The Spare Man

De: Mary Robinette Kowal

Narrado por: Mary Robinette Kowal

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.

Really good

Thanks to Amy (redfraggle) on the Morning Stream podcast for suggestion of this very enjoyable listen.

Ok detective story

Overall the story was good and kept you interested in it.Crane's lawyer verbal assaults were the best part. Where can I get one like her? Granted I can't afford a millisecond of her fees but would be nice to have.

I'm not a big fan of author reading books as tend to be better at writing then reading, but this was a good performance.

Listen to the end!

I thoroughly enjoyed this book because of the narration. It was lively and emotional. But listen to the very end; the Science and Mixology were stupendous.

Nick and Nora!

This is a book I would read again. maybe even next week. That says a lot since I almost never reread a book. Ms. Robinette does a wonderful job of recreating the mood of the thin man books and movies, including the cocktails! And of course the precious dog. Her writing is amazing. This is my first book of hers and I will definitely look for more just for the witty writing.

Mary knocks it out of the park yet again.

another fantastic book by Mary Robinette Kowal. What a powerhouse! this one was a bit lighter and fluffier than the Lady Astronaut of Mars series but still engaging from the get-go.

What a fun mystery.

I love Mary Robinette Kowal and expected greatness from her. So how could I resist. When this book came out. I really love her! Plus I loved the Thin Man movie series... although I watched 'em so long ago that I couldn't even remember the actors names only that, there's a white westie named Asta, and that the movies were Mysteries! This is Mary's recreation of a Thin Man movie. Taking place on a cruise ship to Mars. And I really enjoyed the book. Ohhhh and about the movie, I have an ace up my sleeve! I have a friend, she's a movie buff! She'll let me know if the book stays true to the movie...

Here's a couple of quotes that gave me a chuckle.

"Which, if Tesla knew Fontien, she sounded like she was going to reach through the cosmos and pull out their intestines and use it for macrame."

"You manmoring lobster."

Mostly loved it

I was skeptical but ended up liking the characters and the sweet little dog. The drink mix recipes at the begging of each chapter got to be annoying though. The story was unpredictable yet the way the main characters were treated was frustrating at times. I enjoyed it enough to recommend and may check out the authors other books.

Great idea but just OK in the rendering…

Repetitive peril befalling the MCs gets very old very fast. Also I just can’t deal with the gender binary pronoun madness… I’m too old for that crap.

Murder mystery on a spaceship

Mary Robinette Kowal’s The Spare Man is a light-hearted murder mystery set on a spaceship, which resembles a cruise ship, traveling from Earth to Mars. An Elon Musk style billionaire heiress is traveling incognito on her honeymoon. Her husband is a former police detective. They stumble across the murder and her husband is considered the prime suspect. With her husband under ‘cabin’ arrest, she solves the cases to clear his name, along with the assistance of her Earth-bound lawyer.

Kowal sets the style of the ship and the players like the 1930’s hugely successful Nick and Nora Charles detective tales that were also popular films. Drinking is prominent throughout with each chapter named for a particular drink, along with its instructions. The legal interludes are quite humorous.

The narration is well done, especially given that the author provides the narration. Character distinction is good with brisk pacing making for a quick listen.

A breathtaking feat of science fiction, mystery, and style.

The Spare Man is a phenomenal sci-fi mystery that feels like a great read for pretty much anybody. Like old Hollywood whodunits? The Spare Man. Like sci-fi with modern social cues? The Spare Man. Like inclusivity of gender, ethnicity, culture, and disability? THE SPARE MAN. Gorgeously written (and performed) by Mary Robinette Kowal, this is going to skyrocket to the top of my recommendations list for years to come.