Kazimieras “Kaz” Zemeckis was bound for the stars. At least, that was the plan before a bird strike on a routine fighter training flight left him with a glass eye and a job shepherding astronauts through the sort of space flights he was supposed to be on himself. By 1973, the Apollo missions are winding down as budget cuts take their toll, but the Apollo 18 trip promises to be like no other. As a former Navy pilot, Kaz is assigned to help run the mission, one that will be entirely consistent of military personnel and thus be the first that has a military purpose: investigate the newly launched Soviet space station Almaz before landing on the Moon’s Sea of Serenity. It’s going to be an especially tricky job, but Kaz and others at Mission Control have no idea how off the rails the final Apollo mission will end up, culminating in a deadly cat-and-mouse race where no one is as they seem.
Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield infuses his debut novel The Apollo Murders with real-life science and historical accuracy. Apollo 18 never happened in real life—a planned mission was scrapped due to budget cuts—but Hadfield’s extensive experience in space and in the military comes through on every page (readers will already know him from his bestselling An Astronaut’s Guide to Life on Earth, and his otherworldly rendition of David Bowie’s Space Oddity from the International Space Station made headlines in 2013). The technical details, encompassing everything from how to fly a helicopter to the tricky prospect of vomiting in space (which apparently happens quite a bit) add veracity to the plot. After a somewhat sluggish start, that plot barrels forward like a Saturn V rocket. It would be difficult to go into details without giving away key plot points, but Apollo 18 is already in jeopardy before it leaves the launch pad when a sudden death leads to last minute changes to the crew. And while 18’s visit to Almaz is rated top secret, the Soviets are hardly unaware of what’s going on at Mission Control—and they have more than one surprise awaiting the Moon-bound Americans. As Kaz tries to get a handle on what’s really happening deep in space, a deadly drama plays out that sees both Cold War adversaries in the contradictory position of relying on each other to survive in space until it’s safe to go for the kill on Earth.
Some aspects of The Apollo Murders betray the fact it’s a first novel. Most characters are fairly flat, and there are some plot holes that remain frustratingly unresolved. But as with most thrillers, it’s the momentum that matters, and that Hadfield does exceptionally well. Punchy short chapters and dramatic set moments make up for most faults elsewhere. It’s clear that Hadfield has done his historical research. Space luminaries such as Gene Kranz and Al Shepard are here, and space buffs will love tracking down all the real-life nuggets of history that Hadfield sprinkles throughout. The relatively underappreciated gap between the Apollo missions and the launch of the Space Shuttle makes for a rich vein to mine for fictional retellings. Hints of a sequel suggest that Kaz will continue to his space odysseys, and readers will be likely to enjoy further missions with him. The Apollo Murders is a perfect read for fans of Andy Weir’s The Martian, Tom Clancy’s techno-thrillers and readers of more action-focused spy novels.