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A review by bhnmt61
The Spare Man by Mary Robinette Kowal
5.0
This was super fun. It started slowly, but by the end, I couldn’t read fast enough. Newlyweds Tesla Crane, a wealthy heiress, and Shalmaneser Steward, a retired detective, are on a luxury space ship on their way to honeymoon on Mars when people start to die. And they die in ways that make Tesla and Shal look like murderers. What can they do but try to find the real killer?
To the reviewers who are complaining about Tesla’s obvious wealth and privilege, it might help to be aware that Kowal draws inspiration from the old Nick & Nora “Thin Man” movies made in the 1930s-40s. The whole idea was the flirtatious interplay between wealthy Nora and her retired detective husband Nick. They perpetually had a drink in their hands and a wisecrack or a smooch to share. And in their spare time they solved mysteries. My only irritation was the extremely thin line between being brave and being stupid, which Tesla manages to cross on a couple of occasions. But it all comes right in the end, because of course it does. Nick and Nora would allow nothing less. Four and a half stars rounded up.
To the reviewers who are complaining about Tesla’s obvious wealth and privilege, it might help to be aware that Kowal draws inspiration from the old Nick & Nora “Thin Man” movies made in the 1930s-40s. The whole idea was the flirtatious interplay between wealthy Nora and her retired detective husband Nick. They perpetually had a drink in their hands and a wisecrack or a smooch to share. And in their spare time they solved mysteries. My only irritation was the extremely thin line between being brave and being stupid, which Tesla manages to cross on a couple of occasions. But it all comes right in the end, because of course it does. Nick and Nora would allow nothing less. Four and a half stars rounded up.