New Release: Alien Ambush by Nikki Haverstock

Captain Liz and her crew are back.

In the second book in the series, Liz is in charge of ferrying a troupe of performers from planet to planet so they can entertain the inhabitants. However, when visiting a research planet known for its giant snails, the show results in murder.

Trapped on the planet while the murder is investigated, Liz tries to protect her friend, Chloe, from blame, find the killer, and survive the ordeal.

I loved Space Murder, so I was very excited when I got an ARC of the sequel, Alien Ambush. Both books are so entertaining.

Liz is such a great character. She grew up with a life of privilege, groomed for success and taking her talents and intellect for granted, only to have everything stripped away in early adulthood. Now, she’s a captain of a low status passenger ship, but she’s a stronger person because of it. She’s lost a lot, but she has her friends and her faith.

Her crew make the books for me. Chief engineer, dinosaur like Horton, his best friend (and artificial intelligence), Eugene, and Caline (half dog, half cat) Pox are my favorites, and I am delighted whenever they appear. This time around we’re introduced to Liz’s childhood bestie, an immortal octopus type creature called Kraken, and I hope she appears in future novels because I loved her!

The descriptions of the planet, with its flora and fauna, are a joy to read. The murder mystery is tense and exciting. The pacing of the plot is excellent, with the stakes raised to epic proportions in the final act.

If you enjoy space stories, murder mysteries, humor, weird animals and friendship, you will find this book a delight. I highly recommend it.

I award Alien Ambush…