The “Despecialized” editions are the best right now. I appreciate what Lucas wanted to do in the 90s but I wish he’d just left the originals alone.

Starter Villain might also scratch that itch for you, but to be honest, I’m just a big Scalzi fan. Kaiju Preservation Society and When the Moon Hits Your Eye were a lot of fun too.

Might not be an exact fit, but maybe Old Man’s War by John Scalzi. It’s not a mystery per se, but there is definitely an element of “what’s actually going on here” for the main character to sort out.

The Book that Held her Heart by Mark Lawrence. It’s book three in his Library trilogy which is just a fantastic mix of sci-fi, fantasy, library sciences and a bit of grimdark for variety. It’s been a fun series and this is another good entry.

Are you thinking her Bond movie, The World is Not Enough? I don’t think she was cast because of her ability to accurately portray a scientist…