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Le Premier Meurtre sur Mars
2034 : Rose Fuller et son jumeau Archimedes sont les premiers êtres humains à naître sur Mars. Enfants du génie qui a permis de coloniser la planète rouge, ils grandissent sous les feux des médias, enfants chéris et symboles vivants de la réussite humaine et d'un avenir radieux pour tous sur Mars.
2103 : la liberté n'est plus qu'un souvenir sur Mars, tombée presque entièrement sous la coupe de la corporation Fuller. Rose a disparu, et son nom n'est plus prononcé qu'à voix basse, pour évoquer le souvenir d'une terroriste martyre.
Dylan Ward, agent de sécurité, n'est qu'une employée parmi bien d'autres lorsqu'elle se voit confier une mission de la plus haute importance : retrouver la trace d'un agent perdu dans l'une des dernières zones indépendantes de la planète. Au cœur des territoires le plus sauvages de la planète rouge, Dylan découvre bientôt un lien entre cette disparition et le meurtre dont Rose a été accusée, qui ne s'est peut-être pas déroulé comme tous le croient...
Que s'est-il réellement passé lors du premier meurtre sur Mars ?
2103 : la liberté n'est plus qu'un souvenir sur Mars, tombée presque entièrement sous la coupe de la corporation Fuller. Rose a disparu, et son nom n'est plus prononcé qu'à voix basse, pour évoquer le souvenir d'une terroriste martyre.
Dylan Ward, agent de sécurité, n'est qu'une employée parmi bien d'autres lorsqu'elle se voit confier une mission de la plus haute importance : retrouver la trace d'un agent perdu dans l'une des dernières zones indépendantes de la planète. Au cœur des territoires le plus sauvages de la planète rouge, Dylan découvre bientôt un lien entre cette disparition et le meurtre dont Rose a été accusée, qui ne s'est peut-être pas déroulé comme tous le croient...
Que s'est-il réellement passé lors du premier meurtre sur Mars ?
512 pages, Paperback
First published August 1, 2024
18 people are currently reading
318 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
October 23, 2024
Review to follow ... should have taken a star off for the many typos and sloppy editing in the first half. But this really wrongfooted me just when I thought I knew where it was headed. A 'modern' SF novel that riffs off Paul McAuley, Kim Stanley Robinson, and Frank Herbert in a phlegmatic manner quite typical of South African SF.
August 12, 2024
Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC copy of this book.
I found this story incredibly fascinating and, despite being sci-fi, wholly believable. I think the author has managed to create a narrative which you could really imagine taking place in the future.
The descriptions within the book were, at first, difficult to conceptualise in my mind given that they were of another world and futuristic machinery. The author did a fantastic job of pulling you into the world quickly, though, to a point where I felt immersed and able to picture what was described.
I think the storylines were well written and the use of different years worked very well in providing a solid background as well as enhancing the twists and reveals. This is definitely the sort of sci-fi novel I would love to see in film or tv as I think the concept of the Mars societies as a whole could be developed into a variety of new stories.
The only downside I would say I noted was that I didn’t feel I connected with the main character (Dylan). I think this may have been caused by the fact that the reader is offered more information and background which makes it frustrating when the character holds certain opinions and views. Though I did find this to be an issue throughout, I felt like I began to relate more and appreciate the character towards the end.
Overall a really interesting and refreshing read and I would be excited to read both more books based in this world and any other novels by the author.
I found this story incredibly fascinating and, despite being sci-fi, wholly believable. I think the author has managed to create a narrative which you could really imagine taking place in the future.
The descriptions within the book were, at first, difficult to conceptualise in my mind given that they were of another world and futuristic machinery. The author did a fantastic job of pulling you into the world quickly, though, to a point where I felt immersed and able to picture what was described.
I think the storylines were well written and the use of different years worked very well in providing a solid background as well as enhancing the twists and reveals. This is definitely the sort of sci-fi novel I would love to see in film or tv as I think the concept of the Mars societies as a whole could be developed into a variety of new stories.
