Collection
Publication
New York : Tor, 2022.
Description
"Hugo, Locus, and Nebula-Award winner Mary Robinette Kowal blends her no-nonsense approach to life in space with her talent for creating glittering high-society in this stylish SF mystery, The Spare Man. Tesla Crane, one of the richest women in the world, is on her honeymoon on an interplanetary space liner, cruising between Earth and Mars. She's traveling incognito and is reveling in her anonymity. Then someone is murdered and her husband is named as the prime suspect. To save him from the frame-up, Tesla will risk exposure and face demons from her past. Even though doing so might make her the next victim"--
Language
Original language
English
Media reviews
Publisher's Weekly
An engineering magnate gets swept into a vibrant space mystery from Kowal (the Lady Astronaut series).... Kowal expertly weaves in red herrings and twists right up to the unmasking for the killer and punctuates the suspense with moments of sparkling wit.... This is a page turner.
User reviews
LibraryThing member infjsarah
This won't win any prizes for originality in sci-fi but it was a ton of fun. Kowal is always easy to read and this was no different. If you fancy detection in space, then this will probably fill the gap.
LibraryThing member foggidawn
Tesla Crane is on a honeymoon cruise to Mars with her spouse Shal and her service dog, Gimlet. Their plan was to enjoy all the shows and drink all the cocktails, but that was before people started getting murdered. And now, somebody seems to be trying to frame Shal. . .
I enjoyed many aspects of
I enjoyed many aspects of
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this book, but I wouldn't say that you should read it for the mystery. It came together in the end, but it seemed a little muddled getting there. I'll admit it: the dog was my favorite part. I haven't read the source material (Dashiell Hammett's The Thin Man) because it never seemed like my thing -- if you have, it might be interesting to compare the two. Show Less
LibraryThing member capewood
The references to the Thin Man movies of the '30s and '40s were obvious to anyone who knows the movies (like me). A rich woman with a husband who is a retired detective and their little dog take a cruise and come upon a murder. The husband, who first discovered the body, is the immediate suspect.
I liked the opening of the story. The banter between the couple, the set-up and the early characters were all great. But after awhile, the banter started to wear thin (so to speak) and there were so many characters that it was hard to remember them all.
I generally don't have a problem with gender fluid characters but I feel like the author was purposely truing to confuse us. The victim was named George, identifying as she/her. Every time we met a new character, the introduction was accompanied with their pronouns. Eventually it got hard to fix any of these characters in my head. I have a similar problem when reading science fiction with a lot of characters with weird names.
One other issue I'll mention. Instead of using terms like Mr., Mrs, and Ms, the author chose to use Mx, which is a gender-neutral honorific mainly used in Great Britian (according to the Webster on-line dictionary). I never heard of it although it's supposedly been around since 1978. It's pronounced like 'mix'. Apparently it's supposed to be written without the period (like Ms) but she uses the period every time. At one point the husband was referred to as Mr. by the security chief. Was this a typo, or was this a deliberate insult or some provocation?
Also, why is the main character named Tesla? I did not need to be reminded of Elon Musk every time I read her name.
Anyway, all that was just annoying taking away some enjoyment from the story. The real problem was that half way in, the number of potential suspects had grown too large to keep track of. I couldn't feel any attachment to any of these characters (including the couple), and there were so many false leads that I couldn't much care who the actual murderer was. I kept reading because I hate to stop a book that I'm more than halfway through before I stop liking it.
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Sounds just like a Thin Man plot, except the cruise is a cruise on a space ship to Mars!I liked the opening of the story. The banter between the couple, the set-up and the early characters were all great. But after awhile, the banter started to wear thin (so to speak) and there were so many characters that it was hard to remember them all.
I generally don't have a problem with gender fluid characters but I feel like the author was purposely truing to confuse us. The victim was named George, identifying as she/her. Every time we met a new character, the introduction was accompanied with their pronouns. Eventually it got hard to fix any of these characters in my head. I have a similar problem when reading science fiction with a lot of characters with weird names.
One other issue I'll mention. Instead of using terms like Mr., Mrs, and Ms, the author chose to use Mx, which is a gender-neutral honorific mainly used in Great Britian (according to the Webster on-line dictionary). I never heard of it although it's supposedly been around since 1978. It's pronounced like 'mix'. Apparently it's supposed to be written without the period (like Ms) but she uses the period every time. At one point the husband was referred to as Mr. by the security chief. Was this a typo, or was this a deliberate insult or some provocation?
Also, why is the main character named Tesla? I did not need to be reminded of Elon Musk every time I read her name.
Anyway, all that was just annoying taking away some enjoyment from the story. The real problem was that half way in, the number of potential suspects had grown too large to keep track of. I couldn't feel any attachment to any of these characters (including the couple), and there were so many false leads that I couldn't much care who the actual murderer was. I kept reading because I hate to stop a book that I'm more than halfway through before I stop liking it.
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LibraryThing member quondame
The plot was dragged through the book kicking and whining about red herrings, the main characters behaved like idiots and one was weighted with PTSD and the need for a pain meds pump, which was constantly distracting and a huge load on the action. But the worst crime was that instead of sparkly
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champagne we are served flat 7-UP. Show Less
LibraryThing member MickyFine
Tesla Crane, celebrated inventor and heiress, is on her honeymoon with her spouse, retired private detective Shal Steward, along with her support dog, Gimlet. Traveling on the luxurious cruise liner Lindgren from the Moon to Mars, the honeymoon is going swimmingly right up until someone is murdered
Kowal's latest novel is a fun mash-up of a sci-fi and noir-ish mystery novel. The book has obvious nods to The Thin Man (more the film than the novel, I think), which were a delight for this reader. Tesla is fascinating character who is dealing with both PTSD and ongoing physical challenges from an accident in her past. Unravelling the mystery of what happened to Tesla while also digging into the various mysteries she stumbles across while trying to prove Shal's innocence is great fun. Kowal also creates a fantastic cast of characters, my particular favourite being Tesla's crocheting lawyer and, of course, the adorable support dog, Gimlet. I really enjoyed the notes Kowal includes at the end of the book on both the science of the cruise ship as well as one about the cocktail recipes she includes throughout (there are both boozy and zero-proof cocktails for readers interested in experimenting). If sci-fi isn't usually your thing, but you enjoy a good mystery, this novel may be worth a try.
