to cozy queer SFF. This sci-fi mystery novella promises to be Becky Chambers meets Miss Marple. On the HMSFairweather, minds are stored in the Library until they are provided with a new body. When Dorothy Gentleman awakens in a new body, she learns she's been woken to solve a murder mystery. Worse, the culprit is also deleting minds from the Library. To make things more complicated, one of Dorothy's top suspects is also her ex-girlfriend—or, at least, the ex-girlfriend of the body she's borrowing.
—Danika Ellis,
—Danika Ellis,
March 19, 2025
HAPPY PUBLICATION DAY!
The interstellar passenger liner the HMS Fairweather has been traveling for over 300 years. One night, Dorothy Gentleman wakes up in someone else’s body just as another passenger is murdered. As one of the ship’s detectives, she learns that not only is someone killing bodies, but also deleting minds from the Library. If one desires rest between lifetimes, their mind is carefully reserved in glass on the Library shelf. Unfortunately, the ship’s mind “Ferry� is unable to provide her with any information since it is drunk from a magnetic storm. Dorothy must use the body she woke up in to solve the murder.
The premise of this cozy sci-fi novella is super clever. While I would have enjoyed more time getting to know the characters, the mystery is solved quickly by a sapphic aunt who loves to knit. Need I say more? It appears this novella will become a series and I am definitely here for it. I enjoyed this quirky murder mystery!
3.5/5 stars rounded up
Expected publication date: 3/18/25
Thank you to Tordotcom publishing and Edelweiss for the ARC of Murder by Memory in exchange for an honest review.
The interstellar passenger liner the HMS Fairweather has been traveling for over 300 years. One night, Dorothy Gentleman wakes up in someone else’s body just as another passenger is murdered. As one of the ship’s detectives, she learns that not only is someone killing bodies, but also deleting minds from the Library. If one desires rest between lifetimes, their mind is carefully reserved in glass on the Library shelf. Unfortunately, the ship’s mind “Ferry� is unable to provide her with any information since it is drunk from a magnetic storm. Dorothy must use the body she woke up in to solve the murder.
The premise of this cozy sci-fi novella is super clever. While I would have enjoyed more time getting to know the characters, the mystery is solved quickly by a sapphic aunt who loves to knit. Need I say more? It appears this novella will become a series and I am definitely here for it. I enjoyed this quirky murder mystery!
3.5/5 stars rounded up
Expected publication date: 3/18/25
Thank you to Tordotcom publishing and Edelweiss for the ARC of Murder by Memory in exchange for an honest review.
April 11, 2025
I'm in love with this sci-fi cozy-adjacent murder mystery sub-genre - and to get even more micro about the subgenre, I love sci-fi cozy-adjacent murder mysteries on space ships/space hotels/space cruises/space living. It hits all the right buttons for me, and Murder by Memory is an excellent example of what I love about it.
In this novella, we're introduced to Dorothy Gentleman, who wakes up in a body that is not her own. On this space habitat, humans can save their minds in a great library, and can be put in a new body. But usually they make that choice, and stumbling into the middle of a murder mystery is not normal. Mostly. Dorothy is a detective, after all.
I'd like to leave the summary at that, because this is so short. What I will say is that there's a great amount of world exploration done in such a short amount of time, and Olivia Waite does it well. Dorothy explores the mystery at hand, and we get to learn so much about this space habitat and how it works and the people who live in it, and there is a YARN SHOP and I loved that almost as much as Dorothy did. It's charming and warm despite the murder. People comping this to Miss Marple or similar are not wrong.
I enjoyed the entire experience of reading this, and I can't wait for more. Couple this with Malka Older's series, , or , and you'll see what I mean by this sub-genre. I really love it.
In this novella, we're introduced to Dorothy Gentleman, who wakes up in a body that is not her own. On this space habitat, humans can save their minds in a great library, and can be put in a new body. But usually they make that choice, and stumbling into the middle of a murder mystery is not normal. Mostly. Dorothy is a detective, after all.
I'd like to leave the summary at that, because this is so short. What I will say is that there's a great amount of world exploration done in such a short amount of time, and Olivia Waite does it well. Dorothy explores the mystery at hand, and we get to learn so much about this space habitat and how it works and the people who live in it, and there is a YARN SHOP and I loved that almost as much as Dorothy did. It's charming and warm despite the murder. People comping this to Miss Marple or similar are not wrong.
I enjoyed the entire experience of reading this, and I can't wait for more. Couple this with Malka Older's series, , or , and you'll see what I mean by this sub-genre. I really love it.
April 7, 2025
Actual rating: 2.4123121141 stars.
So I guess the blurb refers to this book as Miss Marple meets because a) the MC is a 50+ female detective who enjoys knitting and b) the word "memory" is in both titles. And the similarities stop right there, thank you very much.
Indeed she is. The characters are meh, the story is meh, and the mystery is meh. I couldn't bring myself to care about anything or anyone. The world has potential but the author spends more time explaining it than showing it, so 💤💤💤.
