In Murder by Memory, your mind can be downloaded into a new body once it gets too worn while you are cruising through space. You can also take a break between bodies, keeping your mind safe in the Library. Deborah Gentleman wakes up in a different body with no knowledge how she came to be there. Fortunately, she's the ship's detective. Unfortunately, a murder has just been committed.
I thoroughly enjoyed this cozy, sci-fi novella as Deborah goes about solving this mystery.

Cozy mysteries are definitely not my normal cup of tea, however, this novella managed to make me like the main character Dorothy, who is very entertaining. I will definitely be reading any other books by this author or in this series!

Murder by Memory is a cozy sci-fi mystery from Olivia Waite. I didn't realize that was a genre mashup.

"Dorothy Gentleman wakes up in an elevator on the HMS Fairweather - a luxury, interstellar generation ship. She is one of the ship's detectives and loves to solve the little mysteries that happen. But now someone has been murdered and their memory book erased in the library. Dorothy suspects her nephew, Ruthie, who often leaves chaos in his wake. But she will find the answer."

This is a short novella - the audio is only two hours - so it's very easy to listen to. Blair Baker is the perfect voice for Dorothy. She does a great job with the audio.

No spoilers, but accountants will love this one. And Waite finds an interesting way to murder a character even though Medical can restore memories to a new body. Dorothy is a great character, especially trying to maneuver in a different body.

Nice story if you're looking for a change of pace or a different kind of cozy mystery.

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.

Hundreds of years in the future, humans are on a starship searching for a new planet. They've uploaded their memories into books so they can download into new bodies and enjoy immortality, but Dorothy wakes up in a body that isn't hers and there's been a murder.

I'm starting to realize that there are mysteries I enjoy reading. Apparently those in space can be added to that list. There's an impressive amount of world building in this novella. The audiobook is only two hours.

Bonuses - there's a library and a yarn store!

Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC!

4.5/5
Prior to reading this, I had enjoyed Olivia Waite's historical romances. I'm happy to report that she is just as good at writing sci-fi mysteries and am happy this looks like it'll be a series.

Detective Dorothy knows something is fishy when she wakes up in the wrong body. With the help of a sentient ship, her irresponsible nephew, & the ex-girlfriend of the woman whose body she's currently in, Dorothy investigates a string of murders. Highly recommend for intriguing world-building, a quick read, and a promising start to a sci-fi series! Also recommend the audiobook as the narration is very engaging!

*Thanks to Net Galley and Macmillian for arc*

This was really good. I loved the set up for the world on this spaceship and it was such a joy to read a queer normative story. The mystery was only okay. It felt solved as soon as Dorothy woke up, but that could also be due to this being a novella. To be honest I could read slice of life moment of these characters. The setting is so interesting I want to know what else is on this ship.

Looking forward to second book!

📚 #BOOKREVIEW 📚
Murder by Memory by Olivia Waite
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ / Pages: 112 / Genre: Sci-Fi
Audiobook Narrator: Blair Baker
Duration: 2 hours 21 minutes
Release Date: March 18, 2025

Dorothy lives and works onboard an interstellar spaceship where you can save your memories to a giant hard drive of sorts and be transplanted into a new, younger body. Dorothy wakes up one morning in a body that’s not her own and doesn’t know why. While she was asleep it turns out that the body she’s now inhabiting might have committed a murder. As the ship’s detective, she has to figure out what happened.

I really liked this short, cozy sci-fi mystery. It was a quick and curious read and thoroughly enjoyable.

Thank you, @O_Wow_Waite, @MacMillan.Audio, and @NetGalley for my free copy of the audiobook. Blair Baker did a great job narrating. #MacAudio2025

The perfect bite-sized cozy mystery (in space!)

Nobody can truly die on the HMS Fairweather. Well, no, not really. But as soon as you die the Library
will keep your memories safe until a new body is ready for you!