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in front of Tesla and Shal is taken into custody as the most likely suspect. Now Tesla has to figure out who actually committed the murder so that she can free her husband from security and actually get back to their honeymoon.Kowal's latest novel is a fun mash-up of a sci-fi and noir-ish mystery novel. The book has obvious nods to The Thin Man (more the film than the novel, I think), which were a delight for this reader. Tesla is fascinating character who is dealing with both PTSD and ongoing physical challenges from an accident in her past. Unravelling the mystery of what happened to Tesla while also digging into the various mysteries she stumbles across while trying to prove Shal's innocence is great fun. Kowal also creates a fantastic cast of characters, my particular favourite being Tesla's crocheting lawyer and, of course, the adorable support dog, Gimlet. I really enjoyed the notes Kowal includes at the end of the book on both the science of the cruise ship as well as one about the cocktail recipes she includes throughout (there are both boozy and zero-proof cocktails for readers interested in experimenting). If sci-fi isn't usually your thing, but you enjoy a good mystery, this novel may be worth a try.
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LibraryThing member beserene
The Spare Man by Mary Robinette Kowal is a stylish sci-fi mystery on a cruiseliner bound for Mars, with elegant future-building and an enlightened central relationship. It vibes on its Thin Man predecessors but doesn't rely on them and the central relationship is refreshingly self-aware and
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functional. I also appreciated the nod toward a less gender-centric future and admired the way the whole book felt both vintage and futuristic at once. Not an emotional ride by any means, but smooth and engaging! Show Less
LibraryThing member kmartin802
This science fiction mystery takes place on a spaceship heading for Mars. Tesla Crane and her new husband Shalmaneser Steward are on their honeymoon. They are traveling under aliases because Tesla is a very well-known heiress and a brilliant inventor who was in an accident that almost killed her
When the woman in the next cabin is murdered and Shal is found hovering over her body and with his fingerprints on the steak knife that was the murder weapon, it seems obvious to Tesla that someone is trying to frame him for the crime. It doesn't help that the ship's Chief of Security is more than willing to focus all of his attention on Shal.
But there are lots of other mysterious characters on the ship including the rich guy who owns the ship and was in a relationship with the first victim. There's also the doctor who treats the first victim and likely ensures that she die.
As Tesla tries to track down witnesses and identify suspects, she is assisted by her service dog Gimlet who is so cute he eases her way into all sorts of situations. She's also assisted by her cutthroat lawyer who is still on Earth and who's orders and advice are subject to varying time lags as the ship gets farther and farther from Earth.
This was a very engaging story filled with interesting characters and with a nicely twisty mystery plot. I liked the worldbuilding with its projections of current trends from face masks to people including their preferred pronouns when they introduce themselves. I also liked the science fiction elements of the story some of which are extensions of current technology.
I recommend this one to science fiction fans and mystery fans too.
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and did kill six people working for her on a space station. She has a Deep Brain Pain Suppressor to help her manage the pain from her injuries. Shal is also famous as a detective who solved cold cases. He claims to be retired.When the woman in the next cabin is murdered and Shal is found hovering over her body and with his fingerprints on the steak knife that was the murder weapon, it seems obvious to Tesla that someone is trying to frame him for the crime. It doesn't help that the ship's Chief of Security is more than willing to focus all of his attention on Shal.
But there are lots of other mysterious characters on the ship including the rich guy who owns the ship and was in a relationship with the first victim. There's also the doctor who treats the first victim and likely ensures that she die.
As Tesla tries to track down witnesses and identify suspects, she is assisted by her service dog Gimlet who is so cute he eases her way into all sorts of situations. She's also assisted by her cutthroat lawyer who is still on Earth and who's orders and advice are subject to varying time lags as the ship gets farther and farther from Earth.
This was a very engaging story filled with interesting characters and with a nicely twisty mystery plot. I liked the worldbuilding with its projections of current trends from face masks to people including their preferred pronouns when they introduce themselves. I also liked the science fiction elements of the story some of which are extensions of current technology.
I recommend this one to science fiction fans and mystery fans too.
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LibraryThing member ladycato
I received an advance copy via NetGalley.
The Spare Man has the full vibe of a classic murder mystery, integrated into an absolutely sci-fi setting. Tesla Crane is an incredibly wealthy woman, traveling incognito on s Mars-bound space cruiser for her honeymoon. She deals with constant pain and
I thoroughly enjoyed the twists and turns of the mystery, and the science fiction worldbuilding is deep and incredibly well-done. While it doesn't have the emotional resonance of The Lady Astronaut series, this book is just a fun romp all the way through.
The Spare Man has the full vibe of a classic murder mystery, integrated into an absolutely sci-fi setting. Tesla Crane is an incredibly wealthy woman, traveling incognito on s Mars-bound space cruiser for her honeymoon. She deals with constant pain and
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movement difficulties after a catastrophic robotics accident years before. When she and her husband find a person stabbed in the hallway--and her husband is quickly blamed by incompetent ship security--Tesla, with the help of her support dog Gimlet--begins a dangerous investigation of her own.I thoroughly enjoyed the twists and turns of the mystery, and the science fiction worldbuilding is deep and incredibly well-done. While it doesn't have the emotional resonance of The Lady Astronaut series, this book is just a fun romp all the way through.
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LibraryThing member hcnewton
This originally appeared at The Irresponsible Reader.
---
"THE SAME, BUT DIFFERENT"
Despite it being on my list since High School, I've never gotten around to watching The Thin Man or the sequels. I haven't read Hammett's novel, either (on a similar list for almost as long). I know enough about them
Still, when I saw Kowall's piece on CrimeReads last month, "On Writing a New Take on The Thin Man, Set in Space", I was intrigued and my library put it into my hands a lot sooner than I expected.
So, all I know about the comparisons between this novel and the source/inspiration material comes from this piece. So I can't judge how much is Kowall being clever and inventive with her reworking and how much is just Kowall being clever and inventive. I can tell you there's a whole lot of Kowall being clever and inventive, though. I'm going to write this pretending it's all Kowall so if I give her credit for something I shouldn't have...whoops.
So I'll tell you now a couple of things before we dive in: 1. I won't appreciate everything she did in the way I maybe should. 2. (more importantly) You don't have to know anything about the movies or the book to appreciate this novel. You just have to appreciate goodness.
With that out of the way, let's dig in.
WHAT'S THE SPARE MAN ABOUT?
