I listened to this as an audiobook and I had a good time listening to it! I'd say this is like a sci-fi cozy murder mystery, and it definitely fit all the vibes you would think that would fit! Plus, it's sapphic and the main character is an older woman who loves to knit and solve crimes! At just over 100 pages it's a very short novella so I don't want to talk about the plot and spoil anything, but I loved the idea of a library that holds all your memories and the way this plays with immortality/reincarnation. I actually kind of wish this were a bit longer to give more twists and turns to the mystery, but overall I enjoyed it and I'm looking forward to continuing the series!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

A very fun cozy sci-fi mystery. Set on a futuristic ship where minds are stored in libraries, and humans live nearly forever. But when a rare murder occurs, where memory books and a body are destroyed, the detective must solve the case to save the day!

I really hope this becomes a series! Quick, fun, & thought-provoking read!

This novella is told in first person by Dorothy Gentleman, a detective aboard the HMS Fairweather, the luxury passenger spaceship, who wakes up in the middle of a murder mystery in the wrong body. I enjoyed the character of Dorothy as she follows up on leads often distracted by her attraction to witnesses and suspects all while catching up with her errant nephew and prying information from “Ferry” the enthusiastic ship AI.

I found the setting delightful and the characters fun and entertaining. I look forward to more mysteries and colorful characters in the future books for this series. I listened to the audiobook for this one. It was narrated by Blair Baker. I enjoyed the narrator’s voice for the most part, especially with regards to Dorothy and “Ferry”, although I found the male character voices lacking in tone. I will probably reread this in an ebook format.

Recommended to murder mystery fans who are looking for a short foray into science fiction.

Thank you to Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for a copy provided for an honest review.

I received this audiobook from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this novella. I am interested in seeing where the story continues. I liked the idea that people never really died, and they could get new bodies. I enjoyed the fun murder mystery, and I didn't guess it right away, which is nice.

I do wish this novella was a full-length novel. I want to know more about the society they have developed on this ship. I need more details: how big is the ship, how many people are on it, how does everyone not know everyone after 300 years!? Oh and there's an AI. I need more of them. They get "drunk" during storms?.. I need more drunk AI.

Honestly, this is a really fun sci fi mystery that takes everything at a rapid pace, does some neat things with accidental mind overwriting of bodies, a murder mystery, and the kinds of crimes that can take place on a generation ship. There's definitely a few things that aim for "cozy" vibes (tea, knitting), but it stands on its own as a well done murder mystery, and there's enough threads dangled throughout that I get the sense that if this does well enough, we'll maybe get a bit more of Dorothy. Also a really neat sapphic subthread throughout. The narrator for the audiobook does fantastically with the humor and the material and the audiobook is about two hours total, as this is a pretty quick read. Definitely worth your time this spring.

It’s no secret that I am deep in my novella era. By their nature they are fast paced with little dead space. Murder by Memory is no exception. I was fully invested the entire listen.
Plot - 4

Waite wrote a world that feels accessible to imagine, while still providing a fresh experience. I was particularly captivated by the unique look at the weight of death.
Writing and Editing - 5

The portion of the characters that are explored is the ideal investment entry point for a series. I can’t wait to see how they develop with future books.
Character Development - 5

Blair Baker’s performance was flawless.
Narration - 5

The Dorothy Gentleman series has made it to my auto buy list.
Personal Bias - 5

Final Score - 4.8

🔎 For my friends short on time who want a fully developed detective story on a spaceship.

MURDER BY MEMORY by Olivia Waite (Blair Baker, Narrator)

🎧 Thanks, @Macmillan.audio, for the audiobook review copy. #macaudio2025 (Available now) 2 hours 21 minutes

On the HMS Fairweather, a luxurious interstellar passenger liner on a centuries-long mission, passengers don’t have to worry about death. If the body dies, the consciousness has a backup in the “library,” which can be loaded into a freshly created body.

But what happens if the person’s “library book” is erased?

I tore through this sci-fi ode to the cozy mystery and am itching for more books in the series! At just over two hours long, this novella gives you mystery, a fascinating “auntie” ship’s detective, her brilliant but scattered nephew, and a sentient ship who acts drunk when passing through magnetic storms.

