“This little fellow is your best friend now, Amanda.” That was what he’d said on that beautiful afternoon where having a future suddenly seemed possible again. “Take good care of it and it will take good care of you.”
Rage swept over Suzanne in a sudden hot wave. She opened her eyes, glaring across the room at the photographic disease. Where was it when her little girl was dying? Marburg EX19 was supposed to save her baby’s life, and in the end, it had let her down; it had let Amanda die. What was the good of all this—the pain, the endless hours spent in hospital beds, the promises they never got to keep—if the damn disease couldn’t save Amanda’s life?
Never mind that Amanda died in a car crash. Never mind that cancer had nothing to do with it. Marburg EX19 was supposed to save her, and it had failed.
“I hate you,” Suzanne whispered, and turned away. She couldn’t deal with the bedroom; not today, maybe not ever. Maybe she would just sell the house, leave Amanda’s things where they were, and let them be dealt with by the new owners. They could filter through the spindrift of Amanda’s life without seeing her face, without hearing her voice talking about college plans and careers. They could put things in boxes without breaking their hearts.
If there was anything more terrible for a parent than burying a child, Suzanne Amberlee couldn’t imagine what it would be. Her internal battle over for another day—over, and lost—she turned away, heading down the stairs. Maybe tomorrow she could empty out that room. Maybe tomorrow she could start boxing things away. Maybe tomorrow she could start the process of letting Amanda go.
Maybe tomorrow. But probably not.
Suzanne Amberlee walked away, unaware of the small viral colony living in her own body, nested deep in the tissue of her lungs. Content in its accidental home, Marburg EX19 slept, waiting for the trigger that would startle it into wakefulness. It was patient; it had all the time in the world.
Amanda Amberlee is survived by her mother, Suzanne Amberlee. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be sent to the Colorado Cancer Research Center…
BY MIRA GRANT
The Newsflesh Trilogy
Feed
Deadline
Blackout
Writing as Seanan McGuire
Rosemary and Rue
A Local Habitation
An Artificial Night
Late Eclipses
One Salt Sea
Ashes of Honor
Discount Armageddon
Praise for Feed
“Welcome to the world of Feed. It’s perfect summer apocalypse reading.”
—io9.com
“Gripping, thrilling, and brutal… Shunning misogynistic horror tropes in favor of genuine drama and pure creepiness, McGuire has crafted a masterpiece of suspense with engaging, appealing characters who conduct a soul-shredding examination of what’s true and what’s reported.”
—Publishers Weekly (Starred Review)
“… Complex, amazingly intelligent…”
—blogcritics.org
“It’s a novel with as much brains as heart, and both are filling and delicious.”
—The A.V. Club
“The zombie novel Robert A. Heinlein might have written.”
—Sci-Fi Magazine
“The story starts with a bang as corruption, mystery, danger, and excitement abound.”
—Romantic Times (4-1/2 Stars)
“What I know for a fact is that this book is terrific entertainment, likely to be remembered as the one that put zombies over for the previously uninitiated.”
—greenmanreview.com
“So if you want a dash of political intrigue, a dose of journalism, zombies, horror, suspense, brilliant writing, and a heaping and often steaming pile of truth—then go get yourself a copy of Feed by Mira Grant.”
—flamesrising.com
“While there’s plenty of zombie mayhem, political snark, and pointedly funny observations here, the heart of this book is about human relationships, which are still the most important thing in the world… even in a world where you might have to shoot the person you love most in the head, just to stop them from biting off your face.”
—Locus
“Feed is a proper thriller with zombies. Grant doesn’t get carried away with describing her world or the virus. She’s clearly thought both out brilliantly, but she doesn’t let it get in the way of a taut, well-written story.”
—SFX
“Like the most memorable works in the zombie canon, Feed uses its zombies (those reanimated corpses teeming with Kellis-Amberlee) to examine humanity. And this, dear readers, is really goddamn cool.”
—thebooksmugglers.com
“This is a thriller… the world building here is fascinating in and of itself. And the characters kept me hooked all the way through, particularly as Grant pulls no punches in showing just how ugly a conspiracy in high places can get… I can’t wait for the next book.”
—N. K. Jemisin, author of The Broken Kingdoms
“Feed is a cross-country tour through a post-apocalyptic America with certain contemporary digital trends blown up to satirical proportions, punctuated regularly by zombie attacks…. Grant delivers some excellent surprises along the way.”
—Beatrice.com
“A classic zombie tale with a great new twenty-first century media twist.”
—David Wellington, author of Monster Island
“Plain and simple, zombie fiction fans should definitely seek out and read this ingenious (and deeply thought-provoking) novel.”
—Explorations, Paul Goat Allen
Praise for Deadline
“Grant… continues her postapocalyptic zombie series with this adrenaline-packed, quick-witted tale of medicine and mayhem…. Deft cultural touches, intriguing science, and amped-up action will delight Grant’s numerous fans.”
—Publisher’s Weekly (Starred Review)
“Okay, all of you readers who want something weighty and yet light, campy and yet smart, horror with heart, a summer beach read that will stay in your head and whisper to you ‘what if,’ Deadline is just what you are looking for.”
—RT Book Reviews
“… dear God, people, what is not to love about this book? It’s glorious! Always compelling, by turns terrifying and tragic, and with an ending that’s so evil that waiting for the next one becomes a torment, Deadline is a definite must-read.”