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Death of a Clone
Designed. Manufactured. Expendable...
The overseers may call it Hell, but for Leila and the other clones, the mining base on asteroid Mizushima-00109 is the only home they've ever known. But then Leila's sister Lily is murdered, and the Overseers seem less interested in solving the crime than in making their mining quota and returning to Earth. Leila decides to find the murderer, just like the heroes of her old detective novels would. But Hell is a place of terrible secrets, and courage and determination – and a love of mysteries – may not be enough to keep Leila from ending up like her sister.
The overseers may call it Hell, but for Leila and the other clones, the mining base on asteroid Mizushima-00109 is the only home they've ever known. But then Leila's sister Lily is murdered, and the Overseers seem less interested in solving the crime than in making their mining quota and returning to Earth. Leila decides to find the murderer, just like the heroes of her old detective novels would. But Hell is a place of terrible secrets, and courage and determination – and a love of mysteries – may not be enough to keep Leila from ending up like her sister.
272 pages, Paperback
First published July 10, 2018
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November 28, 2019A Christie-style murder mystery in space. It's very well done, with a narrative that unspools in a highly satisfying way, and which makes SF elements plot-crucial but in a completely fair way (the clues are all there, it's not a magic laser beam mcguffin). Good fun.
September 20, 2018
(I thank Netgalley and Abaddon Books for sending me the ARC in exchange for my honest review)
It’s not so often that one book meets all ones expectations, but it was clearly the case for me with « Death of a clone » : a clever, poignant and intriguing huit-clos on an asteroid, where less than two douzains of people live and work, cut off from the outside world.
In the book’s presentation the story is compared (quite audaciously, I thought) as an Agatha Christie murder. I was happy to realise that the comparison was twice true: Firstly the narrator, Leila, have read Agatha Christie’s stories and tries to find the murderer using Miss Marple techniques. Secondly the story, if not wrote at all as an Agatha Christie fan fiction, and having its own personality, satisfied me the same way, as much as for the characters’ development as for the unfolding mystery!
I loved Leila’s voice since the very beginning. Her intelligence, her sensibility without sentimentality, her innocence also – she seems so young and pure, having seen so little of real life! Indeed, as the others families of brothers and sisters (five « Ays », six « Jays », six « Bees » and two « Ells » – Leila and her sister Lily), Leila only knows 21 others persons and had never been away from « Hell », the asteroid where she lives (in a very austere station) and works (the outside, with no atmosphere). Her habit of reading is unusual, as if the clones know how to read they don’t have much distractions, if any, and no book at all. But M. Lee, the Ells’ overseer, has lent Leila his e-reader and she has read many classics from the 19th and 18th century. Hence Miss Marple!
We are in the future, without any precision, which isn’t necessary anyway to understand and feel the story. The action takes place on two stages, inside and outside, nowhere else. You mustn’t hope for some space opera here, the context is the future, in space, on a uninhabited asteroid except for 22 persons, working hard, and that’s it.
The context, quite simple, deceptively so even, is brilliantly used to create a wonderfully intricate story. The reader tries to guess the truth, using the knowledge (of human nature especially) Leila hasn’t and all the clues given by the story. None of them are superfluous, and the possible flaws of the story… aren’t flaws at all.
The author has made a superb job with the clones. The way they live together, how they accept their existence and the determinism of their personalities, how they live their kind of symbiotic relationship with their clones, and interact with the other families and the overseers, all is perfect, credible and cleverly done.
If the mysteries make the bones of the story, the reflection about identity and human slavery makes its meat. I frequently thought about two excellent recent books, while reading « Death of a clone » : « A close and common orbit » by Becky Chambers and an another one, which I can’t cite alas without spoiling the story (please ask me which one after reading « Death of a clone!)
A fantastic book I warmly recommend to all readers who love full fleshed characters living poignant lives in an abusive but also logical system – but without any unhealthy exposition or description, the narration favouring subtlety and trusting the reader to extrapolate and ponder about the injustice and consequences of the said system.
I loved it so much that I’ve ordered the paper book and will read the next book of the author as soon as it’ll be published!
It’s not so often that one book meets all ones expectations, but it was clearly the case for me with « Death of a clone » : a clever, poignant and intriguing huit-clos on an asteroid, where less than two douzains of people live and work, cut off from the outside world.
In the book’s presentation the story is compared (quite audaciously, I thought) as an Agatha Christie murder. I was happy to realise that the comparison was twice true: Firstly the narrator, Leila, have read Agatha Christie’s stories and tries to find the murderer using Miss Marple techniques. Secondly the story, if not wrote at all as an Agatha Christie fan fiction, and having its own personality, satisfied me the same way, as much as for the characters’ development as for the unfolding mystery!
I loved Leila’s voice since the very beginning. Her intelligence, her sensibility without sentimentality, her innocence also – she seems so young and pure, having seen so little of real life! Indeed, as the others families of brothers and sisters (five « Ays », six « Jays », six « Bees » and two « Ells » – Leila and her sister Lily), Leila only knows 21 others persons and had never been away from « Hell », the asteroid where she lives (in a very austere station) and works (the outside, with no atmosphere). Her habit of reading is unusual, as if the clones know how to read they don’t have much distractions, if any, and no book at all. But M. Lee, the Ells’ overseer, has lent Leila his e-reader and she has read many classics from the 19th and 18th century. Hence Miss Marple!
We are in the future, without any precision, which isn’t necessary anyway to understand and feel the story. The action takes place on two stages, inside and outside, nowhere else. You mustn’t hope for some space opera here, the context is the future, in space, on a uninhabited asteroid except for 22 persons, working hard, and that’s it.
The context, quite simple, deceptively so even, is brilliantly used to create a wonderfully intricate story. The reader tries to guess the truth, using the knowledge (of human nature especially) Leila hasn’t and all the clues given by the story. None of them are superfluous, and the possible flaws of the story… aren’t flaws at all.
The author has made a superb job with the clones. The way they live together, how they accept their existence and the determinism of their personalities, how they live their kind of symbiotic relationship with their clones, and interact with the other families and the overseers, all is perfect, credible and cleverly done.
If the mysteries make the bones of the story, the reflection about identity and human slavery makes its meat. I frequently thought about two excellent recent books, while reading « Death of a clone » : « A close and common orbit » by Becky Chambers and an another one, which I can’t cite alas without spoiling the story (please ask me which one after reading « Death of a clone!)
A fantastic book I warmly recommend to all readers who love full fleshed characters living poignant lives in an abusive but also logical system – but without any unhealthy exposition or description, the narration favouring subtlety and trusting the reader to extrapolate and ponder about the injustice and consequences of the said system.
