The Apollo Murders is Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield’s first foray into the mystery genre. The plot is set in 1973, outlining a fictionalized Apollo 18 mission during the late days of the Cold War, following multiple perspectives of the NASA crew and operations, Russian scientists and politicians, and a cast of tangential characters. Hadfield’s unique tone and personal experience shine in his writing. I had worried that the jargon used by an actual astronaut describing a lunar mission would be difficult to follow, but it never felt out of reach. While there is a murder in the first few chapters, investigation takes a backseat as drama unfolds aboard the space craft. As a thriller, the plot does deliver as the stakes escalate to the very end. The Apollo Murders will be released October 12, 2021.