A young officer and her lover are plunged into a murder mystery and a deadly conspiracy in a military science fiction novel that "more than satisfies" ( Library Journal , starred review).

When her crewmate, Danny, is murdered on the colony of Volhynia, Central Corps chief engineer, Commander Elena Shaw, is shocked to learn the main suspect is her lover, Treiko Zajec. She knows Trey is innocent-he was with her when Danny was killed. So who is the real killer and why are the cops framing an innocent man?

Retracing Danny's last hours, they discover that his death may be tied to a mystery from the past: the explosion of a Central Corps starship at a wormhole near Volhynia. For twenty-five years, the Central Gov has been lying about the tragedy, even willing to go to war with the outlaw PSI to protect their secrets.

With the authorities closing in, Elena and Trey head to the wormhole, certain they'll find answers on the other side. But the truth that awaits them is far more terrifying than they ever imagined . . . a conspiracy deep within Central Gov that threatens all of human civilization throughout the inhabited reaches of the galaxy-and beyond.

"Bonesteel keeps the plot moving briskly . . .The headlong action will attract readers, but they'll find themselves paying more attention to the characters' convincing and satisfying emotional relationships." - Publishers Weekly

"In this taut, space-based science fiction mystery, [Bonesteel] does great things with character, plot, and story that belies her debut status." - SFF World

"A highly entertaining tale." - Booklist

"A powerful blend of military sci-fi and vintage crime noir." - Bookpage