I enjoyed the characters and stories in this mystery pair. My rating 4.5.

These are two distinct stories set in a edge of space station that is looked upon as an outpost for the castoffs of employees. If you aren’t considered good enough, come from the wrong class or wrong people, or maybe have messed up on a prior assignment then this is the place you are likely to be sent.

In The Accidental Plague, the protagonist, Ravinisha, is a top of her class scientist who can’t get hired due to prejudice against her planet race. Fortunately, there are several officers at Outcast Station who look beyond the past and see her strong potential. The scientist whom she will follow gives Ravinisha the first warm welcome she has had in her young life. He shows her the ropes and even takes her sightseeing a bit. Ravinisha is also welcomed and accepted by the Station enforcement officers and several others.

But there are those who want her gone enough to vandalize her room and threaten her. There is also a sly offer made to cut her in on a smuggling ring. Ravinisha is coping with these issues when a feverish and deadly epidemic strikes across the station. Can Ravinisha find a cure before the station becomes a floating tomb?

I really enjoyed these characters and became invested in their well-being. There are small clues to pick up on the mystery which was nicely plotted and presented. I would love to read more about Ravinisha and her friends on Outpost Station.

The New Badge brings a new enforcement officer into town as a punishment from a boss with whom he conflicted. Deputy Marshal Hank Tremaine is actually a properly detailed investigator, but his forthright approach isn’t appreciated by everyone. He is assigned to a murder case in an outlaying area and it seems clear his new boss is going to make Hank’s redemption difficult.

Hank is determined to perform his job with precision, but he encounters obstacles in the form of sloppy work from his co-workers with discrepancies and deficiencies in the evidence. Next thing Hank knows his shuttle vehicle is sabotaged and he and a local officer are lucky to survive the crash. When Hank recovers from his injuries the chief hands him a wrapped-up case with an arrest based on witness testimony.

Hank and the locals are sure that the arrested suspect is innocent, and it sure looks like someone wants to close the case before Hank can uncover anything more. He is caught in a hard place because he will have to disobey his chief (and risk getting a better job posting) if he continues to pursue the investigation. Too bad it just isn’t his nature to walk away when the facts don’t add up.

I liked Hank’s character and enjoyed this mystery investigation. He really had to work around ineffective staff and corruption to solve the case. I would like to read more by this author too.

I was a little disappointed that the characters of the stories didn’t overlap. Still I was engaged by both stories. I recommend this to mystery and sci fi fans.

I love underdog and sci-fi stories. Welcome to Outcast Station combines them beautifully. While the book actually seems to be a set of novellas focusing on two different characters, it worked well for me.

I enjoyed the writing, the character development, and the well-paced mystery. I will definitely read other books by the authors.

This book is composed of two distinct novellas which tell two distinct stories. The only thing that connects them is the location - Paradise Station, better known as Outcast Station, a backwater space station orbiting a backwater planet.

The Accidental Plague by Jeanne Adams tells the story of Bvax Scientist Ravinisha Trentham, who has lived all her life as an outcast simply because of the planet she was born on. Her compatriots once conspired to overthrow the global governmental system and the rest of the planets haven't forgotten about it, even 60-some years later. It doesn't matter that Ravi doesn't embrace the same beliefs, she looks like one of the outcasts, so she is treated like one.

Even though she finished her apprenticeship as a Bvax Scientist with flying colors; even though she was the best in her class; the dispatch to Outcast Station is the best she could hope for. But, as Jeanne Adams slowly shows us in her story, even outcasts can build a place they can call home. Ravi's story is one of hope. She begins by being sneered at and belittled, but proves her worth, helps the station and finally becomes a respected member of the small community.

The protagonist of The New Badge by Nancy Northcott is the complete opposite of Ravi. Hank Tremaine was a successful marshal on one of the inner planets… until he crossed the wrong person and landed at Outcast Station as punishment. While for Ravi this assignment is a chance to prove her worth, Hank considers it more like a prison sentence - unpleasant, but if he keeps a low profile, he might be paroled sooner rather than later.

