I could not with this book. I just could not. When the blurb spoils that the POV character is going to prison, and it immediately opens with her mega convinced that she's not going to serve jail time, and her lawyer REINFORCES that belief... No. Just no. Could not get throught that section. Shame, because if I'd gotten to the actual murder mystery part, the blurb made it sound exciting. I just couldn't make myself read what was sure to be a trainwreck of a trial. The prospect of seeing all the MCs hopes and dreams come crashing down on them on chapter 2 did not get me hooked at all. DNF at 4.5%

Murder on the Interstellar Express felt to me like a mixture of Among Us, Agatha Christie, and a sprinkle of the 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle. The characters were SO fun and different, and the pace kept me buckled up and ready for the next chapter. I can’t wait to see what Bell begrudgingly solves next!

Murder on the Interstellar Express was a fun combination of sci-fi and mystery. While I loved the humor and the satire. Some parts of the story fell a little short. Some of the humor did not hit its mark. But while that was the case Murder on the Interstellar Express was a fun read.

Bellerophona "Bell" Beauregard, lately of the human colony in Anaranjado, has spent all of her life spitting on the face of authority. Up to the moment we meet her, that has meant mostly engaging in relatively petty violations of law--such as having replaced a good 99% of her body with cybernetics--and avoiding work. Including actively doing any spitting; so long as she continues to be paid, that's enough "sticking it to the man" for her.

Then, in a moment of weakness, she actually does something: she replies to a call for assistance from another colony--and unleashes an invasion of the planet by a bunch of cannibalistic forms of life.

Oops.

Beware: lots of swearing, some of it pretty inventive; so many double entendres and sexual innuendos, it almost crossed into "that got old" land; quite a bit of gore, some of it explicit; mental and emotional abuse.

Bellerophona "Bell" Beauregard, lately of the human colony in Anaranjado, has spent all of her life spitting on the face of authority. Up to the moment we meet her, that has meant mostly engaging in relatively petty violations of law--such as having replaced a good 99.9% of her body with cybernetics--and avoiding work. Including actively doing any spitting; so long as she continues to be paid for doing as little as possible, that's enough "sticking it to the man" for her.

Then, in a moment of weakness, she actually does something: she replies to a call for assistance from another colony--and unleashes an invasion of the planet by a bunch of cannibalistic forms of life.

Oops.

It has been a while since I've read non-romance science fiction, so not only I am not familiar with the author's work beyond this book, but if there are any common genre tropes present in the text, I likely missed them. I also don't have cable or do streaming, but even a Luddite like me has been exposed to the basic premise of "Among Us", so I must gather the similarities have already been noted.

The story is narrated entirely from Bell's deep point of view; she's foul-mouthed, sarcastic, has the attitude of a spoiled yet resentful teenager, and is perennially horny. I strongly recommend checking out a sample of the book if you can, because if her voice doesn't click for you, then it's not likely you'll enjoy the book.

With that said: I started reading this late on a Saturday, and didn't look up until I finished, and the birds were singing outside, on Sunday.

The worldbuilding is so very good, complex yet easily accessible, internally consistent yet dynamic; there is enough detail about both the physical and geopolitical aspects, as well as the social and cultural issues to ground the story, to ground the story, presented organically as Bell moves in the world.

All the secondary characters, from Bell's love interest to the ship's brain (indeed, an organic brain--even if "meat is the worst"), to each and everyone of her fellow crew members and a few others, are very well rendered as individual beings, with different levels of detail (one is fully mechanical, two are non-human lifeforms); partly depending on how big a part they play on the action, but also because of Bell's own biases and prejudices.

Our heroine does have some very strong opinions about a good many things.

The plotting is exquisite, and only more so because the action moves so quickly, and--provided the reader is into Bell's voice--that it's only after being utterly gobsmacked very near the end, when all the breadcrumbs pay off, that just it becomes apparent just how cleverly it is all done.

Here I'll note that, when all is said and done, there is a lot of commentary on current events in both the plot and the worldbuilding, but while there are are hints and sort of throwaway observations from very early on, it hits a lot harder near the end (especially if you pay any attentions to the news).

