Amateur sleuth Mallory Viridian, now settled on the sentient space station Eternity and raising a baby spaceship, is drawn into chaos when a ship embodying the entire Internet arrives with a murder mystery convention—and a real murder to solve. Blending cozy mystery with inventive sci-fi, the story explores themes of connection, adaptation, and the challenges of navigating both human and alien relationships amid meta pop culture references and interstellar intrigue.

Reader Review Summary

Set on the sentient space station Eternity, the third installment in the Midsolar Murders series follows amateur sleuth Mallory Viridian as she navigates a new wave of chaos brought by the arrival of the data ship Metis, which carries the entire Internet from Earth and a mystery fan convention. Mallory, who has a history of murders occurring around her, is reluctantly thrust into the spotlight as the convention’s keynote speaker, a role arranged by her literary agent. The plot weaves together multiple threads: Mallory’s attempts to parent a baby sentient ship named Mobius, the arrival of Queen Tina with a new alien species, the mysterious nature of Metis and its holodeck-like capabilities, and the inevitable murder of Mallory’s agent during the convention. The narrative incorporates elements of science fiction, mystery, and meta-commentary on fandom and pop culture, with a cast of humans, aliens, and sentient ships, and explores themes of connection, adaptation, and the challenges of communication across species and technologies.

Readers appreciated the book’s imaginative world-building, particularly the depiction of sentient ships like Mobius and Metis, and the integration of alien cultures and relationships. The humor and quirky tone were frequently highlighted, with several reviewers enjoying the meta aspects, such as the Internet ship’s holodeck recreations of fan fiction and memes, and the murder mystery convention setting. The development of recurring characters, especially Mallory’s growth and her interactions with both new and familiar faces like Tina and Xan, was noted as a strong point. The narration by Kelsey Navarro Foster received positive feedback for bringing distinct voices to the diverse cast, and many found the blend of cozy mystery and science fiction elements engaging.

Some readers expressed dissatisfaction with the pacing, noting that the central murder occurs late in the book, leaving the mystery component feeling rushed or underdeveloped. The frequent shifts in point of view and timeline were described as confusing, and some found the narrative structure jumpy or inconsistent. The heavy inclusion of pop culture references, fan fiction, and Internet memes was divisive, with some finding it distracting or cringeworthy. A few reviewers felt that certain characters, such as Tina, became less compelling or more irritating, and that the book leaned too much into silliness or filler content. There were also comments about unresolved plot points, abrupt endings, and continuity issues, particularly in advance review copies.

The book is not recommended as a standalone, as it builds heavily on the world and character arcs established in the previous entries of the series. The story features multiple subplots, including Mallory’s struggles with her writing career, her evolving relationship with the Sundry hivemind, and the challenges of raising a sentient baby ship. The arrival of new alien species and the exploration of the Internet as a physical entity add layers to the setting. The series continues to blend genres, appealing to readers who enjoy both science fiction and cozy mysteries, and leaves several threads open for future installments.