In a future where Mars is a corporate-run colony on the brink of revolt, one missing miner shouldn't be a mystery. But in New Providence, a city that watches everyone, the disappearance of Tremaine Gant is the first crack in a carefully controlled facade. That's the setup for Erik Grove's debut novel, The Long Red Tomorrow, a sci-fi crime thriller that blends the gritty detective work of Blade Runner with the political intrigue of The Expanse.
The story follows Jude Landry, a former cop turned freelance fixer who'd rather be back on Earth. When an old friend, Miggy, asks him to track down Gant, Jude takes the job—not out of altruism, but because the reward is a clean slate. Someone is willing to erase his past in exchange for finding one man. With his rescue dog, Lot, by his side, Jude starts digging into Gant's last known movements.
What begins as a simple missing-person case quickly spirals into something far larger. The trail leads Jude back to the very founding of New Providence, exposing secrets that the colony's architects would kill to keep buried. As he gets closer to the truth, Jude realizes that the people with the most to lose aren't just the criminals—they're the ones who built the city from the ground up.
Grove's novel taps into a rich vein of sci-fi noir, where the futuristic setting serves as a backdrop for timeless questions about justice, redemption, and the cost of progress. The comparison to Blade Runner is apt: Jude is a man hired to find someone in a city where power dictates whose life matters. But the Martian colony of New Providence brings its own flavor, echoing the class struggles and political machinations of The Expanse.
For readers who worry about the fate of a canine companion in such stories, Grove has already put those fears to rest. In his newsletter revealing the cover, he wrote in all caps: “THE DOG DOESN'T DIE.” So you can breathe easy on that front.
The Long Red Tomorrow is set to hit shelves on March 2, 2027, from Podium Publishing. The 288-page trade paperback will retail for $19.99, with ebook and audiobook editions also available. Preorders are already open at Barnes & Noble.
If you're a fan of political thrillers that keep you on edge, or you're looking for a perfect binge-watch to tide you over until 2027, this novel might be worth adding to your radar. And if you're curious about other sci-fi worlds that test human endurance, check out our ranking of the Jurassic Park movies or see how The Terminal List became a streaming sensation.
With its blend of noir mystery and Martian intrigue, The Long Red Tomorrow is shaping up to be a must-read for fans of smart, character-driven sci-fi. Mark your calendars for March 2027—Jude Landry's search for one man might just uncover the truth about an entire world.