Also, let's hear it for the channel titles, they are most excellent indeed.

My only quibble--and it as quibbles go, it's minor--was that occasionally Bell was just a bit too much. I believe that she is coded as having ADHD--the short attention span, the sudden fixations, and so forth--but the relentless horniness got a bit on my nerves, as did the almost-willful lack of verbal filter.

Both the dedication and the acknowledgments at the end indicate that this novel is a departure for the author; I am glad he decided to go for it. And, as it is also a first in series, I can look forward to the next time Bell has to--very begrudgingly, of course--put some effort into solving a mystery.

Murder on the Interstellar Express gets a 9.25 out of 10.

Murder on the Interstellar Express offers a unique blend of sci-fi, mystery, and humor that kept me entertained, but it didn't fully win me over. The concept is intriguing, and the plot has some engaging twists, but the humor was hit or miss for me, and the protagonist, while fun, felt a bit cliché at times. The external POV might have had something to do with that, as the humor didn't land as well as it would have, had the story been written in first person POV. The side characters had potential but were underdeveloped (especially the aliens! I wanted to know more about them before [spoiler] they died tragically. The plot moved steadily throughout the book, except in the ending. which felt really rushed - the author dropped a lot of lore all at once, in a very clear "tell, don't show" way, and that took a bit of the fun of the ending away for me.
Overall, it's a good read if you're looking for something light and quirky, but it didn't quite reach the heights I hoped for.

2.5 rounded up
Things I liked
-the humor, there were times when I enjoyed the humor and it made me smile more than a few times. It was hit or miss though.
-the main character was a fun protagonist. She was your typical hothead but I like that she didn't always have to charge in or make a scene. The synthetic additions to her body were cool and made for some interesting situations and humor
-the setup of the mystery drew me in and was interesting at the beginning.

Things I didn't like
-the humor, there were times when I just rolled my eyes or sighed at the jokes being made. If you like the humor of a 13 year old boy, you'll probably like this.
-the side characters were underutilized and underdeveloped. I wanted to spend more time with each of them, especially the aliens. I did like Loopy though!
-the mystery got less engaging as the story went on and I'm not sure how I feel about the resolution of the mystery. I didn't see it coming and while there was a little foreshadowing, I think the clues could've been better.
-the end of the book felt a bit rushed and the author included some stuff that I didn't really feel was necessary to the story.

What drew me in was the first line of the description: "Deadpool’s sarcastic potty mouth meets a closed room murder mystery in space." Unfortunately, I couldn't find Deadpool's sarcastic potty mouth. The book is written in third person narration and that makes any sarcastic remark a commentary on the people in the scene and by that less funny than a first person potty mouth remark à la Deadpool. This is why I had a hard time sticking to the book and eventually DNF'ing at about 30%. It just didn't work for me based on that Deadpool premise. I might have stuck with the book had there not been that marketing parallel.

DNF at 20%

When I saw this book I was ready to see a funny murder mystery set in space. Sadly, nothing worked out for me.

This is not Deadpool humour. Just because the F word is used a lot, there are innuendos and some sarcastic remarks, it doesn't mean it's like Deadpool's. There are other subtleties that make it work that I didn't see present here. For starters, the third-person narrative wasn't a good choice. This turned innuendos and sexual jokes that should have come from the character into the narrator sexualizing the character. I felt I wasn't laughing with the character but instead laughing at the character. Deadpool narrates his own story so any sexual jokes are about himself or, if they are about others, they are never in a demeaning or judgemental way.

This brings me to another point, the protagonist is a female character. In the early chapters, there is a joke about the character being versatile in linguistics and referring to her talent to use her tongue in other ways... if you know what I mean. Wink, wink. And this joke would be fine if it wasn't told by the narrator. When I read it, all I could think of was every time I listen to teenage boys and even grown men and women, making this sort of remark implying the female in question was a slut. So the main character, the one I should root for, laugh with and accompany in this book and in the ones that will come after, was reduced to an object, sexualized, judged and disrespected. And this was not what I signed up for.