Also, Dorothy Gentleman (don't get me started on her name) is one of those 50+ female protagonists who has the aches and pains of a 90+ woman. I mean, really? 🙄🙄 Younger authors really need to do their research before creating "older" female characters. Being30+ 50+ doesn't necessarily mean being ancient and decrepit, you know.
See what I mean?
� Nefarious Last Words (�): Want to read a super entertaining Mystery Type Thingie (MTT�) packed with older-yet-scrumptious-and-kick-ass female characters? Forget this book and read . You're welcome.
So I guess the blurb refers to this book as Miss Marple meets because a) the MC is a 50+ female detective who enjoys knitting and b) the word "memory" is in both titles. And the similarities stop right there, thank you very much.
Indeed she is. The characters are meh, the story is meh, and the mystery is meh. I couldn't bring myself to care about anything or anyone. The world has potential but the author spends more time explaining it than showing it, so 💤💤💤.
Also, Dorothy Gentleman (don't get me started on her name) is one of those 50+ female protagonists who has the aches and pains of a 90+ woman. I mean, really? 🙄🙄 Younger authors really need to do their research before creating "older" female characters. Being
See what I mean?
� Nefarious Last Words (�): Want to read a super entertaining Mystery Type Thingie (MTT�) packed with older-yet-scrumptious-and-kick-ass female characters? Forget this book and read . You're welcome.
April 4, 2025
Oh! The Mickey7 of it all! PLEASE, IF YOU LOVE MICKEY READ THIS BOOK!! The vibes are there, PLUS, we have a sapphic detective solving crimes, what more do you need?
I know what I need, MORE OF THIS WORLD!! The audiobook was so good you guys, I finished it in the blink of an eye, and I really liked the world too, and the casual rep we got.
I do wish it was longer so we could have more time with the characters and so the mystery could've taken a while longer to solve, but maybe I'll get that in the next book. It was still so worth the read/listen.
I know what I need, MORE OF THIS WORLD!! The audiobook was so good you guys, I finished it in the blink of an eye, and I really liked the world too, and the casual rep we got.
I do wish it was longer so we could have more time with the characters and so the mystery could've taken a while longer to solve, but maybe I'll get that in the next book. It was still so worth the read/listen.
March 29, 2025
Well, it's 4.5/5 stars, but I'm rounding up because it's the queer scifi cozy murder mystery that I've been Waite-ing for! Not only is this a little book where there are no straight characters (well, episodic Mr. Halloran might be, but who cares?), but it's also so freaking inventive with its premise and the thoughtfulness with which it examines its themes. I want there to be like a million sequels and for sure there's a deeper mystery at play here, where we're left off.
This takes place on a ship travelling away from Earth and all the inhabitants have their memories scanned regularly and stored in sort of digital books in the Library. They live out their life in their bodies (which are not perfect & eugenics-y, a lot of them deal with disabilities, which I appreciated), then they die naturally and can choose to either retire for a while in their book or just get a new, slightly different body and carry on.
The politics of the world are super-interesting and thought out. Our main character, Dorothy Gentleman, had retired but finds herself in a random body. She is a detective, but the book carefully diferentiates between the job of ship detective and Earth policemen. The ship has a UBI sort of system with regulations in place against accumulating wealth, but not a perfect system. We have a lovely character mentioning not trusting authority. Marriage doesn't seem to be a thing (there is however a sign of deeper commitment when you shelf your book next to someone else's, which is my kind of commitment)! It's kind of amazing how many interesting details are present in such layered ways in this tiny novella.
And the way this plays with the idea of murder! What does it mean to die / be murdered when you can get a new body? How can that be circumvented? What does safety mean in this situation? What does trust? It's all pretty damn impressive and I've been a fan of Waite's for years, still I am impressed of what she could achieve in around 100 pages. Very excited to read the next installments in this world!
//
I love Olivia Waite's writing and I'm super pumped for this from the description, I kinda want it NOW.
This takes place on a ship travelling away from Earth and all the inhabitants have their memories scanned regularly and stored in sort of digital books in the Library. They live out their life in their bodies (which are not perfect & eugenics-y, a lot of them deal with disabilities, which I appreciated), then they die naturally and can choose to either retire for a while in their book or just get a new, slightly different body and carry on.
The politics of the world are super-interesting and thought out. Our main character, Dorothy Gentleman, had retired but finds herself in a random body. She is a detective, but the book carefully diferentiates between the job of ship detective and Earth policemen. The ship has a UBI sort of system with regulations in place against accumulating wealth, but not a perfect system. We have a lovely character mentioning not trusting authority. Marriage doesn't seem to be a thing (there is however a sign of deeper commitment when you shelf your book next to someone else's, which is my kind of commitment)! It's kind of amazing how many interesting details are present in such layered ways in this tiny novella.
And the way this plays with the idea of murder! What does it mean to die / be murdered when you can get a new body? How can that be circumvented? What does safety mean in this situation? What does trust? It's all pretty damn impressive and I've been a fan of Waite's for years, still I am impressed of what she could achieve in around 100 pages. Very excited to read the next installments in this world!
