ABANDONED. Sci-fi book about Asteroid Scavengers

[Howie]

Hi, guys! So, I'm looking for a Science fiction book or short story that I read between 1990-2000. The first involved a crew of spacers who search the asteroid belt for vaults - abandoned human settlements - to steal from. They find a vault that's still populated by what seems to be a utopian cult society - but when questions arise over the facts of how they continue to exist, it turns out there's a mass delusion going on, and everything is terrible, there is no food, everyone is eating waste and contaminated soil. The episode ends with the crew being chased out of the vault by a giant mechanized statue of the founder of the cult. This book was likely a short story, or had many different vaults that the crew visited.
Thanks!

[Lobstergirl, au gratin]

Howie, please separate your request into two threads. Otherwise it gets way too confusing. Once you've started the new thread, delete that book query from your post here.

[Lobstergirl, au gratin]

Howie, are you still looking for this short story or book, or did you find it?

[Andy]

Sounds a bit like this one https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Memorar...

[Lobstergirl, au gratin]

Lobstergirl wrote: "Howie, are you still looking for this short story or book, or did you find it?"

No response in 2 years. Moving to Abandoned.