Tesla Crane—heiress, noted inventor, and celebrity—is on her honeymoon. Her new husband, Shalmaneser Steward, is a retired detective and isn't exactly a non-celebrity either. They are traveling under assumed names and in disguise to stay under the radar. They do get their fair share of attention, however—thanks to something we don't get to know about at the beginning, Tesla has a service dog—an actual dog, which is apparently a very big deal to see.
They're on a cruise from the Moon to Mars, and the ship they're on puts the lux in luxury (wow, that's a lame line). They plan on spending their time drinking ridiculous cocktails, having fun with various activities on board, and other honeymoonish activities. Sadly, someone is attacked while they're nearby and Shal's old instincts kick in and he chases after the assailant. The victim dies and Shal becomes the prime suspect because running away from the victim in pursuit of someone only you see tends to make the ship's security think you're lying.
Shal is content to let the authorities take care of things, certain that by the time actual law enforcement gets involved, he'll be exonerated. Besides, he's retired. Tesla cannot sit by and wait and she investigates on her own (ultimately Shal will get on board, but Tesla will do the bulk of the work).
TESLA AND SHAL
The best part of this book is probably the relationship between these two newlyweds. She shows a couple in love. Not a meet-cute followed by chapters of misunderstandings and near-misses, not a love unrequited for whatever noble/stupid/bureaucratic reason, not a couple in the first blush of infatuation and love, nor a couple trying to recapture something or having doubts. They are in love, they respect and support each other, and they actually like each other. I see this so, so rarely in stand-alones or series that it just fills me with joy to see.
They're not perfect (who is?), they bicker a bit—and there's some lying back and forth—mostly of the "I'm not in that much pain" type (which they generally readily admit to when asked). But even then, it's typically a lie told so the couple can accomplish something without the other being distracted by worry.
Sure, it's their honeymoon, so they are a little extra-lovey-dovey. But you get the impression they'd been together for a while pre-wedding and that this is pretty much the way they are together (if only because of the way Gimlet interacts with them).
I cannot express just how much I loved this couple. I wish I could see things like this more.
FANTINE
The only element of this book that I liked almost as much as their marriage was Tesla's lawyer, Fantine. Fantine isn't crazy about the way that Tesla and Shal are being treated and starts threatening various lawsuits.
Depending on where they are in the journey, there's a communication lag between the ship and her office, so she's continually responding to people 3-8 minutes after they've said something. The comic opportunities from that alone are great.
Add in Fantine's aggressiveness and you have gold. Think Dr. Perry Cox, but angry, her gift for creative insults and threats are gold. Fantine is clearly a power to contend with and has lawyers and security officers on the ship jumping to keep her from making the lawsuits she's planning from becoming even bigger. I could read a novella full of nothing but her yelling at people.
SO, WHAT DID I THINK ABOUT THE SPARE MAN?
I feel like I should be raving over this, shooting up fireworks, and putting on a song and dance show here, but I can't quite. The entire time I was reading, I wondered why I wasn't liking it more.
The dialogue was great—especially when it veered toward the banter (between Tesla and Shal, either of them bantering about the other, between them and a particular security officer). The characters leaped off the pages and were practically alive. The setting and all the SF accouterments were perfect. The mystery...was pretty good. Everything else I can think of to point to was outstanding.
But I never felt engaged with the work—I admire it, I can praise a whole lot of it, but I was never grabbed. It felt like an exercise, like someone executing a recipe or equation. Wonderfully executed, but it left me cold.
I expect I'm a minority report on that—at the same time, I want to stress that this is a really good book. I'm just saying that I feel I should be giving this 5-Stars, instead of the 4 I'm giving it. There's just so much to relish, so much to enjoy in this book that you should really ignore this last section and go get the book. It's taken a darker turn than I intended—or want to leave you with.
This really is a great mixture of SF and Mystery, with a classic feel to both elements and yet it's very much something that could only be produced in this moment. Kowall captured something here and you should really check it out.
---
"THE SAME, BUT DIFFERENT"
Despite it being on my list since High School, I've never gotten around to watching The Thin Man or the sequels. I haven't read Hammett's novel, either (on a similar list for almost as long). I know enough about them
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to catch the occasional allusion and to make the right guess when it comes up in a trivia game or crossword puzzle.Still, when I saw Kowall's piece on CrimeReads last month, "On Writing a New Take on The Thin Man, Set in Space", I was intrigued and my library put it into my hands a lot sooner than I expected.
So, all I know about the comparisons between this novel and the source/inspiration material comes from this piece. So I can't judge how much is Kowall being clever and inventive with her reworking and how much is just Kowall being clever and inventive. I can tell you there's a whole lot of Kowall being clever and inventive, though. I'm going to write this pretending it's all Kowall so if I give her credit for something I shouldn't have...whoops.
So I'll tell you now a couple of things before we dive in: 1. I won't appreciate everything she did in the way I maybe should. 2. (more importantly) You don't have to know anything about the movies or the book to appreciate this novel. You just have to appreciate goodness.
With that out of the way, let's dig in.
WHAT'S THE SPARE MAN ABOUT?
Tesla Crane—heiress, noted inventor, and celebrity—is on her honeymoon. Her new husband, Shalmaneser Steward, is a retired detective and isn't exactly a non-celebrity either. They are traveling under assumed names and in disguise to stay under the radar. They do get their fair share of attention, however—thanks to something we don't get to know about at the beginning, Tesla has a service dog—an actual dog, which is apparently a very big deal to see.
They're on a cruise from the Moon to Mars, and the ship they're on puts the lux in luxury (wow, that's a lame line). They plan on spending their time drinking ridiculous cocktails, having fun with various activities on board, and other honeymoonish activities. Sadly, someone is attacked while they're nearby and Shal's old instincts kick in and he chases after the assailant. The victim dies and Shal becomes the prime suspect because running away from the victim in pursuit of someone only you see tends to make the ship's security think you're lying.
Shal is content to let the authorities take care of things, certain that by the time actual law enforcement gets involved, he'll be exonerated. Besides, he's retired. Tesla cannot sit by and wait and she investigates on her own (ultimately Shal will get on board, but Tesla will do the bulk of the work).
TESLA AND SHAL
The best part of this book is probably the relationship between these two newlyweds. She shows a couple in love. Not a meet-cute followed by chapters of misunderstandings and near-misses, not a love unrequited for whatever noble/stupid/bureaucratic reason, not a couple in the first blush of infatuation and love, nor a couple trying to recapture something or having doubts. They are in love, they respect and support each other, and they actually like each other. I see this so, so rarely in stand-alones or series that it just fills me with joy to see.
