The page-turning debut crime thriller from beloved astronaut Chris Hadfield mines Cold War rivalry and interstellar intrigue as murder stalks the confines of an Apollo space rocket on the far side of the moon.
The far side of the Moon, 1973. Three astronauts are trapped in a tiny Apollo module, and one of them has murder on the mind . . .
From internationally bestselling astronaut Chris Hadfield comes an exceptional Cold War thriller from the dark heart of the Space Race. As Russian and American crews sprint for a secret bounty hidden away on the Moon's surface, old rivalries blossom and the political stakes are stretched to breaking point back on Earth. Houston flight controller Kazimieras 'Kaz' Zemeckis must do all he can to keep the NASA crew together, while staying one step ahead of his Soviet rivals. But not everyone on board Apollo 18 is quite who they appear to be.
Full of the fascinating technical detail that fans of The Martian loved, and reminiscent of the thrilling claustrophobia, twists and tension of The Hunt for Red October, The Apollo Murders puts you right there in the moment, a quarter of a million miles from home - a quarter of a million miles from help. Experience the fierce G-forces of launch, the frozen loneliness of Space and the fear of holding on to the outside of a spacecraft orbiting the Earth at 17,000 miles per hour, as told by a former Commander of the International Space Station who has done all of those things in real life.
Strap in and count down for the ride of a lifetime.
Publisher: Quercus Publishing
ISBN: 9781529406856
Number of pages: 480
Weight: 720 g
Dimensions: 236 x 158 x 44 mm
This is such a terrifically confident, well-written thriller that to find it is the author's debut is unexpected - Sunday Times
A terrific counterfactual thriller . . . an adroitly handled blend of twists and Cold War politics - The Times
Commander Hadfield takes us on an exciting journey into an alternate past. And who better to write about astronauts than an astronaut himself! - Andy Weir, author of The Martian
An explosive thriller from a writer who has actually been to Space and back. Strap in for the ride! - Gregg Hurwitz, New York Times bestselling author of the Orphan X novels
A nail-biting cold war thriller . . . It's a very rare book that combines so many things I love, from taut suspense and highly realistic action, to the golden age of space exploration. I couldn't put it down - James Cameron, writer and director of Avatar and Titanic
There's maybe one person on Earth with the writing chops and the expertise to write a to-the-Moon thriller this exciting, this authentic. Chris Hadfield is that guy - Linwood Barclay, New York Times bestselling author of Find You First
Not to be missed. Even in fiction there is authenticity. It is either there... or it is not. With Chris Hadfield it is, because everything he describes he has really seen - Frederick Forsyth, New York Times bestselling author of The Day of the Jackal and The Fox
A relentlessly exciting, deeply intriguing insider's look at the prime years of the Apollo space program, ingeniously weaving together three of the coldest, darkest things in existence - Cold War politics, space, and murder - Stephen Mack Jones, author of the August Snow series
Hadfield's bona fides are unimpeachable - but it's his inventive action sequences and keen eye for illuminating details that propel THE APOLLO MURDERS ever skyward in this stellar thrill ride - Chris Holm, author of The Killing Kind
Chris Hadfield has deftly combined fact and fiction in a gripping tale of high-stakes treachery [that] builds to an explosive and satisfying finale. - John Verdon, internationally bestselling author of the Dave Gurney series
Hadfield uses historical and technical detail to drive a gripping mix of twists and Cold War politics - The Times
His vast experience adds layers of fascinating detail about space travel without slowing the gripping action - The Sun
This is a gripping and convincing thriller, as a spaceship makes a wonderfully claustrophobic crime scene - Mail on Sunday
Hadfield's descriptions of space-shots and lunar modules are vivid and engaging - Mirror
A spry action-adventure romp, crammed with technical detail, that sprinkles real-life figures amid the fictional characters. Since Hadfield has himself flown in a space shuttle and served aboard the International Space Station, he writes with authority but also with a surprisingly astute grasp of what makes a thriller work - Financial Times
The real and genuine joy of The Apollo Murders is the insight Hadfield gives into life as an astronaut - Observer
With a spectacular alternate history thriller . . . an intelligent and surprising nail-biter that Tom Clancy fans will relish - Publishers Weekly
As someone who has actually been to space, Hadfield makes his techno-thiller jargon read true . . . an accomplished story from a first-time novelist - New Scientist
Totally gripping from first page to last - Irish Independent
Clever . . . gutsy . . . the book also features very well drawn characters, natural-sounding dialogue, and a story that leads the reader to expect a spectacular conclusion (and delivers it) - Booklist
An exceptional Cold War thriller - Belfast Telegraph
One of the most accomplished astronauts in the world, Chris Hadfield has drawn on his wealth of experience to produce a cold-war thriller riven with detail and authenticity - Living Magazine
[A] sharp and tense read and a fresh take on the Cold War space race - Crime Fiction Lover
A gripping novel - Express
The Apollo Murders is a superior space thriller that has so much tension and suspense you'll need to take a big, shaky breath when you reach the end - Culture Fly
He keeps the tension high and the characters vivid - Choice magazine
A treat of a thriller . . . a perfect combination of mystery and science fiction that will please aficionados of both genres - Crime Time
Hadfield's first-hand understanding of space travel and cutting-edge flying machinery is pretty much unrivalled. As a result, you end up learning as you read ... a genuinely exciting trip - Sunday Business Post
An original and insightful Cold War thriller that is entrancing from the first page - New Books
This is a tale that will appeal to lovers of science fiction, science fact, murder, espionage, and thrillers. Highly recommended - Promoting Crime Fiction
Taking us right into the heart of an Apollo mission in the midst of the Cold War tensions between the US and the USSR, this is a slow-burning, yet incredibly gripping, thriller which kept me entirely in its grasp as... More
“The Apollo Murders” by former Commander of the International Space Station Chris Hadfield, is a cracking debut Cold War thriller, that quite literally blew my mind into orbit. With his unrivalled universe expertise... More
Enjoyed this book a lot. Good pace and great links back to the space race and Apollo programme. Slightly far fetched but I hope there’s more books to come from Mr Hadfield.
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