Reviews
“Every once in a while, a book comes along that is both a comfort read and a rousing, fist-pumping adventure, and The Mimicking of Known Successes absolutely is both of those things. An utter triumph.”—Charlie Jane Anders
“Older has created a wonderfully sci-fi take on the gaslamp mystery. Add in the wry depiction of academia and the warmly authentic portrayal of a relationship in the process of rekindling, and this is exactly my kind of story!“—Freya Marske
“Malka Older’s The Mimicking of Known Successes mixes Holmesian mystery, Sapphic romance, petty academic politics, and post-apocalyptic speculative ecology into a delightful and unexpected concoction. The perfect book to curl up with when the wind is howling outside, even if it’s only a Terran blizzard rather than a Jovian superstorm.”—Ruthanna Emrys
“A magnificently imaginative setting, a nicely developed and satisfyingly resolved mystery, a beautifully understated central romance, and a lot of thought-provoking ideas make this an immensely satisfying read [that] does more at novella length than many books manage in three times as much.”—K. J. Charles
“Malka Older has created a far-flung speculative winner that is as much hard science fiction as it is gritty xenobiological noir, with characters you want to see get closer. . .to the possible killer and each other. I am absolutely in love with this world and these characters.”—Fran Wilde
“A quiet masterpiece, an intimate character study, a tender queer romance, a satisfying mystery, and a unique take on many genre clichés in a short form.“—Ancillary Review of Books
“The writing technique is excellent, the worldbuilding interesting and poetic, the characters enjoyable to spend time with, and there’s tea.—Smart Bitches, Trashy Books
“Fans of The Centenal Cycle will be astonished by the breadth of Older’s range.”—Book Riot
“A novella that more than lives up to the idea of cozy, it takes the literary connotations of that word further by creating a delightful mashup of science fiction and cozy mystery, with a delicious side of sapphic romance.”—Autostraddle
“Reading this novella was an absolute delight . . . I can imagine further stories set in this world; if I’m very lucky, they will feature Mossa and Pleiti.”—Locus
“Mystery and science fiction are rarely this satisfying when mixed, and rarely this much fun.“—Hugo Book Club Blog
“Older gives us many delightful details about life on the Giant, as the inhabitants call Jupiter. . .All of these quotidian details make the novel a fascinating read.”—Asimov’s
“It’s hard to pull off a novel that attempts to have equal footing in two genres—never mind three—and typically one of the genres ends up taking on a minor role . . . but The Mimicking of Known Successes, a work of speculative fiction, a traditional mystery, and a romance, is a walloping success.“—First Clue, starred review
“This quiet yet compelling whodunit will attract fans of Becky Chambers or Connie Willis.”—Booklist (starred review)
“Older packs a punch in this slim volume, delivering a romantic sci-fi mystery replete with ruminations on environmentalism and the importance of adapting to change. . . . Combining an old-timey aesthetic and a powerful message, this sapphic genre bender is a treat.”—Publishers Weekly, starred review
“Recommended for readers who enjoy a bit of mystery mixed with their SF . . . and anyone who cannot resist a Sherlock Holmes pastiche.”—Library Journal
