Red Swarm

David Massengill’s debut novel presents a harrowing account of survival during a biological crisis in the Pacific Northwest. The narrative follows three distinct characters as they navigate a landscape overrun by redbugs. These insects cause severe physical deterioration, including skin necrosis and violent seizures, before potentially burrowing into their hosts to create what the CDC terms nest persons. The story tracks a Homeland Security exterminator searching for his estranged cousin in the Washington desert. It also follows a young woman caring for her mother, who has become a nest person, at an urban refugee center. A third character escapes from a ravaged Seattle research lab, eventually finding refuge in a mansion controlled by a nineteen-year-old megalomaniac and his female servants. The book examines the collapse of social order under the pressure of the Red Swarm. It explores themes of bodily autonomy and the failure of institutional responses like insecticide and bombing campaigns. Massengill structures the narrative through these intersecting lives, highlighting the desperation of those trying to remain human amidst the infestation. The work appeals to readers who enjoy body horror and post-apocalyptic fiction grounded in scientific plausibility. It may not suit those who prefer supernatural explanations or lighthearted adventure stories. The text provides a grim look at how quickly civilization can unravel when faced with an invisible, biological threat that rewrites the human condition.