The humour really missed the mark for me. And about the murder mystery part, it was only about 20% of the story when the murder happened. I can't speak of how good or bad the mystery will be. I wasn't enjoying the narration, I didn't connect with the characters and there wasn't anything to keep me going. Forcing myself to continue reading this book wouldn't turn it into a favourite despite how good the mystery might be. I would only get more upset. So the best thing to do is close the book and move on.

I love science fiction mixed with mystery, and the homage to Agatha Christie in the title drew my attention. To me, this is heavier on the humorous part of science fiction and lighter than I cared for in the mystery aspect. The dialogue and inner dialogue of the main character Bell are lengthy and rarely funny. We're bashed over the head with how horny and quirky she is, and I just didn't care. I think this is a plot-driven book that still depends heavily on whether you can handle spending that much time with Bell, and ultimately, I got tired of her very quickly.

A special thank you to Net Galley, Cursed Dragon Ship Publishing and Gregory D. Little for the opportunity to read this novel ahead of publication!

This book caught my eye because it was described as a murder mystery in space with a comedic MC, and I agree with this 1 0 0 %.

I had SO MUCH FUN reading this book!! Bell’s inner thoughts and the characters’ dialogues made me laugh out loud, and whenever I read Bell say something I thought, “That’s so on brand for Deadpool”. The novel's cast of characters are memorable because they are unique. As someone interested in psychology and linguistics, I was fascinated by their technology and appreciated how integral it was to the plot, character designs and the mystery. The story explores the exploitation of people for the benefit of the wealthy, and what happens when inventions originally created for the good of many are put in the wrong hands. The fast pace and unexpected twists of this thrilling, high stakes sci-fi novel kept me engaged and wanting to know what could possibly happen next.

Overall, this book was such a fun mix of sci-fi, mystery, thriller, and comedy with a dash of romance. I enjoyed the sense of humor and look forward to the next instalment of Bell's story!! You will enjoy this book if you like:
🌱 books involving advanced tech and space
🌱 funny MCs and equally hilarious side characters
🌱 high stakes and fast-paced murder mysteries

This book is the first of the series, "Bell Begrudgingly Solves It". It comes out on August 13, 2024, go check it out!!

This Agatha Christie-sque in space, lives & dies with its lead character who is profane, vulgar & sarcastic all the way through this entertaining, hilarious and “loopy” novel

MCU in their Phase 2 and 3 became popular for prefacing their release by juxtaposing the comic book movie in a different genre movie - like The Winter Soldier was a comic book movie as a political thriller, and Ant-Man was a comic book movie in a heist. Increasingly, SFF books also have juxtaposed murder scenarios in a fantasy or an SF setting. One of the most entertaining books of the year was The Tainted Cup by Robert Jackson Bennett featured murder in a Pacific Rim-like Leviathan-dominated environment. Murder on the Interstellar Express sets the murder on a half-built colony ship and has our narrator, Bell Beauregard serviced to indenture on this ship, being woken up halfway through the journey as part of the emergency maintenance crew and finds herself enmeshed in a murder investigation immediately. I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review through NetGalley.

“You are like a little kernel of disruption, Bell Beauregard. Everywhere you go, smooth currents are cast into turbulence, focus becomes distraction, order yields to chaos”

This is a book that will live or die basis how much you love and relate to Bell. Bell is easy to root for in some ways because she is super snarky and humorous (intentionally and unintentionally). She isn’t always easy to root as a lot of her humour is significantly inappropriate. Bell hasn’t met a dirty joke that she couldn’t sully further as a defense mechanism. Throughout the book, Bell displays a healthy disdain for authority and a cynicism that befits someone bred in relatively high society. She is also someone who is only part human - having converted significant parts of her body into cybernetic augmentations. And she is super horny to boot for most of the book - all of which make for a character providing immense entertainment even as she is the prime suspect for the murder on board. She also got the immense hots for another member of the crew, Tas who isn’t enhanced in any way and that adds a level of intrigue and mystique for Bell.

“The truth is I have trouble staying on task with things I find unpleasant. I tend to default to whatever I find most comfortable” “And that would be hitting on me?”

