The Cold Between

Narrator Katharine Mangold guides listeners through this first volume of Bonesteel's new series, which is part murder mystery, part sci-fi thriller. By raising and lowering the pitch of her versatile voice, Mangold introduces the many people who cross paths with Central Corps Commander Elena Shaw. By virtue of being in the wrong place at the wrong time, Elena finds herself stuck in the middle of the fallout from a longtime cover-up. The urgency and uncertainty in Mangold's voice propel the narrative as Elena and her allies seek to prevent a war. The listener will be left hanging on Mangold's every word as she races to the conclusion of this rollicking space opera. D.E.M. © AudioFile 2016, Portland, Maine

February 1, 2016
Bonesteel’s space opera debut, the first in the Central Corps series, expertly revitalizes familiar plot elements. When Treiko Zajec, a retired starship captain, connects passionately with Elena Shaw, chief engineer of the central government’s ship Galileo, their affair interferes with a scheme to stir up galactic unrest. Elena’s intensity and Trey’s steadiness are challenged as they try to prevent bloodshed and begin peeling back the layers of deceit created by agents of government and big business. The story’s pieces are formed with standard SF tropes, but Bonesteel keeps the plot moving briskly. She’s even better at showing the wary tenderness between the ill-matched lovers, especially when it comes to how much Galileo’s emotionally repressed captain, Greg Foster, yearns to be with Elena. The headlong action will attract readers, but they’ll find themselves paying more attention to the characters’ convincing and satisfying emotional relationships. Agent: Hannah Bowman, Liza Dawson Associates.

Starred review from February 15, 2016

On shore leave on the colony Volhynia, Commander Elena Shaw is out of sorts owing to a recent breakup. She meets Treiko Zajec in a local bar, pegging him as former PSI, a mysterious group that have always been allies to the Central Corp. Elena and Treiko have a great night together, but as Elena prepares to return to her ship, she learns that her ex-lover has been killed and that Treiko has been arrested for the crime. In her defense of Treiko, Elena gets snarled in a bigger conspiracy that goes back decades. VERDICT Fans of sf romance will cheer to have a new author entering the genre. While this is setting the stage for a longer arc, Bonesteel's novel more than satisfies with Elena and Trey's story. Suggest to readers of Ann Aguirre's "Sarantha Jax" books and Linnea Sinclair.--MM

Copyright 2016 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

February 15, 2016
A passionate romance. A brutal murder. A conspiracy that threatens war on a galactic scale. Bonesteel's debut sets the stakes impressively high. Commander Elena Shaw is shocked when her lover is accused of murdering one of her crew, and things only get more strange when the murder is tied to a past tragedy. The first half of the novel is a murder-mystery romance. But in the second half, the story blossoms into something much bigger, and the book really comes into its own as a work of far-future military science fiction. The mystery is compelling, and the action is nicely paced and exciting, with well-rendered and believable characters. Bonesteel's writing is nicely nuanced and allows room for humor. Marketing for the novel compares it to Lois McMaster Bujold, which is apt. The first half might make it a good fit for mainstream mystery or romance fans who want to try sf for the first time. The strong female protagonist lends it intrinsic appeal. There are some scenes of graphic sex and violence, so be warned. Overall, this is a highly entertaining tale and a promising start to a new series.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2016, American Library Association.)