I loved it so much that I’ve ordered the paper book and will read the next book of the author as soon as it’ll be published!
June 16, 2018
Death of a Clone is a terrific game of Clue set in space. It’s a book that is more than a simple twist on an old plot. A strong premise is backed up with a solid characters, a tension-filled investigation, and a surprising reveal. Recommended.
Full review on my blog here: http://paulspicks.blog/2018/06/16/dea...
Make sure to check out my other reviews at: https://paulspicks.blog
Full review on my blog here: http://paulspicks.blog/2018/06/16/dea...
Make sure to check out my other reviews at: https://paulspicks.blog
September 27, 2020
2.5 rounded up
This was advertised as an Agatha Christie-like crime novel in space and that's not wrong.
The worldbuilding was interesting but did not gain a lot of depth over time, mostly cause a few crucial details kind of had to be saved for the final reveal.
I never quite emotionally connected with the POV character, but I think I might have enjoyed this more if I did.
This was advertised as an Agatha Christie-like crime novel in space and that's not wrong.
The worldbuilding was interesting but did not gain a lot of depth over time, mostly cause a few crucial details kind of had to be saved for the final reveal.
I never quite emotionally connected with the POV character, but I think I might have enjoyed this more if I did.
October 14, 2019
Death of a Clone is pretty much what the blurbs promise: Agatha Christie in spaaaace. Or, you know, Duncan Jones' Moon in book form. To tell you the truth, I have always disliked reading Christie. Annoying detectives, red herrings inserted by rote, and straight up misdirection of the reader (i.e. lies). Death of a Clone is more honest (I believe it is technically solvable with a diorama and a timetable), and it just has the most wonderful setting that elevates it above its peers. This setting -4 groups of identical clone families and three human overseers mining away an asteroid on a 7-year-long mission- makes the whole whodunnit affair more enjoyable. Like, how can you investigate your suspects if they look completely identical and even behave similarly?
Death of a Clone is also solid scifi. For example, the clones are human-like, but they are not completely human, which lends the point-of-view character those popular Murderbot vibes. Clones also have in-built limitations like obedience, workaholism and periodic erasure of long-term memory, which all point towards the more sinister and quite tragic plot behind the murder shenanigans. Not the most original thing I have read, but all in all very enjoyable.
Death of a Clone is also solid scifi. For example, the clones are human-like, but they are not completely human, which lends the point-of-view character those popular Murderbot vibes. Clones also have in-built limitations like obedience, workaholism and periodic erasure of long-term memory, which all point towards the more sinister and quite tragic plot behind the murder shenanigans. Not the most original thing I have read, but all in all very enjoyable.
June 26, 2018
One part murder mystery, one part speculative fiction, Death of a Clone examines the nature of identity and its reliance on memory. Hell is a small mining colony on an asteroid far from earth. The workers are genetically engineered clones divided into families according to purpose - 5 Ays, 6 Bees, 6 Jays, and 2 Ells. All family members are identical in appearance, but there are also deeper similarities which become clear as you read. In addition to the clones, there are three human overseers who manage the groups. It is important to remember that all of the clones believe they will be sent to earth at the end of their 7 year tenure.
When her sister is killed, Laila begins investigating her murder, using the techniques she learned from reading Agatha Christie’s mysteries. Haunted by elusive memories and troubled by the strange inconsistencies she discovers, Laila begins to realize that everything they believed may be wrong, and that seeking justice may have far reaching consequences.
The premise is an intriguing one - a clone investigating her sister’s murder. The potential for deception is high, as it is difficult to distinguish between individual family members. The Ays consciously try to make their appearances different, but the Bees and the Jays do not (sometimes consciously encouraging confusion). Could one person of an identical (genetically) set be a murderer without the rest knowing or being complicit? On the other hand, there are the overseers - but what threat could Lily have posed? Laila is both searching for her sister’s killer and following in her sister’s footsteps.
Death of a Clone is one of the more unusual tributes to Agatha Christie that I’ve come across. There are flaws here and there, but most of those can be attributed to the narrator. Some are harder to accept, leaving the reader wondering. For example why is there no means of communication with earth. Surely they want the minerals being mined on the asteroid and would need some way of knowing what supplies need to be replenished. I was a bit disappointed by Thomson taking the easy out for the solution, but I still enjoyed the novel. Death of a Clone is a promising debut. I look forward to seeing where Alex Thomson goes from here.
4 / 5
I received a copy of Death of a Clone from the publisher and Netgalley.com in exchange for an honest review.
— Crittermom
When her sister is killed, Laila begins investigating her murder, using the techniques she learned from reading Agatha Christie’s mysteries. Haunted by elusive memories and troubled by the strange inconsistencies she discovers, Laila begins to realize that everything they believed may be wrong, and that seeking justice may have far reaching consequences.
The premise is an intriguing one - a clone investigating her sister’s murder. The potential for deception is high, as it is difficult to distinguish between individual family members. The Ays consciously try to make their appearances different, but the Bees and the Jays do not (sometimes consciously encouraging confusion). Could one person of an identical (genetically) set be a murderer without the rest knowing or being complicit? On the other hand, there are the overseers - but what threat could Lily have posed? Laila is both searching for her sister’s killer and following in her sister’s footsteps.
Death of a Clone is one of the more unusual tributes to Agatha Christie that I’ve come across. There are flaws here and there, but most of those can be attributed to the narrator. Some are harder to accept, leaving the reader wondering. For example why is there no means of communication with earth. Surely they want the minerals being mined on the asteroid and would need some way of knowing what supplies need to be replenished. I was a bit disappointed by Thomson taking the easy out for the solution, but I still enjoyed the novel. Death of a Clone is a promising debut. I look forward to seeing where Alex Thomson goes from here.
4 / 5
I received a copy of Death of a Clone from the publisher and Netgalley.com in exchange for an honest review.
— Crittermom
June 19, 2018
ARC provided by NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
---
Leila and her fellow clones are mining the asteroid Mizushima-00109 when her sister is suddenly murdered and the circumstances surrounding her death allude to something being very wrong on the asteroid. Leila has no one to trust and must figure out who the killer is on her own.
This was a quick 155-page read in my ebook format. The blurb was intriguing and the story was quite complicated for a book of such short length.
Leila is a very curious character and is hellbent on finding her sister's murderer while trying to uncover the secrets of the asteroid.
There are lots of things done flawlessly in this book:
1. The worldbuilding that occurs without even a hint of infodumping, everything seamlessly integrated into dialogue and scenes.
