Far from the Light of Heaven

I like the setting and the universe created for this book, but I'm not sure it quite pulls its weight as a murder mystery. If you're coming at it as a crime aficionado you may be disappointed. Space opera fans will get a lot out of it (despite the author's claim in the afterword!), however. There's plenty of spaceship action, an interesting and unusual alien race, plus a nicely ambiguous ending.
A complete change of pace and scene from the Rosewater books, but maintaining their quality.