I’m not a cozy mystery fan but I couldn’t resist the set up of a sci fi mystery with a protagonist being a middle aged librarian. She even has an android cat.
Breathing Space
by Kristen PainterPublished on January 31, 2025
Pages: 301
Format: eBook Source: Kindle Unlimited
Step into the enigmatic world of the Athos—a vessel that blends the luxury of a cruise ship, the intrigue of a scientific research station, and the might of a military starship. Here, amidst the stars, you'll find Ellis McFadden, the ship’s head librarian, embarking on adventures she never anticipated this late in her career.
Even better that she gets to experience it all while in proximity to her daughter, who just happens to be the vice admiral. But life aboard the ship takes a darker turn when a library patron is found dead, and Ellis falls under suspicion.
With her reputation on the line, Ellis must navigate a labyrinth of secrets and lies. Armed with her wits, the loyalty of her eclectic friends, and her trusty android cat, she dives into a mystery that's as thrilling as the unexplored galaxies around her. Can she find the critical evidence to clear her name before the next jump into the unknown?
I liked the world of the Athos. It is a luxury star cruiser. It is a vacation ship for most people but the main characters are crew and/or lifelong residents. They see a different side of the ship than the cruisers. Ellis is the head librarian. She is a widow. She took the job to stay near her daughter who is the vice-admiral of the cruiser. (This is a timeline that seems near future. Humans were given the technology for space flight by an alien race. This ship is probably never going back to Earth. That part of the world-building is unclear.)
I need a really good reason for ordinary people to get involved in solving crimes to keep reading a mystery book. In the first book Ellis is mostly annoyed that people suspect her of murder because she knows that she didn’t do it. She meets a man who has technical skills more advanced than most people know. They use his know-how to keep tabs on the investigation to make sure that no one is actually trying to pin this murder on her.
Star Power
by Kristen PainterGenres: Fiction / Science Fiction / Mystery
Published on March 31, 2025
Pages: 319
Format: eBook Source: Kindle Unlimited
The latest adventure sees the ship approaching a mesmerizing nebula, the centerpiece of a grand gala. It’ll be an evening filled with the galaxy's elite, all gathered to marvel at this cosmic wonder and the legendary gem rumored to be born from its very core.
But when this priceless jewel vanishes, Ellis, along with her dashing new boyfriend, Frank, and her charming android cat, has no choice but to find the gem. Failure could mean an interstellar incident, resulting in Ellis, and her daughter, the Vice Admiral, being ousted from their celestial home. Can they solve the mystery in time to save their place among the stars?
In the second book, Ellis’ daughter is in trouble because there is a theft of a priceless artifact during a state visit on the ship. But no one is admitting that there is an issue so there can’t be an official investigation. Because her mother and her mother’s boyfriend and their android pets were being sneaky and investigating before, she tells them to go ahead and do it again to try to get ahead of whoever is trying something underhanded.
This book has more on how you would live on a ship like this. What is there to eat is a huge topic of discussion. What can they grow? What does crew get vs paying passengers?
I really like the pets. Harry the cat is very sweet. He has a cat bed that is actually a charger and he likes to watch animals on TV.
Genres: Fiction / Science Fiction / Mystery Published on May 31, 2025
Format: eBook Source: Kindle Unlimited
The plot thickens when the Athos comes to the aid of a stranded craft, taking aboard three mysterious sisters and their father. They offer a tantalizing visions of the future for those eager to know their fate. The crew and guests are soon captivated by the predictions.
But Ellis senses something amiss. The price for these glimpses into tomorrow seems too steep. So she, boyfriend Frank, and her android cat investigate, uncovering dubious secrets, but her friends are already entranced by the charlatans' charms. Can Ellis break the spell and save the ship's crew from an ominous future?
The people in these books definitely have some biases. They aren’t fans of vegetables and they don’t see the point of meditation. I don’t think I’d fit in with them. But it serves them well in this book where stranded aliens are picked up by the Athos at the beginning of a six week period when they don’t have cruisers on board. All the staff is looking forward to relaxed duties but these aliens start to occupy people’s thoughts and time.
By now these people are just used to snooping around so they take it on themselves to poke into people’s business.
I would read more of this series if she writes more. These all came out in a six month period so I don’t know what the plan is.
