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Ritchie and Fitz Sci-Fi Murder Mystery #1
Murder on the Intergalactic Railway: A Ritchie and Fitz Sci-Fi Murder Mystery
For Murdina Ritchie, acceptance at the Oymyakon Foreign Service Academy means one last chance at her dream of becoming a diplomat for the Union of Free Worlds. For Shackleton Fitz IV, it represents his last chance not to fail out of military service entirely.
Strange that fate should throw them together now, among the last group of students admitted after the start of the semester. They had once shared the strongest of friendships. But that all ended a long time ago.
But when an insufferable but politically important woman turns up murdered, the two agree to put their differences aside and work together to solve the case.
Because the murderer might strike again. But more importantly, solving a murder would just have to impress the dour colonel who clearly thinks neither of them belong at his academy.
Strange that fate should throw them together now, among the last group of students admitted after the start of the semester. They had once shared the strongest of friendships. But that all ended a long time ago.
But when an insufferable but politically important woman turns up murdered, the two agree to put their differences aside and work together to solve the case.
Because the murderer might strike again. But more importantly, solving a murder would just have to impress the dour colonel who clearly thinks neither of them belong at his academy.
209 pages, Kindle Edition
Published January 12, 2020
187 people are currently reading
305 people want to read
About the author
Kate MacLeod
136 books27 followersKate MacLeod lives in Minneapolis, Minnesota with her husband and two sons, although they may head further north soon, as the winters in Minnesota just don’t get cold enough anymore. She has two dogs, Mugen and Tachikoma, and a cat named Spike Spiegel. Her short fiction has appeared in Analog, Strange Horizons, Beneath Ceaseless Skies, Persistent Visions and Abyss and Apex among others.
Find out more about the author at www.katemacleod.net.
Find out more about the author at www.katemacleod.net.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews
September 13, 2023
A good closed murder mystery on a train with a fun sci-fi setting :)
The prose was also really good, I connected with all the characters immediately :)
I want Ritchie to have another bulb of “coffee” lol she deserves it
The prose was also really good, I connected with all the characters immediately :)
I want Ritchie to have another bulb of “coffee” lol she deserves it
January 28, 2020
actual rating: 3.5
I really love this author's Scout Shannon series but unfortunately this one did not grip me right from the start like that one did. They are both similar in that they are both sci-fi stories and both feature a murder mystery in an enclosed space, but this one was way too straight-forward with the murder mystery to the point where it felt like the author just tacked it on to have something for the characters to do. Still, the characters are interesting - and characters are where this author really shines in my opinion - and the world-building is off to a good start. I will definitely be picking up the next book in the series but I hope it has a more engaging plot where things aren't quite so obvious.
I really love this author's Scout Shannon series but unfortunately this one did not grip me right from the start like that one did. They are both similar in that they are both sci-fi stories and both feature a murder mystery in an enclosed space, but this one was way too straight-forward with the murder mystery to the point where it felt like the author just tacked it on to have something for the characters to do. Still, the characters are interesting - and characters are where this author really shines in my opinion - and the world-building is off to a good start. I will definitely be picking up the next book in the series but I hope it has a more engaging plot where things aren't quite so obvious.
August 11, 2021
Uncomplicated good fun
A nice, simple, murder mystery that entertains.
Not too complex and doesn't try too hard to bamboozle the reader. Very enjoyable.
A nice, simple, murder mystery that entertains.
Not too complex and doesn't try too hard to bamboozle the reader. Very enjoyable.
May 4, 2023
“Murder on the Intergalactic Railway” (Richie & Fitz SciFi Murder Mystery #1) by Kate MacLeod ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Genre: YA SciFi Murder Mystery. Location: Far, far away in space, and above the planet Oymyakon. Time: Future.
THE SERIES: Murdina Ritchie and Shackleton Fitz IV are last minute recruits into the Oymyakon Foreign Service Academy. For Richie, it’s her only chance to become a Union of Free Worlds diplomat. For Fitz, it’s his last chance to not fail out of military service. Once best friends, they must put aside their differences to solve mysteries and murders.
THIS BOOK: The Intergalactic Railway train is on its way to gloomy, mountainous planet Oymyakon. One night, Lady Fabron, an insufferable woman with a politically charged past, is found dead in the Observation car. Then her sentient Felzkinder “pet” Chou Chou is murdered. Even though the law considers little Chou Chou nothing more than property, Ritchie and Fitz are determined to get justice for the sweets-loving Felzkinder. And maybe solving the case will impress dour Colonel Hansen who thinks neither of them belong at his academy. Someone on the small train did this. Was it Mr Rose (Lady Fabron’s assistant), Captain Berger (sport hunter), Tassa or Feliks (cabin stewards), rich kid cadet Moreau, working class cadet Weld, or Colonel Hansen? Their clues include Lady Fabron’s special blood-cherry cake, and 2 sword-like cake knives.
