☣️ Apocalyptic

Time of Death Book 1: Induction (A Zombie Novel)

✍️ Shana Festa
Reader Score
4.4
(1 review)
$12.95
In stock — ready to ship Ships in 1–2 business days
📚 WHAT THE BOOK IS ABOUT

A nursing graduate fights the undead in Florida with her husband and dog.

Shana Festa presents a close-up view of the early days of a zombie outbreak. The protagonist Emma Rossi transitions from graduation to survival mode in Cape Coral. Her medical background becomes crucial as she confronts the reality of reanimated corpses. The story tracks her efforts to keep her family safe amidst failing containment measures. Festa uses Emma’s determination and dark humor to drive the tension forward. The narrative avoids grand political commentary, focusing instead on the immediate threat of infection. This approach creates a claustrophobic atmosphere where every decision carries lethal consequences for Emma, Jake, and Daphne.

Key Themes
zombie apocalypse family survival medical training
Literary Context

Set in Cape Coral, Florida, during an unspecified modern period. The story reflects contemporary anxieties about rapid infectious disease spread and the fragility of social order. It draws on the established tradition of American zombie fiction, emphasizing urban vulnerability and the breakdown of emergency services.

Difficulty
●● Medium
Recommended For Fans Of
Max Brooks · Joe Hill · Paul Tremblay · Thomas Tryon
☣️
Apocalyptic
🏛 Createspace Independent Publishing Platform 📅 2014 📖 220 pages 🌐 English 📔 Paperback ISBN: 9781511754606

📝 Description: Time of Death Book 1: Induction (A Zombie Novel)

Emma Rossi faces a harrowing trial in Shana Festa’s Time of Death Book 1: Induction. The narrative follows the thirty-seven-year-old nursing graduate in Cape Coral, Florida, as her academic achievements are abruptly overshadowed by a biological catastrophe. A storm approaches while the dead rise with hunger, turning the Eastern Seaboard into a zone of rapid infection. Emma must rely on her medical training and snarky wit to survive alongside her husband Jake and their dog Daphne. The story focuses on the immediate collapse of civilization within a small pocket of survivors. Festa portrays Emma’s descent into necessary brutality as she commits atrocious acts to protect her family from joining the undead ranks. The plot emphasizes the failure of containment efforts and the alarming speed at which the infection ravages the region. Readers seeking a character-driven survival tale will find this work suitable, though those expecting detailed world-building or pre-apocalypse context may find it lacking. The narrative prioritizes personal struggle over broad societal analysis. Festa qualifies as a writer of supernatural fiction through her focus on the visceral reality of the undead. The book appeals to fans of domestic horror and zombie narratives who prefer intimate stakes over epic scale. It does not suit readers looking for lighthearted adventure or scientific explanations of the outbreak. The text remains grounded in the immediate physical dangers faced by Emma, Jake, and Daphne as they fight to stay alive.

💎 Our verdict on Time of Death Book 1: Induction (A Zombie Novel)

“
🩸
Horror Reads editorial team
Horror desk
Festa delivers a tense, immediate account of a zombie outbreak through the eyes of Emma Rossi, a nursing graduate in Cape Coral. The strength of this work lies in its focus on personal struggle rather than societal analysis, creating a claustrophobic atmosphere where medical training becomes a vital survival tool. While it lacks detailed world-building or pre-apocalypse context, it excels in portraying the rapid collapse of containment and the descent into necessary brutality. This approach suits readers who want visceral, character-focused horror without lighthearted adventure or scientific explanations. It is a solid choice for fans of domestic zombie narratives who value intimate stakes and dark humor over epic scale.
✓ EDITOR'S REVIEW

📖 Why choose it

📖

Why this book is worth reading

Readers who prefer intimate, claustrophobic horror over grand-scale apocalyptic fiction will find this book highly suitable. It appeals to those interested in the visceral reality of sudden biological catastrophe and the moral compromises required for survival. The narrative offers a close-up view of early outbreak days, focusing on the immediate threat of infection rather than long-term world-building. Fans of character-driven tales featuring snarky protagonists navigating lethal consequences will appreciate the tension and dark humor. It is ideal for those seeking domestic horror with high stakes, where every decision carries a lethal price for the protagonist and her family.

⭐ Reader reviews

The starting rating comes from the team Horror Reads —

Reader rating

4.4
Based on 1 reviews
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Horror Reads editorial team

Festa delivers a tense, immediate account of a zombie outbreak through the eyes of Emma Rossi, a nursing graduate in Cape Coral. The strength of this work lies in its focus on personal struggle rather than societal analysis, creating a claustrophobic atmosphere where medical training becomes a vital survival tool. While it lacks detailed world-building or pre-apocalypse context, it excels in portraying the rapid collapse of containment and the descent into necessary brutality. This approach suits readers who want visceral, character-focused horror without lighthearted adventure or scientific explanations. It is a solid choice for fans of domestic zombie narratives who value intimate stakes and dark humor over epic scale.

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