The Potency of Ungovernable Impulses

(Hardback)

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Description

When a former classmate begs Pleiti for help on behalf of her cousin-who's up for a prestigious academic position at a rival Jovian university but has been accused of plagiarism on the eve of her defense-Pleiti agrees to investigate the matter. Even if she has to do it without Mossa, her partner in more ways than one. Even if she's still reeling from Mossa's sudden isolation and bewildering rejection. Yet what appears to be a case of an attempted reputational smearing devolves into something decidedly more dangerous-and possibly deadly.

Reviews

Praise for The Potency of Ungovernable Impulses

"The mystery will enthrall those looking for more sci-fi/mystery blends, while Mossa and Pleiti's relationship is a delight for sapphic romance readers." --Library Journal

"Delightful prose and character I greatly enjoyed reading. Once again, I am left hoping that Mossa and Pleiti will return for more adventures." --Locus

Praise for the Investigations of Mossa and Pleiti series

"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

"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." --KJ 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

"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

"Highly recommended for fans of Becky Chambers as well as adventurous cozy mystery readers." --Booklist, starred review

"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

"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

"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

"Recommended for readers who enjoy a bit of mystery mixed with their SF . . . and anyone who cannot resist a Sherlock Holmes pastiche." --Library Journal

"A quiet masterpiece, an intimate character study, a tender queer romance, a satisfying mystery, and a unique take on many genre clichs 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

"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

"I heartily recommend The Imposition of Unnecessary Obstacles for those long, dark winter evenings--a spiritual, intellectual companion for moments when the state of politics is distressing, and a balm for those seeking recognition of the longings of the heart." --The Horror Tree

"My favorite detective couple since Holmes and Watson." --SciFi Mind

"A great read in what promises to be the best sci-fi, mystery crossover series of our time." --Deadly Pleasures Mystery Magazine

Author Bio

Malka Older is a writer, aid worker, and sociologist. She is the Executive Director of Global Voices, a community of writers, editors, and translators providing community journalism from all over the world and advocating for indigenous and minority languages, media literacy, digital rights, and online freedom of expression. Her science-fiction political thriller Infomocracy was named among the best books of 2016 by Kirkus, the Washington Post, and Book Riot; with sequels, it was a finalist for a Hugo award. The Mimicking of Known Successes, a murder mystery set on Jupiter, was on four best of 2023 lists and was a finalist for the Nebula, Hugo, Locus, and Ignyte awards for Best Novella. The sequel, The Imposition of Unnecessary Obstacles, was named one of the best science-fiction books of 2024 by Esquire, and the third book in the series, The Potency of Ungovernable Impulses, comes out in June 2025. She is a Faculty Associate at Arizona State University, where she teaches on predictive fictions. Her opinions can be found in The New York Times, The Nation, and Foreign Policy, among other places. She is co-editor of We Will Rise Again, an anthology of speculative fiction about social justice movements, coming out in December 2025.