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Reviewed by Grant Leishman for Readers' Favorite
Murder on Argus (Particle Death Book 1) by Shawn Conners is a science-fiction murder mystery set in deep space. Earth has long since died, and the survivors of humanity live in deep space on massive stations and suitable planets where habitation is possible. Ruling over humanity is the ubiquitous BarCor corporation, instrumental in saving humanity from their dying planet. On Argus Station, Detective Constable Dack Speedle has spent the last twelve years policing and controlling the inhabitants of this far-flung space hub. In that time, he has seen the best and the worst of humanity’s foibles. When a young teenage orphan, Paka Symone, discovers a body lying in the recycling room ready to be crushed, a criminal investigation is quickly begun by Detective Speedle. Why was Dr. Jareen, a highly-placed and eminent scientist, murdered? How did he die? What secrets was he privy to and who would be at risk if those secrets got out? What Detective Speedle discovers will reach to the very highest levels of the BarCor bureaucracy and threaten some extremely powerful and dangerous people.
Murder on Argus, at its core, is a good, old-fashioned detective novel that just happens to be set in deep space. I prefer my science fiction heavy on character and story development and light on imaginative, futuristic technology, and this book fits the bill admirably. Shawn Conners does an exceptional job of weaving an archetypal crusty, grumpy detective, reminiscent of the 1940s-style detective, into a sleek, modern technical environment. I was particularly impressed by the character building, and readers will definitely identify and empathize with many of them, especially Paka, Min Moran, and of course, Dack Speedle himself. Although the tech innovation was minimal, it was well explained. I also appreciated that the author explained how humanity had to reach for the stars to survive. Although I am generally not a big fan of cliffhanger endings, this one was well done, and Dack and his team are heading off to “finish the job.” I am excited for the second book. I thoroughly enjoyed and highly recommend this book.
