by Isaac Marion
First published 2011
R walks through his undead existence without memories or a heartbeat, but something sets him apart from other zombies. While his fellow Dead mindlessly hunt, R finds pleasure in small things like escalator rides and Frank Sinatra's music. He kills because his nature demands it, not because he enjoys the violence. Then R encounters a human woman and falls in love. This connection awakens something unexpected within him, creating a tension between his zombie instincts and his growing humanity. The relationship challenges everything R understands about his existence and opens possibilities he never imagined. Marion crafts a story that blends horror with humor, exploring what it means to be alive through the eyes of someone technically dead. The novel examines love's power to transform even the most unlikely circumstances.
Genres: romance, fantasy, horror, contemporary
Vibes: intimate, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, found-family
256 pages · Kindle Edition · Atria Books
Content warnings: violence