Space Crimes & Dark Secrets: Sci-Fi’s Most Twisted Whodunits!

*Spoiler Free*
What happens when futuristic tech collides with dark secrets and unsolved crimes? In this video, I look at 10 sci-fi mysteries that will pull you into strange worlds filled with intrigue, suspense, and unforgettable twists. If you love sci-fi with a dash of detective work, don’t miss these picks!

Books mentioned in this video:
The Demolished Man - Alfred Bester
The Yiddish Policeman's Union - Michael Chabon
Halting State - Charles Stross
After Atlas - Emma Newman
The Naked Sun - Isaac Asimov
Far From The Light of Heaven - Tade Thompson
Tea From an Empty Cup - Pad Cadigan
Six Wakes - Mur Lafferty
A Memory Called Empire - Arkady Martine
The Prefect/Aurora Rising - Alastair Reynolds

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00:00 Intros
00:17 Mind games
01:48 Chilly crimes
03:15 Orc Heist
04:39 Circle of Crime
06:20 Murderous Robots?
08:00 Heavenly light
09:18 Cup of tea?
11:01 Clone crimes
12:29 Courtly crimes
14:16 Perfect Prefect

[SciFiFinds]

The more I read Bester, the more I can feel his influence over the genre. Great stuff.

[SlowDazzle]

I knew of the classic SF mysteries, Bester and Asimov, but it's nice to get new recommendations like Chabon, Newman and Stross. I was aiming to read more Stross as I'm really enjoying his "Accelerando." A breath of fresh air after Egan! I've also got Newman's Planetfall on my TBR. I suppose you could include Len Deighton's "SSGB" as it's alternative history and features an English detective. Keep up the good work!

[jerryrichardson]

You had a question on another entry where I said my favorite time travel story was "Before Darkness Falls" the cotrect title is _Lest Darkness Fall, _ by L Sprague DeCamp.

[RenkotheLibrarian]

Far From the Light of Heaven was BRILLANT! I don't remember all the plot details, but I still remember Joké, the half-human, half-alien, who was very creative and memorable. Needs to be reread soon!

Same goes to Yiddish Policeman's Union. I remember thinking it was just okay, but it's been nearly a decade since I read it. Will be looking into the other titles as well.

[tiggerplaysguitar]

Harry Harrison's Make Room, Make Room/Soylent Green is essentially a detective story. Robert Harris is not best known as a sci fi author, but Fatherland is an alternate reality police procedural at heart. And let us not forget Dirk Gently.

[paulm]

Flashback by Dan Simmons. Near future dystopian setting containing themes of mega corporate control / cyberpunk. Large swathes of the population are addicted to 'flashback', a drug that lets them relive prior memories as a source of endorphin rush. The core of the book is a griseled detective and former flashback addict investigating the death of the head of the Yakusas son. It's a very underrated SF noir detective novel that people really sleep on.

[vintagesf]

Just read an Adam Roberts’ mystery novel ‘The Real-Town Murders’ which was quite good. The investigating protagonist had a time crunch of 4 hours to care for a genetic terror inflicted on her partner. When treated it would reset for another 4 hours. In this continuous countdown the protagonist has to solve a mystery of a body found in the trunk of a car coming out of a completely robotic factory. Goes to some unexpected places with an underlying cyberpunk feel. Anyways, great list. Thanks again for the recommendations!

[stevezeidman]

Great list! Loved seeing “The Naked Sun”. Fantastic sequel to “The Caves of Steel”. This was the 2nd Sci-fi book I ever read following “Caves”.

[SixStringSamuri]

A great video about a very interesting subgenre. Two books went directly to my wishlist. … I would suggest to series, the Carlucci trilogy and Dome City Blues and Angel City Blues. Both are detective noir stories in a futuristic setting very reminiscent of the Blade Runner movies. I‘ve only read Dome City Blues so far, but I loved it.

[faldor]

I absolutely loved Six Wakes, Lafferty is now writing a series called the MidSolar Murders.

[joshsalwen]

A Memory Called Empire was an odd one for me. I loved it, but after I finished, I felt the world building was a bit flat, but the ideas were grand. I do recommend, though

[inocanandrei]

Very nice books, always a pleasure to watch. A funny thing is that I smile when I see the last cover from The Perfect by Alastair Reynolds, the cover is Romanian edition.

[tifla]

China Mieville- The City and the City,

[callmeal]

Yep. Read four of those and rate them all. I recommend seeking out (and reading of course) Dave Hutchinson's Fractured Europe tetralogy. In one go, if possible to fully appreciate the quality and intricacy of the plotting. I won't reveal the crime (it's a big one) where Len Deighton meets C S Lewis (eventually) in this futuristic cartologically challenged espionage jaunt through a future Europe. Accessible writing, great characters infused with wit and humanity make these novels a ‘must-read’. Politics and espionage within a SF setting. A head-spinning experience if ever there was one. Marvellously entertaining. I'm off to order the Cadigan, if it's a reasonable price, of course.

[seanwelch]

Storm Dogs is a terrific science fiction mystery comic from Image, 2012?, drawn by Doug Braithwaite, written by David Hine.

[vilstef]

See also Flatlander, all 5 Gil Hamilton sf mysteries by Larry Niven.

[FantasyAuthorsHandbook]

I can definitely recommend the fantastic SF police procedural QUEEN OF ANGELS by Greg Bear.

[TuftyMcTavish]

Turns out I have Stross’ “Halting State” and its sequel “Rule 34”, along with Thompson’s “Far From the Light of Heaven” and Lafferty’s “Six Wakes” but … all are unread 🤦‍♂️ Epic but unsurprising fail on my part. Of these, “Six Wakes” has been closest to getting onto a monthly TBR; several times in fact.

Oh, hey, finally, some that I have read… Martine’s “A Memory Called Empire” and Reynolds’ “The Prefect” (the original title) 😮‍💨 I guess I don’t need to hand in my SciFi Reader Library Card just yet 😆

The first SF mystery example that popped to mind was Hamilton’s “Greg Mandel” series. Also, Bonesteel’s “Central Corps” series opens with a mystery that leans into conspiracy.

[Montie-Adkins]

I thought The Prefect books were the best part of Revelation Space.
I have A memory Called Empire on my TBR, but thought it fading into the background. Now I shall think more about it.

[User_Un_Friendly]

Wow, I had no idea that science fictional mysteries have become their own sub-genre. I mean, aside from Asimov's works, I simply wasn't aware of how much the sun-genre has grown.

I do prefer the more civilized, undoubtedly Sherlock Holmesian style by Asimov...genteel settings, remorselessly logical traps and the triumph of pure reason above the exciting, desperate chase after the perpetrator of the crime popularized by 20th century authors. I am actually collecting ebook reprints of Doyle's seminal classics, with a selection of the original illustrations. Recently bought the Casebook of Sherlock Holmes with illustrations I've never seen before. ❤❤❤

I appreciate learning about how the Science Fictional Mystery is still going strong, though most of it is probably not to my taste. Now, brb, I'm going to peruse the Holmes/Cthulhu novels agin. 😂🤣😱