//
I love Olivia Waite's writing and I'm super pumped for this from the description, I kinda want it NOW.
December 8, 2024
everyone is immortal and gay in space and add in a quickly solved murder for a very fun time. loved the vibe of how memories are used and would def read more ngl
April 10, 2025
Thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the audio ARC. It hasn't affected the contents of my review.
Another cozy mystery series I actually like! I love that they are going more mainstream, and becoming less formulaic and more creative as the genre expands. This one is set in space! Our main character is Dorothy Gentleman, ship's detective. She is awoken from a two year "sleep" (characters on this ship have their memories stored in books so when they die they can be reawakened in new bodies). This is a fun alternative to characters being in cryosleep or something similar while their ship journeys a thousand years to a new planet. It's also a great set-up for a murder mystery, where the victims don't always remain dead and can be murdered more than once.
This is a pretty short little book, even for a novella, but it packs a lot in there! Dorothy has to figure out who has destroyed her (and others') memory books, what the dead woman in her room has to do with it all, and makes full use of her new body, who turns out to be very much involved in the events of the plot. What better disguise?
Absolutely will be reading further books in this series, and I actually liked this a lot better than Waite's romance novels! Definitely recommend for mystery fans, sci-fans, and particularly for fans of cozy sci-fi mysteries. This hit the spot for sure.
[4.5 stars]
Buzzword Reading Challenge 2025: memory words
Another cozy mystery series I actually like! I love that they are going more mainstream, and becoming less formulaic and more creative as the genre expands. This one is set in space! Our main character is Dorothy Gentleman, ship's detective. She is awoken from a two year "sleep" (characters on this ship have their memories stored in books so when they die they can be reawakened in new bodies). This is a fun alternative to characters being in cryosleep or something similar while their ship journeys a thousand years to a new planet. It's also a great set-up for a murder mystery, where the victims don't always remain dead and can be murdered more than once.
This is a pretty short little book, even for a novella, but it packs a lot in there! Dorothy has to figure out who has destroyed her (and others') memory books, what the dead woman in her room has to do with it all, and makes full use of her new body, who turns out to be very much involved in the events of the plot. What better disguise?
Absolutely will be reading further books in this series, and I actually liked this a lot better than Waite's romance novels! Definitely recommend for mystery fans, sci-fans, and particularly for fans of cozy sci-fi mysteries. This hit the spot for sure.
[4.5 stars]
Buzzword Reading Challenge 2025: memory words
February 21, 2025
What a fun ride! This is for the reader who wants a cozy murder-mystery, with queer characters, and a sci-fi twist. It's also a novella, and the first in a series! The amount of world-building in such few words is some expert-level sh**. I can't wait to see where these characters go and follow along on the journey. Definitely recommend!
April 9, 2025
* 2.25⭐️ 0🌶�
* The jist of this 100 page sci fi novella is you have a book and a body. Your memories and thoughts are your book and your body is the vessel. When you die from regular aging or an accident you are allowed to take your book (mind) and transfer it into a new body based on your preferences. They call where all the “books� are stored the library and you can hang in the library for a little if you need a rest in between bodies.
* Our main character is a detective, Dorothy on board the fair weather which is a space ship. She woke up in a new body and her “book� erased. There was also a murder on the ship that she doesn’t remember anything about. But the body Dorothy is in now is somehow connected to the woman who was killed.
* Story was really confusing to follow at some times since they were all females and they each had romantic ties with eachother.
* I didn’t truly understand the story or get the ending but there was parts of the story that I did enjoy but I felt like I was missing the bigger picture or the plot completely.
* The jist of this 100 page sci fi novella is you have a book and a body. Your memories and thoughts are your book and your body is the vessel. When you die from regular aging or an accident you are allowed to take your book (mind) and transfer it into a new body based on your preferences. They call where all the “books� are stored the library and you can hang in the library for a little if you need a rest in between bodies.
* Our main character is a detective, Dorothy on board the fair weather which is a space ship. She woke up in a new body and her “book� erased. There was also a murder on the ship that she doesn’t remember anything about. But the body Dorothy is in now is somehow connected to the woman who was killed.
* Story was really confusing to follow at some times since they were all females and they each had romantic ties with eachother.
* I didn’t truly understand the story or get the ending but there was parts of the story that I did enjoy but I felt like I was missing the bigger picture or the plot completely.
March 22, 2025
I recently realized that I adore when there is a murder mystery combined with another genre, so I was hyped when I heard that this was coming out!
The idea of a murder mystery paired with the concept of uploaded memories was really fun. I really only wish this book was longer, and that the mystery took us on a few more twist and turns.
The idea of a murder mystery paired with the concept of uploaded memories was really fun. I really only wish this book was longer, and that the mystery took us on a few more twist and turns.
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March 3, 2025
Dorothy Gentleman wakes up and learns that her memory book has been destroyed, she's in a body that belonged to someone else, and there's been a murder aboard the generation ship she's lived on for three hundred years. What's a fifty-seven year-old knitting detective to do, but solve the crimes?
