In this heartrending spin on the zombie mythos, a brilliant scientist desperately searches for a cure after a devastating epidemic while also hiding a monumental secret—her undead husband.

Having always preferred the company of microbes, British scientist Kesta Shelley has spent her life peering through a microscope rather than cultivating personal relationships. That changed when Kesta met Tim—her cheerleader, her best friend, her absolute everything. So when he was one of the last people in London to be infected with a perplexing virus that left the city ravaged, Kesta went into triage mode.

Although the government rounded up and disposed of all the infected, Kesta is able to keep her husband (un)alive—and hidden—with resources from the hospital where she works. She spends her days reviewing biopsy slides and her evenings caring for him, but he’s clearly declining. The sedatives aren’t working like they used to, and his violent outbursts are becoming more frequent. As Kesta races against the clock, her colleagues start noticing changes in her behavior and appearance. Her care for Tim has spiraled into absolute obsession. Whispers circulate that a top-secret lab is working on a cure, and Kesta clings to the possibility of being recruited, but can she save her husband before he is discovered?

Once upon a time, I was deep in my zombie era. Books, games, movies, TV shows—you name it, I consumed it. Resident Evil, 28 Days Later, Shaun of the Dead, Zombieland, and yes, even those early seasons of The Walking Dead had me hooked. But after a while, especially around season four of TWD, the thrill wore off. Zombies felt overdone, the plots got repetitive, and the subgenre started to feel stale. So I stepped away.

But lately? That itch has started to return. I’ve caught myself eyeing old favorites like Rhiannon Frater’s series As the World Dies and Carrie Ryan’s The Forest of Hands and Teeth, wondering if it’s time for a re-read. Then this book came across my radar, and the moment I read the synopsis, I knew I had to have it. A zombie-adjacent outbreak? A desperate scientist harboring her infected husband while looking for a cure? Medical intrigue and emotional wreckage? Yes, please.

And I’m happy to report: this book delivered.

This isn’t your typical zombie apocalypse story. We’re not dropped into a wasteland where society has crumbled and humans are scavenging for canned goods and morality. Instead, Radford gives us a more intimate, grounded approach: what if a viral outbreak like COVID had zombie-like consequences? What if it was (mostly) contained by way of immediately wiping out the infected, but the threat still lingered? What if you worked in a hospital by day searching for a cure … and hid your undead spouse at home by night?

That’s the exact situation Kesta Shelley finds herself in. She’s a microbiologist who prefers the company of slides and samples to people, which made her unlikely whirlwind romance with her husband Tim all the more powerful. He was her balance, her joy, her cheerleader. And then he got infected. As the government worked quickly and ruthlessly to round up and dispose of anyone who showed signs of infection, Kesta used her access and connections to keep him alive—barely.

Now, months later, she’s racing against time to find a cure while keeping his presence a secret. The sedatives are failing. His body is deteriorating. He’s becoming more aggressive. But she’s not ready to let him go. The emotional stakes are brutal, and Radford doesn’t hold back when showing just how far grief can push a person toward obsession.

One of the strongest elements of this book is how smart it is. The medical thriller aspect is fully realized. There’s a ton of epidemiological detail, but it never feels dry or overly technical. You feel like you’re right there in the lab with Kesta, flipping through biopsy slides, chasing hope in a sea of uncertainty. Radford clearly did her homework, and it makes the world feel terrifyingly plausible.

And while the science is sharp, the heart of the book is very much an emotional rollercoaster. Kesta is a fascinating protagonist and slightly unreliable (which is exactly how I like them). Her desperation is raw and honest, and even when her decisions veer into ethically murky territory, you understand where she’s coming from. She’s not trying to save the world. She’s just trying to save one person. The one person who made life worth living.

The supporting characters are equally well drawn. Her coworkers suspect something’s off. One in particular is sniffing a little too close to the truth. Tension builds steadily as the world starts to close in on Kesta, and the possibility of being found out feels inevitable. And then there’s the threat of another wave of the virus hitting before a cure is found. It creates this slow, simmering dread that runs under the entire book. You’re constantly waiting for the other shoe to drop, and when it does? The payoff lands.

What really worked for me, though, was the blend of tones. It’s sad, yes. But also funny at times. It’s also thoughtful. Suspenseful. Tense. Radford never lets the story sit in just one emotional register. And despite the undead premise, the beating heart of the book is grief. It’s about what we do when love and loss collide. It’s about holding on too tightly, and what happens when the line between science and obsession blurs.

This book is weird and wonderful and wholly unique and I absolutely devoured it. If you’re like me and you’ve grown tired of the same old zombie storylines, but still want something that gives you those unsettling what-if vibes, this is one to grab. It’s hands-down one of my favorite reds of the summer.