Hank is fully resolved to do his job and keep his head down and stay out of trouble. Unfortunately for him, trouble finds him as soon as he lands on the planet. Now Hank is faced with a moral dilemma: agree with his superior officers and do a half-hearted investigation, or dig more and incur their wrath, thus annihilating his chances of getting transferred out of this backend of the known space early.

While the two novellas have no common characters, they cover very similar themes: The courage it takes to stay true to your convictions despite the circumstances, even if abandoning them would make your life easier. The realization that there are bad people, but also good people even on a backwater station like Paradise, and that friends and allies can be found in the most unlikely places. And finally that home is what you make of it.

I liked the world of Outcast Station and the characters that inhabit it. I especially liked the concept of The Accidental Plague that with humanity spreading throughout the galaxy and interacting with other species, there is a need for a strict disease control and prevention protocol. After all, a space station is a very fragile ecosystem where viruses and pathogens would spread like fire. Without strict control and rapid response protocols put in place by Bvax scientists, a thriving station could transform into a tin can full of dead bodies in a matter of weeks.

So why did I give this book four stars instead of five? Because there are several plot lines in both stories that are started, but never resolved. Like the whole conversation between the station master and an unnamed individual about some shady deals going on (smuggling maybe?), and a couple others.

Now I haven't read any other books by these authors, so I don't know if those two novellas are part of a bigger series where all those questions are answered. To me, this is a standalone volume, so I would have appreciated to have all the loose ends tied when I turned the last page of the book.

This little complaint aside, I enjoyed both stories and wouldn't mind revisiting Outcast Station again if the authors decide to write more.

PS: I received an advanced copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

One book, two sections, two authors. One I’m familiar with and one is a first time read for me. I know Sci-Fi isn’t my go-to genre, but it’s kinda like dystopian or historical fiction for me. Once I get my head wrapped around the world that the author creates, I’m good. The first part of this book laid the groundwork and took place mostly on the space station itself. The second part took place mostly on the planet itself and gave a totally different perspective by a totally different character. An interesting approach to what promises to be an interesting series.

The Accidental Plague by Jeanne Adams

Ravi was an interesting character, with an interesting history. It seems that prejudice follows not only generations, but planets, galaxies and beyond. Because of her ancestors, she was ostracized. Not exactly fair, but nothing about prejudice is. Luckily, there were others who saw her as the smart, hard working, caring person that she was.

There was more than one mystery in The Accidental Plague. Part of it was solved, but part still needs to be revealed. Hopefully the next installment will give readers a little more insight into what’s really going on within the walls of Outcast Station. Jeanne Adams did a great job of laying the groundwork for this interesting Sci-Fi world. I have high hopes that the next installment will delve deeper into the characters.

The New Badge by Nancy Northcott

I’ve been a fan of Nancy Northcott for a while, which is one of the reasons why I decided to pick up Welcome to Outcast Station. The new Deputy Marshal has his work cut out for him. Because of the ‘nature’ of people who make up the colonies and the reason that most people end up at Outcast Station, he’s not working with or for the cream of the crop. He’s actually surprised to find some people who actually care about doing their job – the right way. He also learns quickly not to judge the residents within the colonies by judgmental co-workers. Because of his personal circumstances, he was already well aware of how things aren’t always as they seem and just because you wear the badge or the title, doesn’t automatically make you one of the ‘good guys.’

These two stories were a great start and I’m looking forward to see where both Ravi and Hank end up.

I liked the concept of Outcast Station. While this is not a new setting for Science Fiction both authors make a very good use of being sent to the back of beyond.

Ravi in the Accidental Plague is a interesting characters. One of the best academically she is used to being shunned and pushed aside because of her home planet. Using the accidental plague Jeanne Adams manages to secure Ravi a place where she is honored for her work not her planet of origin.

Deputy Marshal Hank Tremaine made a misstep that got him sent to Outcast Station. As The New Badge he is sent on a mission where he is meant to fail. While he finds Marshals who are incompetent he also finds others who are good at their job and willing to help him.

Both novellas do a great job of world building and character development. I did find the back story a little light but it did not weaken the plots or the story line.

I received a free copy of the book in return for an honest review.