I have been a sucker for atypical detective stories ever since I read John Scalzi’s Dispatcher series, and this book was the perfect fit (with the cozy and sci-fi vibes turned to 11!). We meet Dorothy Gentleman as she wakes up in a new body (extremely normal for her) but then realises the body isn’t hers (suddenly alarming). What follows next is a race to catch a killer who took it one step further than simple murder; featuring the world’s first drunk AI, queer romance, and the universe’s coziest yarn store.

This was a lovely short read and the perfect start to a new series, as it lays enough story threads to be further explored in the next installments. If you’re like me and love a good detective story with a twist, definitely give it a try!

A space mystery with a hint of romance? Sign me up!

Murder by Mystery is only a 2 hour listen, but it throws the listener right into the action and keeps us there. I found most of the characters and events intriguing and will definitely look for the next installment of the series.

My 3.5 rating is primarily because, while I enjoyed the premise, most of this installment focused on introducing characters and events that I’m sure will be expanded on in the next book. Due to its length, this book felt almost like a tease and so short that I was disappointed when it ended. This may be intentional though, so I may adjust my rating after continuing with the series.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for an advanced copy of the audiobook.

4/5. Thanks to Ms. Waite, the publisher, and Netgalley for the advanced listening copy/ARC.

First, kudos to the narrator. The way Blair Baker narrated the ship, the HMS Fairweather, made me smile. Made the drudging workday go by a little quicker.

This is a very fun mystery in a "locked room" that's really a spaceship. Dorothy Gentleman, or at least the mind of Detective Gentleman, wakes up to find herself in the body of another person on the ship. A person who has an ex-girlfriend Dorothy contends with. A person who has a life entwined with the dead body that was found (which really, wouldn't be such a big deal except...). Worse off? Someone is doing more than killing bodies - they're also deleting minds. And that someone tried to delete Dorothy's.

As we travel with Dorothy through the ship, meeting new people and learning new concepts of the futuristic setting, we start to really discover that this is more than meets the eye...

I loved the setting of this novella and I think we've been introduced to a really fun new detective in the stars. Though I wished this was a little more fleshed out, it was mostly my selfish desire to stay in the HMS Fairweather for a little longer. I will be keeping an eye out for future adventures of Dorothy Gentleman.

I have seen some comparisons to Becky Chambers mentioned in marketing and other reviews, and I'd say that's a pretty spot-on reference. I thought many times that 'Murder by Memory' could easily have been a short story in the Wayfarers series/universe (and that's meant as a compliment; I'm a big fan of that series). And while there are lots of similarities, this particular story was plenty unique and delightful on it's own. I was especially impressed by how much world-building happened in such a short (just under a 2.5 hour audiobook!) amount of time. My biggest complaint is that this WAS just a novella; unless there will be 2-3 novellas per year, I really hope the rest of the stories in the series are longer. Either way, I won't hesitate to read or listen to the next installment!

4.5

I loved Olivia Waite's Feminine Pursuits historical sapphic romances, so I was very intrigued when I saw that she was releasing a sci-fi murder mystery novella. Clocking in at just over 100 pages, I was amazed at the amount of depth that Waite is able to build.

This story is set on a interstellar passenger liner where humans are able to store their memories in a library and essentially become "reborn" making death non-existent. Our main character is an old lady who wakes up in a body that isn't hers and stumbles upon a case that shows someone on board has found a way to make death permanent. It sounds convoluted, but Waite is able to craft compelling characters and drop enough tidbits of worldbuilding that make this such an interesting world. I love Dorothy so much! She's an auntie who came on this journey because her nephew Ruthie is a genius working on the project and he's her only remaining family, but she's tired and honestly same. I love the bits of history we get about her and about Ruthie and about Ruthie's boyfriend. The casual queerness here was so heartwarming and cozy.

This has been comped to A Memory Called Empire and Miss Marple and while I generally disagree with marketing comps, this feels really accurate. I'm very intrigued to see where Waite takes this series. The audiobook is narrated by Blair Baker and I thought the production was well done.