There are other crew members that have been woken up for the emergency maintenance that the colony ship needs, both human and non-human species, and the sentient AI, that Bell christens Loopy. The half-constructed nature of the colony ship adds to the sense of malfunction pervading through the ship even as systems conveniently go off-track as the body count starts to pile up. Every suspect seems to have an alibi and Bell is literally cast as the default suspect by everyone else (entirely due to her big mouth). All this even as systems begin to fail across the ship leading to a sense of urgency overall

“It was perhaps the first time in history where both members of a romantic partnership were punching above their weight class and could do better simultaneously”

As said before, this is a super fun book depending on your enjoyment but what is undeniable is the propulsive nature of the narrative. The start of the book is a bit confusing and Bell’s motives aren’t fully explained but once she is woken aboard the ship, it is tremendously entertaining. What the book does rather well even as it is set significantly in the future is to comment on the very human nature that hasn’t changed even in the future. The humor element is present throughout the book but as things go down to the serious end, other things start to pop up - some of the backstories start to become important and the book ultimately becomes about names, masks, and memories and the false nature associated with them.

“The power, the stakes. I guess when you are that rich and you know no one dares hold you to account, you have to go way, way beyond the pale to find anything resembling a thrill”

There are a few twists that appear towards the back end of the story and escalate the stakes - things that seem unconnected come together at the end, but not very smoothly. I believe that was a part that should have been less clunky and telegraphed better throughout the book. It also tries to tie things back to events happening eons ago - while I wasn’t fully on board with the events and the emotions, the writing in that part of the book was particularly strong. The book ultimately builds up to something bigger than just the murder mystery and those sequences, if a bit on the petty side, are a commentary on human nature more than anything. That said, the ending presents an interesting conflict for Bell and her actions and choices at the end do remain consistent with who Bell is - impulsive, snarky, cynical but still soft at her very core.

Murder on the Interstellar Express is a fascinating, funny, and entertaining murder mystery that does keep you guessing on the perpetrator and the motivation - the murder mystery is quite well done while the overarching mystery and tension needed some finesse and heft to really make it count. Bell is a fun character and narrator who drives the story forward and ultimately is the barometer of your enjoyment of the story.

Rating - 3.5 Colony Ships on 5

As a fan of both sci-fi and Agatha Christie, Murder on the Interstellar Express immediately caught my attention. The story follows Bell Beauregard, who’s definitely not your typical hero. After being labeled a traitor and shipped off-world, she’s woken from cryosleep on a half-built colony ship, only to find herself accused of murder. The title’s nod to classic mysteries had me intrigued, and the plot delivered with plenty of twists as Bell tries to clear her name.

The humor is hit or miss, with Bell’s sharp tongue and sarcastic remarks sometimes feeling a bit over the top. That said, I liked how the story moved quickly and kept me engaged with its mix of mystery and sci-fi elements. The whole “closed room” setup in space works well, and while I wish there was a bit more depth to some of the characters and world-building, it was still an enjoyable read. Bell’s reluctant detective act and the evolving dynamic with Tas added an extra layer of fun to the story.

I was a couple of pages into this book when I decided that I didn’t like it. The tone felt a bit all over the place and the sci-fi buzzwords and clumsy tech-talk were kicking around in abundance. I’m glad I stuck it out, though. I didn’t care for the opening, wherein the main character is introduced and she is given a reason for being on the ship. Once we get onto the ship, however, things pick up hugely.

It’s not the first book with an offputting opening. One of my favourite novels is the Scottish classic, Sunset Song, and it has an introduction that I recommend people skip and then return to later. The opening pages of To Kill a Mockingbird aren’t great either, and that book goes on to soar. Sometimes these stories take a bit of setting up, or are slow to get off the ground.

Once we’re on the ship, the Ultima Thule, we are immediately a claustrophobic world of intrigue, murder, and humour; all delivered via compelling, interesting, and distinct characters. The characters are the real strength of this novel. Our no-nonsense protagonist, Bell, is sentenced to indentured servitude aboard the hastily-built Ultima Thule colony ship and the subsequent colony that will follow. Her dry humour and determination make her relatable, as she jokes and flirts her way through the story. Whilst the characters of Tas, Fault, and Xian are also very interesting to me, my favourite secondary character is the Ultima Thule itself, or rather the ship’s biological brain. Given that the ship launched early, it wasn’t quite ready and so has a quirky personality that seems to flip between coy and arch at a moment’s notice. I’ll come back to that.