The only downside I would say I noted was that I didn’t feel I connected with the main character (Dylan). I think this may have been caused by the fact that the reader is offered more information and background which makes it frustrating when the character holds certain opinions and views. Though I did find this to be an issue throughout, I felt like I began to relate more and appreciate the character towards the end.
Overall a really interesting and refreshing read and I would be excited to read both more books based in this world and any other novels by the author.
July 19, 2025
4.75 stars
I've seen a couple of reviews complaining about typos. I read the Orion trade paperback and I didn't see any issues like that.
Secondly, THIS IS NOT A MURDER MYSTERY. Between the cover and the title, I picked this up thinking it was an Agatha Christie-in-space, or perhaps a Stuart Turton/Guy Morpuss-esque spec fic. This is much more in the vein of Leviathan Wakes or even Dune. It's about colonization and independence. It's a story of founder's syndrome when your company is a planet full of people striving for self-determination. In short, it was nothing like what I was expecting it to be but it sucked me in anyway. There are high action scenes, unpredictable twists, and a really captivating throughline about mythmaking that I'm still mulling over. The worldbuilding was probably my favourite aspect of this book. Wilson has fleshed out a nuanced, complex society and it makes THE FIRST MURDER ON MARS such a page-turner.
Dylan is the only daughter of a non-compliant diabetic. Having lived all his life as a freetrader, traveling between Martian settlements, Frank was forced to seek treatment from the Fuller Company, a decision that prevents him from ever leaving Company territory again. When a high ranking Fuller official wants Dylan as his bodyguard, Dylan can only see the upside: with money, connections, and a promised promotion, she'll have the resources to improve her father's life. But it quickly becomes clear that the mission Dylan is on is off the books. She's embroiled in cold case that goes all the way back to the founding of the first Mars bases, and one that could alter the course of Mars's future if solved.
I was not at all surprised to learn Sam Wilson also writes for film and TV. There's a cinematic quality to his writing that keeps the story moving at an exhilarating pace without feeling rushed. I had the pleasure to hear him speak at an event (and get my book signed!), and I can't wait to read what he's got coming next.
I've seen a couple of reviews complaining about typos. I read the Orion trade paperback and I didn't see any issues like that.
Secondly, THIS IS NOT A MURDER MYSTERY. Between the cover and the title, I picked this up thinking it was an Agatha Christie-in-space, or perhaps a Stuart Turton/Guy Morpuss-esque spec fic. This is much more in the vein of Leviathan Wakes or even Dune. It's about colonization and independence. It's a story of founder's syndrome when your company is a planet full of people striving for self-determination. In short, it was nothing like what I was expecting it to be but it sucked me in anyway. There are high action scenes, unpredictable twists, and a really captivating throughline about mythmaking that I'm still mulling over. The worldbuilding was probably my favourite aspect of this book. Wilson has fleshed out a nuanced, complex society and it makes THE FIRST MURDER ON MARS such a page-turner.
Dylan is the only daughter of a non-compliant diabetic. Having lived all his life as a freetrader, traveling between Martian settlements, Frank was forced to seek treatment from the Fuller Company, a decision that prevents him from ever leaving Company territory again. When a high ranking Fuller official wants Dylan as his bodyguard, Dylan can only see the upside: with money, connections, and a promised promotion, she'll have the resources to improve her father's life. But it quickly becomes clear that the mission Dylan is on is off the books. She's embroiled in cold case that goes all the way back to the founding of the first Mars bases, and one that could alter the course of Mars's future if solved.
I was not at all surprised to learn Sam Wilson also writes for film and TV. There's a cinematic quality to his writing that keeps the story moving at an exhilarating pace without feeling rushed. I had the pleasure to hear him speak at an event (and get my book signed!), and I can't wait to read what he's got coming next.
August 24, 2024
I would like to thank the publisher and NetGalley for allowing me to read and honestly review an advanced reader’s copy of this book.