2. The character development (of even the background cast) that takes place over the span of less than 200 pages.
3. The sequence of events and the amount of attention each is given.
There are a few things that I thought could have been better:
1. The amount of events: more could have been added to this other than the murder, the investigation and the reveal.
2. The cliffhanger ending is a good setup for a second book. I just wish a little bit more had been revealed of the aftermath of the big reveal.
I think both of the above could have been achieved without extending the book length too much.
Other than that, I think the title of the book could do with more of an oomph. It's not entirely bad, but I do think that something a bit more powerful would reflect the contents of the book better.
Overall, this was a quick, enjoyable read and I would recommend it to anyone interested in a murder mystery mixed with sci-fi. From a genre-mixing perspective, this was perfectly imagined and executed.
Rating: 3.5/5 stars
---
Short review on Litsy
ARC provided by NetGalley and publisher.
Plus points:
1. The worldbuilding that occurs without infodumping.
2. Character development
3. The sequence of events and the amount of attention each is given.
Things could have been better:
1. More could have been added to this other than the murder, the investigation and the reveal.
2. I wish a little bit more had been revealed of the aftermath of the big reveal.
3. The title
3.5/5 ⭐
---
Leila and her fellow clones are mining the asteroid Mizushima-00109 when her sister is suddenly murdered and the circumstances surrounding her death allude to something being very wrong on the asteroid. Leila has no one to trust and must figure out who the killer is on her own.
This was a quick 155-page read in my ebook format. The blurb was intriguing and the story was quite complicated for a book of such short length.
Leila is a very curious character and is hellbent on finding her sister's murderer while trying to uncover the secrets of the asteroid.
There are lots of things done flawlessly in this book:
1. The worldbuilding that occurs without even a hint of infodumping, everything seamlessly integrated into dialogue and scenes.
2. The character development (of even the background cast) that takes place over the span of less than 200 pages.
3. The sequence of events and the amount of attention each is given.
There are a few things that I thought could have been better:
1. The amount of events: more could have been added to this other than the murder, the investigation and the reveal.
2. The cliffhanger ending is a good setup for a second book. I just wish a little bit more had been revealed of the aftermath of the big reveal.
I think both of the above could have been achieved without extending the book length too much.
Other than that, I think the title of the book could do with more of an oomph. It's not entirely bad, but I do think that something a bit more powerful would reflect the contents of the book better.
Overall, this was a quick, enjoyable read and I would recommend it to anyone interested in a murder mystery mixed with sci-fi. From a genre-mixing perspective, this was perfectly imagined and executed.
Rating: 3.5/5 stars
---
Short review on Litsy
ARC provided by NetGalley and publisher.
Plus points:
1. The worldbuilding that occurs without infodumping.
2. Character development
3. The sequence of events and the amount of attention each is given.
Things could have been better:
1. More could have been added to this other than the murder, the investigation and the reveal.
2. I wish a little bit more had been revealed of the aftermath of the big reveal.
3. The title
3.5/5 ⭐
December 22, 2018
Reviewed for The Bibliophibian.
Received to review via Netgalley
This has been out for, um, ages now. I did actually start it as soon as I got it, and then I had my dissertation and moving and a thousand other excuses. When I actually sat down to finish it, though, it’s a very easy read and went by quickly. It was a little bit predictable to me, but it comes together nicely, and I do enjoy the constant references to Golden Age crime fiction (or at least Agatha Christie; now I think about it, I’m not sure whether any others were mentioned).
I probably shouldn’t say too much about it for fear of spoiling the reveals — it is kind of fun to just read and let things fall into place for yourself, after all. But I do find it weird that it has a lot of similarities with another recent book, One Way (S.J. Morden). There’s a slightly different angle, but nonetheless a lot of similarities, right down to the ending (which I peeked at in the case of One Way, which I haven’t quite finished). If I remember rightly they must have been being published at the same time, so it’s not a matter of plagiarism — just a kind of synchronicity, I think, but it definitely gave me deja vu!
Not bad, but nothing particularly astonishing either.
Received to review via Netgalley
This has been out for, um, ages now. I did actually start it as soon as I got it, and then I had my dissertation and moving and a thousand other excuses. When I actually sat down to finish it, though, it’s a very easy read and went by quickly. It was a little bit predictable to me, but it comes together nicely, and I do enjoy the constant references to Golden Age crime fiction (or at least Agatha Christie; now I think about it, I’m not sure whether any others were mentioned).
I probably shouldn’t say too much about it for fear of spoiling the reveals — it is kind of fun to just read and let things fall into place for yourself, after all. But I do find it weird that it has a lot of similarities with another recent book, One Way (S.J. Morden). There’s a slightly different angle, but nonetheless a lot of similarities, right down to the ending (which I peeked at in the case of One Way, which I haven’t quite finished). If I remember rightly they must have been being published at the same time, so it’s not a matter of plagiarism — just a kind of synchronicity, I think, but it definitely gave me deja vu!
Not bad, but nothing particularly astonishing either.
July 4, 2018
When Earth’s precious metals are mined into extinction, the Corporations, and the people who run them, decided to head out to the Asteroid Belt and mine there. But sending a human workforce would be costly and dangerous, so they created the workforce instead...
“We were brought into existence for this express purpose.”
Leila and her fellow clones on Mizushima-00109 don’t remember what came before, they only know they have jobs to do, and that the work is important to their Overseers. But when Leila’s sister, Lily, is found murdered, her interest in quotas wains as she set out to investigate whom in their tiny Asteroid colony killed Lily, and more importantly, why.
I love a good space drama and this book did not disappoint! It was easy to read, with a good cast of characters, and a thrilling, delicious side-dish of a twist. It was also decidedly human. Leila’s ‘voice’ was almost childlike in its naivety, but it was incredibly fierce, and stubborn, and independent - she’s my kind of character!
Death of a Clone, is not just a sci-fi, mystery/thriller. It raises philosophical questions about existence, needs, desires, and human rights. And that no matter how much ‘selective breeding’ science can give us, you “can’t stop the human spirit taking over. You can’t create personality.”
Thank you to Alex Thomson, Rebellion Publishing, and NetGalley, for an ARC of this compelling book, in exchange for an honest review. Highly recommend!
“We were brought into existence for this express purpose.”
Leila and her fellow clones on Mizushima-00109 don’t remember what came before, they only know they have jobs to do, and that the work is important to their Overseers. But when Leila’s sister, Lily, is found murdered, her interest in quotas wains as she set out to investigate whom in their tiny Asteroid colony killed Lily, and more importantly, why.