A little bit meets , with the technology of and to add some interesting flair.
Those who have followed along know that I did not enjoy those books at all (minus Memory, which I LOVED), but somehow the brief nature of this one, with its light touch and quick pace and Miss Marple vibes, worked for me.
Anywho, it's an interesting murder mystery based on a really fascinating premise, and I think I might check out the next installment.
I received an ARC from NetGalley
A little bit meets , with the technology of and to add some interesting flair.
Those who have followed along know that I did not enjoy those books at all (minus Memory, which I LOVED), but somehow the brief nature of this one, with its light touch and quick pace and Miss Marple vibes, worked for me.
Anywho, it's an interesting murder mystery based on a really fascinating premise, and I think I might check out the next installment.
I received an ARC from NetGalley
January 13, 2025
This is a 10-chapter SF noir mystery with a tiny little budding romance subplot, and I loved every bit of it.
Dorothy is a detective on a sentient spaceship. Immortality has been achieved, as the residents of the ship can record their memories in "books" and are reborn after their deaths in new, healthy bodies. Except that as this book takes place, Dorothy has just been reborn in someone else's body - someone whose memory book has been erased, and who can no longer be reborn. Dorothy does what she does best and investigates the crime, meeting the victim's friends and colleagues, discovering clues and reestablishing her own relationships, and even encountering the femme fatale to her noir PI.
I loved the melding of noir detective novel and SF tropes! Even though this was short form fiction, every word was perfectly chosen and the ending was very satisfying. I'd love to read another book set on the ship ... perhaps a series of detective stories featuring Dorothy? This was great.
This objective review is based on a complimentary copy of the novel.
Dorothy is a detective on a sentient spaceship. Immortality has been achieved, as the residents of the ship can record their memories in "books" and are reborn after their deaths in new, healthy bodies. Except that as this book takes place, Dorothy has just been reborn in someone else's body - someone whose memory book has been erased, and who can no longer be reborn. Dorothy does what she does best and investigates the crime, meeting the victim's friends and colleagues, discovering clues and reestablishing her own relationships, and even encountering the femme fatale to her noir PI.
I loved the melding of noir detective novel and SF tropes! Even though this was short form fiction, every word was perfectly chosen and the ending was very satisfying. I'd love to read another book set on the ship ... perhaps a series of detective stories featuring Dorothy? This was great.
This objective review is based on a complimentary copy of the novel.
March 13, 2025
Thank you to Tor/Tordotcom and NetGalley for the free e-ARC in exchange for an honest review
MURDER BY MEMORY had a premise that could have easily gone wrong for me. A locked-room murder mystery (even though the “room� in question is a ship holding 10,000 people). An off-earth setting. Cozy vibes. I kept waiting for MBM to let me down� and then it didn’t, and it didn’t, and it didn’t. In fact, it exceeded my expectations.
What I LOVED:
- The cozy spaceship setting! Which is a weird thing for me to type, but that’s what it is! The HMS Fairweather is NOT a cold and detached outer space world. Waite definitely gave us “cozy spaceship� feels with this one, with her lush, but never overwrought, descriptions of bars, libraries, apartments, and yarn stores *swoon*. In fact, the spaceship is downright utopian. Individuals are not allowed to accumulate vast wealth. Smart people use their brains to quickly invent or fix things to make everyone’s lives better. Custodial jobs are among the highest paid. Housing is never scarce. I want to visit. I want to learn more. Heck, I want to live there.
- The concept of memories being separate from the body! MBM asks, “If our memories make us who we are, what happens if we can extend our memories beyond the limitations of our physical bodies?� On the Fairweather, technology downloads our memories into books, and when our physical bodies begin to fail, our memories can be downloaded into a new body to continue living for tens of thousands of years. In addition, so far removed from the experiences of being earthbound, the ship’s passengers can experience those shared memories again through a carefully mixed cocktail. Order a “Snowy Day,� for instance, to imbibe the sharp, cleansing scent of freshly fallen snow, underneath a layer of citrusy, smoky firewood.
- The mystery plot itself! Waite sticks the landing with this one. My biggest gripe with mysteries and murders is when they happen seemingly at random. In MBM, the crime, the mystery, and the murder all make sense, twining with one another for a highly satisfying conclusion.
What I Liked:
- The old lady detective MC. Dorothy is sharp and fully up to the task. I giggled as she marveled at long-forgotten sensations and abilities as a result of unexpectedly waking up in a younger body. At the same time, her older age does not make her cynical. I loved seeing the ship through her eyes, and was genuinely appreciative of her competence.
- The queernormative world. No further explanation needed.
Could’ve done without:
- The cheeky, semi-drunk ship AI. Fortunately, this was the only thing in the cozy space murder mystery that bordered on too twee for me.
-
Olivia Waite has hit the nail on the head with this one, and MURDER BY MYSTERY has more than lived up to its premise for me. I wouldn’t mind having the opportunity to revisit the Fairweather in the future, but until that happens, I will be content with recommending this book for more and more people to check out and delight in. Perfect for fans of , , , and .