This was very classic sci fi. I maybe expected a bit more murder mystery, based on the title, but I still really enjoyed the straight forward plot.
This story has several main characters, and switches back and forth between these characters and different time periods to weave a story of the first people born on Mars, and the first murder committed.
It paints a very vivid picture, and if you’re a sci fi fan you will enjoy this! I do wish it was maybe edited a little tighter; certain scenes maybe drag on a bit, specifically ‘action sequences’.
A solid read for any sci fi fan!
This was very classic sci fi. I maybe expected a bit more murder mystery, based on the title, but I still really enjoyed the straight forward plot.
This story has several main characters, and switches back and forth between these characters and different time periods to weave a story of the first people born on Mars, and the first murder committed.
It paints a very vivid picture, and if you’re a sci fi fan you will enjoy this! I do wish it was maybe edited a little tighter; certain scenes maybe drag on a bit, specifically ‘action sequences’.
A solid read for any sci fi fan!
February 19, 2025
A promising beginning, a long middle, and a rushed an uninteresting ending. The opening scenes in the post-collapse martian corporate dystopia are interesting, as is their sad Musk-analogue - but unlike Kim Stanley Robinson, there's nothing really behind it. As for the murder, there's no mystery; is just a McGuffin. The whole thing suffers from comparison to Red Mars; I would have given it three stars, but I ended up bored by the end.
December 4, 2025
J'étais intrigué par ce roman (le titre m'a tapé dans l'œil), et je ne regrette absolument pas sa lecture.
Le récit se déroule donc sur Mars, à travers deux trames narratives. La première en 2103, 45 ans après le premier meurtre du titre, et la seconde débutant quelques années avant ledit meurtre, chaque chapitre de cette partie nous rapprochant un peu plus de la tragédie annoncée.
Outre le fait que cette double narration alternée fonctionne très bien, j'ajouterais que le rythme du récit est vraiment pensé comme un page turner hyper efficace. les chapitres sont courts, haletants, et j'ai eu du mal à lâcher ce livre.
Les personnages sont très réussis, les dialogues bien construits et le roman n'oublie pas de s'intéresser aux enjeux politiques de la colonisation martienne (ils sont même omniprésents en réalité).
Tout y passe donc, de façon assez pertinentes (de mon point de vue) : rapports de classes, les relations entre les colonies martiennes (oui, parce que c'est une colonisation multiple, avec pleins de stations nationales ou privées) et la Terre, dont elles dépendent grandement pour leur survie, mais aussi les relations entre ces colonies et la compagnie privée qui a permis leur implantation, et qui dispose de prérogatives (et de moyens de coercition) importants sur les différentes bases martiennes.
Et le meurtre me direz vous ?
Je n'en dirais rien ici, si ce n'est que (à mon grand dam), il ne s'agit pas de celui de ce bon vieux nazi d'Elon. Le mystère sur l'identité de la victime du meurtre est conservé aussi longtemps que possible, et participe de cette frénésie de lecture qui pousse à toujours avancer "pour savoir", d'autant que le texte est assez habile pour qu'à plusieurs reprises, on se prenne à penser avoir deviné qui va mourir, pour changer d'avis quelques pages plus loin.
Vraiment une très belle découverte !
Le récit se déroule donc sur Mars, à travers deux trames narratives. La première en 2103, 45 ans après le premier meurtre du titre, et la seconde débutant quelques années avant ledit meurtre, chaque chapitre de cette partie nous rapprochant un peu plus de la tragédie annoncée.
Outre le fait que cette double narration alternée fonctionne très bien, j'ajouterais que le rythme du récit est vraiment pensé comme un page turner hyper efficace. les chapitres sont courts, haletants, et j'ai eu du mal à lâcher ce livre.
Les personnages sont très réussis, les dialogues bien construits et le roman n'oublie pas de s'intéresser aux enjeux politiques de la colonisation martienne (ils sont même omniprésents en réalité).