I love a good space drama and this book did not disappoint! It was easy to read, with a good cast of characters, and a thrilling, delicious side-dish of a twist. It was also decidedly human. Leila’s ‘voice’ was almost childlike in its naivety, but it was incredibly fierce, and stubborn, and independent - she’s my kind of character!
Death of a Clone, is not just a sci-fi, mystery/thriller. It raises philosophical questions about existence, needs, desires, and human rights. And that no matter how much ‘selective breeding’ science can give us, you “can’t stop the human spirit taking over. You can’t create personality.”
Thank you to Alex Thomson, Rebellion Publishing, and NetGalley, for an ARC of this compelling book, in exchange for an honest review. Highly recommend!
June 19, 2018
I received an advance electronic copy of this book from Netgalley.
Earth has been depleted of needed metals and elements. Four "families" of clone siblings have been sent to an asteroid (nicknamed Hell by its inhabitants) to mine its metals, under the supervision of overseers. It's the only life they have ever known. But as the story begins, one of the original four overseers has died, as well as one of the male clones. And then the only remaining clone sister of the protagonist Leila is murdered.
An Agatha Christie-style mystery combined with a life-sized game of Clue ensues, as Leila tries to solve the mystery. Everyone has something to hide, and as forgotten fragments of Leila's memories begin to surface, she realizes that her sister was on the verge of figuring out that something was rotten on Hell, and someone believed she had to be silenced.
I gave this book 4 stars instead of 5 because the ending was a bit abrupt, seemed unfinished, and left the characters hanging. I don't want to go into any detail because that would involve spoilers. A sequel to finish the story and bring the characters' journeys to a satisfactory conclusion might be in order, but I don't know whether the author has any such plans or not.
Earth has been depleted of needed metals and elements. Four "families" of clone siblings have been sent to an asteroid (nicknamed Hell by its inhabitants) to mine its metals, under the supervision of overseers. It's the only life they have ever known. But as the story begins, one of the original four overseers has died, as well as one of the male clones. And then the only remaining clone sister of the protagonist Leila is murdered.
An Agatha Christie-style mystery combined with a life-sized game of Clue ensues, as Leila tries to solve the mystery. Everyone has something to hide, and as forgotten fragments of Leila's memories begin to surface, she realizes that her sister was on the verge of figuring out that something was rotten on Hell, and someone believed she had to be silenced.
I gave this book 4 stars instead of 5 because the ending was a bit abrupt, seemed unfinished, and left the characters hanging. I don't want to go into any detail because that would involve spoilers. A sequel to finish the story and bring the characters' journeys to a satisfactory conclusion might be in order, but I don't know whether the author has any such plans or not.
July 12, 2018
Life is Hell after the Death of a Clone in this intriguing sci-fi mystery.
In the near future, Leila is a clone working on an asteroid mining metals no longer found on Earth. Lily, Leila’s sister clone is murdered. Leila vows to solve the crime using investigative techniques learned from Miss Marple.
The merging of space opera, human dynamics and a traditional amateur sleuth was done seamlessly. The frequent Christie references were fun. The murderer was readily apparent but another mystery was a complete surprise. 4 stars!
Thanks to Abaddon and NetGalley for an advanced copy.
In the near future, Leila is a clone working on an asteroid mining metals no longer found on Earth. Lily, Leila’s sister clone is murdered. Leila vows to solve the crime using investigative techniques learned from Miss Marple.
The merging of space opera, human dynamics and a traditional amateur sleuth was done seamlessly. The frequent Christie references were fun. The murderer was readily apparent but another mystery was a complete surprise. 4 stars!
Thanks to Abaddon and NetGalley for an advanced copy.
June 11, 2023
A fast read and a perfect mix of sci-fi and mystery. This book deserves more reviews and attention for sure!
June 6, 2018
4 and a half stars. Wonderful sci-fi world building with a top-notch mystery to boot. Perfect for fans of either genre. Plus clones. This is a really enjoyable and fast read that will keep you guessing until the very end. Someone did it. But all the suspects look like other suspects, and the humans involved are hiding things. An outstanding debut. Can't wait to read whatever Thomson writes next.
December 1, 2022
A great book but, at its core, a very sad one.
I liked Leila, with her stubborn streak, her need to discover what happened to her sister, and her love for Agatha Christie...
I even liked the Jays and kind of understood the Bees. The Ays, though, not so much *laughs*
But as we advance with the story we slowly get that Lily was right, there is something really fishy going on, something is being kept hidden and Lily's discoveries have put that secret in jeopardy.
The mystery is fantastically done and the personalities of the clones are clearly defined in part by their role in the asteroid, yes, but also by the way in which they act individually. It's strange that we can identify them, but it's also part of the reason why the plot works so well.
And the solution to the mystery isn't a happy one, the ending is just heartbreaking. But nothing else would have been right.
Wholeheartedly recommended for lovers of science-fiction and mysteries.
I liked Leila, with her stubborn streak, her need to discover what happened to her sister, and her love for Agatha Christie...
I totally feel like Miss Marple now (not that this was her way of solving a murder, this is more Sherlock Holmes’ methods, but I never liked him)
I even liked the Jays and kind of understood the Bees. The Ays, though, not so much *laughs*
But as we advance with the story we slowly get that Lily was right, there is something really fishy going on, something is being kept hidden and Lily's discoveries have put that secret in jeopardy.
The mystery is fantastically done and the personalities of the clones are clearly defined in part by their role in the asteroid, yes, but also by the way in which they act individually. It's strange that we can identify them, but it's also part of the reason why the plot works so well.
And the solution to the mystery isn't a happy one, the ending is just heartbreaking. But nothing else would have been right.
Wholeheartedly recommended for lovers of science-fiction and mysteries.
June 30, 2018
I very much enjoyed this book! It's a futuristic closed-room murder mystery set on a lonely Asteroid – with clones and references to Agatha Christie, Miss Marple and Hercules Poirot. This book isn't exactly full of action but a slow burning investigation. Everyone on the Asteroid Mizushika-00109 - refered to as "Hell" - is a suspect when one of the clones gets killed after asking too many questions about their heritage and their purpose on Hell. Her sister Leila is the one who read most of earths murder mysteries and takes it on herself to find her sisters murderer. While investigating she uncovers more truths then she could ever imagine.
Read this book if you love murder mysteries and the author placing so many traps you will sit on the edge of guessing right to the end. I really loved this one.
**Thank you for providing me with this ARC!**
Read this book if you love murder mysteries and the author placing so many traps you will sit on the edge of guessing right to the end. I really loved this one.
