A tense and thrilling science fiction adventure of space exploration and first contact, perfect for fans of THE MARTIAN, ARRIVAL and INTERSTELLAR. Sally Jansen was NASA's leading astronaut, until a mission to Mars ended in disaster. Haunted by her failure, Jansen now lives in semi-retirement, convinced her days in space are over. She's wrong. A huge alien object has entered the solar system and is now poised above the Earth. It has made no attempt at communication. With no other living astronauts to turn to, NASA wants Jansen to lead an expedition to the object. For all the dangers of the mission, it's the one shot at redemption she always hoped for. Yet as the object reveals its terrifying secrets, what began as a journey to make First Contact turns into a desperate struggle for survival . . . and one thing becomes horribly clear: the future of humanity lies in Jansen's hands. Praise for David Wellington 'Gripping writing, a brilliantly realised future culture and sympathetic characters . . . An entertaining and compelling read' SFX 'Thrilling, relentless, gripping and utterly improbable: pure delight for fans' Kirkus 'Jam-packed with action and adventure' Booklist 'Terrific and thrilling' SciFi