Tout y passe donc, de façon assez pertinentes (de mon point de vue) : rapports de classes, les relations entre les colonies martiennes (oui, parce que c'est une colonisation multiple, avec pleins de stations nationales ou privées) et la Terre, dont elles dépendent grandement pour leur survie, mais aussi les relations entre ces colonies et la compagnie privée qui a permis leur implantation, et qui dispose de prérogatives (et de moyens de coercition) importants sur les différentes bases martiennes.
Et le meurtre me direz vous ?
Je n'en dirais rien ici, si ce n'est que (à mon grand dam), il ne s'agit pas de celui de ce bon vieux nazi d'Elon. Le mystère sur l'identité de la victime du meurtre est conservé aussi longtemps que possible, et participe de cette frénésie de lecture qui pousse à toujours avancer "pour savoir", d'autant que le texte est assez habile pour qu'à plusieurs reprises, on se prenne à penser avoir deviné qui va mourir, pour changer d'avis quelques pages plus loin.
Vraiment une très belle découverte !
January 30, 2025
Je ne lis pas toujours bien les résumés, ça m’arrive même de ne pas les lire du tout. Je me laisse séduire par une couverture, une chronique élogieuse ou par un titre évocateur. Forcément, ça occasionne des surprises… En commençant « Le premier meurtre sur Mars », je m’attendais vaguement à une intrigue policière sur fond de terraformation et de rivalités scientifiques. Ce n’était pas du tout ça! Quelque part entre “The Expanse” et “Total recall”, Sam Wilson livre plutôt un space opera captivant, où action et jeux de pouvoir se mélangent tout au long des 500 pages de cette bonne briquasse.
Dylan Ward travaille dans la sécurité sur une des nombreuses bases martiennes. Elle est mandatée en grand secret pour retrouver un agent du recensement - @elise.et.gatsby vous dirait que c’est un MacGuffin pur jus - qui a été vu pour la dernière fois dans les colonies libres, entendez par là les bases martiennes qui ne sont pas sous la coupe de la très puissante Compagnie Fuller. Au coeur des territoires hostiles, Dylan découvre bientôt un lien entre cette disparition et un meurtre perpétré 50 ans plus tôt, meurtre qui a précipité mars dans le chaos le plus total…
C’était franchement pas mal du tout et si ça se passe techniquement sur une autre planète, les thèmes abordés dépassent de loin le scope de la science-fiction: loyauté, politique, amitié, courage face à l’adversité… Il y a suffisament de rebondissements pour tenir le lecteur en haleine et le sud-africain Sam Wilson fait la part belle à des personnages féminins forts et indépendants! J’ai été toutefois un peu coupée dans mon élan (de 500 pages je rappelle) par une fin abrupte qui laisse planer l’incertitude. Y aura-t-il une suite?
Dylan Ward travaille dans la sécurité sur une des nombreuses bases martiennes. Elle est mandatée en grand secret pour retrouver un agent du recensement - @elise.et.gatsby vous dirait que c’est un MacGuffin pur jus - qui a été vu pour la dernière fois dans les colonies libres, entendez par là les bases martiennes qui ne sont pas sous la coupe de la très puissante Compagnie Fuller. Au coeur des territoires hostiles, Dylan découvre bientôt un lien entre cette disparition et un meurtre perpétré 50 ans plus tôt, meurtre qui a précipité mars dans le chaos le plus total…
C’était franchement pas mal du tout et si ça se passe techniquement sur une autre planète, les thèmes abordés dépassent de loin le scope de la science-fiction: loyauté, politique, amitié, courage face à l’adversité… Il y a suffisament de rebondissements pour tenir le lecteur en haleine et le sud-africain Sam Wilson fait la part belle à des personnages féminins forts et indépendants! J’ai été toutefois un peu coupée dans mon élan (de 500 pages je rappelle) par une fin abrupte qui laisse planer l’incertitude. Y aura-t-il une suite?
January 16, 2025
I'm not obsessed about Mars - I can stop thinking about the Red Planet any time I want to!
