Kate and Michael, twenty-something housemates working at the same Trader Joe’s supermarket, are thoroughly screwed when people start turning into zombies at their house party in the Oakland hills. The zombie plague is a sexually transmitted disease, turning its victims into shambling, horny, voracious killers. Thrust into extremes by the unfolding tragedy, Kate and Michael are forced to confront the decisions they’ve made, and their fears of commitment, while trying to stay alive. Michael convinces Kate to meet him in the one place in the Bay Area that’s likely to be safe and secure from the zombie hordes: Alcatraz. But can they stay human long enough? “In The Loving Dead, Amelia Beamer gives us a zombie novel like none other. Crisp, smooth and stylish, it zips along from scene to scene, accumulating tension, humor and insight as it accelerates. It is also comic and sexy, a combination I find irresistible.” — Peter Straub, author of A Dark Matter
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"A very different, very entertaining take on zombies that knowingly references all the zombies you've heard of already. Some terrific writing here, in particular some superb descriptions of sex...and believe me, that's no mean feat. Highly recommended. "
— Gregory (4 out of 5 stars)
" I purchased this book when my local Border's was closing and it was a pretty good read with an interesting twist. "
— Stacey, 2/18/2014" It seemed to calm down about 120 pages or so into the novel but I would still say that it was probably one of the more sexually explicit books I have read over the past few months. It reminded me of a good ol' campy zombie flick. You know the kind of zombie movie where an unsuspecting couple are doing it in their tent when the hungry zombie stumbles upon there campsite, only the lovers turn into zombies and have kinky zombie sex and devour each others flesh and vital organs by the end of the feature. It was a good story all in all but I really wish that the author would have taken the time to write out an ending instead of doing one of those ten years later timestamps where everything is summed up into 4 seemingly vegue pages. I still rate it at about 4 stars despite the ending. it was entertaining. "
— annmarie, 2/5/2014" Hmmm, I marked this as a like because I thought it was very well written. Great characters. I'm still not sure if I actually liked the book though. I stuck with it just to see who lived and who died. A rather interesting twist for the ending. "
— Kathryn, 1/24/2014" this book is sooooooo awful! please don't waste your time "
— Terri, 1/9/2014" In this entertaining Zombie story, the living dead propagate by...well...propagation. A small group of 20-somethings who work at Trader Vics in San Francisco try to survive the invasion despite their hormones, the zombies, and a general lack of funds and ambition. I'm not going to lie -- this is LIGHT horror reading with some lively sex scenes. Not for everyone. "
— Amy, 1/8/2014" What if the zombie virus was a sexually transmitted disease? It's an interesting premise, but this book doesn't really carry it out very well. Basically, you get the zombie virus through bodily fluids, which is pretty normal. Zombies want to get their bodily fluids on you--also fairly standard. The conclusion that I came to after reading this is that the zombie virus is already basically a sexually transmitted disease in that if you have sex with a zombie you will probably become a zombie. Don't do it, kids. "
— linnea, 1/2/2014" This was WAY more sexually graphic than I was expecting, although I don't know why. I mean, it is based on the notion that zombie-ism is a sexually transmitted disease. I was flummoxed by the beginning, liked the middle, and was unsettled by the ending. "
— Cory, 12/29/2013" Meh, not particularly scary, not super weird. Just meh. "
— Ariana, 12/28/2013" I found the blurb on the book intriguing. I love zombies, and well, I love sex so the two together seemed like a good choice. I found the style of writing very easy to read, perhaps a little too easy. I did really enjoy the book, but it wasn't at all challenging. I read it very quickly, and the story was fun, but I think it lacked something. There wasn't as much sex as I'd have hoped. The main character, Kate, was believable but not as strong or as sexy as she was meant to be. I'd recommend it as a book to read easily, and quickly, a book to read if your struggling to get through other novels. "
— Amy, 12/28/2013" I made it about halfway through. Just a god-awful book. "
— Tuck, 12/20/2013" A very funny and sometimes touching novel about the zombie apocalypse. "
— Scott, 12/9/2013" This a cute, quick read for living dead lovers. It's not your every day zombie book, either. "
— Alena, 11/18/2013" Having just finished The Living Dead, I was pleasantly surprised to see a different approach to the regular zombie genre. (It is similarly like a novel I have on the go, which makes me sad.) but the novel is definitely worth checking out. "
— Mandy, 11/10/2013" People around the world are turning into zombies, but not in the usual way. The virus is triggered through sexual interaction. I liked this one because it was different, but I thought it lacked something in its conclusion. "
— Roseann, 6/29/2013" Could see them making a movie of this one, especially with the belly dancing zombie and the zeppelin ride hairy bathroom scene! "
— Teresa, 4/29/2013" Horney Zombies. "
— Bee, 1/15/2013" I starting reading this book because I was curious. It was awful. The plot isn't logical. Any book that mentions Trader Joe's as much as this one is a hipster attempt at writing a novel. I do not recommend it at all. "
— Heather, 11/5/2012" I like zombie books - noting like a good zombie book. This wasn't it. Sounded good, did not deliver. cannot recommend "
— John, 9/4/2012" I loved the flow of the story.. But the ending was poorly done in my opinion. "
— Brooke, 11/18/2011" A very different, very entertaining take on zombies that knowingly references all the zombies you've heard of already. Some terrific writing here, in particular some superb descriptions of sex...and believe me, that's no mean feat. Highly recommended. "
— Gregory, 8/8/2011" This was a quirky zombie book. I totally enjoyed it. It's definitely a different mode to the genre. "
— Shel404, 7/26/2011" I made it about halfway through. Just a god-awful book. "
— Tuck, 5/8/2011" I purchased this book when my local Border's was closing and it was a pretty good read with an interesting twist. "
— Stacey, 4/30/2011" Fun book. Exciting and clever. Not exactly a HEA. "
— Magneto9, 2/7/2011" Hmmm, I marked this as a like because I thought it was very well written. Great characters. I'm still not sure if I actually liked the book though. I stuck with it just to see who lived and who died. A rather interesting twist for the ending. "
— Kathryn, 1/30/2011" Could see them making a movie of this one, especially with the belly dancing zombie and the zeppelin ride hairy bathroom scene! "
— Teresa, 1/24/2011" This has got to be the absolute worst zombie book ever. If you dont believe me, then go read it. I wont spoil it for you, but once you read it then you will know why. "
— Lacey, 1/8/2011" The premise for this book intrigued me…a different perspective for the zombie genre. However, it was not well written. I could only hang in there until the first encounter passing the virus along. Hokey. Sorry. I tried. "
— Linda, 11/22/2010" Not a bad read. Weak in the middle, with some odd plor choices. But, the beginning and end were decent. Sort of a fun zombie book, all and all. "
— Jay, 11/7/2010" Review will appear eventually at STRANGE HORIZONS. "
— Richard, 10/8/2010" Bill thought this was very good and well written. I could not get into it. Very strange book. "
— Heather, 9/16/2010" Don't know if it contains spoilers and don't care. The story of Zombies-R-Us told. "
— Ch.J., 8/24/2010Amelia Beamer works as an editor and reviewer at Locus. Her publications include articles in Foundation and Journal of the Fantastic in the Arts, and short fiction published or forthcoming in Lady Churchill’s Rosebud Wristlet, Red Cedar Review, Interfictions 2 and other venues.
Emily Durante has been narrating audiobooks for over ten years and is also an AudioFile Earphones Award–winning audiobook director. She has been acting since the age of seven and has performed in a number of stage productions at the professional, collegiate, and regional levels.