sherlock holmes

Detective Work in Jupiter’s Orbit: The Imposition of Unnecessary Obstacles

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Have you ever longed for a journey that combines the intellectual rigor of a scholarly puzzle with the thrill of space opera? Look no further! The Imposition of Unnecessary Obstacles by Malka Older landed on my reading list like an unexpected comet, whisking me away on an interstellar adventure filled with intrigue and wonder. Join me as I reunite with Investigator Mossa and Scholar Pleiti, navigating the vast expanses of Jupiter’s settlements and the intricate corridors of human complexity.

Blurb

Investigator Mossa and Scholar Pleiti reunite to solve a new mystery in the follow-up to the cozy space-opera detective mystery The Mimicking of Known Successes, which Hugo Award-winning author Charlie Jane Anders called “an utter triumph.”

Mossa has returned to Valdegeld on a missing person’s case, for which she’ll once again need Pleiti’s insight. Seventeen students and staff members have disappeared from Valdegeld University—yet no one has noticed. The answers to this case may lie on the moon of Io—Mossa’s home—and the history of Jupiter’s original settlements during humanity’s exodus from Earth.

But Pleiti’s faith in her life’s work as a scholar of the past has grown precarious, and this new case threatens to further destabilize her dreams for humanity’s future, as well as her own.

My thoughts

Returning to the world of Mossa and Pleiti was like a reunion with old university friends—familiar yet full of surprises. Malka Older’s vision of life on Jupiter is an absolute treat, crafting worlds both vast and intricately detailed. The day-to-day peculiarities of Jupiter’s settlements—the railcars, the interplay of the moons, and the reconstructed diurnal rhythms—illustrate Older’s extraordinary skill in world-building.

This sequel poses an intriguing question: Why do we complicate our lives in the pursuit of simplicity? It’s a contemplative thread that weaves through the narrative, prodding us to examine our own convoluted paths to ‘better’ living. The Holmesian overlay in this installment is more pronounced, teetering on the edge of pastiche at times. While it’s a charming nod to the detective genre, it occasionally distracted from the novel’s own original voice—something I savored in the first book.

Nevertheless, the journey was worth the ride. Older’s blend of brain puzzles and cosmic exploration is as thought-provoking as it is entertaining. And though the detective homage is strong, the heart of the story—questioning our self-imposed complexities—resonates profoundly.

For those who fancy a cerebral jaunt across space with a dash of detective flair, The Imposition of Unnecessary Obstacles is a worthy expedition. Just be prepared for the occasional echo of deerstalker caps amidst the stars. I wonder how I didn’t notice how Sherlockian their dialogue was before: did I miss it in the first book, or is it just more extreme here?

As I closed the book, I was left with a sense of fulfillment and curiosity. Malka Older has once again proven her ability to entangle the cosmic and the personal, making us ponder the universe’s mysteries and our place within it. So, if you’re ready to embark on a journey that’s as introspective as it is interstellar, grab your space gear and dive into “The Imposition of Unnecessary Obstacles”. Let’s unravel the universe’s puzzles together!

Expected Publication Date 13 Feb 2024 from Tor Publishing Group, TorDotCom

A Study in Scarlet Women

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by Sherry Thomas
Reviewed by SA

I absolutely love the character of Sherlock Holmes. I grew up reading Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s works, watching the shows and movies that were inspired by the character, ever pretending I could solve a mystery like him, too. So when I got a hold of this new series, I was skeptical: I have read many ‘female Sherlock’ stories, and almost all of them disappointed me. But this time, I think we have a winner: because this Charlotte Holmes manages to take the Sherlock trope and somehow make it entirely new again. I loved the book, and I loved her.

Summary28588390

With her inquisitive mind, Charlotte Holmes has never felt comfortable with the demureness expected of the fairer sex in upper class society.  But even she never thought that she would become a social pariah, an outcast fending for herself on the mean streets of London.
 
When the city is struck by a trio of unexpected deaths and suspicion falls on her sister and her father, Charlotte is desperate to find the true culprits and clear the family name. She’ll have help from friends new and old—a kind-hearted widow, a police inspector, and a man who has long loved her. But in the end, it will be up to Charlotte, under the assumed name Sherlock Holmes, to challenge society’s expectations and match wits against an unseen mastermind.

Let me dismiss a few expectations right now: no, this is NOT a rehash of Study in Scarlet. Watson is not looking for a roommate and stumbling upon a genius detective and a case that needs cracking. This story is completely different, and completely new. The similarities are in some parts in name only, or incredibly subtle. In fact, if this book wasn’t being advertised as being Lady Sherlock, you wouldn’t see it all at once.  Right then, let’s move on!

The story opens with Charlotte Holmes being publicly humiliated, caught in the bed of a married man. Hello! She only intended to make herself ineligible for marriage, to force her family to pay for an education she could not be able to afford otherwise. But with the public shame, she’s now an outcast and a social pariah. If she wants to make her way as in independent woman in victorian London, she’s going to have to find herself a source of income, and fast. But with her genius mind, that shouldn’t be too difficult, right?

There seemed to be many stories going on here at once: the murders, which have left the inspectors baffled, and the story of Charlotte, a young woman trying to make her way in a world where women must know their place. I was fascinated by the steps she had to take, first to distance herself from the institution of marriage, and then just to get a job. It made me very glad to be living in the 21st century, where I can go to university to study physics and entirely fund my own education. And wear pants.

The mystery itself was a little slow paced, but I loved Charlotte’s insight as Sherlock. With the help Mrs. Watson, they establish a little scheme to allow Charlotte to take on cases while pretending her ‘brother’ Sherlock was ill. Every little deduction is incredibly clever, though required thinking as a victorian. In the end, the resolution of the crime came tumbling all at once, but it all made incredible sense, and tied in neatly with the ‘original’ Study in Scarlet. It was so clever!

While I loved Charlotte, I had to say that at times her character was a little inconsistent. She’s a genius, and yet doesn’t always see very far ahead. She’s a little stubborn and headstrong, rushing into some actions without thinking them through. And yet, she’s so relatable. Her love of food echoed my own.

So if you want historical fiction that will have you feeling like you’ve been plunged into the period, and a fantastic lady protagonist with genius intelligence, while at the same time a tribute to Sherlock Holmes? Then you’re going to want to read this book.

Only downside: we’re going to have to wait quite a while for the sequel to come out! Curses!

I received an Advance copy of this novel from Berkley Publishing. Thank you, BerkleyPub! 

Side Note: Charlotte’s story made me think a lot about The French Lieutenant’s Woman (Fowles), only with Sarah had been a little more proactive.