They're not perfect (who is?), they bicker a bit—and there's some lying back and forth—mostly of the "I'm not in that much pain" type (which they generally readily admit to when asked). But even then, it's typically a lie told so the couple can accomplish something without the other being distracted by worry.
Sure, it's their honeymoon, so they are a little extra-lovey-dovey. But you get the impression they'd been together for a while pre-wedding and that this is pretty much the way they are together (if only because of the way Gimlet interacts with them).
I cannot express just how much I loved this couple. I wish I could see things like this more.
FANTINE
The only element of this book that I liked almost as much as their marriage was Tesla's lawyer, Fantine. Fantine isn't crazy about the way that Tesla and Shal are being treated and starts threatening various lawsuits.
Depending on where they are in the journey, there's a communication lag between the ship and her office, so she's continually responding to people 3-8 minutes after they've said something. The comic opportunities from that alone are great.
Add in Fantine's aggressiveness and you have gold. Think Dr. Perry Cox, but angry, her gift for creative insults and threats are gold. Fantine is clearly a power to contend with and has lawyers and security officers on the ship jumping to keep her from making the lawsuits she's planning from becoming even bigger. I could read a novella full of nothing but her yelling at people.
SO, WHAT DID I THINK ABOUT THE SPARE MAN?
I feel like I should be raving over this, shooting up fireworks, and putting on a song and dance show here, but I can't quite. The entire time I was reading, I wondered why I wasn't liking it more.
The dialogue was great—especially when it veered toward the banter (between Tesla and Shal, either of them bantering about the other, between them and a particular security officer). The characters leaped off the pages and were practically alive. The setting and all the SF accouterments were perfect. The mystery...was pretty good. Everything else I can think of to point to was outstanding.
But I never felt engaged with the work—I admire it, I can praise a whole lot of it, but I was never grabbed. It felt like an exercise, like someone executing a recipe or equation. Wonderfully executed, but it left me cold.
I expect I'm a minority report on that—at the same time, I want to stress that this is a really good book. I'm just saying that I feel I should be giving this 5-Stars, instead of the 4 I'm giving it. There's just so much to relish, so much to enjoy in this book that you should really ignore this last section and go get the book. It's taken a darker turn than I intended—or want to leave you with.
This really is a great mixture of SF and Mystery, with a classic feel to both elements and yet it's very much something that could only be produced in this moment. Kowall captured something here and you should really check it out.
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LibraryThing member Glennis.LeBlanc
Tesla Crane is enjoying her honeymoon under an assumed name to stay out of limelight and relax with her spouse. But leaving the karaoke bar, they find another passenger stabbed in the hallway. Shel is accused of murder and Telsa must out herself as the incredibly wealthy woman she is to make things
Digital review copy provided by the publisher through Edelweiss
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right. But just because you have money doesn’t make life grand, she suffers PTSD and crippling back damage due to an experiment in her lab several years ago. This is part of story, and it does frame how she does things with the case. More murders occur and connections between different passengers come to life as the story unfold. This is a good mystery story and I hope there will be more of Tesla, Shel and little Gimlet in the future. Digital review copy provided by the publisher through Edelweiss
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LibraryThing member LisCarey
This story is, basically, The Thin Man in space--a retired detective and his very rich wife, who become involved in investigating a murder. In this book, the very rich wife is Tesla Crane, a child of great wealth, but also a highly regarded and highly successful roboticist, whose career ended when
They are recently married, and are on their honeymoon, a cruise from Earth to Mars on the ISS Lindgren.. It's a luxury cruise liner with passenger rings that offer, inward to outward, Lunar, Martian, and Earth gravity. Tesla and Shal have a luxury suite in the "Yacht Club" section of the Earth ring. On their first night aboard, they have dinner in the R-Bar, where they watch the karaoke and witness an argument involving three passengers.
When they return to the Yacht Club section, Tesla pauses to talk to the concierge, while Shal goes ahead--and starts running when they hear a scream. When Tesla and Gimlet catch up with him, he's beside one of the passengers they say arguing in the bar. She's alive, but bleeding badly. Tesla takes over giving what first aid she can while Shal pursues the person he saw beside her body.
It doesn't take long before the semi-competent and bull-headed head of security, Security Chief Wisor, decides that Shal is the attacker, and has him locked up in a cell. He has no real legal basis for doing so, but Tesla has to reach her lawyer to get anything done, and they're already at the three-minute delay in comms point. Once Shal is sprung, they're still not allowed back to their own cabin, but to a much smaller and inferior one. It's the first of many minor and major harassments, that get harder and harder to correct, as time delays increase, and then their access to the network is blocked altogether. Tesla is a bystander to a conversation in which the captain learns someone put a body in the recycler, and it's so processed at this point that they can only tell by the excess weight. Oh, and they don't have any missing passengers. There's another roboticist on board, with her former actor/contortionist wife. There's also a boy who competed in a robotics competition Tesla judged, on board with his father who doesn't know that's where he was that weekend. There's the magician giving shows on the ship, who seems to have improbably broad access rights to restricted areas.
There's all the people who want to love on service dog Gimlet, which is sometimes a useful distraction, and sometimes--not.
There's another death, and another near-fatal attack. There's an attempt to poison Shal.
And someone is using a bot very like one of Tesla's medical bots, in other dangerous acts.
Meanwhile, ship service staff who should be witnesses to critical events become unavailable, with changing shifts and duty assignments.
Tesla's lawyer, Fantine, is a terror and a delight. Indeed, this is a book in which you will like the lawyers.
Gimlet is a very good depiction of a real service dog, smart, responsible, dedicated--but a real dog, not a robot.
Tesla is a woman with both physical handicaps due to her injuries, and PTSD and panic attacks from the incident that caused those injuries--and a real woman working with her real dog. She knows all the rules, and like her dog, she is not a robot, and sometimes does what seems good in the moment.
And like Tesla, and me, you will panic when Gimlet disappears, and can't be found.
There's murder, attempted murder, personal intrigue, corporate intrigue, with all the clues fairly available to the reader, along with misdirection and red herrings. The characters are well-developed and interesting,
It's a lot of fun. Recommended.
I received this book as a review copy, and am reviewing it voluntarily.
