ARC Review: Murder by Memory by Olivia Waite

Murder by Memory
Author: Olivia Waite
Series: Dorothy Gentleman (Book 1)
Publication: Tordotcom (March 18, 2025)

Description: 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...

Told through Dorothy’s delightfully shrewd POV, this novella is an ode to the cozy mystery taken to the stars with a fresh new sci-fi take. Perfect for fans of the plot-twisty narratives of Dorothy Sayers and Ann Leckie, this well-paced story will leave readers captivated and hungry for the series’s next installment.

My Thoughts: This science fiction novella introduces Dorothy Gentleman who is a detective on the HMS Fairweather - a spaceship on a 1000-year mission. When Dorothy wakes unexpectedly in a body not her own, she finds herself solving a murder case and a financial conspiracy.

I enjoyed the characters in this story and loved the worldbuilding. A thousand-year voyage, minds stored in libraries, and new bodies on demand were all interesting concepts. So was the idea that man's crimes carried into space with the passengers on the ship. 

Dorothy was an interesting character who discovered her career as a detective late in life. It is a great fit with her nosy nature. I enjoyed watching her unravel this twisty plot. 

I received this one in exchange for an honest review from NetGalley. You can buy your copy here.