Author MacLeod has written a closed system murder mystery with interesting new cadets forced together on the train. She shares small bits of main characters’ backstories, but saves information for future books. Her world building is the Intergalactic Railway train world, because that’s where the book is set. She adds replicators and other sci-fi accommodations that help us feel we’re on that future space train. A train car layout would have been helpful.
MacLeod pays homage to Agatha Christi’s “Murder on the Orient Express” setting, but makes it all her own, so it’s 4 stars from me!🌵📚💁🏼♀️. Thank you to Freebooksy, Ratatoskr Press, and Kate MacLeod for this ecopy.
THE SERIES: Murdina Ritchie and Shackleton Fitz IV are last minute recruits into the Oymyakon Foreign Service Academy. For Richie, it’s her only chance to become a Union of Free Worlds diplomat. For Fitz, it’s his last chance to not fail out of military service. Once best friends, they must put aside their differences to solve mysteries and murders.
THIS BOOK: The Intergalactic Railway train is on its way to gloomy, mountainous planet Oymyakon. One night, Lady Fabron, an insufferable woman with a politically charged past, is found dead in the Observation car. Then her sentient Felzkinder “pet” Chou Chou is murdered. Even though the law considers little Chou Chou nothing more than property, Ritchie and Fitz are determined to get justice for the sweets-loving Felzkinder. And maybe solving the case will impress dour Colonel Hansen who thinks neither of them belong at his academy. Someone on the small train did this. Was it Mr Rose (Lady Fabron’s assistant), Captain Berger (sport hunter), Tassa or Feliks (cabin stewards), rich kid cadet Moreau, working class cadet Weld, or Colonel Hansen? Their clues include Lady Fabron’s special blood-cherry cake, and 2 sword-like cake knives.
Author MacLeod has written a closed system murder mystery with interesting new cadets forced together on the train. She shares small bits of main characters’ backstories, but saves information for future books. Her world building is the Intergalactic Railway train world, because that’s where the book is set. She adds replicators and other sci-fi accommodations that help us feel we’re on that future space train. A train car layout would have been helpful.
MacLeod pays homage to Agatha Christi’s “Murder on the Orient Express” setting, but makes it all her own, so it’s 4 stars from me!🌵📚💁🏼♀️. Thank you to Freebooksy, Ratatoskr Press, and Kate MacLeod for this ecopy.
August 24, 2023
Ritchie and Fitz have a history, so to be cadets together at this point feels a bit odd. The history isn’t fully explained, though the general circumstances for their arrival together is outlined. Then a galactic war criminal dies as they travel to their training facility. Everyone else on the trip wants to write the death off as natural, but Ritchie can’t do that, and Fitz believes her.
From the title I was kind of expecting this to be a “Murder On The Orient Express” rip off, but it’s nowhere near that complicated. Which isn’t a surprise given that this is really meant for the YA audience.
This is of course also a sci-fi genre blend, and the world-building, always important in Sci-Fi, is very well done. And MacLeod does a good job on believability of the technology and the species, and oddly the sheer boredom that would most likely to be a part of non-cryogenic-suspension intergalactic space travel – even faster than light travel will still take time over those kind of distances.
The characters are well rounded, if fairly simple, I think they are in the region of 18 to 20 years old, but not entirely sure. Most importantly, the characters are likable, and readable. The solution isn’t convoluted, but it’s not overly obvious. I read this as I like to try different types of crime stories whenever possible. It was a quick and easy read (a one day read if you have time to just read), and a fun one on the way. It’s not the most gripping, but it’s engaging enough to keep the reader interested from the start to end. I also think I may well go back to this series (six books) if I’m looking for a break from the heavier stuff I tend to read.
If you have YA readers in the house, this would be a good one to start them on for crime reads. If you’re over 20 an want a nice read, I think this is a nice story, so yes I would recommend.
From the title I was kind of expecting this to be a “Murder On The Orient Express” rip off, but it’s nowhere near that complicated. Which isn’t a surprise given that this is really meant for the YA audience.
This is of course also a sci-fi genre blend, and the world-building, always important in Sci-Fi, is very well done. And MacLeod does a good job on believability of the technology and the species, and oddly the sheer boredom that would most likely to be a part of non-cryogenic-suspension intergalactic space travel – even faster than light travel will still take time over those kind of distances.
The characters are well rounded, if fairly simple, I think they are in the region of 18 to 20 years old, but not entirely sure. Most importantly, the characters are likable, and readable. The solution isn’t convoluted, but it’s not overly obvious. I read this as I like to try different types of crime stories whenever possible. It was a quick and easy read (a one day read if you have time to just read), and a fun one on the way. It’s not the most gripping, but it’s engaging enough to keep the reader interested from the start to end. I also think I may well go back to this series (six books) if I’m looking for a break from the heavier stuff I tend to read.