[18/10/24]
Ahhh, that was a damn delight! A wonderfully realized utopian shipworld; a murder mystery that is well thought out and makes sense through and through; and the loveliest, coziest characters.
Full review to come, but squeeee.
MURDER BY MEMORY had a premise that could have easily gone wrong for me. A locked-room murder mystery (even though the “room� in question is a ship holding 10,000 people). An off-earth setting. Cozy vibes. I kept waiting for MBM to let me down� and then it didn’t, and it didn’t, and it didn’t. In fact, it exceeded my expectations.
What I LOVED:
- The cozy spaceship setting! Which is a weird thing for me to type, but that’s what it is! The HMS Fairweather is NOT a cold and detached outer space world. Waite definitely gave us “cozy spaceship� feels with this one, with her lush, but never overwrought, descriptions of bars, libraries, apartments, and yarn stores *swoon*. In fact, the spaceship is downright utopian. Individuals are not allowed to accumulate vast wealth. Smart people use their brains to quickly invent or fix things to make everyone’s lives better. Custodial jobs are among the highest paid. Housing is never scarce. I want to visit. I want to learn more. Heck, I want to live there.
- The concept of memories being separate from the body! MBM asks, “If our memories make us who we are, what happens if we can extend our memories beyond the limitations of our physical bodies?� On the Fairweather, technology downloads our memories into books, and when our physical bodies begin to fail, our memories can be downloaded into a new body to continue living for tens of thousands of years. In addition, so far removed from the experiences of being earthbound, the ship’s passengers can experience those shared memories again through a carefully mixed cocktail. Order a “Snowy Day,� for instance, to imbibe the sharp, cleansing scent of freshly fallen snow, underneath a layer of citrusy, smoky firewood.
- The mystery plot itself! Waite sticks the landing with this one. My biggest gripe with mysteries and murders is when they happen seemingly at random. In MBM, the crime, the mystery, and the murder all make sense, twining with one another for a highly satisfying conclusion.
What I Liked:
- The old lady detective MC. Dorothy is sharp and fully up to the task. I giggled as she marveled at long-forgotten sensations and abilities as a result of unexpectedly waking up in a younger body. At the same time, her older age does not make her cynical. I loved seeing the ship through her eyes, and was genuinely appreciative of her competence.
- The queernormative world. No further explanation needed.
Could’ve done without:
- The cheeky, semi-drunk ship AI. Fortunately, this was the only thing in the cozy space murder mystery that bordered on too twee for me.
-
Olivia Waite has hit the nail on the head with this one, and MURDER BY MYSTERY has more than lived up to its premise for me. I wouldn’t mind having the opportunity to revisit the Fairweather in the future, but until that happens, I will be content with recommending this book for more and more people to check out and delight in. Perfect for fans of , , , and .
[18/10/24]
Ahhh, that was a damn delight! A wonderfully realized utopian shipworld; a murder mystery that is well thought out and makes sense through and through; and the loveliest, coziest characters.
Full review to come, but squeeee.
February 18, 2025
This is my first time reading Olivia Waite. Her historical, sapphic romance series, Feminine Pursuits, has been on my to be read list for more than a year. Upon finishing this, I'll definitely be moving that series up the list! This was great fun. I'd love to see this become a cozy mystery series.
This takes common sci-fi tropes such as a generation ship and temporary bodies to a different place. The HMS Fairweather is an intergenerational ship on route to a planet in a distant star system. The passengers are surviving in bodies that can be replaced aboard ship endlessly. This is a thousand year voyage during which the passengers can live and age normally. Upon death, they are loaded into a recreated body and get to do it all over again. Bodies won't be permanent until the ship arrives at its destination. If a person is overwhelmed by life, they can choose to take a break between death and reloading into a recreated body. This is just what our protagonist, Dorothy Gentleman, had chosen when she was rudely awakened by being thrust into someone else's body. Dorothy uses her skills as a ship detective to figure out what happened and why. This is a delightful novella that I hope will be followed by other stories set on this ship, in this world and solved by Dorothy.
This audiobook is masterfully narrated by Blair Baker. She uses slight changes in pitch and tone to voice the other characters. Her voice is light, allowing the story to shine on its own merits. Beautifully done.
Thank you to Olivia Waite, Macmillan Audio, and NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to and review this audiobook. All opinions and viewpoints expressed in this review are my own.
This takes common sci-fi tropes such as a generation ship and temporary bodies to a different place. The HMS Fairweather is an intergenerational ship on route to a planet in a distant star system. The passengers are surviving in bodies that can be replaced aboard ship endlessly. This is a thousand year voyage during which the passengers can live and age normally. Upon death, they are loaded into a recreated body and get to do it all over again. Bodies won't be permanent until the ship arrives at its destination. If a person is overwhelmed by life, they can choose to take a break between death and reloading into a recreated body. This is just what our protagonist, Dorothy Gentleman, had chosen when she was rudely awakened by being thrust into someone else's body. Dorothy uses her skills as a ship detective to figure out what happened and why. This is a delightful novella that I hope will be followed by other stories set on this ship, in this world and solved by Dorothy.
