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, a brilliant inventor and an heiress, is on her honeymoon on an interplanetary space liner, cruising between the Moon and Mars. She’s traveling incognito and is reveling in her anonymity. Then someone is murdered and the festering chowderheads who run security have the audacity to arrest her spouse. Armed with banter, martinis and her small service dog, Tesla is determined to solve the crime so that the newlyweds can get back to canoodling—and keep the real killer from striking again.

Tesla Crane is on her honeymoon, incognito to avoid the crowds that normally overwhelm her in public. But only a few days out on their voyage to Mars someone is murdered and her husband is framed. The ship’s security seems determined to pin the murder on Tesla’s husband and then there is a second murder. Armed with her wits, her husband’s skill (he’s an ex-detective), an adorable service dog and more money than almost anyone else on board she is determined to solve the murders and get back to her honeymoon.

A delightful story, sort of a The Thin Man in space as Tesla, her husband Shal and her little service dog, Gimlet, work together to solve the murders. The story features a future where gender ID is a common part of one’s introduction and “courtesy masks” are so commonplace as to not be remarked upon. Tesla has a disability but is not helpless even though her PTSD sometimes sneaks up on her. A quick, enjoyable read; I confess I was not sure of the murderer’s identity until just before Tesla discovered it. This has all the traits to become a delightful futuristic mystery series and I hope we see more adventures with Tesla, Shal and Gimlet. ~~ Stephanie L Bannon

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