Captain David Johnston is leading a new ship with a skeleton crew from space station Aldrin to a science outpost that is orbiting Mars. Along with the minimal crew will be some top secret equipment and a couple of extra passengers. However, the reason for the mission, the equipment and passengers has all been highly classified, so that none of the crew are aware of what is on board. Their departure is delayed due to a terrorist explosion on Planet Earth but soon are underway. Peaceful at first, but the problem arises when one of the crew finds a bomb placed on board. Although it has been disarmed, the small crew now find themselves wondering who could have planted it. While the security for the mission has been at the highest level, it seems that this group have found a way. When the ship is examined, a few other anomalies are found and they begin to wonder if turning round is the best idea. Then one of the crew is killed, confirming that someone aboard is responsible and that of them is also a terrorist doing their utmost to prevent this mission from being successful, leaving the crew trying to figure out how to survive.

This is a mystery thriller that just happens to be set in a small cramped spaceship thousands of miles from anywhere. Neatly set up, there are plenty of clues and backstory to what is going on and the eagle-eyed and sharp of brain will enjoy solving what is happening. The plot has a simple set up, but the reasons for it are well thought out and each part follows on neatly as the story progresses. Character wise, they all act as you might suspect and trying to figure out the unreliable party is intriguing given the clues slowly drip fed to the reader. It helps that the story is in a journal format all from the viewpoint of the Captain, which only lets you in on his thoughts and feelings. The story is well written, and the author gives enough detail to set the stage and let the mystery take centre stage instead of adding all the boring detail of what might also be happening.

Overall, this was a great read that kept me engrossed with what was unfolding over its pages. I’ll be honest, I missed the clues and when the reveal came, it surprised me. Looking back all the tell tale signs are there, so this book got a genuine surprise out of me. If you enjoy solving mysteries, this is one to look out for, but anyone looking for a quality read, should check it out.