Zombie!

by Peter Tremayne

When June arrives in St Miquelon, the Caribbean island is far removed from the tropical idyll she imagined. The exotic estate owned by her grandmother has become a barren ruin. And Marie Lasneque, the grandmother she never knew, is rumoured to be dead. But within the heart of that lonely house, a legacy of living death is waiting for nightfall. And the moment when June will learn the horrifying truth about the voodoo island and its hideous cult of bloody sacrifice to their black magic woman..Marie Lasneque.

Genres: Horror, Zombies

192 pages, Paperback

First published August 21, 1981

About the author

Peter Berresford Ellis (born 10 March 1943) is a historian, literary biographer, and novelist who has published over 90 books to date either under his own name or his pseudonyms Peter Tremayne and Peter MacAlan. He has also published 95 short stories. His non-fiction books, articles and academic papers have made him acknowledged as an authority on Celtic history and culture. As Peter Tremayne, he is the author of the international bestselling Sister Fidelma mystery series. His work has appeared in 25 languages.

Reviews

[Brian G Berry · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fun, pulpy good time! Definitely reading more Tremayne!

[Wayne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Would have been more suited to have called this "Voodoo ." Some might get the impression that this is more like a George Romero, John Russo sort of "Night Of The Living Dead" type read. Either way it's a fine book. Has that late night B-movie feel to it. Plus, it's by Peter Tremayne. He who wrote "Ants." One of my favorite creature features or nature gone wild books.

A couple living in London get a letter stating that the woman is due to inherit her grandmother's estate on an island in the West Indies. The grandmother wants to see her granddaughter before she passes. Once the couple arrive, odd things start. They find that the old woman is already dead. Has been for weeks. They walked right into voodoo cults and political intrigue.

[Kathy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well, this book has been sitting on my shelf at home for easily 20 years. I picked it up at a garage sale cause I just love this stuff! I finally got to it and have to say it started almost like a script for a B Horror movie. Not that that's a bad thing, I do happen to love B Horror movies, but it was fairly predictable. By the middle of the book, the story turned and was getting really interesting and alot less predictable. I was very optimistic, I must say. But when the end came, not only was it predictable, it was safe. This worked out way too neatly to be true horror. So ultimately, I could only give it 3 stars. The book is 30 years old, maybe I should take that into consideration. I'll have to think about that.

[Michael · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not really a horror novel, this has very little to do with the walking dead and more to do with the magic of Voodoo. Mainly it's about two British citizens visiting a Caribbean island, getting the cold shoulder from everyone they meet, being caught up in a plot they don't understand (with a variety of "wouldn't you know it" happenstances which prevent them from just leaving), and ultimately saved from their fates by a series of improbable coincidences and a deus ex machina natural disaster.

Tremayne's a fine writer, and the book lopes along from one scene to another in rapid-fire succession, it's just a pity main characters Steve and June never have a clue what's happening to them until the last few chapters. Fortunately, at only 183 pages, Zombie! won't take you more than an afternoon to finish. Unfortunately, you'll have wasted that afternoon in much the same way June and Steve wasted a perfectly good holiday themselves. Strictly by-the-numbers potboiler in search of a much better storyteller to craft it into a much better story.

[ChelseaFace · Rating 2 out of 5]

All I can really tell you that this book was okay.
The representation was possibly not correct, the language was outdated by todays standards. The writing could be better, but I liked the idea of the story.
I feel like some of the actions/words of these characters were unrealistic, even in a "book" setting. I felt that these characters would not act the way they acted in these situations, and it felt unnatural a good bit of them time.
I enjoyed the idea for the story, although zombie was not an appropriate title for it. I was expecting a fun zombie horror novel, and instead I got a mystery voodoo story. Not super amazing or anything just ok.

[Chris Harriman · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not exactly a literary achievement, but did offer the fun pulpy nonsense I was hoping for based on the cover and description.

A more competent heroine would have made things more enjoyable, and the ending was a bit unsatisfying deus ex machina via weather, but mostly a quick easy read that I flew through on a slow night at work.

[Barry Leighton · Rating 3 out of 5]

An enjoyable read but more so as a thriller than horror.