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a disastrous accident killed six people and left her with PTSD and chronic pain from her multiple serious injuries. The little dog is Tesla's service dog, Gimlet, a Westie, a.k.a. West Highland White Terrier. Tesla's retired detective husband is Shalmaneser Steward, called Shal. He was a working detective, and host of a reality TV series called Cold Cases. He retired when being famous made it impossible for him to blend into the backgroundThey are recently married, and are on their honeymoon, a cruise from Earth to Mars on the ISS Lindgren.. It's a luxury cruise liner with passenger rings that offer, inward to outward, Lunar, Martian, and Earth gravity. Tesla and Shal have a luxury suite in the "Yacht Club" section of the Earth ring. On their first night aboard, they have dinner in the R-Bar, where they watch the karaoke and witness an argument involving three passengers.
When they return to the Yacht Club section, Tesla pauses to talk to the concierge, while Shal goes ahead--and starts running when they hear a scream. When Tesla and Gimlet catch up with him, he's beside one of the passengers they say arguing in the bar. She's alive, but bleeding badly. Tesla takes over giving what first aid she can while Shal pursues the person he saw beside her body.
It doesn't take long before the semi-competent and bull-headed head of security, Security Chief Wisor, decides that Shal is the attacker, and has him locked up in a cell. He has no real legal basis for doing so, but Tesla has to reach her lawyer to get anything done, and they're already at the three-minute delay in comms point. Once Shal is sprung, they're still not allowed back to their own cabin, but to a much smaller and inferior one. It's the first of many minor and major harassments, that get harder and harder to correct, as time delays increase, and then their access to the network is blocked altogether. Tesla is a bystander to a conversation in which the captain learns someone put a body in the recycler, and it's so processed at this point that they can only tell by the excess weight. Oh, and they don't have any missing passengers. There's another roboticist on board, with her former actor/contortionist wife. There's also a boy who competed in a robotics competition Tesla judged, on board with his father who doesn't know that's where he was that weekend. There's the magician giving shows on the ship, who seems to have improbably broad access rights to restricted areas.
There's all the people who want to love on service dog Gimlet, which is sometimes a useful distraction, and sometimes--not.
There's another death, and another near-fatal attack. There's an attempt to poison Shal.
And someone is using a bot very like one of Tesla's medical bots, in other dangerous acts.
Meanwhile, ship service staff who should be witnesses to critical events become unavailable, with changing shifts and duty assignments.
Tesla's lawyer, Fantine, is a terror and a delight. Indeed, this is a book in which you will like the lawyers.
Gimlet is a very good depiction of a real service dog, smart, responsible, dedicated--but a real dog, not a robot.
Tesla is a woman with both physical handicaps due to her injuries, and PTSD and panic attacks from the incident that caused those injuries--and a real woman working with her real dog. She knows all the rules, and like her dog, she is not a robot, and sometimes does what seems good in the moment.
And like Tesla, and me, you will panic when Gimlet disappears, and can't be found.
There's murder, attempted murder, personal intrigue, corporate intrigue, with all the clues fairly available to the reader, along with misdirection and red herrings. The characters are well-developed and interesting,
It's a lot of fun. Recommended.
I received this book as a review copy, and am reviewing it voluntarily.
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LibraryThing member tldegray
It's Nick and Nora. On a cruise. In space. Nora is Tesla Crane: rich, famous, and plagued with survivor's guilt over a failed experiment. Nick is her retired detective and media star husband Shal. Tesla and Shal are honeymooning while in disguise, hoping for nothing more than relaxation with each
Digital review copy provided through Netgalley.
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other and Tesla's service dog Gimlet. What they get is murder, accusations, and a mystery Tesla cannot and will not let go of. The mystery is clever, the cast of characters varied and delightful. Digital review copy provided through Netgalley.
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LibraryThing member spinsterrevival
I absolutely loved this, and I really need to get in to all the other speculative novels I have in my tbr queue because I forget how awesome it is. Having loved Nick and Nora for over thirty years, I super appreciated this version set in space. But it was so much more as Tesla was the main focus
The handling of disability and chronic pain here was so well done; I actually had anticipatory horror throughout waiting for Tesla’s pain suppressor to quit working (a work colleague once shared that the remembrance of pain is what messes her up the most, and that’s how it is for me). The mystery and suspense here were great, and of course Gimlet the Wonder Westie was perfect; I don’t say it about very many books, but this would make an excellent film.
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here working to save her new husband Shal after he’s been framed for murder.The handling of disability and chronic pain here was so well done; I actually had anticipatory horror throughout waiting for Tesla’s pain suppressor to quit working (a work colleague once shared that the remembrance of pain is what messes her up the most, and that’s how it is for me). The mystery and suspense here were great, and of course Gimlet the Wonder Westie was perfect; I don’t say it about very many books, but this would make an excellent film.
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LibraryThing member bookczuk
A who-dun-it in space, with Mary Robinette Kowal's keen wit, excellent research, and meticulous eye for details. Nice. It's probably because I was suffering from an extreme case of vertigo while reading this that it didn't appeal to me as much as some other MRK writings., but I rounded up in
Oddly enough, the use of a cocktail recipe at the beginning of each chapter kept reminding me of two things-- Javaczuk's manuscript that is lingering in a drawer now for 9 years, which used the same type of chapter headings, and the custom we used to have of a well-made martini (one each) on Friday evenings, to celebrate the end of the week (before the pandemic hit and before we decided to stop imbibing.) But Gimlet was a companion I'd wish for should I ever need a service animal. Smarter than many humans I know.
2023 read
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starts. Oddly enough, the use of a cocktail recipe at the beginning of each chapter kept reminding me of two things-- Javaczuk's manuscript that is lingering in a drawer now for 9 years, which used the same type of chapter headings, and the custom we used to have of a well-made martini (one each) on Friday evenings, to celebrate the end of the week (before the pandemic hit and before we decided to stop imbibing.) But Gimlet was a companion I'd wish for should I ever need a service animal. Smarter than many humans I know.
2023 read
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LibraryThing member Shrike58
File under: Not the novel I was looking for. When I learned that this installment in Kowal's cycle about humanity's forced evacuation from Earth was going to be a whodunit, taking inspiration from classic Hollywood movies, I didn't feel particularly inspired. I really don't care about classic
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Hollywood movies and I'm not a murder mystery enthusiast. Still, I'm nominating for the Hugo awards this year so I figured that I had to give the story a chance. Guess what, my reaction was that this book was only okay, despite still showing Kowal's virtues of characterization and world-building. Show Less
LibraryThing member rivkat
Newlywed Tesla Crane wants to have a nice honeymoon cruise to Mars with her new spouse—a retired former detective—and her service dog. But someone keeps killing people and trying to blame it on her husband. Punctuated by cocktail recipes, this is an attempt at a classic Nick and Nora style
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mystery in spaaaace. I found it a bit too convoluted, but that is indeed classic, and it was interesting to have a main character with chronic pain issues (partially postponable with a deep brain implant, but only at a cost). Show Less
LibraryThing member krau0098
Series Info/Source: This is a stand alone book. I borrowed a copy of this on ebook from my library.