Thank you for the e-audiobook!
That was such a fun short read! Mysteries can be hit or miss for me, but this was great. It has a very cozy vibe and I could see this being compared to some of the more steampunk Studio Ghibli. Definitely similar to Becky Chambers so if you love their works give this a shot. The sci-fi/fantasy elements were cool, and for such a quick book, it didn't get confusing. Dorothy was a great MC and I might be biased cause I'm a knitter but I loved that it was highlighted in the story.
Overall a geat quick read and I'm excited for the next book!

This was a delight and a perfect palate cleanser. Clocking in at under 3 hours, Murder by Memory was a quick read. If you’re looking for a cozy sci-fi murder mystery, I definitely recommend this one.

The narration is great, clear and distinct.

My rating: 3.75⭐️

Thank you to NetGalley, Tor, and Macmillan Audio for an ARC of Murder by Memory by Olivia Waite.

Now we're cooking. Sapphic sci-fi murder mystery? Count me in.

After trudging through several overly long books that overstay their welcome, it's a relief to have a story that is finally well edited. Clocking in at only two hours on audiobook and 100 pages in print, Murder By Memory is a condensed and tightly woven murder mystery in space with a sapphic detective. Perfect cozy reading with tea on a rainy day.

Great characters with a satisfying conclusion. I recommend the audiobook in particular. The narrator has a lovely voice and does a fantastic job bringing our detective to life.

This was a cute entertaining audio novella. Super unique. I enjoyed it! Could have finished it in one sitting since it was 2 hours long, but ended up in 2 days. Would have loved for this to be longer. I did a Bookstagram review post on this and the link is below.

I want to thank the publisher for granting me an ALC of Murder by Memory, which immediately caught my attention with its description as “Becky Chambers meets Miss Marple.” What I found was a tightly woven, fast-paced mystery that kept me hooked from the moment Dorothy Gentleman wakes up in a body that isn’t her own, immediately sensing that something is wrong.

Olivia Waite, well known for her Her Feminine Pursuits series, excels at worldbuilding even within the constraints of a novella. The intricate details of life aboard the Fairweather make the setting feel rich and immersive without slowing down the plot. The mystery itself is compelling, and when the crime is fully revealed, the climax and resolution are both thrilling and satisfying—leaving the door open for a sequel that I would eagerly read.

Murder by Memory delivered exactly what I had hoped for from Malka Ann Older's The Mimicking of Known Successes, and I would love to see more authors follow Waite’s lead in crafting Sapphic cozy mysteries set in space.

Murder by Memory by Olivia Waite

Generation ship? Cozy mystery? Auntie detective who knits? Sold!

I am a big fan of generation ship stories, so I was intrigued when I saw Murder by Memory by Olivia Waite on NetGalley and I was very happy to be granted an advanced reader copy by the publisher. This book was a lot of fun, but suffered for its short length. The world building was very interesting – unlike many generation ships, the technology on this ship allowed people to be reborn into newly created bodies, so each generation could be comprised of the same individuals. In addition, if someone wanted to take a “rest” from existing, their mind maps could be stored in a library until they felt like coming back. There are so many things built into these concepts that didn’t have room to breathe because this was just a Novella. I thought the drunk computer concept at the beginning was a little weak, but otherwise I thoroughly enjoyed this book and hope that this author writes more in this setting. I listened to this audio book at 2x speed.

This was a delightful short cozy murder mystery. For an audiobook that is two hours long it manages to fit quite a bit of world building. I loved the unique aspect that humans inhabit a spaceship trying to find a new planet to inhabit. They understand that humans won’t live long enough to survive the journey and they don’t want to lose the knowledge so they create memory banks to back up everyone’s consciousness and create new bodies for them whenever needed.

The exploration of the ship helps move along the story and sprinkle together answers to the murder. Just a great listen.