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.

In Murder by Memory, Dorothy Gentleman is awakened from being shelved into a body that isn’t hers, and without warning, and must investigate what caused that all to happen. This is a cozy mystery where the learning about the world Dorothy lives in provides the stakes. Dorothy is one of 10,000 people on a generation ship sailing through space on their way to a new home. It’s been three centuries already and instead of staying in cryo-sleep people live and age and when it’s time to die they are provided a new body, and their consciousness and genotype are loaded in from the saved files in the Library when they are ready. This means that residents of the Fairweather have changed their relationship with death.

In addition to introducing us to the world of the Fairweather is the mystery of how Dorothy ended up in the body she’s in, how her book in the Library containing her self was deleted, why her nephew had backups created of the Detectives (of which Dorothy is one), and what is going on with weird financial transactions and deaths. It was highly enjoyable to spend time with Dorothy as her professional nosiness is used to solve the mysteries and the narration by Blair Baker was so well delivered that I didn’t listen to this at 1.25 like I usually do and instead luxuriated in it at 1.0 speed. Highly recommend this couple hour audiobook if you are in the mood for a quick hit of sci-fi mystery. Waite has a way with writing feisty queer women who are about their jobs and love their family and friends and it was just what I needed.

An older woman wakes up in the body of a much younger woman during a storm, and once the initial disorientation passes, she’s told by the ship that there’s been an unexpected death, and her investigative skills are needed.

This is the start of this novella and murder mystery set aboard a ship called Ferry heading over several hundred years to a distant planet. Technology has evolved to the point that people’s memories can be captured and stored, in a huge memory library, and can be downloaded into a new body, allowing individuals to live and die repeatedly over the journey.

Fifty-seven-year-old Dorothy Gentleman is now in the 27-year-old body of Gloria Vowell, who knows the dead woman, Janet Dodds, a member of the ship's custodial staff and a clothing designer, whose artfully displayed corpse is way too artful to be an accidental death, or suicide, leading Dorothy to deduce murder.

Dorothy begins investigating, learning that a section of the memory library has been deleted, which is shocking, as there are supposed to be protections in place. Despite this development, Dorothy knows that a murder, coupled with the deletion, are unusual occurrences, in the extreme, as there is no scarcity aboard Ferry (whose personality is delightful).

The suspect pool is tiny, and the mystery is straightforward with no twists, no doubt a factor of the story's length. This length does have the effect, though, of rendering the characters a little simply defined. Ruthie seems wonderful, as is his lover and gifted cocktail maker John. Though Dorothy is the central character, and likeable and smart, what we learn about her otherwise is that her lover of many years is dead, as is her sister, and Dorothy is a little surprised to be in a stranger's younger body, instead of her own. She's intelligent and analytical, but she wouldn't be an investigator on the ship otherwise.

The above complaints are minor, however. As this is the start of a series, I fully anticipate getting deeper into Dorothy's character in future instalment(s), and getting to know more about Ferry, Ruthie and John, and other inhabitants of this mission. I enjoyed this story a lot, and am I ever eager to follow Dorothy on further cases.

The audiobook is narrated by Blair Baker, whose calm tones told me immediately a lot about Dorothy's sense, unflappability, curiosity and intelligence, while her Ruthie conveys just the right amount of excitement, intelligence and curiosity tempered by two years, the time it's been since Dorothy last spoke with him.

Thank you to Netgalley and to Macmillan Audio for this ARC in exchange for my review.

That was a lot of fun! The narrator did a great job with giving the characters their own sound, and the author did the same in the writing. I'll probably listen to that again when it becomes available.

Cozy murder mystery, meets scifi story with a main character who loves yarn…. Heck yes!!

This was a super cute, super quick little scifi murder mystery. I loved the plot, the characters and the obsession with yarn as I myself love yarn and crochet. Would definitely recommend this to anyone looking for a short fun read.