Thoughts: I've been waiting for the next book in the Lady Astronaut series to come out, looks like the 4th book, "The Martain Contengency", has been pushed out to Jan 2024 now... Then I saw that
This book follows Tesla Crane (an inventor and heiress) and her husband, Shal (a former detective) on their honeymoon cruise between the Moon and Mars. Unfortunately, shortly into their honeymoon a woman on board the ship is murdered and Shal gets blamed. What follows is basically a who-dun-it mystery where the body count keeps increasing and the evidence keeps pointing more and more towards Tesla and her husband.
I think I will start with what I liked here. I enjoyed that Tesla has a cute service dog and that she is dealing both with PTSD (from a horrible accident) and chronic pain. This adds an intriguing dimension to the story and really helps you engage with Tesla and her struggles. I enjoyed the idea of a space cruise ship as well.
There was a lot more I didn't like with this story. Tesla and Shal are very similar to Elma and Nathan from the Lady Astronaut series; their relationship dynamics are the same and they just felt like a repeat of characters we already know. The story doesn't seem to have much of a point. I think it's supposed to show how Tesla is rich but also sympathetic to the masses. However, she spends a lot of time being bossy and throwing her weight around which makes her unlikable. In the end, the story seems to be about how if you are rich and famous you can solve any problem. I didn't really get it.
I also thought the plot was a bit silly. The big reveal about who was behind the murders felt very anti-climatic. I feel like this story had a lot of potential but just kind of fizzled out. This feels very much like an unfinished side project. I struggled to stay engaged in the story after the first few chapters and almost stopped reading it a few times.
My Summary (3/5): Overall there are some things about this story I liked but a lot more I didn't like. In the end I waffled between 2 and 3 stars; I went up to 3 because I do like some of the elements that were added to Tesla's character. Unfortunately, I thought the plot was anti-climatic and the characters felt like repeats of other characters. I still do plan on picking up the next Lady Astronaut book, but hope Kowal shows a bit more breadth to her writing in that book. This was fairly disappointing for me.
Thoughts: I've been waiting for the next book in the Lady Astronaut series to come out, looks like the 4th book, "The Martain Contengency", has been pushed out to Jan 2024 now... Then I saw that
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Kowal was releasing this book and thought I would pick that up to tide me over. This book was okay but ultimately disappointing in many areas.This book follows Tesla Crane (an inventor and heiress) and her husband, Shal (a former detective) on their honeymoon cruise between the Moon and Mars. Unfortunately, shortly into their honeymoon a woman on board the ship is murdered and Shal gets blamed. What follows is basically a who-dun-it mystery where the body count keeps increasing and the evidence keeps pointing more and more towards Tesla and her husband.
I think I will start with what I liked here. I enjoyed that Tesla has a cute service dog and that she is dealing both with PTSD (from a horrible accident) and chronic pain. This adds an intriguing dimension to the story and really helps you engage with Tesla and her struggles. I enjoyed the idea of a space cruise ship as well.
There was a lot more I didn't like with this story. Tesla and Shal are very similar to Elma and Nathan from the Lady Astronaut series; their relationship dynamics are the same and they just felt like a repeat of characters we already know. The story doesn't seem to have much of a point. I think it's supposed to show how Tesla is rich but also sympathetic to the masses. However, she spends a lot of time being bossy and throwing her weight around which makes her unlikable. In the end, the story seems to be about how if you are rich and famous you can solve any problem. I didn't really get it.
I also thought the plot was a bit silly. The big reveal about who was behind the murders felt very anti-climatic. I feel like this story had a lot of potential but just kind of fizzled out. This feels very much like an unfinished side project. I struggled to stay engaged in the story after the first few chapters and almost stopped reading it a few times.
My Summary (3/5): Overall there are some things about this story I liked but a lot more I didn't like. In the end I waffled between 2 and 3 stars; I went up to 3 because I do like some of the elements that were added to Tesla's character. Unfortunately, I thought the plot was anti-climatic and the characters felt like repeats of other characters. I still do plan on picking up the next Lady Astronaut book, but hope Kowal shows a bit more breadth to her writing in that book. This was fairly disappointing for me.
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LibraryThing member Strider66
Pros: fast paced, fun characters
Cons: ending felt a bit underwhelming
Roboticist Tesla Crane and her new husband, Shalmaneser Steward, are enjoying their honeymoon on a cruise ship from the moon to Mars When Shal is accused of murder, Tesla must use her fame and money, and Shal’s experience as a
The book is very fast paced, introducing just enough character and setting to get you going before the first murder takes place. Then it’s a whirlwind of the couple investigating and trying to figure out what’s really going on while not becoming victims themselves.
The characters are a lot of fun. Shal and Tesla are a sweet couple who flirt a lot and really want some alone time. Tesla had an accident that’s left her with chronic pain and PTSD. The book does an excellent job of showing how trauma works as well as a brilliant future device that allows her to ‘dial down’ her pain, though there’s real danger in her injuring herself more by doing so. Their dog is absolutely adorable.
While I liked Tesla’s determination, towards the end of the book her bullheadedness started to grate a little. She comments at times about how she’s using her money to push for things regular people wouldn’t be able to, and to an extent she uses this for ‘good’, but it does seem to go too far at times. From a novel standpoint, there isn’t much getting around this if you want to stay with a singular point of view character, as you need your reader to learn things too, but it did feel like she was getting too much access, especially at the end. I wouldn’t have wanted to be any of the service people she dealt with.
The secondary characters - and potential suspects - are all eccentric in different ways, that makes them fun to learn about.
The resolution left me feeling a bit underwhelmed. I’m not entirely sure why as there was a good actiony sequence involved.
Ultimately it was a fun mystery in space.