**Thank you for providing me with this ARC!**
July 5, 2018
*copy from Netgalley in exchange for a review*
Death Of A Clone is the debut from Alex Thomson; it’s a rarity – a nuanced science-fiction story, with a weather eye fixed on the traditions of the ‘cozy’ mystery genre. It blends the patterns of Poirot and Marple with thoughtful questions about humanity and its future.
The location for all of this is Hell. Well, not literally, but close enough. Hell is the name of an asteroid plummeting through the edges of the outer solar system. It’s cold, dark, and lacks an atmosphere. It is not, to put it mildly, a fun place. It does, however, have one thing going for it – it’s rich in metals. A mining crew is settled on the asteroid, their lives defined by a rota, which tells them who should be where and when in order to meet their quota. They’re isolated in the tumbling black…and they’re all clones.
Well, almost all, anyway.
The clones exist in ‘families’, each with a defined role. Some do the heavy lifting. Others the sorting and classification of ore. Others do more agile work. Each family carries traits – be they stolidity and a certain refusal to rock the boat, or a wry cynicism – Within the families, they’re aware of each other, but telling each identical member from the others is something of a task. The clone families are also not the only people on Hell. They’re supervised by three men, who are not clones themselves. These Overseer’s are responsible for production, for maintaining the velocity of their work crews. This is a closed system, and its also an emotional hothouse. The authority of an Overseer is backed by weaponry, and by the promise that after enough time has passed, everyone on the rock will get to go back to Earth – a home that none of the clones have ever seen.
There’s issues here around identity and power, of course. The Overseers carry nominal authority, but are significantly outmanned by the clones which they oversee. The clones, in turn, fight to meet their mining quota in the pursuit of a dream – as the alternative is an eternity on a desolate rock. In this instance, Hell is both a desolate rock and other people. Because the interpersonal dynamics of the clone families are always shifting; certain families are engineered to be attacted to the others, and there’s a question here of volition, of the amount that genetics make up reasoning, and on how far outside the bounds people are willing to push themselves.
On which note: whilst Hell is a wonderfully realised backdrop, a stark wasteland which carries horror in its very prosaic drudgery, it’s the characters which steal the show. Well, one, anyway. Leila is our protagonist, one of a pair remaining from a clone family cut short by accident. What she knows is life on Hell, but what she dreams of is Earth – an Earth spoken of in stories from an Overseer’s books – of village greens, red post-boxes, and murders which get solved in time for tea. Leila is sympathetic; she’s prone to self-examination, and in looking at herself and others, we see the collective power structure which persists – the clones working under their overseers, the overseers constrained by the number of clones and the necessity of meeting a quota. But we also see the relationships binding Hell together, and Leila’s eyes let us see the simmering feuds and resentments which are quietly frothing under longstanding social norms. How one group doesn’t trust another not to cause trouble. How one group keeps to themselves, with accusations of a hidden agenda. How the Overseers are flawed individuals – not authority figures as much as men given authority and let loose. Hell is a pressure cooker, and the story draws out these pressures, throws them under a light, and lets us explore them – but with the awareness that more are hidden away, still, that there are currents which have yet to be fully explored.
Given that the clones are meant to be identical, it’ delightful that each we see in detail has such a unique voice; Leila in particular is incisive, introspective, and prepared to make hard decisions in pursuit of truth. Her contrast to the bullish members of one ‘family’ and the manipulations of another is stark, but clean – these are people, the text declaims. Even if they’re stamped out of a die, their individuality, their struggle, is unique and to be appreciated. This is true from the simplest – those who try and break up their similarities with props or facial hair – to the more complex, those who keep their individuality locked within their emotional core.
In any event, each of the clones and their three overseers lives, truly; and in plumbing the depths of mystery, we get to know a great deal more about many of them. I was delighted by the delicate, complex power dynamics of the story, something which works because each of the characters we’re shown has something different about them, an individuality at conflict with the bald faced dehumanisation of cloning. In any event, these are well-drawn, complex, humanised characters – and ones for whom I felt, by the end, a full measure of empathy and sympathy.
The plot – well, more than usual, that would be telling. It is, not to give anything away, a murder mystery. That said, it both appropriates and subverts the tropes one might expect from that, gleefully playing into the comparisons with Christie whilst keeping a stream of fresh ideas running through.
The clues are there. The body is there. Thecriminal? Also there. Hell is a very, very large locked room, which challenges us to think in terms of means, motive and opportunity. It has enough red herrings to keep you guessing, and enough complexity and truth within it to make revelations a delight. But it’s not just a whodunit – though it is a good one. This is also a sci-fi story, and if it explores a murder, it does so through a lens of power, of agency, and of a future where individuality may be suppressed, but not denied. There’s enough mystery here to keep you turning pages, and enough pathos and other emotional weight to make you feel each revelation like a kick in the gut.
This is a story which has power, I say. One which will explore the best and worst of what we have within us, and wrings out its reader emotionally whilst showing that to them. It’s clever, both in the stories it hides, and the story it tells – a multi-faceted jewel in the literary ore. If you’re looking for something new, something which will challenge you to think, and also challenge the way in which you think, this one’s for you. I’s a page turner, one which will keep you up into the night – but also a story which wants to ask the big questions, then waits to see what your answers are. Give it a try.
Death Of A Clone is the debut from Alex Thomson; it’s a rarity – a nuanced science-fiction story, with a weather eye fixed on the traditions of the ‘cozy’ mystery genre. It blends the patterns of Poirot and Marple with thoughtful questions about humanity and its future.
The location for all of this is Hell. Well, not literally, but close enough. Hell is the name of an asteroid plummeting through the edges of the outer solar system. It’s cold, dark, and lacks an atmosphere. It is not, to put it mildly, a fun place. It does, however, have one thing going for it – it’s rich in metals. A mining crew is settled on the asteroid, their lives defined by a rota, which tells them who should be where and when in order to meet their quota. They’re isolated in the tumbling black…and they’re all clones.
Well, almost all, anyway.
The clones exist in ‘families’, each with a defined role. Some do the heavy lifting. Others the sorting and classification of ore. Others do more agile work. Each family carries traits – be they stolidity and a certain refusal to rock the boat, or a wry cynicism – Within the families, they’re aware of each other, but telling each identical member from the others is something of a task. The clone families are also not the only people on Hell. They’re supervised by three men, who are not clones themselves. These Overseer’s are responsible for production, for maintaining the velocity of their work crews. This is a closed system, and its also an emotional hothouse. The authority of an Overseer is backed by weaponry, and by the promise that after enough time has passed, everyone on the rock will get to go back to Earth – a home that none of the clones have ever seen.