If you have YA readers in the house, this would be a good one to start them on for crime reads. If you’re over 20 an want a nice read, I think this is a nice story, so yes I would recommend.
August 18, 2025
That was a nice read.
It was simple and a quick read, but really well written. Both main leads were interesting and I liked that their personalities quite a lot.
Ritchie was my favorite, she's been through many hardships and lost her self confidence but still her strength shined through at times. I'll love seeing her grow into herself. Fitz was a but of a mystery, but I liked how he tried to encourage her to speak and be more confident in her reasonings...
The mystery was engaging enough, though I was a bit disappointed that some parts weren't explained properly.
The case was solved in this book, though there's still some things about the main leads and their pasts that are left unanswered for now.
Overall, I'm curious enough to want to read the next book and see where the story goes.
POV: dual
Tropes: YA, futuristic setting, cozy mystery.
Spice: none (there was no hint of romantic feelings so far)
CW: death, some violence, superficial description of cause of death.
It was simple and a quick read, but really well written. Both main leads were interesting and I liked that their personalities quite a lot.
Ritchie was my favorite, she's been through many hardships and lost her self confidence but still her strength shined through at times. I'll love seeing her grow into herself. Fitz was a but of a mystery, but I liked how he tried to encourage her to speak and be more confident in her reasonings...
The mystery was engaging enough, though I was a bit disappointed that some parts weren't explained properly.
The case was solved in this book, though there's still some things about the main leads and their pasts that are left unanswered for now.
Overall, I'm curious enough to want to read the next book and see where the story goes.
POV: dual
Tropes: YA, futuristic setting, cozy mystery.
Spice: none (there was no hint of romantic feelings so far)
CW: death, some violence, superficial description of cause of death.
October 10, 2021
MacLeod, Kate. Murder on the Intergalactic Railway: A Ritchie and Fitz SciFi Murder Mystery. Richie and Fitz No. 1. Ratatoskr Press, 2020.
Murder on the Intergalactic Railway is one of those books whose title tells you almost all you need to know. Two cadets headed to a small academy on a distant world solve a murder on their version of the Hogwarts Express. It follows the Agatha Christie model closely, except that the two cadets are no substitutes for Miss Marple and Hercule Poirot. They are good kids, but they don’t do the kind of analytical thinking done by the Christie detectives. Perhaps the most interesting element of the novel is the train itself. It is a land-air-space vehicle that seems to be a supersized version of Doc Brown’s locomotive from Back to the Future. 3 Stars.
Murder on the Intergalactic Railway is one of those books whose title tells you almost all you need to know. Two cadets headed to a small academy on a distant world solve a murder on their version of the Hogwarts Express. It follows the Agatha Christie model closely, except that the two cadets are no substitutes for Miss Marple and Hercule Poirot. They are good kids, but they don’t do the kind of analytical thinking done by the Christie detectives. Perhaps the most interesting element of the novel is the train itself. It is a land-air-space vehicle that seems to be a supersized version of Doc Brown’s locomotive from Back to the Future. 3 Stars.
May 20, 2023
Neat mystery
Loved the setting for this starter book in the series. Liked the main characters and look forward to learning more of their history. Wish some of the secondary characters had more of their backstory presented. The murderer was identified very early on, so the best part of the plot came from Ritchie and Fitz tracking down the actual proof of guilt. I recommend this novel and will be reading the next in the series.
Loved the setting for this starter book in the series. Liked the main characters and look forward to learning more of their history. Wish some of the secondary characters had more of their backstory presented. The murderer was identified very early on, so the best part of the plot came from Ritchie and Fitz tracking down the actual proof of guilt. I recommend this novel and will be reading the next in the series.
September 24, 2025
My father reads books on my kindle account. He wants to share his opinions without have the pesky task of actually typing this himself. Imagine someone who looks like Santa Claus speaking to you. So I present his review:
It was fun. Nice easy read. Definitely a ya sci-fi thing. Will read more in the series.
It doesn't stretch your mind, you knew who the bad guy was early on and I did like the characters.
It was fun. Nice easy read. Definitely a ya sci-fi thing. Will read more in the series.
It doesn't stretch your mind, you knew who the bad guy was early on and I did like the characters.
December 29, 2025
A rich political exile (and planet killer) dies of a heart attack on the train, but someone has slashed her weird little pet then thrown it out of the train. Given the train travels across space, the hatches are not supposed to open while it is travelling.
This one started off a little bland, but hit it’s stride and vastly improved by the end when it finished with an exciting confrontation and not one, but two hooks, to make us read on into book 2.
4 stars
This one started off a little bland, but hit it’s stride and vastly improved by the end when it finished with an exciting confrontation and not one, but two hooks, to make us read on into book 2.