The central mystery of the novel is well constructed. Regular readers know I like a good investigation, and have written at length about structuring them for investigative roleplay. The pacing of the investigation feels spot-on and escalation and progress, when they occur, feel earned.

Dialogue is very well done, and characters have their own clear, unique personalities. Interactions between characters feel genuine, and take those personalities into account. The interactions with the ship’s brain are the most interesting ones, especially as it starts to show signs of strain and the faults in the ship become more apparent. I did say I’d return to this character. This is a blog that is primarily about tabletop gaming, and in this character, I see elements of a more adolescent version of Paranoia’s Friend Computer. I’d love to run a game of Paranoia based on this book. I think it would work really well as a solid Paranoia one-shot.

The ending is a little drawn out and perhaps a little much. I think that things could have ended a little more simply, or a little sooner and the book would have been better for it. Still, I see what the author wants to do, and it does work, even if it’s a little Altered Carbon.

If you’d told me at the start of this novel that I’d have been rating it 4 stars, I wouldn’t have believed you, but I had a lot of fun with this book, and I didn’t want to leave the Ultima Thule by the end. I didn’t realise when reading it that it was going to be a series. I’m happy to see that.

*Murder on the Interstellar Express* is a sci-fi/fantasy pastiche that blends beloved genres with a fresh, intergalactic twist. Gregory D. Little’s foray into this type of storytelling results in a novel that is both engaging and complex, though it may not be for everyone.

The story revolves around Bell, a lesbian cyborg detective, who navigates a web of intrigue and murder aboard the Interstellar Express. The plot is filled with twists and turns, and the mystery at its core keeps readers hooked. Little's creativity shines through in the diverse array of characters, including a variety of aliens and humans who are far from ordinary. The interplay of these characters and their distinct traits adds depth to the narrative, making the book an enjoyable read.

One of the standout aspects of *Murder on the Interstellar Express* is its unique concept and the execution of its plot. The title alone is enough to pique interest, and the synopsis promises an exciting adventure. The book delivers on this promise with a story that is more complicated and engaging than it initially seems. The plot twists and mysteries are well-crafted, making the story's progression intriguing and dynamic.

However, the humor in the book can be a hit or miss. Some readers may find the attempts at humor forced and the jokes repetitive. Bell’s over-the-top personality and constant innuendo might be overwhelming for some, but others may appreciate the bold and brash style. Humor is highly subjective, and while some readers may not find it effective, others might enjoy the lighthearted and irreverent tone.

The pacing of the novel is generally good, though the ending may feel abrupt to some. The open-ended conclusion leaves room for sequels, which could further explore Bell's adventures. While the characters are unique and well-drawn, there are moments where the story feels surface-level and conventional. Despite this, Bell remains a compelling protagonist who manages to carry the story effectively.

Overall, *Murder on the Interstellar Express* is a good book for fans of space operas and those who enjoy a blend of sci-fi and fantasy elements. It’s an original take on a classic trope, filled with humor and mystery. While it may not be the best introduction to speculative fiction, it’s a fun and highly readable novel that offers a fresh perspective on the genre. For those willing to embrace its quirks, *Murder on the Interstellar Express* provides an entertaining journey through the stars.

**Rating: 3.5 out of 5**

Sometimes I had to come up for breath while reading this, because things happen at an extraordinary speed. I liked the fact that Bell, who is not a real human anymore (except she still remembers how it was to be one) deals with everything that’s thrown at her during her unexpected and unwanted stay on a colony ship.
And of course, I liked the tile of this book and it was very well chosen, as turns out. On the other hand, I would have like to read more about Bell’s background, and about the background of the several colonies as well. Not to mention the aliens, because the aliens aboard the ship are very interesting but still they lack a bit of depth.
I can only hope that this story will get a second or even more parts, now we got to know Bell rather well. It’s space opera in optima forma!
Thanks to Cursed Ship Dragon Publising and Netgalley for this review copy.

