by Joe McKinney
First published 2010
Ed Moore thought his days of hunting dangerous men were behind him. The retired U.S. Marshal planned to spend his remaining years in quiet retirement, not running from hordes of flesh-eating zombies. A viral outbreak has transformed most of humanity into ravenous undead creatures, leaving small pockets of survivors to fend for themselves in a world gone mad. Moore joins other refugees in their desperate search for safety, moving through landscapes littered with the walking dead. Their journey leads them to what appears to be salvation: a fortified outpost nestled in the North Dakota grasslands. The compound offers walls, weapons, and the promise of security. But the preacher who runs this sanctuary harbors disturbing beliefs that may prove more dangerous than the zombie hordes outside. Moore must decide whether to accept the preacher's twisted ideology or face the infected wilderness once again.
Genres: science-fiction, horror, thriller, apocalyptic
Vibes: dark, fast-paced, suspenseful
Tropes: found-family, survival
Setting: North Dakota
503 pages · Mass Market Paperback · Pinnacle Books
Content warnings: graphic-violence