4 stars
March 28, 2023
4 stars. I enjoyed this little mystery story, mainly due to the characters and some imaginative touches that helped set the ‘intergalactic’ stage. The mystery was relatively straightforward-a few puzzles but no really devious twists. There’s enough action to make a good adventure and the plot is clever enough to be a good read.
November 9, 2024
There were moments of brilliance here, but they were few and far between. The narrative was engaging at times but often lost focus. Some chapters were a joy to read, while others felt like a chore. It’s not a bad read, but it’s not something I’d revisit. Worth a try, but temper your expectations.
July 9, 2021
Great sci fi adventure
The world building is fascinating, albeit somewhat grim, the characters are interesting, and the story was gripping. I don't understand why so many YA books are even grimmer than their adult equivalents, but I enjoyed this one.
The world building is fascinating, albeit somewhat grim, the characters are interesting, and the story was gripping. I don't understand why so many YA books are even grimmer than their adult equivalents, but I enjoyed this one.
July 7, 2023
I don’t say this very often, but I could not put this one down.
There are a few typos, which was surprising because this reads like a well edited book. If this author is writing like this without an editor, I am reading everything she puts out.
Good job.
There are a few typos, which was surprising because this reads like a well edited book. If this author is writing like this without an editor, I am reading everything she puts out.
Good job.
June 23, 2025
rien du tout
Rien Rien Rien Rien Rien Rien Rien Rien Rien Rien Rien Rien Rien Rien Rien Rien Rien Rien Rien Rien Rien Rien Rien Rien Rien Rien Rien Rien Rien Rien Rien Rien Rien Rien Rien and a that is just six
Rien Rien Rien Rien Rien Rien Rien Rien Rien Rien Rien Rien Rien Rien Rien Rien Rien Rien Rien Rien Rien Rien Rien Rien Rien Rien Rien Rien Rien Rien Rien Rien Rien Rien Rien and a that is just six
October 6, 2025
Wow. Fast train, fast read
Wow, this was good. Nothing felt slow about the story. Even when they talked a lot. The characters were great. Wrapped everything up while giving you clues to the next one.
Wow, this was good. Nothing felt slow about the story. Even when they talked a lot. The characters were great. Wrapped everything up while giving you clues to the next one.
May 8, 2021
A Riveting Sci/Fi Murder Mystery
Great plot. Excellent futuristic tech. Wonderful characters who capture your heart. An amazing story well worth reading. Lots of surprises.
Great plot. Excellent futuristic tech. Wonderful characters who capture your heart. An amazing story well worth reading. Lots of surprises.
November 25, 2021
Entertaining
Two teens solve a murder on an intergalactic space train. Personalities clash, humanoid aliens are involved, a random Captain contributes...
Two teens solve a murder on an intergalactic space train. Personalities clash, humanoid aliens are involved, a random Captain contributes...
November 30, 2021
What an interesting story
A lot of twists and turns, all told as seen through the eyes of new cadets. Thankfully, the next book is already out!
A lot of twists and turns, all told as seen through the eyes of new cadets. Thankfully, the next book is already out!
January 3, 2023
great read
Loved it. The story was amazing from beginning to end. Also, I love the art work on the cover as well.
Loved it. The story was amazing from beginning to end. Also, I love the art work on the cover as well.
January 17, 2023
Not bad, but a few instances of head-hopping bugged me, and several important points were never explained, like the psycho-ness of the murderer.
May 2, 2023
I would mark it a 3.5. Interesting book, looks like a good start to a series.
June 4, 2023
I didn't find this to be as good as The Falling Skies by the same author, but it was still an enjoyable story.
Want to read
September 13, 2023Book Status Observation
(ePub, GoodReads no longer allows users to add books to the database, disfavoring all non-Kindle ePubs)
(ePub, GoodReads no longer allows users to add books to the database, disfavoring all non-Kindle ePubs)
December 28, 2023
A little too YA for me, but definitely an interesting murder mystery.
January 1, 2024
I’m like 75% on this one!
The storyline was great, but it felt like there were some plot holes! I also wanted more detail on characters. They all felt very distant.
The storyline was great, but it felt like there were some plot holes! I also wanted more detail on characters. They all felt very distant.
Read
January 8, 2024Simple but fun
May 2, 2024
Very short read, enjoyable enough but so predictable that I knew who the killer was before the murder even happened
July 31, 2025
Excellent
Best first in a series I’ve read for quite awhile. I highly recommend to Sci-fi lovers and Murder mystery lovers
Best first in a series I’ve read for quite awhile. I highly recommend to Sci-fi lovers and Murder mystery lovers
August 10, 2025
This story is was not very interesting. The cover and title drew me in, but the plot and characters didn’t deliver.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews