Apocalypse Clean-Up

“BURN THE DEAD II: PURGE”

by Steven Jenkins (2015)

In the near future, you'll go to the Cleaners. If you're a zombie.

Cleaners are those folks that do a dirty job: they clean up the mess made by the zombie apocalypse. If a zombie is running, er lumbering, around your neighborhood, these are the people you're gonna call.

Our heroine is Catherine Woods, latest member of the Cleaners. There’s mention of the other Cleaners resenting her for being the first rose amongst the thorns, but not a lot is shown. In fact, it comes across more like Catherine’s imaginings.

There are moments of action and real danger, but plucky Catherine pulls through every time. In fact, despite the yuckiness factor inherent in zombie stories, there's not much horror.

Well, not until Crandale. When the Cleaners are called into this neighborhood to clean up an outbreak, they find themselves overwhelmed. Then it all falls apart. From then on, the book is a rollercoaster of action and horror as the Dead feast upon the living.

Does Catherine have what it takes to do her job? To save those she's charged to protect? Or even herself?

That's what she keeps asking herself.

“Purge” is a nice little zombie apocalypse book. The main character is perhaps not as likeable as she might be, but neither will readers find themselves rooting for the Undead to munch down on her. Jenkins has come up with another winner.

A point to remember, Yankee readers, is that a British living room is not open to the rest of the house like in American architecture. It's a separate room with a door.

4.5 stars.