This is everything I want in a book please tell me it is the start of a series! Sci-fi detective story with interesting tech, big questions about the meaning of life, community, and love, and yarn arts connections told in Olivia Waite's clear, emotionally intelligent prose. Absolute perfection. Blair Baker cool, calm performance for the detective who had lived and lost over lifetimes while floating through space was also perfect. Honestly, give us 20 of these books!

This is a cozy mystery novella set on a sentient spaceship which has been tasked with transporting humans across the universe over the course of millennia. I found the futuristic sci-fi elements intriguing, especially the concepts of a library of lives and memories as cocktails. I liked Dorothy a lot, especially since she managed to be both a doting aunt and a complex character with her own goals and desires. Also, I have a soft spot for sentient ships and Ferry was delightful.

For me, the appeal of this story had more to do with Dorothy and her life as a detective in space and the realities of a society in which people are essentially immortal than it did with the mystery itself. This was probably partially because the book is very short—more of a novella than a novel. This meant there was only so much time to devote to the crime plot. That being said, I really enjoyed this little book. I’m hoping there will be more Dorothy Gentleman books in the future.

The audiobook is narrated by Blair Baker. I enjoyed her performance and especially appreciated the difference between storm-drunk Ferry and sober Ferry. I thought it was a quick and engaging listen.

A great little cozy mystery taking place on a spaceship. Knitting themed for those who are into it. It was a quick 2 hour audio, perfect for a day trip in a car or on a train. I enjoyed it.

Murder By Memory

What a fun sci-fi futuristic adventure! A cozy mystery spaceship blast of a time.

A knitting Auntie detective who wakes up in another body and sets out to solve the mystery of who murdered her and why some memory books have been deleted from the memory library.

This was an adorable, quick novella that I enjoyed for a lighter cozy mystery aventure!

Highly recommend the audio - the narrator did a fabulous job bringing the world to life and sharing Dorothy’s charm.

A surprising but unique blend of cozy mystery and hard science fiction. The story goes by quickly but it leaves room to expand this universe.

This review was originally posted on Books of My Heart


Review copy was received from NetGalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

4.5 hearts

Tammy @ Books, Bones & Buffy featured this on one of her future fiction type posts and the concept appealed to me. It's exactly the kind of themes I love - space scfi, murder mystery, detectives, and technology. Murder by Memory is also a very quick read I did in one go.

We meet Dorothy Gentleman as she comes alive in a new body in a stalled elevator. She had been "resting" for the past two years. Apparently, during that time, there have been some magnetic storms which mess with the sentient ship's functions. Dorothy is a detective on the ship as they make their way to a new planet. People can replace their bodies as they grow old for a fresh start but keep their memories. Memories are stored in "books" in the "library."

Dorothy finds someone has died. Also Dorothy's book was erased and she is in someone else's body. She knows that the ship "Fairy" did that and her nephew, Ruthie, has everything to do with it. She proceeds to investigate the death and the mystery of how she came to be in another body. I won't solve the mystery for you here.

I loved Dorothy's quick mind. The sensory journeys of exploring the creative souls on the ship were fun. I enjoyed the cocktails, clothing and yarn creations. I am so excited to continue along with on these adventures in the Dorothy Gentleman series.

Narration:
This narrator is new to me. The story is primarily in Dorothy's so it that voice is most of the story. There were a few times Dorothy spoke with others and they sounded appropriate to me included "Fairy" the sentient ship. I enjoyed the performance. I listened at my usual 1.5x speed.

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 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 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.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio for my review copy. My opinions are my own.

This story tickled a itch that I didn't know that I really had. A sci-fi murder mystery with a detective waking up in a body that isn't theirs. And lies all over the place. I loved the memory drinks, the atmosphere of Ferry, the description of the Library filled with people's books, the idea that you lived your life, then when you died you were uploaded into your new copy body, and so much of little other details (oh and the big details - like the queer normality).

Dorothy Gentleman is a fascinating character and I can't wait to see what hijinks she gets up to in her next installment. Also can I just appreciate the fact that the main character is older, she is in her 50's and still living life, even if it's on a space ship on it's way to a new planet.

The narration by Blair Baker was fantastic and I really enjoyed their reading of the story and the nuances that they brought to each of the characters.

Highly recommend!