Now that I have that out of the way, let's talk about The First Murder on Mars. I'm 95% sure I found out about this book via author John Scalzi's blog, but however I discovered it I'm glad I did. It's set on Mars in the early days of human colonization, and opens with the birth of the first people born on Mars, Rosemary and her fraternal twin brother, Archimedes "Archie" Fuller. Then it alternates between their story and events on Mars some 50 years later, after an unspecified Collapse on Earth maroons the Martians.
I have to say I found this book fascinating. I've had a longstanding interest in the settlement of Mars, and the idea of a human-inhabited Mars cut off from Earth has also been fascinating. I have a few minor technical quibbles, but overall the author does a great job with both the science and the characters. I highly recommend this book, even if you're not obsessed with Mars.
Now that I have that out of the way, let's talk about The First Murder on Mars. I'm 95% sure I found out about this book via author John Scalzi's blog, but however I discovered it I'm glad I did. It's set on Mars in the early days of human colonization, and opens with the birth of the first people born on Mars, Rosemary and her fraternal twin brother, Archimedes "Archie" Fuller. Then it alternates between their story and events on Mars some 50 years later, after an unspecified Collapse on Earth maroons the Martians.
I have to say I found this book fascinating. I've had a longstanding interest in the settlement of Mars, and the idea of a human-inhabited Mars cut off from Earth has also been fascinating. I have a few minor technical quibbles, but overall the author does a great job with both the science and the characters. I highly recommend this book, even if you're not obsessed with Mars.
September 15, 2025
2.75/5
Solid book, reasonably immersive, reasonably well-constructed plot. It doesn't feel terribly new, though. Yes, evil corporations bad. Yes, when corporations control vital life support needs as they would in a Mars settlement project, that's even worse than when they just control money. But none of the revelations in the past timeline felt all that revelatory; it was clear that the evil corporation was evil from the start, so whatever this 'murder' was, of course it would be their fault in some way. And the whole quest in the present timeline after a maguffin didn't pay off. If a quest is built around retrieving a maguffin, I want to see that maguffin deployed. Like, I read the book in a day and a half, so it was doing something right, but I felt a little bit bored when I was done, rather than satisfied.
Solid book, reasonably immersive, reasonably well-constructed plot. It doesn't feel terribly new, though. Yes, evil corporations bad. Yes, when corporations control vital life support needs as they would in a Mars settlement project, that's even worse than when they just control money. But none of the revelations in the past timeline felt all that revelatory; it was clear that the evil corporation was evil from the start, so whatever this 'murder' was, of course it would be their fault in some way. And the whole quest in the present timeline after a maguffin didn't pay off. If a quest is built around retrieving a maguffin, I want to see that maguffin deployed. Like, I read the book in a day and a half, so it was doing something right, but I felt a little bit bored when I was done, rather than satisfied.
December 18, 2025
I want to stress before I begin that this is a positive review. Probably a 3.5 stars, to be honest. I’m just not sure it warranted 4.
First things first: you can tell this book was written by a man. Not necessarily in a bad way, just that the best books tend to be the ones where you can’t tell, and with this one there was always that background aura of just… man.
That being said, I enjoyed it! An extremely interesting world (though the sci part of the sci-fi left much to be desired), and a riveting plot. Somehow the twists always came at just the right time to keep me hooked.
The characters got better as it went along. Dylan was interesting, though she lacked agency. Rose was a tad—scratch that, very—frustrating, but I liked her ideals. Clifford is clearly insane and all in all his goals were kind of for nothing. But it was an enjoyable read.
Not quite the Martian, but close.
First things first: you can tell this book was written by a man. Not necessarily in a bad way, just that the best books tend to be the ones where you can’t tell, and with this one there was always that background aura of just… man.
That being said, I enjoyed it! An extremely interesting world (though the sci part of the sci-fi left much to be desired), and a riveting plot. Somehow the twists always came at just the right time to keep me hooked.
