Nobody’s Baby by Olivia Waite

TL;DR: An absolutely delightful sequel to a delightful cozy mystery.
Source: NetGalley, thank you so much to the publisher!

Plot: Where did this baby come from on a ship full of people who shouldn’t be able to make on?
Characters: I loved these characters, across the board. Dorothy isn’t an overwhelming character so the others can shine.
Setting: The ship has an early 1900s feel so it’s unique and interesting.
Cozy Science Fiction: This has a perfect cozy vibe while also capturing a SF twist. I loved that.

Summary:

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.

A wild baby appears! Dorothy Gentleman, ship detective, is put to the test once again when an infant is mysteriously left on her nephew’s doorstep. Fertility is supposed to be on pause during the Fairweather’s journey across the stars—but humans have a way of breaking any rule you set them. Who produced this child, and why did they then abandon him? And as her nephew and his partner get more and more attached, how can Dorothy prevent her colleague and rival detective, Leloup, a stickler for law and order, from classifying the baby as a stowaway or a piece of luggage?

Told through Dorothy’s delightfully shrewd POV, this novella series is an ode to the cozy mystery taken to the stars with a fresh new sci-fi take. Perfect for fans of the plot-twisty narratives of Dorothy Sayers and Ann Leckie, this well-paced story will leave readers captivated and hungry for the next installment.

Thoughts:

Delightful. Lovely. These are the best words I can pick to describe this book. Murder by Memory was an incredibly short little cozy mystery novella that introduced Dorothy Gentleman, and this slightly longer sequel built out her world and family so well. A baby turns up on her nephew’s doorstep and we get caught up in a surprisingly intricate plot around who had the baby and what to do with the baby. The baby itself is loved and cared for the whole time, so there is no emotional manipulation on that part. Instead we’re just following the clues with Dorothy to find out his making.

This touches so lightly on choice, who deserves to be remembered, and life in general. These are all so gently shown that it’s almost missed but it’s handled so well for such a light touch. We see more of a returning character (I won’t spoil) from the previous book, and much more of her nephew and his partner. The only character I still want so much more of is Ferry, the ship.

If you liked Murder by Memory, you’ll like this. It’s short, and I genuinely wish it was longer, but I loved what I got and I don’t have anything negative say. What a delight.