There’s issues here around identity and power, of course. The Overseers carry nominal authority, but are significantly outmanned by the clones which they oversee. The clones, in turn, fight to meet their mining quota in the pursuit of a dream – as the alternative is an eternity on a desolate rock. In this instance, Hell is both a desolate rock and other people. Because the interpersonal dynamics of the clone families are always shifting; certain families are engineered to be attacted to the others, and there’s a question here of volition, of the amount that genetics make up reasoning, and on how far outside the bounds people are willing to push themselves.
On which note: whilst Hell is a wonderfully realised backdrop, a stark wasteland which carries horror in its very prosaic drudgery, it’s the characters which steal the show. Well, one, anyway. Leila is our protagonist, one of a pair remaining from a clone family cut short by accident. What she knows is life on Hell, but what she dreams of is Earth – an Earth spoken of in stories from an Overseer’s books – of village greens, red post-boxes, and murders which get solved in time for tea. Leila is sympathetic; she’s prone to self-examination, and in looking at herself and others, we see the collective power structure which persists – the clones working under their overseers, the overseers constrained by the number of clones and the necessity of meeting a quota. But we also see the relationships binding Hell together, and Leila’s eyes let us see the simmering feuds and resentments which are quietly frothing under longstanding social norms. How one group doesn’t trust another not to cause trouble. How one group keeps to themselves, with accusations of a hidden agenda. How the Overseers are flawed individuals – not authority figures as much as men given authority and let loose. Hell is a pressure cooker, and the story draws out these pressures, throws them under a light, and lets us explore them – but with the awareness that more are hidden away, still, that there are currents which have yet to be fully explored.
Given that the clones are meant to be identical, it’ delightful that each we see in detail has such a unique voice; Leila in particular is incisive, introspective, and prepared to make hard decisions in pursuit of truth. Her contrast to the bullish members of one ‘family’ and the manipulations of another is stark, but clean – these are people, the text declaims. Even if they’re stamped out of a die, their individuality, their struggle, is unique and to be appreciated. This is true from the simplest – those who try and break up their similarities with props or facial hair – to the more complex, those who keep their individuality locked within their emotional core.
In any event, each of the clones and their three overseers lives, truly; and in plumbing the depths of mystery, we get to know a great deal more about many of them. I was delighted by the delicate, complex power dynamics of the story, something which works because each of the characters we’re shown has something different about them, an individuality at conflict with the bald faced dehumanisation of cloning. In any event, these are well-drawn, complex, humanised characters – and ones for whom I felt, by the end, a full measure of empathy and sympathy.
The plot – well, more than usual, that would be telling. It is, not to give anything away, a murder mystery. That said, it both appropriates and subverts the tropes one might expect from that, gleefully playing into the comparisons with Christie whilst keeping a stream of fresh ideas running through.
The clues are there. The body is there. Thecriminal? Also there. Hell is a very, very large locked room, which challenges us to think in terms of means, motive and opportunity. It has enough red herrings to keep you guessing, and enough complexity and truth within it to make revelations a delight. But it’s not just a whodunit – though it is a good one. This is also a sci-fi story, and if it explores a murder, it does so through a lens of power, of agency, and of a future where individuality may be suppressed, but not denied. There’s enough mystery here to keep you turning pages, and enough pathos and other emotional weight to make you feel each revelation like a kick in the gut.
This is a story which has power, I say. One which will explore the best and worst of what we have within us, and wrings out its reader emotionally whilst showing that to them. It’s clever, both in the stories it hides, and the story it tells – a multi-faceted jewel in the literary ore. If you’re looking for something new, something which will challenge you to think, and also challenge the way in which you think, this one’s for you. I’s a page turner, one which will keep you up into the night – but also a story which wants to ask the big questions, then waits to see what your answers are. Give it a try.
July 24, 2018
Goodreads Synopsis:
An Agatha Christie thriller in space!
The Overseers may call it Hell, but for Leila and the other clones, the mining base on asteroid Mizushima-00109 is the only home they’ve ever known. But then Leila’s sister Lily is murdered, and the Overseers seem less interested in solving the crime than in making their mining quota and returning to Earth.
Leila decides to find the murderer, just like the heroes of her old detective novels would. But Hell is a place of terrible secrets, and a love of cozy mysteries may not be enough to keep Leila from ending up like her sister.
My Review:
In the distant future, space travel is frequent. At least it is when the earth is running dangerously low on precious metals and resources. Cloning is also a huge thing, as it's hard to find people who want to give up such a huge chunk of their life to mine on an asteroid like the one Leila lives on with her "family", on one they've nicknamed Hell. It's an unwelcoming clump of metal with a toxic atmosphere and a pale sun, and induces headaches for the people living there. But they do what they have to, work until the collection ship arrives, where the clones will earn their passage to Earth, and the Overseer's will finally get to go home. Most families have more than four clones in them, but Leila's family only consists of her and her sister Lily. There were supposed to be four others, but something happened with them, supposedly they didn't grow properly. Lily has been suspicious for a very long time that something happened to their missing sisters, but Leila thinks nothing of it and continues her work.
I know I say this a lot, but this book is completely unlike anything I've read lately. Not only is the murder mystery completely unique, the characters are a lot different than any other I've read about, and not just because they're clones. It's easy to read, and easy to imagine. I would love to have a copy on my shelf to read again and again, and that's really saying something because I don't usually want to read books more than once because I have so many to read. Leila is an amazing person, full of surprises, and I really love that she plays detective even though she's never even known what a detective is outside of the books she reads. I was sucked into the story immediately, and I couldn't put it down until I was finished. I absolutely loved it. The story is just so interesting, and I couldn't predict it at all. The characters are interesting too, despite being clones raised in the same conditions, they're all so different. The ending is a whole other thing all together. It's more horrific than I ever could have imagined, and I loved every second of it. I definitely recommend you check out this story if you get the chance!
Here's a link to the book on Amazon, and another link to the Author's Twitter.
https://www.amazon.ca/Death-Clone-Ale...
https://twitter.com/mr_alexthomson
Thanks for reading! Check out this review and more at my blog.
(Radioactivebookreviews.wordpress.com)
An Agatha Christie thriller in space!
The Overseers may call it Hell, but for Leila and the other clones, the mining base on asteroid Mizushima-00109 is the only home they’ve ever known. But then Leila’s sister Lily is murdered, and the Overseers seem less interested in solving the crime than in making their mining quota and returning to Earth.
