Part of Dalziel & Pascoe, book 12
First published 1990
The year is 2010, and humanity has reached the moon with an international crew from the Federated States of Europe. A French astronaut lies dead in the lunar dust, the first person ever murdered beyond Earth's atmosphere. Back on Earth, retired Detective-Superintendent Andrew Dalziel and his partner Peter Pascoe face an unprecedented challenge. They must solve a homicide committed in the most isolated crime scene imaginable. The investigation forces them to navigate international politics, space agency bureaucracy, and the technical complexities of lunar operations. Every clue must be examined across the vast distance between Earth and moon. Every suspect has an alibi written in mission logs and orbital mechanics. As Dalziel and Pascoe work to uncover the killer's identity, they confront a case that tests not only their detective skills but also their understanding of human nature in the ultimate frontier. The murder on the moon becomes a puzzle that challenges everything they know about crime, motive, and the lengths people will go to kill.
Genres: science-fiction, mystery, crime, thriller, detective, 21st-century
Vibes: emotional, fast-paced, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: amateur-sleuth, fish-out-of-water, locked-room-mystery
Setting: Earth, Europe, Moon
Period: 2010
112 pages · Hardcover · HarperCollinsPublishers