This audiobook is masterfully narrated by Blair Baker. She uses slight changes in pitch and tone to voice the other characters. Her voice is light, allowing the story to shine on its own merits. Beautifully done.
Thank you to Olivia Waite, Macmillan Audio, and NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to and review this audiobook. All opinions and viewpoints expressed in this review are my own.
March 27, 2025
4.5 stars � A great premise and an engaging first-person narrator!
Ship’s detective Dorothy Gentleman wakes up in a body that isn’t hers. Another woman is dead, and someone has destroyed the “book� in which Dorothy’s own mind had been stored for the last several years. On a generation ship where everyone is used to dying and waking up again in a “blank� (essentially a body cloned from their own), it’s disconcerting to find herself inhabiting an unfamiliar body, but Dorothy gamely sets about investigating the other woman’s death, the destruction of her own book, and just why Gloria, the woman whose body she now inhabits, was out and about during a magnetic-storm lockdown.
Dorothy is an engaging first-person narrator. Regardless of her physical age, she comes across as a capable, observant, and intelligent middle-aged woman. She’s practical and level-headed, with a wry sense of humor and a tendency to avoid sentiment—especially when it comes to her brilliant but sometimes feckless nephew, Rutherford (or “Ruthie�), of whom she is secretly very fond. She solves the mystery quite handily, aided by Ruthie, his equally brilliant lover John, and Ferry, the AI entity who runs the ship.
The overall premise is fascinating. I’m interested to see how the worldbuilding develops and interacts with the mystery plots over future books. A victim who can live again gives a different twist to both murder and investigation! I do hope that the next installment will be longer, though. This one felt almost too short; I wanted to spend more time with Dorothy, Ferry, Ruthie, and John. I’d also like to see Dorothy contend with a more complex plot—one with more red herrings, false clues, and obstacles to solving it. There’s scope for some deeper character exploration as well. But I found the book delightful despite its brevity, and I’m really looking forward to the next one.
Challenges: COYER 2025; NetGalley & Edelweiss Challenge 2025
FTC disclosure: I received a review copy from the publisher. All opinions are entirely my own.
Review originally published on my blog, .
Ship’s detective Dorothy Gentleman wakes up in a body that isn’t hers. Another woman is dead, and someone has destroyed the “book� in which Dorothy’s own mind had been stored for the last several years. On a generation ship where everyone is used to dying and waking up again in a “blank� (essentially a body cloned from their own), it’s disconcerting to find herself inhabiting an unfamiliar body, but Dorothy gamely sets about investigating the other woman’s death, the destruction of her own book, and just why Gloria, the woman whose body she now inhabits, was out and about during a magnetic-storm lockdown.
Dorothy is an engaging first-person narrator. Regardless of her physical age, she comes across as a capable, observant, and intelligent middle-aged woman. She’s practical and level-headed, with a wry sense of humor and a tendency to avoid sentiment—especially when it comes to her brilliant but sometimes feckless nephew, Rutherford (or “Ruthie�), of whom she is secretly very fond. She solves the mystery quite handily, aided by Ruthie, his equally brilliant lover John, and Ferry, the AI entity who runs the ship.
The overall premise is fascinating. I’m interested to see how the worldbuilding develops and interacts with the mystery plots over future books. A victim who can live again gives a different twist to both murder and investigation! I do hope that the next installment will be longer, though. This one felt almost too short; I wanted to spend more time with Dorothy, Ferry, Ruthie, and John. I’d also like to see Dorothy contend with a more complex plot—one with more red herrings, false clues, and obstacles to solving it. There’s scope for some deeper character exploration as well. But I found the book delightful despite its brevity, and I’m really looking forward to the next one.
Challenges: COYER 2025; NetGalley & Edelweiss Challenge 2025
FTC disclosure: I received a review copy from the publisher. All opinions are entirely my own.
Review originally published on my blog, .
March 25, 2025
It brings me such joy to see this marked as the first in the new Dorothy Gentleman series, because I am already looking forward to Dorothy's next case!
At the opening of this novella, Dorothy awakens in an elevator during a magnetic storm on the HMS Fairweather...in someone else's body. Not to mention, there has been a murder on board this interstellar passenger liner making its way to a new Earth. AND someone has been purposely damaging memory books (literal backups of passengers' minds) in the Library. Are these events connected or separate crimes? It's a good thing that Dorothy happens to be one of the ship's detectives. Thus begins her hunt for answers...
I can definitely see why this sci-fi mystery genre blend was marketed as 'Miss Marple in space'. While Dorothy does share Marple's keen eye for human nature and a love of knitting, I would argue Dorothy is her own character and a modernized spinster sleuth in the best way possible. And I loved following her character's perspective. I also enjoyed the blending of science fiction with mystery, and I found the two intertwined nicely together. The technology, the spaceship setting, and the culture created from people living hundreds of years en route to a new version of Earth...all of it affected the crimes at hand. And I think that makes it a true genre BLEND.