The characters got better as it went along. Dylan was interesting, though she lacked agency. Rose was a tad—scratch that, very—frustrating, but I liked her ideals. Clifford is clearly insane and all in all his goals were kind of for nothing. But it was an enjoyable read.
Not quite the Martian, but close.
October 27, 2024
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I don’t often read fictional books, but this one really caught my attention and it wouldn’t let go. Not that I know anything about terraforming Mars, other than the random facts that may or may not be true from the Terraforming Mars board game that I play, but this book felt really well researched and nothing seemed like it was too implausible to happen.
I enjoyed the philosophical meaning behind it relating to how human kind socially evolves, how capitalism is far from the socially optimal system yet it continues to be the dominant one.
Yeah not much else to say, a good book I think.
I enjoyed the philosophical meaning behind it relating to how human kind socially evolves, how capitalism is far from the socially optimal system yet it continues to be the dominant one.
Yeah not much else to say, a good book I think.
April 13, 2025
Jislaaik! A SF novel by a Capetonian and a cracking one too. Mars is beautifully evoked in all its bleak splendour and humankind presented in its bleak varieties too. The descriptions of the process of settling Mars are interesting and convincing, as are the political and economic struggles. The company is one I could envisage an autocratic nutjob like Elon Muskrat setting up with 'experiences' for the rich and a baked in inequality. Unfortunately, I don't believe he, or anyone else, is likely to get us to Mars before we destroy Earth.
September 10, 2024
An intriguing scifi novel, kind of an Expanse/Red Rising mash up with some cleverly divisive characters and a page turner plot.
The world building is excellent, you really get a feel for this version of Mars and for its inhabitants. The political situation is clear and makes a good backdrop to the twists and turns of the story.
I thoroughly enjoyed it. Not sure if there'll be a sequel but if there is I'm up for it.
The world building is excellent, you really get a feel for this version of Mars and for its inhabitants. The political situation is clear and makes a good backdrop to the twists and turns of the story.
I thoroughly enjoyed it. Not sure if there'll be a sequel but if there is I'm up for it.
May 23, 2025
This book started well but was far too long and got very boring. Endless battles that just went on and on. I skim read the last quarter of the book. Kind of depressing that mankind, having made it to another planet still fight and try to destroy each other. Sorry I can’t be more positive.
July 18, 2025
First thoughts:
Refreshingly good, I love the characters and the sci-fi elements. The murder mystery part was done brilliantly and the cat and mouse chase also was very interesting, I was never bored even once.
Refreshingly good, I love the characters and the sci-fi elements. The murder mystery part was done brilliantly and the cat and mouse chase also was very interesting, I was never bored even once.
September 29, 2024
Good start, long long middle. Did not stick the landing , not worth investing time in.
April 12, 2025
A great read
Honestly I can't remember how I came across this book but I'm glad I did. It's a great read from beginning to end and is structured perfectly!
Honestly I can't remember how I came across this book but I'm glad I did. It's a great read from beginning to end and is structured perfectly!
May 27, 2025
Hunger Games / Maze Runner genre with really unique setting on Mars / space
July 11, 2025
Un peu long à démarrer mais excellent une fois que l'histoire est lancée
July 14, 2025
An enjoyable trip through the 'history' of settlements on Mars. With hopeful beginnings humans cannot help dividing into tribes with big corporations trying to control resources and peoples.
August 12, 2025
Cool and realistic, but lost a lot of its charm towards the end and left many threads unresolved
September 5, 2025
Very enjoyable - easy enough to read and some excellent twists and turns that I did not see coming. The ending was sufficiently long and well developed to be quite satisfying. Recommend
June 8, 2025
Saw this book at the Franschhoek Literary Festival. Sorry I was not able to hear Sam Wilson speak. Maybe next year. As a SciFi fan this was an engaging and enjoyable read.
January 7, 2025
A wild rover ride across the red planet which is somehow both exhilarating and deeply thoughtful about how societies are built, captured, and liberated. It’s meticulously researched, vividly imagined and moves faster than a spaceship. I bloody adored this book.
Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews