Late one evening, a small explosion occurs in a module of the Moon Base Station Venturas. The damage is confined to that one section, but there is an astronaut inside. The blast, accompanied by holes in the outer walls that lead to depressurization, cost the astronaut his life. The crew, numbering around thirty, is shaken by the accident. They are the best of the best and operate as a large family. They repair what they can and report the news back to Earth. It falls on their shoulders to investigate the occurrence. After a few days, a small team determines that the explosion was not an accident, and someone currently in the station has created the explosion. With the help of a NASA agent back on Earth, it falls on a select few to figure out who among them is the culprit. They worry about what may happen next.

Harral’s novel is well-researched, thoughtful, and cleanly written. The passion for his subject and focus on what he wants his book to be and say is clear from the beginning. Although set in the future, the narrative is grounded in realism and pursues interesting questions pertaining to working on and inhabiting other planets. It is much more a crime drama set on the moon than science fiction but will likely appeal to readers who enjoy either genre. The pace is methodical, and most of the story unfolds through dialogue and narration. Readers interested in a slow-burn mystery with a unique, hostile, and detailed setting will likely cozy up to Harral’s tale.

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