Space Case by Stuart Gibbs

Mystery fans - have I got a book for you!

Science fans - have I got a book for you!

And it's the same book.

Space Case is an exciting murder mystery set on the moon.  Twelve-year-old Dashiell Gibson and his family are among the first families to live on Moon Base Alpha, the world's first human moon colony.  Carefully screened and chosen from thousands of applicants, the first inhabitants of Moon Base Alpha were promised the adventure of a lifetime, along with all the comforts of home.  According to The Official Residents' Guide to Moon Base Alpha, life on the moon might even be better than life back home!

Sounds like a great opportunity, right?  Turns out, the reality is not what the guide promises.  Flying real (i.e. comfortable) furniture to the moon is too expensive and impractical, so most of the furniture is inflatable.  All the food is dehyradted (and disgusting), and the toilets!  Well, you can read the book to find out about the toilets (but eliminating waste in low-gravity requires some interesting technology).

But for Dash, it's the boredom that's the worst part.  There aren't many other kids around, the Base is small, and since the lunar surface can be deadly, children aren't even allowed out of the base for a low-gravity romp on the moon.  What's the point of living on the moon, for goodness sake?

Things change, though, when one of the lunar scientists turns up dead.  Dash suspects foul play, but has a hard time getting anyone - even his own parents - to believe him.  It's up to Dash to investigate the possible murder before the killer strikes again.

The author, Stuart Gibbs, has crafted an excellent murder mystery.  Many residents of the base had both motive and opportunity to kill the scientist, but who would actually do it?  You'll be guessing right up until the very end (I know I was), and the "big reveal" is one of the most satisfying endings I've read in a long time.

Seriously, how much better than a murder mystery on the moon can it get?  Check out Space Case, it's an ingenious, well-paced thriller, that's literally out of this world!