A review by sleeping_while_awake
In the Black by Sheryl Nantus
3.0
In the Black is a sci-fi/murder mystery/romance. It's a light read, and draws from all three genres rather equally.
Sam Keller, a former soldier, signs a contract as a Captain on a Mercy ship, Bonnie Belle. A Mercy ship is a courtesan ship that stops at different places in the galaxy to provide lonely men and women sexual services.
The ship stops at a mining colony, and things start well, until one of the courtesans, Halley, is found dead. Sam investigates the murder, with the pressure from The Guild to resume money-making activities.
Marshal Daniel LeClair is sent to the colony to help Sam. He and Sam have instant chemistry, but Sam won't indulge until she solves the mystery.
There's a cast of courtesans who are all possible suspects, in addition to a whole mining colony. The protection of courtesans' data makes it hard for Sam to get the information she needs.
Overall, the mystery is rather simple, so I wouldn't recommend this if you're looking for a strong mystery story. How the characters approached investigation was a bit sloppy.
However, the setting and characters seem so familiar. Other reviewers have commented on its similarity to Firefly, which I get.
The story could be an episode off a sci-fi show. The characters don't have much development, but their interactions and pressure of the mystery are entertaining enough.
Sam's trauma didn't mesh well with everything else. It felt superfluous at times, place to make her more submissive to Daniel. At least that's how I interpreted it. There were no issues of consent. They both clearly agree to pursue.
I did find the restriction of data available to Sam was bizarre. If she's the Captain of the ship, there should be extenuating circumstances that allow her to have access to everything.
Most of the romantic/steamy parts didn't occur until the end. It did make the story seem some unbalanced, like it reminded suddenly it was a romance at the end. The whole thought of doing things in zero gravity seems complicated.
Sam Keller, a former soldier, signs a contract as a Captain on a Mercy ship, Bonnie Belle. A Mercy ship is a courtesan ship that stops at different places in the galaxy to provide lonely men and women sexual services.
The ship stops at a mining colony, and things start well, until one of the courtesans, Halley, is found dead. Sam investigates the murder, with the pressure from The Guild to resume money-making activities.
Marshal Daniel LeClair is sent to the colony to help Sam. He and Sam have instant chemistry, but Sam won't indulge until she solves the mystery.
There's a cast of courtesans who are all possible suspects, in addition to a whole mining colony. The protection of courtesans' data makes it hard for Sam to get the information she needs.
Overall, the mystery is rather simple, so I wouldn't recommend this if you're looking for a strong mystery story. How the characters approached investigation was a bit sloppy.
However, the setting and characters seem so familiar. Other reviewers have commented on its similarity to Firefly, which I get.
The story could be an episode off a sci-fi show. The characters don't have much development, but their interactions and pressure of the mystery are entertaining enough.
Sam's trauma didn't mesh well with everything else. It felt superfluous at times, place to make her more submissive to Daniel. At least that's how I interpreted it. There were no issues of consent. They both clearly agree to pursue.
I did find the restriction of data available to Sam was bizarre. If she's the Captain of the ship, there should be extenuating circumstances that allow her to have access to everything.
Most of the romantic/steamy parts didn't occur until the end. It did make the story seem some unbalanced, like it reminded suddenly it was a romance at the end. The whole thought of doing things in zero gravity seems complicated.