Cons: ending felt a bit underwhelming
Roboticist Tesla Crane and her new husband, Shalmaneser Steward, are enjoying their honeymoon on a cruise ship from the moon to Mars When Shal is accused of murder, Tesla must use her fame and money, and Shal’s experience as a
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detective, to try to clear his name.The book is very fast paced, introducing just enough character and setting to get you going before the first murder takes place. Then it’s a whirlwind of the couple investigating and trying to figure out what’s really going on while not becoming victims themselves.
The characters are a lot of fun. Shal and Tesla are a sweet couple who flirt a lot and really want some alone time. Tesla had an accident that’s left her with chronic pain and PTSD. The book does an excellent job of showing how trauma works as well as a brilliant future device that allows her to ‘dial down’ her pain, though there’s real danger in her injuring herself more by doing so. Their dog is absolutely adorable.
While I liked Tesla’s determination, towards the end of the book her bullheadedness started to grate a little. She comments at times about how she’s using her money to push for things regular people wouldn’t be able to, and to an extent she uses this for ‘good’, but it does seem to go too far at times. From a novel standpoint, there isn’t much getting around this if you want to stay with a singular point of view character, as you need your reader to learn things too, but it did feel like she was getting too much access, especially at the end. I wouldn’t have wanted to be any of the service people she dealt with.
The secondary characters - and potential suspects - are all eccentric in different ways, that makes them fun to learn about.
The resolution left me feeling a bit underwhelmed. I’m not entirely sure why as there was a good actiony sequence involved.
Ultimately it was a fun mystery in space.
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LibraryThing member Stevil2001
This is a science fiction murder mystery, set in the 2070s aboard a Luna-Mars cruise; it's a bit of a Thin Man take, I guess, except I've never seen any of those films. (My knowledge of The Thin Man entirely derives from knowing that DC's Elongated Man is also a bit of a Thin Man take.) That is to
It has some interesting stuff going for it: reasonably consistent worldbuilding (which is important for a murder mystery), cocktail recipes as chapter epigraphs (some of which I would like to try), some fun stuff with a lawyer on an ever-increasing communications delay, accurate-feeling depictions of disability and service animals, but also good extrapolation of how they might work in the future
I'm not a terribly prolific reader of mysteries, but I have read my fair share (mostly Sue Grafton and Elizabeth George), and I did not think this was a very good example of the genre. It takes a while for it to get started: the murder happens pretty early on, but it's over eighty pages in before the protagonist actually starts asking questions. There are a lot of characters who are technically suspects, but none of them really feel like suspects; you as a reader are never like, "oh i bet that guy did it" because you are not really given enough to grab on to with all the many characters to be suspicious of them. Or even to be not suspicious of them, which is itself suspicious in a murder mystery. There are a few too many coincidences: three owners of major technology companies just happen to be on this cruise. One character has a completely coincidental link to the backstory of the protagonist and another completely coincidental link to the backstory of her husband. The solution depends on a piece of information not revealed to the reader until the end... but it felt like something that could have very easily but subtly been revealed much earlier to good effect.
I also struggled with the protagonist and her husband. She was basically fine, but I felt like Kowal is capable of better character work than we ultimately got with her. There are a lot of good ingredients to her—genius inventor, wealthy heiress, PTSD sufferer—but I didn't think they came together in a meaningful way. As for him, I struggled to understand his reasons for not wanting to get involved. I mean, sure, he's retired... but if you're the murder suspect and shipboard security clearly incompetent and the murderer is still on the loose, maybe your retirement rationale of "i got too famous to be effective" isn't very relevant any more!
(Despite the repeated assertions of someone I talked to on LibraryThing, this is clearly not set in Kowal's "Lady Astronaut" universe, but our own future.)
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say, the protagonist is married to a retired detective who is framed for murder, so she must investigate the crime to exonerate him.It has some interesting stuff going for it: reasonably consistent worldbuilding (which is important for a murder mystery), cocktail recipes as chapter epigraphs (some of which I would like to try), some fun stuff with a lawyer on an ever-increasing communications delay, accurate-feeling depictions of disability and service animals, but also good extrapolation of how they might work in the future
I'm not a terribly prolific reader of mysteries, but I have read my fair share (mostly Sue Grafton and Elizabeth George), and I did not think this was a very good example of the genre. It takes a while for it to get started: the murder happens pretty early on, but it's over eighty pages in before the protagonist actually starts asking questions. There are a lot of characters who are technically suspects, but none of them really feel like suspects; you as a reader are never like, "oh i bet that guy did it" because you are not really given enough to grab on to with all the many characters to be suspicious of them. Or even to be not suspicious of them, which is itself suspicious in a murder mystery. There are a few too many coincidences: three owners of major technology companies just happen to be on this cruise. One character has a completely coincidental link to the backstory of the protagonist and another completely coincidental link to the backstory of her husband. The solution depends on a piece of information not revealed to the reader until the end... but it felt like something that could have very easily but subtly been revealed much earlier to good effect.
I also struggled with the protagonist and her husband. She was basically fine, but I felt like Kowal is capable of better character work than we ultimately got with her. There are a lot of good ingredients to her—genius inventor, wealthy heiress, PTSD sufferer—but I didn't think they came together in a meaningful way. As for him, I struggled to understand his reasons for not wanting to get involved. I mean, sure, he's retired... but if you're the murder suspect and shipboard security clearly incompetent and the murderer is still on the loose, maybe your retirement rationale of "i got too famous to be effective" isn't very relevant any more!
(Despite the repeated assertions of someone I talked to on LibraryThing, this is clearly not set in Kowal's "Lady Astronaut" universe, but our own future.)
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LibraryThing member SChant
DNF@ 40%. Disappointing shambles by the author of the wonderful Lady Astronaut series.
LibraryThing member MHThaung
I liked the idea of this book, as a kind of spacefaring Golden Age murder mystery with (literally or metaphorically) champagne receptions, glittering society and so on. There were interesting themes around (ab)uses of power and influence. It was fun trying to guess everyone’s secrets.
I wasn’t
Overall, an entertaining mystery if a bit light on nuance for my tastes.
I wasn’t
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quite so taken with the execution, unfortunately. I never really warmed to any of the characters. Tesla’s use of wealth and status to push for whatever she was after at the time felt like an overused bludgeon. And cute doggies are all very well, but Gimlet felt like a Magical Cute Doggie—again, repetitive in use and outcome.Overall, an entertaining mystery if a bit light on nuance for my tastes.
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LibraryThing member lavaturtle
I loved this book! Colorful characters, a protagonist in an interesting situation, the world's best dog, and a bunch of cocktail recipes. And a future that's very gender-inclusive!
