Dynamic characters and a consistently brisk plot energize this ongoing series.
O’Connell’s postapocalyptic horror sequel centers on survivors of a zombie apocalypse who band together as battles with the undead rage on.
In a world full of virally infected flesh-eaters, Charlie Billingsworth finds temporary refuge at sea. He and fellow survivors Kalila Trout and kids Trey and Ellie sail south along the East Coast or the United States. They can’t stay offshore forever, though, and they ultimately settle in Fort Morgan, where hundreds of people live in presumed safety. The culture there is akin to the military, with people bunking in tents, a colonel at the helm, and recruits for scavenging groups undergoing serious training. However, Fort Morgan isn’t as secure as many believe, which is especially evident after someone inexplicably goes missing. Regardless, Kalila wants it to be a new, stable home for herself, Trey, and Ellie; she’d like Charlie to stay, too, but he’d rather keep moving. A scientist’s all-channels radio message, claiming that she has a cure for the virus, may be Charlie’s excuse to leave—but will he ever return to his new family? O’Connell sets an impressive pace in this sophomore series installment, with scenes that zero in on developing his distinctive characters; Charlie drinks heavily after losing someone close, for instance, and Ellie smartly uses her “mindpowers” (which include telepathy) as little as possible. Quieter scenes are mixed with frenzied attacks of the “Infected,” who could easily cause major trouble if they assembled in force outside the fort walls. Exhilarating zombie fights ensue, with Charlie and Kalila showcasing skills they’ve honed; meanwhile, Trey itches to prove himself, and some members of the vibrant cast sadly fall. The story connects seamlessly to the events of the preceding book, including further signs of frighteningly intelligent zombies. Although there’s some resolution at the end, it’s clear that more sequels are in the works.
Dynamic characters and a consistently brisk plot energize this ongoing series.Pub Date: N/A
ISBN: N/A
Page Count: -
Publisher: N/A
Review Posted Online: Oct. 9, 2024
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
BOOK REVIEW
An affecting portrait of a prickly woman.
A lifetime’s worth of letters combine to portray a singular character.
Sybil Van Antwerp, a cantankerous but exceedingly well-mannered septuagenarian, is the titular correspondent in Evans’ debut novel. Sybil has retired from a beloved job as chief clerk to a judge with whom she had previously been in private legal practice. She is the divorced mother of two living adult children and one who died when he was 8. She is a reader of novels, a gardener, and a keen observer of human nature. But the most distinguishing thing about Sybil is her lifelong practice of letter writing. As advancing vision problems threaten Sybil’s carefully constructed way of life—in which letters take the place of personal contact and engagement—she must reckon with unaddressed issues from her past that threaten the house of cards (letters, really) she has built around herself. Sybil’s relationships are gradually revealed in the series of letters sent to and received from, among others, her brother, sister-in-law, children, former work associates, and, intriguingly, literary icons including Joan Didion and Larry McMurtry. Perhaps most affecting is the series of missives Sybil writes but never mails to a shadowy figure from her past. Thoughtful musings on the value and immortal quality of letters and the written word populate one of Sybil’s notes to a young correspondent while other messages are laugh-out-loud funny, tinged with her characteristic blunt tartness. Evans has created a brusque and quirky yet endearing main character with no shortage of opinions and advice for others but who fails to excavate the knotty difficulties of her own life. As Sybil grows into a delayed self-awareness, her letters serve as a chronicle of fitful growth.
An affecting portrait of a prickly woman.Pub Date: May 6, 2025
ISBN: 9780593798430
Page Count: 304
Publisher: Crown
Review Posted Online: Feb. 15, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2025
Gleefully sadistic, gloriously gratifying revenge fiction.
A frustrated advice columnist takes matters into her own hands.
Before dropping out of MIT during the second semester of her sophomore year, Debbie Mullen had designs on becoming the next Bill Gates. Now, almost 30 years later, the stay-at-home wife and mother of two uses her considerable genius to keep the Mullens’ Hingham, Massachusetts, household functioning “like a well-oiled machine.” In her spare time, Debbie also gardens and shares “the fruits of [her] wisdom” with neighbors via the weekly advice column she writes for Hingham Household, a local “family-oriented” newspaper. Though Debbie is proud of her husband and teen daughters’ accomplishments, her own life sometimes feels a bit empty. As such, she’s both honored and excited when Home Gardening magazine selects her backyard to feature in their next issue. Then, at the last minute, the publication decides to go in a different direction and instead spotlights the roses of her arch rival. Later that day, the editor-in-chief of Hingham Household axes her column because she’d counseled a reader to get a divorce. That evening, Debbie learns that her hard-working husband’s miserly boss refused his promotion request, her brilliant older daughter’s sketchy boyfriend broke her heart, and her athletically gifted younger daughter’s chauvinistic coach cut her from the soccer team for being “chubby.” Enough is enough. Debbie has always given great advice—everybody says so. If certain individuals don’t know what’s best for themselves, maybe it’s her obligation to help them see the light. Increasingly unhinged entries from a “Dear Debbie” drafts folder pepper the briskly paced, meticulously crafted tale, which unfolds courtesy of a pinwheeling first-person narrative. Some of the plot’s myriad twists are more impressive than others, but plucky, puckish Debbie is a nontraditional antihero for the ages.
Gleefully sadistic, gloriously gratifying revenge fiction.Pub Date: Jan. 27, 2026
ISBN: 9781464249624
Page Count: 336
Publisher: Poisoned Pen
Review Posted Online: Dec. 10, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 15, 2026
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
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