THE DOUBLE DOROTHY rating: five stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐.
I’m in love with these bite-size science fiction novellas by Olivia Waite. The Dorothy Gentleman series is as delicious as it is sometimes perplexing. In The Double Dorothy (March 9, 2027), the third book in the Dorothy Gentleman series, there are two Dorothys Gentleman, Ship’s Detective(s). One has a bad heart, and one is (surprise!) a gentleman.
Arthur Cumberlane died and illegally received one of Dorothy’s brain backups. I should back up. On board the optimistically named spaceship HMS Fairweather, the passengers need to stay alive for the thousand-year voyage in space, so there is a library of minds, overseen by Librarians and by the ship’s mind, Ferry. These book-minds contain memories and whatever else the mind or soul (or whatever makes an individual unique) consists of. When you die, your latest backup (mind-book) is downloaded into a new body. It’s an Elon Musk fever dream. The Fairweather is now five centuries into the voyage and the Halfpoint celebrations are in full swing.
Thanks to Edelweiss Plus Above the Treeline and Tor/Macmillan for sending this book to me for review consideration. All opinions are my own.
The Dorothys’ only family, Rutherford “Ruthy” and his husband John, immediately dub the younger Dorothy “Uncle Dorothy” and it sticks.
What better sidekick than yourself with a few memories missing? You might think. However, the elderly (OG) Dorothy has a fatal heart condition and finds Uncle Dorothy more annoying than helpful. The Dorothys begin to investigate the crime and discover there is a 500-year-old hack in the system, and they think the reason for the crime is in somewhere the month-long memory gap between Dorothy’s most recent mind-book upload and the illegal creation of Uncle Dorothy–which means Aunt Dorothy is in grave danger, if her fatal heart condition does not kill her first.
The novella is just awesome for the queer representation, the exploration of the mind-body problem, the difference in young vs. old brains, and the brilliant crime and solution. I wanted it to be just a bit longer, but I always do!
Reading in Context:
The OG Dorothy is elderly and using assistive technology during this novella, which made me think of other detectives that I have loved or currently love who are differently abled. The wonderful Sir John Fielding mysteries (1994-2000) by Bruce Alexander (1932-2003) featured a main character who was Blind. He is based on a real historical figure! I always drop everything for the latest Pentecost and Parker mystery by Stephen Spotswood. Lillian Pentecost and Willowjean “Will” Parker are the detective team in this terrific hardboiled mystery series set in New York City following World War II, and while I confess Will is my favorite character, I’m also fascinated by Lillian, who has multiple sclerosis which sometimes slows her down. If you are looking for a great series with tough women sleuths that doesn’t have many books in it yet, there are only four of these so far.
What I’m Reading Now:
Dead Beat by Leigh Bardugo, third in the Alex Stern series (September 15, 2026).
#DorothyGentleman #OliviaWaite #sff #ScienceFiction #mystery #queer #DisabilityAwareness #SirJohnFielding #BruceAlexander #BruceCook #PentecostAndParker #StephenSpotswood