This near-future space thriller by Charlotte Robinson interweaves three primary narratives as humanity attempts its first one-way colonisation mission to Mars.

Firstly, there is ex-NASA astronaut Alyssa Wright, the mission commander. Only days before the launch, she is worried that the main focus is now on turning this into a TV extravaganza. Her concerns about the safety of the mission are ignored because it is being funded by private enterprise and TV advertising rather than by any government agency.

Jia is the sister of a computer coder, who uncharacteristically goes missing. In her search for him, she uncovers his secret life as a coder for the Eco Terrestrial group that believes Earth should be saved before space is colonised. A microchip inside his beloved cat contains clues to his whereabouts, which leads Jia from her home in Hong Kong to the USA and eventually to the Kazakh Steppe. On her journey, she sees for herself the harmful changes we are making to our planet, and discovers her own self-worth.

Thirdly, we get the story of Rubio, an artist and photographer onboard the Argo spacecraft. He is riddled with self-doubt as he is the least scientifically qualified member of the six-person crew. Not only does he have to deal with his own demons, he also uncovers evidence that a crew member is actively sabotaging the mission.

The three narratives inevitably converge and it is a race to save the mission from disaster. Unlike hardcore science fiction that concentrates on describing plausible scientific and technological means of getting to Mars, Charlotte Robinson’s debut novel is an action-packed thriller that puts human interactions, emotions and relationships at its heart.

MARS ONE is released from all good bookshops on April 23rd 2026.