Dead Space

By: Kali Wallace

Narrated by: Abby Craden

Nominated for the Philip K. Dick Award

An investigator must solve a brutal murder on a claustrophobic space station in this tense science fiction thriller from the author of Salvation Day.

Hester Marley used to have a plan for her life. But when a catastrophic attack left her injured, indebted, and stranded far from home, she was forced to take a dead-end security job with a powerful mining company in the asteroid belt. Now she spends her days investigating petty crimes to help her employer maximize its profits. She's surprised to hear from an old friend and fellow victim of the terrorist attack that ruined her life—and that surprise quickly turns to suspicion when he claims to have discovered something shocking about their shared history and the tragedy that neither of them can leave behind.

Before Hester can learn more, her friend is violently murdered at a remote asteroid mine. Hester joins the investigation to find the truth, both about her friend's death and the information he believed he had uncovered. But catching a killer is only the beginning of Hester's worries, and she soon realizes that everything she learns about her friend, his fellow miners, and the outpost they call home brings her closer to revealing secrets that very powerful and very dangerous people would rather keep hidden in the depths of space.

Critic reviews

“With propulsive action and twists that keep the reader guessing…this tense sprint through a future dominated by profit-driven amorality makes for a gripping, cinematic sci-fi thriller that readers won’t want to put down.”–Publishers Weekly (starred review)


Praise for Salvation Day and the writing of Kali Wallace

"Kali Wallace, the world needs you--and this book. Salvation Day is a taut thriller, a near-future look at where we're headed next, a mirror reflecting the best and worst of humanity. It is all that, and so much more. I'd follow the rebellious heroine Zahra anywhere--especially into another nail-biter of a story like this."--James Rollins, New York Times bestselling author of The Demon Crown

“Salvation Day is a masterful story set at a screaming pace. It had me holding on for dear life all the way through. I loved it.”—Mur Lafferty, Hugo Award-winning author of Six Wakes

"Breakneck pace with real thrills and chills—plus lots of meaty stuff to think about. One of the major science-fiction debuts of 2019. Kali Wallace is a force to be reckoned with."—Robert J. Sawyer, Hugo Award-winning author of Quantum Night

"A smart, gripping thriller you just can't put down. Explosions, betrayals, morally gray choices and twisty secrets; all set in the world that comes after the end of ours. Perfect for fans of Aliens and locked spaceship murder mysteries." – Kameron Hurley, Hugo Award-winning author of The Light Brigade

"More than a science fiction novel, it's a good old-fashioned thriller set in the future--every page filled with breadth and scope and twists and turns. An exciting, dangerous, magical quest for truth."—Steve Berry, New York Times bestselling author of The Malta Exchange

A pretty good detective story.

fast paced detective story with a satisfying ending. I am required to write at least fifteen words to submit this review.

Fantastic Story

There were very few “slow” spots, an intriguing story from start to finish with a few little twist to keep you guessing.

interesting ideas, dragging plot

the world building in this story makes me want to spend more time with these characters, perhaps even in a sequel that shows the unintended consequences of the plot. The murder mystery and corporate machinations pull you into the story, but it always seems like not much is going on. The main character oftentimes is having stuff happen to her, but not doing much herself. This is a strange choice, since the author goes into great detail about the main character's great intelligence and knowledge of AI. Lots of setup that doesn't pay off in a satisfactory way. worth the listen if you enjoy science fiction and investigation dramas.

Good Sci-fi Fun!

Great storytelling and really well narrated!
Anyone who's interested in A. I. will find this book satisfying.

A Decent Story

I enjoyed this for what it was, a deep space sci-fi thriller, not horror. This was really not horror in any aspect, **SPOILER AHEAD**, as the concept of artificial intelligence has been done to death. The title brought me in because the video game of the same title has terrified me, and I was hoping this would too. Alas, nothing to do with the video game, but still a promising premise, though done already. The narrator is was kept me engrossed the most, I think. Worth a listen.