Leila decides to find the murderer, just like the heroes of her old detective novels would. But Hell is a place of terrible secrets, and a love of cozy mysteries may not be enough to keep Leila from ending up like her sister.
My Review:
In the distant future, space travel is frequent. At least it is when the earth is running dangerously low on precious metals and resources. Cloning is also a huge thing, as it's hard to find people who want to give up such a huge chunk of their life to mine on an asteroid like the one Leila lives on with her "family", on one they've nicknamed Hell. It's an unwelcoming clump of metal with a toxic atmosphere and a pale sun, and induces headaches for the people living there. But they do what they have to, work until the collection ship arrives, where the clones will earn their passage to Earth, and the Overseer's will finally get to go home. Most families have more than four clones in them, but Leila's family only consists of her and her sister Lily. There were supposed to be four others, but something happened with them, supposedly they didn't grow properly. Lily has been suspicious for a very long time that something happened to their missing sisters, but Leila thinks nothing of it and continues her work.
I know I say this a lot, but this book is completely unlike anything I've read lately. Not only is the murder mystery completely unique, the characters are a lot different than any other I've read about, and not just because they're clones. It's easy to read, and easy to imagine. I would love to have a copy on my shelf to read again and again, and that's really saying something because I don't usually want to read books more than once because I have so many to read. Leila is an amazing person, full of surprises, and I really love that she plays detective even though she's never even known what a detective is outside of the books she reads. I was sucked into the story immediately, and I couldn't put it down until I was finished. I absolutely loved it. The story is just so interesting, and I couldn't predict it at all. The characters are interesting too, despite being clones raised in the same conditions, they're all so different. The ending is a whole other thing all together. It's more horrific than I ever could have imagined, and I loved every second of it. I definitely recommend you check out this story if you get the chance!
Here's a link to the book on Amazon, and another link to the Author's Twitter.
https://www.amazon.ca/Death-Clone-Ale...
https://twitter.com/mr_alexthomson
Thanks for reading! Check out this review and more at my blog.
(Radioactivebookreviews.wordpress.com)
June 27, 2018
Death of A Clone is set in a future where Earth has been depleted of metals and cloning has become viable. So teams of clones, supervised by Overseers, are sent out to various asteroids where they will mine, separate, and catalogue all the required metals. Our protagonist Leila, is one such clone, and she's been working out on Mizushima-00109 (nicknamed "Hell") alongside her brothers and sisters (who are also clones). Life is more or less routine for this little makeshift-family, until one day, a clone is found murdered in a mine shaft. Now Leila is determined to put all her amateur detective skills to use and nail the culprit.
This was a solid, fast-paced, uncomplicated whodunit set in space. The story gives you very little preamble and throws you right into the thick of things, which I appreciated, though it might be considered a little abrupt for some people.
Leila's character is reminiscent Veronica Mars with her sense of humour and "I'm going to solve this and you can't stop me" attitude. Her narration is easy and enjoyable, and I found her obsession with Agatha Christie mysteries quite charming.
I did, however, find the worldbuilding and character development rather shallow. With the former, I would have loved some in-depth exploration into the situation back on Earth and how these clones came to be made. There's also quite a bit of infodumping at the end, and the big reveal itself is a little abrupt and underwhelming.
Your enjoyment of this book really depends on what you're looking to get out of it. Are you looking for a scifi that dives deep into the meaning of identity and the ethics of using cloned individuals as labourers? You won't find that here. Are you looking for a quick novel-form of Clue set in outer space? Then you got it.
Review copy provided by Netgalley and Abaddon Books in exchange for an honest review.
This was a solid, fast-paced, uncomplicated whodunit set in space. The story gives you very little preamble and throws you right into the thick of things, which I appreciated, though it might be considered a little abrupt for some people.
Leila's character is reminiscent Veronica Mars with her sense of humour and "I'm going to solve this and you can't stop me" attitude. Her narration is easy and enjoyable, and I found her obsession with Agatha Christie mysteries quite charming.
I did, however, find the worldbuilding and character development rather shallow. With the former, I would have loved some in-depth exploration into the situation back on Earth and how these clones came to be made. There's also quite a bit of infodumping at the end, and the big reveal itself is a little abrupt and underwhelming.
Your enjoyment of this book really depends on what you're looking to get out of it. Are you looking for a scifi that dives deep into the meaning of identity and the ethics of using cloned individuals as labourers? You won't find that here. Are you looking for a quick novel-form of Clue set in outer space? Then you got it.
Review copy provided by Netgalley and Abaddon Books in exchange for an honest review.
November 21, 2018
I must admit this was Definitley a cover buy at first because it's glorious. But damn was this a good book.
I didn't expect to like it as much as I did. I've never read a murder mystery book and as a sci fi lover the combination of both was wonderful. I was hooked on every page and every character and I couldn't put it down. I genuinely couldn't guess the killer and damn those twists were shocking it really did put the whole book in a different perspective. I would of given this book 5 stars but I didn't like the ending. I think a part of me wanted a happier one for the clones or just something different I'm just confused why they had to keep mining still I feel like they didn't need to keep mining? Also how are they remembering things did they figure it out? I just have a few questions I would like answered. But this book was written very well and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I'm Definitley going to be picking up more books like this in the future.
I didn't expect to like it as much as I did. I've never read a murder mystery book and as a sci fi lover the combination of both was wonderful. I was hooked on every page and every character and I couldn't put it down. I genuinely couldn't guess the killer and damn those twists were shocking it really did put the whole book in a different perspective. I would of given this book 5 stars but I didn't like the ending. I think a part of me wanted a happier one for the clones or just something different I'm just confused why they had to keep mining still I feel like they didn't need to keep mining? Also how are they remembering things did they figure it out? I just have a few questions I would like answered. But this book was written very well and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I'm Definitley going to be picking up more books like this in the future.
May 25, 2019
The story was interesting from the beginning. I liked it and would have read it even if it hadn't the murder element.
The moving between the points in the chapter was written a little weirdly but it became better.I expected the murdered and why pretty quickly but I couldn't expect the real killer or the plot so that was good. This is an interesting take on colonization..I Loved how the author made me nearly doubting every one even for little period.
I liked the characters mostly Jeremy.
Overall, This is a fast read. You could finish it in one day and has an interesting idea.
The moving between the points in the chapter was written a little weirdly but it became better.I expected the murdered and why pretty quickly but I couldn't expect the real killer or the plot so that was good. This is an interesting take on colonization..I Loved how the author made me nearly doubting every one even for little period.