LibraryThing member theWallflower
I liked the Lady Astronaut series, and this promised to be like that with a little less hard science, so I was eager to pick it up. But I didn’t like it at all.
It’s a “cozy mystery”. Kind of like Death on the Nile or some other old-timey Sam Spade detective novel. Reading was frustrating
The text. Is. Repetitive. And it’s repetitive over two things. One is that the main character has a back injury and she’s constantly talking about her chronic pain. Every page she’s turning up or down the “pain management system” she’s got implanted. By the end, she must look like all the Rolling Stones AND Motley Crue put together.
The other thing is that she is on a honeymoon cruise with her husband (who’s an actual detective but he’s the suspect). And they are so lovey-dovey with each other I think I got a cavity. It’s obnoxious. This girl is high maintenance. She always needs her dog with her, she’s always suffering from PTSD. But I’m not the audience for this book. I almost stopped reading a few times, but I kept going because I thought it might be like Terraforming Romance. I was very glad when it was done. At least, I don’t have to like it to use it as a comp.
It’s a “cozy mystery”. Kind of like Death on the Nile or some other old-timey Sam Spade detective novel. Reading was frustrating
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because I kept waiting for them to get to the next uncovered clue. It always seemed like the story was padding itself in-between plot points, which was frustrating. Like the book itself was practicing delayed gratification. And in the last chapter, it’s like the characters don’t even care that they went through all this trauma. They’re not changed.The text. Is. Repetitive. And it’s repetitive over two things. One is that the main character has a back injury and she’s constantly talking about her chronic pain. Every page she’s turning up or down the “pain management system” she’s got implanted. By the end, she must look like all the Rolling Stones AND Motley Crue put together.
The other thing is that she is on a honeymoon cruise with her husband (who’s an actual detective but he’s the suspect). And they are so lovey-dovey with each other I think I got a cavity. It’s obnoxious. This girl is high maintenance. She always needs her dog with her, she’s always suffering from PTSD. But I’m not the audience for this book. I almost stopped reading a few times, but I kept going because I thought it might be like Terraforming Romance. I was very glad when it was done. At least, I don’t have to like it to use it as a comp.
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LibraryThing member Treebeard_404
Kowal never disappoints! Few authors can carry off a mash-up of science fiction and mystery. But Kowal does it with a tight whodunnit, interesting characters, and cocktail recipes.
LibraryThing member jennybeast
I'm feeling super critical right now, and that stinks. I really like Mary Robinette Kowal in general, and I appreciate that writing in a pandemic must be the absolute worst. I'm sorry. If you're reading this, I think you rock, and yet this book is just not quite there for me.
Pluses: love the
Minuses:
The celebrity card, the wealth, the privilege -- I get it as a plot device, but it just feels icky. Does it make me consider my own privilege? Yes. Is that comfortable or fun? No. Do I feel even more annoyed by the fact that it doesn't bother me to read regency romances where all the characters are nobility and I'm balking at Tesla Crane? Yep, yep, yep. Perhaps it is my own hypocrisy screaming at me, but it's really hard that the main character mostly succeeds by wielding her power and yet is constantly guilting over it.
The attempt at gender neutral language -- boy, this is a tough one, because I'm all for the language revolution, and I absolutely love books that can pull it off (hello, Ancillary Justice). Unfortunately, here it's clunky enough to distract from the story. And I would be down with that, if it was a contemporary book - I mean, we are clunky right now! But it's set in the future and all of that awkward pronoun sharing, making a big deal of Ma'aming someone, really awkwardly highlighting Mx and spouse -- instead of normalizing gender neutrality, it somehow amps it up instead. And that makes me sad, because I view the role of speculative fiction as opening a door to the future we could have, and I'd like a less awkward one. (also, in the ARC there are a couple of reversions to husband during the ice cream shop scene, and that's even more jarring)
I'm having a hard time with the cop characters -- are we now? Are we in the future? Is there a place for this level of throwback, hard boiled, only going to do the surface job character? It just feels like a lot of leaping to conclusions that is followed by over-reactive consequences. I loved the time-delayed crocheting lawyer, but the fact that she was needed in order to get even a minor reaction from the cruise company was depressing as hell.
Maybe that's what's really bothering me about this book -- it hits a little too close to home with too many things that are going on right now, and that just makes me sad. Is that a mark of bad writing? Or brilliance?
Advanced Reader's Copy provided by Edelweiss.
Pluses: love the
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characters. Love that it's a mystery set on a cruise to Mars on a bonkers ship. Love reading a main character who is not only consistently in pain, but is also equipped to manage it (kind of) and has a service dog. I love the wild imagination of it all, and the tragic back story and the honeymooning. Minuses:
The celebrity card, the wealth, the privilege -- I get it as a plot device, but it just feels icky. Does it make me consider my own privilege? Yes. Is that comfortable or fun? No. Do I feel even more annoyed by the fact that it doesn't bother me to read regency romances where all the characters are nobility and I'm balking at Tesla Crane? Yep, yep, yep. Perhaps it is my own hypocrisy screaming at me, but it's really hard that the main character mostly succeeds by wielding her power and yet is constantly guilting over it.
The attempt at gender neutral language -- boy, this is a tough one, because I'm all for the language revolution, and I absolutely love books that can pull it off (hello, Ancillary Justice). Unfortunately, here it's clunky enough to distract from the story. And I would be down with that, if it was a contemporary book - I mean, we are clunky right now! But it's set in the future and all of that awkward pronoun sharing, making a big deal of Ma'aming someone, really awkwardly highlighting Mx and spouse -- instead of normalizing gender neutrality, it somehow amps it up instead. And that makes me sad, because I view the role of speculative fiction as opening a door to the future we could have, and I'd like a less awkward one. (also, in the ARC there are a couple of reversions to husband during the ice cream shop scene, and that's even more jarring)
I'm having a hard time with the cop characters -- are we now? Are we in the future? Is there a place for this level of throwback, hard boiled, only going to do the surface job character? It just feels like a lot of leaping to conclusions that is followed by over-reactive consequences. I loved the time-delayed crocheting lawyer, but the fact that she was needed in order to get even a minor reaction from the cruise company was depressing as hell.
Maybe that's what's really bothering me about this book -- it hits a little too close to home with too many things that are going on right now, and that just makes me sad. Is that a mark of bad writing? Or brilliance?
Advanced Reader's Copy provided by Edelweiss.
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