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The Spare Man

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About this listen

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.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.

©2022 Mary Robinette Kowal (P)2022 Audible, Inc. Hard Science Fiction Science Fiction Fiction
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An excellent rollicking murder mystery set on a space cruise ship. Loved the non binary use, taught me a lot. And oh my lord, someone create a Gimlet plushy! And more stories with Maria please.

Totally enjoyable!

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A very slow burn.
The author reading her own book is doing a good job, but I struggled telling some characters apart.
The sci-fi elements felt like worked in with a wrench, just an occasional nod to the fact they're traveling in space... Alcohol on the other hand is mentioned much more often. Why? We'll never know, as I've DNF'd this one as it really wasn't worth my credit or time.

DNF

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Unless you are a recovering alcoholic as this is a great book it has so many lovely cocktail recipes.

Fantastic

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A really good, fun murder mystery. Has the sense of intrigue and satisfying pleasure you get with an Agatha Christie, but it's in space too! The author uses that context fully to add in some really nifty little details and juicy plot twists. Plus, there is a cute dog and an absolutely hilarious lawyer.

Explores ideas about gender, mental health and disability too, generally very respectfully and inclusively. However, one non binary character is sort of deadnamed at one point, not in spite and which made sense in the context as it was relevant to the investigation... but didn't feel quite right (but I'm cis and maybe I'm reading too much into that).

I can't wait to try some of the cocktails now! There is a lot of drinking though so for anyone who struggles with alcoholism, this is not a good book for you as it really will set you off.

I was really impressed by the range of voices - I hadn't realised the author was narrating it herself, that's amazing!

A jolly good murder mystery with a novel and very fun sci fi setting

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Characters like Weiser were too annoying to enjoy the story at moments. Besides that it was a fun story.

Annoying characters

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