Categories
mystery Science Fiction

Cat Rambo, Helene Tursten

A search for cozy mysteries became a week of crime with retirees.

TLDR: So funny! Read this serial killer novel.

An octogenarian, hard of hearing and often stooped over, finally has the life she wanted. She lives in a large apartment rent-free, travels public transportation on a pensioner’s permit, and eats the meals that make her most happy. Maud travels Europe alone now that her sister has passed, and she spends her days quietly. Maud is a picture of quiet retirement. And so she would remain, except when she is interrupted.

Maud is a serial killer. Don’t get between her and that sweet retirement life.

This series of vignettes follows the troubles that Maude encounters, how she solves them by getting the offending person out of the way, and in one case, the officers trying to solve mysterious murders that happen around her. The tongue-in-cheek writing style keeps the mayhem fun.

TLDR: Shockingly good space story: cooks, sentient ships, and conscription.

Niko was the organizer in her mind-hive conscription military outfit. Niko and her lieutenant got out by becoming artists: the elite and respected level of society. they took most of their crew with them. Their art? Food Prep.They run into a princess and Niko’s history with a scary mob/pirate king type character and have to find their way back to their normal lives.

Cat Rambo's Book Cover: You Sexy thing

The title is the name of a ship. Think over-the-top-pleasure vessel names like Rocky’s Retirement or the Cindy Lou Who.

If you like heist novels and Becky Chambers space romps, this is a book for you. Cat Rambo has always moved between genres, but this foray into a new space opera series is a perfect novel to jump into. I can’t express how right this book is for this moment in our collective space opera reading, not-really Post Covid society. Do yourself a favor and read this book.

December Reads: Cat Rambo's You Sexy Thing, Helene Tursten's An Eldery Lady is up to No Good, Martha Well's All Systems Red, and The Little old Lady Who Broke All the Rules all in audiobook cover

I don’t review eveyrthign I listen to in the week, but here’s the run-down if you want to get in touch to talk about them. I’ll come back when I have time to talk about the books that really struck me as fun.