I enjoyed this book overall. It's characters were unique and consistent throughout the story. The plot had plenty of twists and turns throughout it. While the story had several graphic scenes, I never found it to be excessive or offensive. The overall pacing of the book was good, however, I felt that the ending came to a rather sudden end. I would probably read the next book in the series to see where the story takes us.
Thank you to the author and publisher for the opportunity to read this and give my unbiased opinion.

I love a good sci-fi/fantasy pastiche of beloved genres that don't usually get represented within SFF, and this one is enjoyable enough, though Murder on the Interstellar Express feels a *little* surface-level. I've never read Gregory D Little before, but I get the impression that this isn't the type of story he usually writes, but that's FINE. I think the story's a little conventional, but Bell is a compelling enough character that I didn't feel like my time was wasted. If Little does more of these, I'm hopeful we can get something a little more unconventional, because I'd love to see more of Bell.

This was generally a fun read! I really loved the first half with its mystery and good humour. Belle was a really fun character to follow and I loved her interactions with the other characters (though the constant sexual innuendos were a bit much sometimes). The aliens were really cool, as was the idea of the Anaranjadan society- I could totally see something like that being reality! However, the comedic tone did clash sometimes with the really quite horrific description of the murders so I’m not quite sure how to feel about that.
The plot was really unique and original, with really great tension that kept me guessing throughout! It was clearly really intricately thought out, with lots of little clues as to who the murderer was some of which I did notice and some of which I didn’t! Though, I did begin to feel a bit overwhelmed towards the second half when the initially slow(er) pace erupted into an avalanche of plot twists and action. While it was well written, the fast pace made it a bit difficult for me to understand the motivations of certain characters, which took away from the story a little bit for me.
It was certainly a unique read and, though some elements worked better than others for me personally, this was good fun overall and I’d recommend it to anyone looking for a unique sci-fi story with a little bit of political commentary and mystery sprinkled in!

3.5 stars

The idea of this book is brilliant! To be honest, it had me at the title, really. How could you resist that? And when you read the synopsis things get even better. Because yeah, this book is a murder in space, with a ton of humor in it too. And it turns out that things are even more complicated than what we expected in the beginning.
I think that the plot, with all the twists and the mysteries, was the best part.
The characters are intriguing, even more so because we have aliens, and humans that are not really humans as we intend it now, and it was fascinating to see all of these differences play out before our eyes. Bell is a good MC to follow, even if she is quite the clichè, and her interactions with the other characters are an abundance of cliches. But it is not bad, it works well in the book.
What didn't work so well for me was the humor. Mind me, I appreciated it, but from time to time it was like the author was trying too hard to be funny. But still, I had some laughs here and there, and humor is a highly personal thing, it is always hit or miss, because it is not a fixed thing. And maybe you would find that this is exactly your kind of humor, and you would have a blast out of it.
To me, it was the weakest point, but it still worked, so it is not all bad!
All in all, I think that this is a good book to spend some hours with. It is an original take on a pretty classic trope, and it is well done. It is also funny and highly readable!

Being an Agatha Christie fan, the title of this book drew my attention. And being also an avid science-fiction reader, I quite liked the idea of a closed 'room' murder mystery in space. That fact that the tone of the book was humorous and the main character foul-mouthed and snarky, was icing on the proverbial cake.

After reading the book, I must say that I have mixed feelings. The plot - and its many twists, as is customary in a murder mystery - is intricate, well thought-out and never predictable. The writing style is fast and fluid, and the dialogues are often funny, with each character (especially the aliens) having their own distinctive voice.

And yet ... the characters are - to me - the weakest part of the book. The main character, Bell, and Loopy, the ship's mind, were fine, but I found that I didn't care enough for the other characters to stay engaged and excited for the unravelling of the murder mystery. There wasn't enough backstory to make them real, not enough exploration of their motives, and no 'Hercule Poirot' to investigate the murders and to reveal a number of clues and red herrings. I would have liked less 'snarkiness' and some more depth.

All in all, a quick and rather pleasant but also, quite forgettable read.

Thank you to NetGalley and Cursed Dragon Ship Publishing for for providing me with an ARC in return for an honest review.