GRAVEDIGGERS

The second book in the Gravediggers series presents a family vacation with beaches, boats and a body count.

When classmates Ian, Kendra and PJ all win family vacations to Puerto Rico, it seems like the perfect escape from the memories of their last trip, which started with zombies and ended with the trio being declared the next generation of zombie fighters. Soon enough, though, a perfectly normal setting soon turns into a zombie magnet, and the trio find themselves trapped on a tropical island, fighting waves of waterlogged, reanimated corpses. But this time, the monsters have been upgraded, thanks to a mysterious millionaire and his sinister zombie agenda. The SAT practice words and the zombie kick-ass moments return along with the kids, but the zombies are no longer desiccated corpses—these are bloated, fish-eaten bodies sloughing off flesh left and right. Ian, Kendra and PJ are more defined this time around, each with a distinct personality; unfortunately, their personalities aren’t all that engaging. In fact, the various jungle creatures have more presence on the page in their brief appearances than the teens and their families. A coven of witches adds a bit of spice, but there’s an overall lack of emotion all around. Krovatin sets the stage for a third novel with a growing threat and betrayal, but it’s hard to build enthusiasm for what has already become an extremely formulaic series.

This vacation founders in less-than-terrifying waters.