My only complaint is that I wish the book were longer. Understandably, this is a novella, so sacrifices must be made when it comes to development and description. With that said, the ending did feel slightly rushed, and I would have liked more space on the page allocated to developing motiveforthe culprit. As that was lacking, and we had little time with all suspects, I am hesitant to call this plot a fair play mystery.
A fast-paced, easy-to-read palette cleanser for quozy(queer+ cozy) mystery readers!
Actual Rating:4.0 stars
Original Pub Date:18 March 2025
Reading Format: ebook
Thank you NetGalley and Tor for an E-ARC copy in exchange for this honest review!
At the opening of this novella, Dorothy awakens in an elevator during a magnetic storm on the HMS Fairweather...in someone else's body. Not to mention, there has been a murder on board this interstellar passenger liner making its way to a new Earth. AND someone has been purposely damaging memory books (literal backups of passengers' minds) in the Library. Are these events connected or separate crimes? It's a good thing that Dorothy happens to be one of the ship's detectives. Thus begins her hunt for answers...
I can definitely see why this sci-fi mystery genre blend was marketed as 'Miss Marple in space'. While Dorothy does share Marple's keen eye for human nature and a love of knitting, I would argue Dorothy is her own character and a modernized spinster sleuth in the best way possible. And I loved following her character's perspective. I also enjoyed the blending of science fiction with mystery, and I found the two intertwined nicely together. The technology, the spaceship setting, and the culture created from people living hundreds of years en route to a new version of Earth...all of it affected the crimes at hand. And I think that makes it a true genre BLEND.
My only complaint is that I wish the book were longer. Understandably, this is a novella, so sacrifices must be made when it comes to development and description. With that said, the ending did feel slightly rushed, and I would have liked more space on the page allocated to developing motiveforthe culprit. As that was lacking, and we had little time with all suspects, I am hesitant to call this plot a fair play mystery.
A fast-paced, easy-to-read palette cleanser for quozy(queer+ cozy) mystery readers!
Actual Rating:4.0 stars
Original Pub Date:18 March 2025
Reading Format: ebook
Thank you NetGalley and Tor for an E-ARC copy in exchange for this honest review!
March 23, 2025
What a pleasant little cozy sci-fi! Completely accessible writing to those new to the genre, and also a breath of fresh air.
The audiobook narration is smooth like butter and pairs elegantly with the writing.
Dorothy is an old detective who was quite tired of living for a bit and wanted to be retired� until called back by the ship’s (drunken) AI who had promptly propped Dorothy in another body shortly after a murder occurred. It’s such a quick little read you really don’t need to know more except that it’s a delight.
The audiobook narration is smooth like butter and pairs elegantly with the writing.
Dorothy is an old detective who was quite tired of living for a bit and wanted to be retired� until called back by the ship’s (drunken) AI who had promptly propped Dorothy in another body shortly after a murder occurred. It’s such a quick little read you really don’t need to know more except that it’s a delight.
February 1, 2025
This book packs a PUNCH at just at 100 pages. Like... this is seriously a master class in storytelling. I was introduced to new sci-fi technology but I wasn't confused. The world of the ship and societal norms were so clear. It felt like I was reading a cozy mystery (like a queer Murder She Wrote) on a spaceship (think Wall-E). The vibes were just sooo good.
There's no reason for you *not* to read it. I mean... it'll only take you an hour or so. Just pick it up. I'm sure you won't be sorry!
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with copies of the book in exchange for my honest review.
There's no reason for you *not* to read it. I mean... it'll only take you an hour or so. Just pick it up. I'm sure you won't be sorry!
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with copies of the book in exchange for my honest review.
March 23, 2025
Murder by Memory by Olivia Waite
Thanks to NetGalley for this gifted ARC!
If you love detective stories with a sci-fi twist, Murder by Memory is a must-read. Set aboard a ship traveling to a new planet—a journey that takes over a thousand years—the story introduces a fascinating concept: memories are stored and uploaded into new bodies, allowing people to live lifetime after lifetime.
Our main character, a detective, unexpectedly wakes up in a new body after her previous death, only to find herself in the middle of a murder investigation. Someone has been killed, and she has to solve the case while adjusting to her unfamiliar form.
I was hooked from the start! The mystery was engaging, the pacing kept me turning pages, and the world-building on the ship was so well done. This book sets the stage for more stories to come, and I could easily see it becoming a TV series in the future. If you love detective mysteries with a unique setting, this one is for you!
� Releases March 18, 2025! Highly recommend for sci-fi and mystery lovers. �
Thanks to NetGalley for this gifted ARC!
If you love detective stories with a sci-fi twist, Murder by Memory is a must-read. Set aboard a ship traveling to a new planet—a journey that takes over a thousand years—the story introduces a fascinating concept: memories are stored and uploaded into new bodies, allowing people to live lifetime after lifetime.
