At a glance
The 5th Gender
Science fiction mystery romance
The 5th Gender
Book 2 of the Tinkered Stars series
Human detective Drey Hastion is assigned to the first murder ever recorded aboard an alien galoi ship docked at a distant space station. His investigation depends on Tristol, an exiled galoi whose culture recognizes five genders and whose social rules make the crime difficult for outsiders to interpret. Attraction between the men deepens as questions of family, reproductive obligation, prejudice, and cultural translation complicate the search for a killer. Romantic, explicit, and thoughtful, this science-fiction mystery suits adult readers who enjoy alien anthropology, cross-cultural detection, unconventional gender systems, tender partnerships, and cases where understanding a society matters as much as collecting physical evidence.
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Jump to the pours ↓Scholar’s Juniper Tea + Dry Gin Martini
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No surprises at chapter twelve
Content notes
Murder, prejudice, grief, explicit sexual content, and cultural misunderstandings
Alcohol-Free Pour
Scholar’s Juniper Tea
Juniper tea gives Drey and Tristol a thoughtful cup for decoding unfamiliar cultural rules and an alien murder mystery.
What you'll need
As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.How to mix it
- Steep the tea and any herbs or whole spices in hot water according to the tea type, then strain. Stir in sweetener and juices. Serve hot.
- Garnish: Citrus peel, herb, or fruit from the recipe, if applicable.
- Glassware: Mug.
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Mug ↗Cocktail Pour · 21+
Dry Gin Martini
For adults of legal drinking age. Please drink responsibly.
For adult readers, a dry gin martini offers a restrained detective's pour for Drey's investigation of a murder governed by unfamiliar alien rules.
What you'll need
- 2.5 oz gin
- 0.5 oz dry vermouth
- Ice
Shop the spirits 21+Search Total Wine for Gin · 21+ ↗Search Total Wine for Dry vermouth · 21+ ↗
How to mix it
- Stir gin and vermouth with ice until well chilled. Strain into a chilled glass.
- Garnish: Lemon twist or olive.
- Glassware: Martini glass.
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