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Space is the final frontier, the place no one can hear you scream, which makes it the perfect setting for a good murder mystery. I’ve got nine must-read spacefaring mysteries for you on the list below, and that’s only scratching the surface of what’s out there.
In many ways, almost every novel is a mystery novel. There’s always some key detail the protagonist must uncover to truly understand their situation. That detail is often buried deep in the novel’s second act, just on the cusp of the third. We read to solve the mystery.
Don’t worry, though, I’m not playing philosophical games with the books on this list. These are all tried and true mysteries, mostly of the murder variety. The spacefaring mysteries on this list all take place in societies where space travel is the norm, and many of them are set in outer space itself: on distant worlds, space stations, interstellar cruise ships, etc.
Best of all, these genre-blending titles will appeal just as much to sci-fi aficionados as to fans of mysteries and thrillers. If you’re trying to broaden your literary horizons, these books are a great way to dive into two new genres at once. Keep scrolling to find nine must-read spacefaring mysteries you can check out today.
Must-Read Spacefaring Mysteries
Seven of Infinities by Aliette de Bodard
Set in Aliette de Bodard’s Xuya Universe, Seven of Infinities follows a poor tutor and a sentient mindship as they try to solve a mystery involving the former’s student. Vân is on the brink of losing her tutoring gig and having her illegal mem-implant uncovered when her student, Uyên, arrives to say that her latest guest is now dead. Who killed the visitor? And why? It’s up to Vân and the thieving mindship, Sunless Woods, to solve the mystery before it’s too late.
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The Space Between Worlds by Micaiah Johnson
With multiverse travel all but perfected, the Eldridge Institute of Earth Zero is in search of ideal world-hopping candidates. Since no one can travel to a world in which their doppelganger exists, Cara—whose dops have died in 372 worlds—is exactly what they’re looking for. But when one of Cara’s few existing dops dies unexpectedly, she’s plunged into a mystery that could threaten the very fabric of the multiverse itself.
The Spare Man by Mary Robinette Kowal
Heiress and inventor Tesla Crane just wanted to get away for a while. That’s why she booked a honeymoon cruise from the moon to Mars—and why she opted to travel incognito. But when someone dies on board, Tesla’s husband is framed for the murder. It’ll take all her wits to clear his name and catch the real perp before they kill again.
Station Eternity by Mur Lafferty
Mallory Viridian was supposed to be the only human on board this space station. Ever. That was the agreement she reached with the brass—an agreement intended to keep others safe from the deadly curse that plagues her. Now, a shuttle from Earth is arriving, bringing Mallory’s past along with it. Suddenly, no one is safe from dying… not even the alien lifeforms she thought were immune to her problem.
A Memory Called Empire by Arkady Martine
When the Teixcalaanli Empire demands a new ambassador from Lsel, they get the woefully underprepared Mahit. People in Lsel use imago implants to retain the memories and personalities of their predecessors, but Mahit’s imago is 15 years out of date. And when Mahit comes face to face with the corpse of her predecessor, her imago retreats, leaving her to solve the mystery of his death alone.
The Mimicking of Known Successes by Malka Older
The Earth is no longer inhabitable. Humanity has rebuilt its existence on a railway system surrounding Jupiter. Pleiti, a scholar of flora and fauna on Earth-that-was, holds out hope for humanity’s eventual return. Then she’s drawn into her ex-girlfriend, Mossa’s, investigation into a colleague’s apparent suicide. As the mystery unfolds, Pleiti realizes that humanity’s return to Earth—and its future on Jupiter—might both be on the line.
Braking Day by Adam Oyebanji
Braking Day is approaching. That’s when the three generation ships that left Earth behind will begin their descent toward humanity’s new home. Before Braking Day arrives, would-be engineer Ravi has the chance to pull his family out of the Archimedes‘ huddled masses. Then he sees the girl. A girl floating outside the ship. A girl without a helmet. A girl only he can see.
Far from the Light of Heaven by Tade Thompson
First mate Shell Campion looks like a murderer. After waking up from 10 years in cryo, she discovers 31 of the 1,000 people aboard her colony ship dismembered. It’s clear that something has gone wrong with the AI. But who would have tampered with it? And why? Shell must work with investigators Rasheed and Salvo to clear her name.
Murder by Memory by Olivia Waite
No one truly dies aboard the Fairweather. A lifetime of memories can be stored inside one of the glass books in the library. Those memories can then be downloaded into a new body if necessary. That’s exactly what happens to ship detective Dorothy Gentleman, who awakes in Gloria Vowell’s body with the knowledge that a murder has taken place on board. The victim and Gloria shared a connection, and Dorothy might be making one of her own… with a murder suspect.
Want more mystery and sci-fi content? Check out these excellent sci-fi series to listen to on audio, and see if you can identify these murder mysteries based on their 1-star reviews.