Alien detectives stumble across a mystery that could tear apart their patchwork planet, the Crucible, in this riotous science fantasy novel from the smash hit game, KeyForge

Wibble & Pplimz, the Crucible’s most unusual private investigators, must set off from their office in Hub City to clear the name of a former client. Along the way, their investigation broadens from a simple accusation of theft to include a missing person, a potential murder, and a highly unusual gem. Four interlinking incidents take them across the Crucible, as they attempt to solve the case. But there’s something more sinister lurking underneath: evidence of a secret society that aims to discover the power of the Architects, and forever change the nature of the Crucible itself.

M. DARUSHA WEHM is the Nebula Award-nominated and Sir Julius Vogel Award-winning author of the interactive fiction game The Martian Job, as well as the science fiction novels Beautiful Red, Children of Arkadia, The Voyage of the White Cloud, and the Andersson Dexter cyberpunk detective series. Their mainstream books include the Devi Jones’ Locker YA series and the humorous coming-of-age novel The Home for Wayward Parrots. Darusha’s short fiction and poetry have appeared in many venues, including Terraform and Nature. Originally from Canada, Darusha lives in Wellington, New Zealand after spending several years sailing the Pacific.

M. Darusha Wehm's profile page

"The story was very entertaining. Sometimes feeling like a comedic road trip / buddy movie. Sometimes feeling like a thrilling mystery where you’ll wonder what the next clue will be and where it will take us."

Rae Reads

"An absolutely brilliant read... if you’re looking for some fresh sci-fi that offers a fascinating, fleshed-out world, without taking itself too seriously, then this is a great place to go."

The Story Board

"What’s nice about this setting is that the author sticks to their guns throughout and keeps the entire thing as a well-plotted and well paced thriller, full of the twists and turns that you’d expect to find in a good detective novel."

Starburst

"As you read through The Qubit Zirconium, it immediately becomes clear that Wehm knows exactly how to write a compelling and intricate mystery thriller, deftly interweaving surprising events and colourful characters with complex motivations to create an engaging and multi-faceted narrative that is always utterly enthralling and keeps you on the edge of your seat."

SciFi and Fantasy Reviewer

"I had so much fun diving into this place and, through the action and plot, imagining exploring it. But Wibble and Pplimz make the story."

Dear Author