Description

‘Cathartic and transcendent’ New York Times

Acclaimed author Emma Newman returns to the captivating Planetfall universe with a standalone dark tale of a woman stationed on Mars who slowly starts to doubt her own memories and sanity.

After months of travel, Anna Kubrin finally arrives on Mars for her new job as a geologist and de facto artist-in-residence. Already she feels like she is losing the connection with her husband and baby at home on Earth–and she’ll be on Mars for over a year. Throwing herself into her work, she tries her best to fit in with the team.

But in her new room on the base, Anna finds a mysterious note written in her own handwriting, warning her not to trust the colony psychologist. A note she can’t remember writing. She unpacks her wedding ring, only to find it has been replaced by a fake.

Finding a footprint in a place the colony AI claims has never been visited by humans, Anna begins to suspect that her assignment isn’t as simple as she was led to believe. Is she caught up in an elaborate corporate conspiracy, or is she actually losing her mind? Regardless of what horrors she might discover, or what they might do to her sanity, Anna has find the truth before her own mind destroys her.

PRAISE FOR EMMA NEWMAN’S PLANETFALL NOVELS

‘An exceptionally engaging novel . . . a vivid, riveting read’ Washington Post

‘Gripping and sorrowful’ Publishers Weekly (starred review)

‘Emma Newman creates addictive page turners’ Starburst Magazine

Publisher Review

Ingenious mystery. * GUARDIAN * Before Mars is incredible. This is one of the best SF series I ever encountered, every book brilliant and ingenious, every one different in tone and feel. I'm envious. * ADRIAN TCHAIKOVSKY, author of CHILDREN OF TIME * An expertly woven story. * BOOKLIST * Pivoting on a dark twist, this is a science-fictional spin on the gaslighting theme of novels such as The Girl on the Train. * FINANCIAL TIMES *