The New York Times Book Review - Eliot Schrefer
…a delightful and brilliantly constructed middle-grade thriller…Our lunar gumshoe, Dashiell Gibson, is an endearing mix of loving and cranky, moody and levelheaded—in other words, he's 12 years old. In a novel with such a highly imagined plot, a protagonist this layered is a rare treat…The real fuel in the novel's thrusters is its evident love for science. Far from slowing down the story, passages about the logistics of lunar life form some of the most memorable moments.
Ingram's Children's Advance - Jill Barton
"This zany sci-fi/adventure/murder mystery won't sit around gathering moondust, especially with such an eye-catching cover!; highly recommended for your middle-grade mystery collection."
Booklist
"Suspenseful."
New York Times Book Review - Eliot Schrefer
A delightful and brilliantly constructed middle-grade thriller.
Bulletin
The lunar setting puts a fresh spin on the locked-door mystery genre. . . . Fans of the Spy School series will welcome this debut entry in Gibbs’s latest run.
Common Sense Media
"Whipsmart space whodunnit touts research, brains over brawn."
Ingram Children's Advance - Jill M. Barton
"This zany sci-fi/adventure/murder mystery won't sit around gathering moondust, especially with such an eye-catching cover!; highly recommended for your middle-grade mystery collection."
School Library Journal - Audio
12/01/2014
Gr 3–7—The year is 2040. Dash, his sister, and their scientist parents are inaugural inhabitants of Moon Base Alpha (MBA), Earth's extraterrestrial colony. Housing only a few dozen people and governed by a strict commander, MBA is not exactly a barrel of laughs for a 12-year-old boy. However, when one of MBA's scientists dies suspiciously and a supply ship brings new residents (including a girl his age), life in space becomes much more intriguing. Though the story has many humorous moments—especially involving the insufferable wealthy space tourists—it also has some plausible science. Each chapter is preceded by a reading from "The Official Residents' Guide to Moon Base Alpha," NASA's part propaganda/part instruction manual, containing such riveting topics as "Exercise" and "Food." Narrator Gibson Frazier keeps the story moving at a good pace, conveying suspense without melodrama. Rather than create pitched character voices, he relies on intonation to differentiate among the large cast. His own voice is deep and clear but boyish enough to suit Dash. The narration flows smoothly, broken only by the humorously intended commercial quality of the "Official Resident's Guide." Space Case should appeal to a broad range of listeners but especially space enthusiasts.—Lisa Taylor, Ocean County Library, NJ
School Library Journal
07/01/2014
Gr 4–6—It's 2041, and 12-year-old Dash Gibson lives with his family in Moon Base Alpha, the first lunar outpost. Life is mostly dull (watching TV, going to the gym to keep fit, and playing video games—not much variety) until Ronald Holtz, beloved base physician, dies under suspicious circumstances. Despite warnings from the base's autocratic commander, Dash continues to investigate the incident as a possible murder. The story is fun, if somewhat thin; a space-age Agatha Christie mystery grafted onto a Scooby Doo plot. There are multiple suspects, each with a seemingly plausible motive—the scientist who accuses Dr. Holtz of stealing his brilliant idea; the shoddy psychiatrist whom Holtz tried to keep off of the mission; even Lars Sjoberg, the hapless and arrogant billionaire space tourist. Some of the characters are colored with a broad brush, such as Kira the tween-age super hacker; the vile, "pure white" Sjoberg family; and Chang Hi-Tech, the tattooed and mohawked tech guru. But Gibbs's passion for science is obvious, and his portrayal of what life might be like for a middle schooler in space is credible and insightful. The difficulty of learning to run in reduced gravity, the dreary food, ubiquitous technologies, and recycled water (urine is purified and returned to the reservoir) all are treated evenhandedly and with reference to relevant science. The prospect and related concerns of contact with a distant race of super-intelligent beings provide an intriguing "what if" counterpoint. Recommended as a breezy read, especially for the budding space scientist.—Bob Hassett, Luther Jackson Middle School, Falls Church, VA
Kirkus Reviews
★ 2014-05-28
When Dr. Holtz’s body is discovered just outside the lunar colony, everyone assumes he made a mistake putting on his spacesuit—but 12-year-old Dashiell “Dash” Gibson has reason to believe this was no accident.Earth’s first space base has been a living hell for Dash. There’s not much to do on the moon besides schoolwork and virtual-reality gaming, and there’s only a handful of kids his age up there with him. The chance to solve a murder is exactly the type of excitement Dash needs. As clues are found and secrets are uncovered, Dash comes to understand that some of the base’s residents aren’t what they seem to be. With a small cast of characters supplying an excellent variety of suspects, Gibbs creates the best kind of “murder on a train” mystery. The genius, however, is putting the train in space. Closed quarters and techno–mumbo-jumbo add delightful color to the proceedings. Thankfully, the author doesn’t let the high-concept setting overshadow the novel’s mystery. The whodunit is smartly paced and intricately plotted. Best of all, the reveal is actually worth all the buildup. Thrillers too often fly off the rails in their final moments, but the author’s steady hand keeps everything here on track.Fully absorbing. (Mystery. 9-12)
