Book Review: Erebus

I’ve done something I don’t normally do. I’m typically a serial monogamist when it comes to books: I only read one at a time. But, recently, as a sort of early-birthday present, my wife bought me this fancy new Kindle thingy, so I tackled a couple of books that have been sitting on my phone, taunting me with their tiny fonts, despite the fact that I was already reading a physical book… one I’m long overdue to tell you about. All that to say… this week, you get the review of the shortest of those three works.

Erebus is a murder-mystery novella in space. It will forever hold the distinction of being the first advanced reading copy reviewed on this platform. Let’s talk about it.

The Basics:

Title: Erebus (Journey to Vega book 2)
Author: Cheryl Lawson
Genre: Science-fiction, mystery
Published: Cheryl Lawson, 2022

Spoiler-Free Summary:

Lieutenant Beatrix “Rix” Flowers is an security officer aboard the Vega Six, a generation ship carrying the last remnants of humanity after a climate disaster destroyed the Earth. The regimented routine of ship life is gruesomely interrupted by a series of bizarre ‘accidental’ deaths. As the body count piles up, is becomes clear a serial killer is lose on the isolated ship. A strange message at one of the crime scenes reveals that they face a deranged individual with a sinister agenda. It falls to Rix and her partner to catch the killer before they kill humanity’s last hope.

Why This Book Is For You:

If you missed the implication, this is novella. Like a certain other sci-fi slim reviewed not so long ago, Erebus is a reading snack you can consume in a day or three.

Fans of classic mysteries will enjoy Erebus. It takes the classic trope of all the suspects locked together in an enclosed space and transports it to space. The style and tone is almost Dickensian in the way we get quick, punchy insights into each new character’s life in a way that lends context and drives the action forward.

If you’re in the market for sharp, twisty mystery in space with a classic tone, Erebus is worth a look.

Where Can You Find More?

You can find more of Ms. Lawson’s writing on her web site. She’s on the usual suspects, but I want to highlight the first book in there Vega saga, A Dark Genesis, on Goodreads.

Happy reading, fellow book lovers.