Murder by Memory, Olivia Waite
Murder by Memory, Olivia Waite
List: $15.99 | Sale: $11.20
Club: $7.99

Murder by Memory

Author: Olivia Waite

Series: Dorothy Gentleman #1

Narrator: Blair Baker

Unabridged: 2 hr 21 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 03/18/2025


Synopsis

"Narrator [Blair] Baker keeps this novel's tone firmly cozy..." — Library Journal

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.

A Macmillan Audio production from Tor.com.

About Olivia Waite

Olivia Waite writes queer science fiction, fantasy, historical romance, and essays. She is the romance fiction columnist for the New York Times Book Review.

About Blair Baker

Blair Baker is a queer, non-binary actor living in New York City. They began audiobook narration in 2022 and has since recorded around 20 works. Blair has been a finalist for the Golden Crown Literary Society Goldie awards two years in a row. They are a proud alum of the Macmillan new narrators program and Save Me, Stranger by Erica Krause (a Macmillan Audio production) received a rare starred audiobook review from Booklist. They voiced Sid in Previa: A Tech Heist, a podcast produced by Audible that won the 2024 Ambie Award for Best Fiction Podcast. Blair loves to narrate joyful queer romances, quirky sci-fi adventures, and literary fiction. Their narration style is grounded and honest, and their alto voice provides a warm and witty vibe to the stories they tell.


Reviews

Goodreads review by Bethany (Beautifully Bookish Bethany) on December 01, 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 the......more

Goodreads review by Melanie on April 21, 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 ho......more

Goodreads review by Mara on February 23, 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......more

Goodreads review by JaymeO on March 18, 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, b......more

Goodreads review by Chantaal on 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......more


Quotes

"Waite perfectly blends futuristic technology and cozy mystery with lush descriptions and a twisty plot that delivers at every turn. Readers will be eager to hear more from Dorothy." — Publishers Weekly (starred review)

"Dorothy is terrific as an investigator, and traveling the space lanes from inside her wry, witty head is a great way to solve a mystery." — Library Journal (starred review)

"Waite’s fascinating take on a generation ship lends an interesting twist to the structure of the mystery and will satisfy readers who prize novel world building." — Booklist

Praise for Olivia Waite's Feminine Pursuits series

Waite delivers a luscious gem with The Lady's Guide to Celestial Mechanics...a bittersweet read that will make your heart ache, bursting with genuinely funny, remarkable surprises.” — Entertainment Weekly

“A stunning story of healing, passion, science and trust… a beautiful and soul-satisfying read that’s the best romance I’ve read this yearand this decade” — Smart Bitches Trashy Books

“Superbly written...[and] simply stellar in every way...Everything in this resplendent romance is done to perfection.” — Booklist (starred review)

Utterly charming and subtly subversive.” — Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

[A] sweet lesbian Regency that deftly explores the rigid societal strictures imposed on women personally and professionally.” — Library Journal (starred review)

“Waite’s writing is gorgeous and always purposeful” — Bookpage

“Waite’s writing is often gorgeous and evocative” — Lamda Literary

“I found myself nearly racing to finish the book… Her character work in particular shines. All these people she creates stay in your imagination. Those characters live outside the page, leave a mark on the reader.” — The Lesbrary

“This superb novel, set during Regency times, unveils the love story between two intelligent women... Waite gives full voice to the unfair prejudice that women faced. She also provides a multi-ethnic Regency world that comes alive with scientific curiosity. Highly recommended for fans of both Remarkable Creatures and Gentleman Jack, this first in the Feminine Pursuits series deserves widespread attention.” — Historical Novels Review


Awards

  • Amazon.com Best Books of the Year