Venus - the first star to appear after sunset. The light bringer. Or in Latin... Lucifer. 

Earth's nearest, and most inhospitable, neighbour. Nothing can survive there. 

Every probe ever sent to Venus ceases to function within hours, so when the Nein Corporation's probe Orpheus lands there its mission is to quickly gather samples and send them back. But, before it fails, its cameras appear to show a mysterious figure in a black hood.

It must be an optical illusion or signal corruption - no human being can be alive there. But  Melissa Nein realises what it is and, more importantly, who it is. And since Melissa is the billionaire owner of the Nein Corporation, whatever the cost, they will be going back. This time to put a man on the surface and to solve the mystery of the figure in black.