I liked the characters mostly Jeremy.
Overall, This is a fast read. You could finish it in one day and has an interesting idea.
January 12, 2021
Leila wants answers - but she’s not getting any. A designed clone working out a contract on an asteroid mining outpost (nicknamed Hell by the 3 Overseers) , Leila is part of a group of six cloned siblings, the Ells, just as there are six Ays (well, five, really), six Bees, and six Jays. Except that there aren’t six Ells, just Leila and Lily, and Leila can’t quite remember what happened to her four sisters. When Lily is murdered, it seems it may have been because Lily was asking too many questions. Now it’s Leila’s turn to ask the questions.
Leila is an Agatha Christie fan and models her investigation on the methods of Miss Marple, but she’s naive and inexperienced and no one seems to be telling her the truth. Everyone seems to be keeping secrets….
Death of a Clone is an excellent science fiction and mystery genre cross. The references to Christie’s novels (particularly to Miss Marple) will please mystery fans and the science fiction elements are critical to the story itself - it’s not just an interesting setting.
As I read, I found myself with a growing sense of unease - well, I don't want to say too much. I’ll admit I wasn’t quite sure what to expect out of this book, but I was amply rewarded by reading it.
Something about St. Mary Mead reminds me of Hell--a small, enclosed society; the stifling claustrophobia and social stratification; and all those secrets lying beneath the veneer of respectability.
Leila is an Agatha Christie fan and models her investigation on the methods of Miss Marple, but she’s naive and inexperienced and no one seems to be telling her the truth. Everyone seems to be keeping secrets….
Death of a Clone is an excellent science fiction and mystery genre cross. The references to Christie’s novels (particularly to Miss Marple) will please mystery fans and the science fiction elements are critical to the story itself - it’s not just an interesting setting.
As I read, I found myself with a growing sense of unease - well, I don't want to say too much. I’ll admit I wasn’t quite sure what to expect out of this book, but I was amply rewarded by reading it.
Something about St. Mary Mead reminds me of Hell--a small, enclosed society; the stifling claustrophobia and social stratification; and all those secrets lying beneath the veneer of respectability.
July 20, 2018
This is an interesting mystery. There are a limited number of people on the astroid so there are limited number of suspects. We see the mystery through Leita eyes. She is a clone as are most of the other on the astroid. Leita is channeling Miss Marple as she worked through who killed her sister clone. Her sister was close to learning a secret and as Leita works she finds the clues her sister found. This is a good mystery and it is solved but for me it was sad ending. It does highlight what we do to one another is the quest for wealth.
I received a free copy of the book in return for an honest review.
I received a free copy of the book in return for an honest review.
July 21, 2018
I have to say I was pleasantly surprised by Deatg of a Clone by Alex Thomson. I never would have read this book if it wasn’t and ARC but am glad I did. The book, while short, is jam packed with mystery and intrigue. I don’t know what made me have a hard time putting it down, but i combo of mystery and sci-fi was something new and somewhat exciting. While reading I was constantly thrown for twists. At times I felt like I could guess the ending but Alex Thomson was able to keep me on my toes. I think this book is worth the read for any mystery reader.
Thanks to Alex Thomson and Abaddon for providing me with an advanced reading copy.
Thanks to Alex Thomson and Abaddon for providing me with an advanced reading copy.
June 27, 2018
Thank you to Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this book. DNF. The story does little to introduce the clones and the background of their existence. Where did they come from? Why are they used for mining instead of alternative methods? The clones are on an asteriod and they are there in family units, either male or female brothers and sisters. One sister dies and no one seems to care but her identical sister. Was she murdered? The sister remaining does not show any emotion over the death and the human overseers don't care. Nothing about this story grabbed my interest. Very shallow.
October 12, 2018
Death of a Clone is a tightly written, tense, paranoid locked room mystery. On an asteroid. With clones. Alex Thomson has taken the conventions of the more genteel parlor room mysteries of old, retro-fitted them onto a bleak future, and added in a dash of self-awareness for what makes a mystery what it is. I'm more familiar with mysteries in television and film rather than in fiction, but I enjoyed the tense, ultimately surprising ride this book took me on.
January 8, 2019
If Miss Marple could be cloned and sent to an asteroid mining camp...
Wonderful way to introduce Sci-Fi loving teens to Agatha Christie, methods of deduction, strong female characters, and the ethical issues of cloning. Yes, it is a LOT for one book to take on, but Thomson does a wonderful job of keeping it all very real and very moving.
There are many vague references to sex, but there is less actual sex than a typical TV ad. So perhaps as young as 11 or 12 could read this.
Wonderful way to introduce Sci-Fi loving teens to Agatha Christie, methods of deduction, strong female characters, and the ethical issues of cloning. Yes, it is a LOT for one book to take on, but Thomson does a wonderful job of keeping it all very real and very moving.
There are many vague references to sex, but there is less actual sex than a typical TV ad. So perhaps as young as 11 or 12 could read this.
July 12, 2018
I thoroughly enjoyed this space thriller/murder mystery, based on a mining asteroid populated with clones. As a huge Agatha Christie fan, I was pleasantly surprised at how well her type of whodunnit translated to the sci-fi genre. There is a possibility of a sequel here, which I would love to see Mr Thomson!
November 5, 2018
An interesting fusion of detective and Sci-Fi
A claustrophobic tale with small cast. Intriguing tail of multiple intruiges that keeps the story rolling along.
Take out the murders and it's an interesting Sci-Fi story of a small community in what is probably a slightly dystopian future though cleverly this is only alluded to.
Move the story to any small community this could be a decent detective story
Much appreciated
Happy of Baldock
A claustrophobic tale with small cast. Intriguing tail of multiple intruiges that keeps the story rolling along.
Take out the murders and it's an interesting Sci-Fi story of a small community in what is probably a slightly dystopian future though cleverly this is only alluded to.
Move the story to any small community this could be a decent detective story
Much appreciated
Happy of Baldock
September 29, 2018
This surprised me! I wasn't expecting to love it so much; it really felt like an Agatha Christie mystery, but with clones! On an asteroid! So fun.
January 13, 2020
I was about to give this four stars but, really, I can't think of any faults and I really did enjoy reading it. I think that where it loses a little of my esteem is in the way that the root story has to do with class conflict but, while there are moments to think about it, it's not a strong enough undercurrent to really call this intelligent or thoughtful. It was stimulating and had me guessing the whole way. There are good twists involved but none of them come out of nowhere just to mess with the reader. Taken solely as a claustrophobic scifi mystery novel, it's really very good.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 47 reviews