Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield’s next adventure will be set in the far-off world of space fiction.
Random House Canada announced on Tuesday that Hadfield’s debut novel, The Apollo Murders, is scheduled to hit shelves on Oct. 12.
In a statement, Hadfield says the thriller will be rooted in the “little-known reality” of the Cold War-era space race, and will feature characters both real and imagined.
Random House Canada says the story centres on a NASA crew racing against their Soviet rivals to reach the far side of the moon, but someone on-board the Apollo module has “murder on the mind.”
The publisher says the plot’s twists and turns will be enriched by Hadfield’s real-life knowledge of the otherworldly thrills of terrors of space flight.
The former commander of the International Space Station already has a proven track record as a bestselling author, with previous titles including An Astronaut’s Guide to Life on Earth, You Are Here and children’s book The Darkest Dark.