Murder by Memory

Murder by Memory by Olivia Waite
The Dorothy Gentleman series: Book 1

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Murder by Memory by Olivia Waite is the first book in the Dorothy Gentleman sci-fi mystery series. Tor.com is known for publishing excellent novellas, and this is no exception. The book draws readers in from the very first sentence and keeps their interest with plot twists and intrigue. There is a unique and interesting premise, complex characters, and a mystery to solve. 

The book’s tagline states “A mind is a terrible thing to erase…” which quickly sets up the intrigue. The official summary says:

“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.”

These memory books are backed up regularly and kept securely in the Library. Murder, should it occur, is only a temporary glitch as a new body will be provided and the mind will be loaded from the last backup. While the events of the murder would not be remembered, there’s a ship’s detective ready to investigate the crime. 

Waking up in someone else’s body is unheard of, but that’s exactly what ship’s detective Dorothy Gentleman discovers when she’s awoken from her voluntary shelving during a magnetic storm. The ship is uncooperative, the passengers are all on lock down, and the only free body for the detective’s mind had been roaming the vacant halls just after a murder on board. It’s a fast paced mystery that I thoroughly enjoyed. 

Murder by Memory is a new take on the downloading consciousness and the artificial immortality such technology provides. It explores the flaws in such plans while showing what life could be like when humanity sets sail for a new home. In this case, ten thousand souls live in relative luxury, given replacement bodies when their original bodies grow old or suffer some fatal accident. Murder is rare because the victim would only be brought back. The memory books provide immortality to the passengers until they reach their destination some thousand years after leaving Earth.

Waite is a talented author and her words are beautifully written; she sprinkles skillfully crafted descriptions throughout the novella. Dorothy Gentleman is a brilliant detective unraveling a delicate web of crime, and the audiobook narrator, Blair Baker, does a fantastic job. Her voice is smooth, and suits the main character. It’s a delightful novella and I highly recommend both the book and the audiobook version. I can’t wait to see more books featuring Detective Gentleman. 

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Visit the author’s website and follow her on  Instagram or on Bluesky.

You can also subscribe to her charming mostly monthly newsletter: The Oliviary

Murder by Memory cover design credit: Christine Foltzer and Shreya Gupta.

Murder by Memory cover illustration credit: Feifei Ruan.

Murder by Memory audiobook narrator: Blair Baker.

Advance Reading Copy provided by Macmillan Audio via NetGalley at my request.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I