Some countdowns can't be beaten. They can only be survived.
Astronaut Kira Volkov survives the impossible, floating untethered in space for 17 minutes. The world calls her a hero. Her nervous system decides her survival was a lie and that everywhere equals death.
Grounded with crippling PTSD, Kira develops claustrophobia and agoraphobia simultaneously. Elevators trigger panic, open skies trigger panic, and stars appear like watching eyes.
As her marriage and career strain under the weight of her unraveling, she agrees to inpatient treatment at an elite facility for high achievers whose minds have shattered in spectacular ways. Soon, she unknowingly enters a program called The Dream Theater, where patients' dreams mysteriously evolve, and realities overlap before the patients begin to mysteriously vanish. While navigating a terrifying dreamscape, Kira must choose to fight her way back to her reality or float forever in space.
Perfect for readers who loved Severance, Dark Matter, and The Three-Body Problem, 17 Minutes is a genre-blending psychological thriller about astronauts, trauma, impossible choices, institutional corruption, and the razor-thin line between life and death.