Our main character, a detective, unexpectedly wakes up in a new body after her previous death, only to find herself in the middle of a murder investigation. Someone has been killed, and she has to solve the case while adjusting to her unfamiliar form.
I was hooked from the start! The mystery was engaging, the pacing kept me turning pages, and the world-building on the ship was so well done. This book sets the stage for more stories to come, and I could easily see it becoming a TV series in the future. If you love detective mysteries with a unique setting, this one is for you!
� Releases March 18, 2025! Highly recommend for sci-fi and mystery lovers. �
April 6, 2025
I must say that this was an amazing book. Now let me tell you that this book has officially made me a cozy mystery reader. I usually stay away from cozies due to them being extremely predictable. But this book was not predictable at all. I cannot wait for the next book in the series.
April 2, 2025
the kind of book i could just eat five of
scifi knitting sign me up! the author shouldve included the shawl pattern in the book smh
scifi knitting sign me up! the author shouldve included the shawl pattern in the book smh
April 19, 2025
This is an intriguing cozy sci-fi murder mystery that suffers from being just a little too short as a novella. I would love to see this world and the characters further fleshed out, and hopefully, we'll see more of that if/as the series continues.
March 2, 2025
This is one of those times when I'm honestly a bit baffled. Did I read the same book as everyone else? Because so much of this sounded so up my alley but my reading experience was so disappointing.
I listened to the audiobook ARC, and the narrator was good. Not particularly outstanding but definitely no complaints about the narration. But despite the book being quite short I found it impossible to feel engaged with the story. I was so bored and had to force myself to finish.
I love a sci-fi story where the main character wakes up on a ship with no idea what's going on. The reason that works so well for me is that I like discovering things along with the MC. This book does kind of the opposite. The main character knows what is going on with the world of the story, they are confused about the body they are inhabiting. It felt like there was SO much explaining of the world building. And if you are into that kind of thing I bet you'll love this. I'm not and was so very bored. What propels my interest in this kind of story is an affinity, or at least interest in the main character. We are in their head, and it needs to be an interesting place to be. I found this main character void of much personality at all. I wanted so badly to like this book, but while it technically checked all the boxes that had been in the description, there was nothing to hold onto when it came to the characters. Give me a main character with some personality! Make them unique and interesting or really relatable or really awful or SOMETHING.
So yeah, this just did not end up being my cup of tea. I do think readers more interested in a lot of details about sci-fi world building will like this. I was really disappointed with it and really wishing it had delivered on the things I was so excited about.
*ARC provided by Net Galley
I listened to the audiobook ARC, and the narrator was good. Not particularly outstanding but definitely no complaints about the narration. But despite the book being quite short I found it impossible to feel engaged with the story. I was so bored and had to force myself to finish.
I love a sci-fi story where the main character wakes up on a ship with no idea what's going on. The reason that works so well for me is that I like discovering things along with the MC. This book does kind of the opposite. The main character knows what is going on with the world of the story, they are confused about the body they are inhabiting. It felt like there was SO much explaining of the world building. And if you are into that kind of thing I bet you'll love this. I'm not and was so very bored. What propels my interest in this kind of story is an affinity, or at least interest in the main character. We are in their head, and it needs to be an interesting place to be. I found this main character void of much personality at all. I wanted so badly to like this book, but while it technically checked all the boxes that had been in the description, there was nothing to hold onto when it came to the characters. Give me a main character with some personality! Make them unique and interesting or really relatable or really awful or SOMETHING.
So yeah, this just did not end up being my cup of tea. I do think readers more interested in a lot of details about sci-fi world building will like this. I was really disappointed with it and really wishing it had delivered on the things I was so excited about.
*ARC provided by Net Galley
March 13, 2025
I've read a number of cozies over the years, but this was my first cozy sci fi.
I thought the premise was unique. Even though it's only 100 pages, I had no trouble connecting with the main character, becoming invested in the mystery/life aboard the HMS Fairweather, or getting excited about the potential romance.
I do wish we had gotten to know some of the characters a little bit better, but I'm sure that'll happen as the series progresses.
Thank you to the publisher for sending me a copy of Murder By Memory in exchange for an honest review!
I thought the premise was unique. Even though it's only 100 pages, I had no trouble connecting with the main character, becoming invested in the mystery/life aboard the HMS Fairweather, or getting excited about the potential romance.
I do wish we had gotten to know some of the characters a little bit better, but I'm sure that'll happen as the series progresses.
Thank you to the publisher for sending me a copy of Murder By Memory in exchange for an honest review!
March 6, 2025
A delightful cozy mystery set on an interstellar passenger liner, where human lives are as long as their consciousness can be digitally stored. Dorothy Gentleman, the ship's detective, is forcibly "installed" into a body that is not hers, to solve two murders-- a physical one and a digital one. This was brief, but lovely. Exactly what I hoped to experience when I was pitched "Agatha Christie but in space!"
January 23, 2025
Glad this was short. I received a review copy from the publisher.
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