Two years after the Hallowell Virus turned a segment of the population into flesh-craving ghouls, Val Castells and her three friends attempt to reintegrate into society by consuming synthetic "Hallowmead" meat. The group travels to the Desert Dust music festival for a final summer celebration, but their survival depends on a cooler full of their medical rations. When these life-sustaining supplies are sabotaged, the girls face agonizing hunger that threatens their humanity. They discover a murderer is targeting festival attendees and framing the undead for the kills, forcing the group to hunt the predator before they lose control and succumb to their own predatory instincts.
Fans of internal conflict and body horror read this for the visceral depiction of addiction and societal ostracization. It appeals to readers who enjoy high-stakes thrillers where the protagonists are perceived as the monsters they are trying to stop. The audience walks away with a perspective on how marginalized groups are scapegoated during public health crises, framed through the lens of a graphic slasher narrative. It satisfies a craving for intense pacing, queer friendship dynamics, and the constant tension between moral restraint and biological survival.
- Published
- 2023
- Language
- EN
