Book links: Amazon, Goodreads

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Mason Coile is the pen name of bestselling author, Andrew Pyper. Mason writes books that are distinct from Andrew's: short, twisty thrillers with a sci-fi bent and a strand of horror in their DNA. 

Publisher: G.P. Putnam's Sons (September 16, 2025) Length: 224 pages Formats: audio, ebook, paperback

I went into Exiles expecting space horror, and I got that. I also got a locked-room murder mystery. On Mars. 

Three astronauts land on the Red Planet, only to find their shiny new base half wrecked and the robot crew acting like they’ve been binging philosophy podcasts instead of doing their jobs. 

As a fan of locked-room mysteries, I loved a tight setting, and creeping sense that something, or someone, is out to get them. The robots, who now go by Shay, Wes, and Alex, have grown disturbingly human in their years alone. One is loyal, one is cautious, and one is… well, off wandering the Martian desert. There’s also a murder, a growing sense of paranoia, and lots of suspense.

I liked Dana, our narrator, who is tough, emotionally guarded, and relatable. Her POV gave the story bite and urgency. The mystery of who’s sabotaging the mission (alien? robot? someone on the crew?) kept me flipping pages fast. And the resolution was great, far from common cliches of the genre.

The pacing is brisk, the tension never lets up, and Coile really nails the claustrophobic “no way out” vibe. It’s  a space horror thriller mixed with existential dread, and some neat touches about AI learning to be human.

Sometimes the plot twists piled up so quickly I felt like I needed a board and string to track them. And a few themes (sexism, colonization, identity) get raised only to be dropped once the story shifts gears. It’s not fatal, just noticeable.

Still, I had a blast. It’s fast, atmospheric, and immersive. If Mars really is this messy, I’m canceling my ticket.