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First Lady Down
Former First Lady Helena Barrett could use a vacation.
Since her husband’s death, Helena has been happy to serve her country. That comes to an abrupt end after she calls the current administration’s policies idiotic during a televised climate conference in Paris.
Oops.
Finally ready to chart her own life as a free woman, Helena jumps at the opportunity to spend a few days at a lovely inn nestled in the French countryside. She is charmed by the locals, captivated by the scenery, and tolerant of the other guests.
The humans are annoying, the fainting goats are distracting, and the resident cat is a menace. The zombies…well, they’re downright terrifying.
Armed with her signature dry wit and a cast iron frying pan, Helena must hold the line against the infected. Despite her best intentions, she has become attached to this quirky cast of characters and will do her best to ensure they all survive.
After dealing with politicians for nearly thirty years, what are a few zombies?
Perfect for readers who believe that the world needs more stories with kickass women over forty who save the day with competence, community, and weaponized sarcasm. First Lady Down is a found-family tale of the apocalypse with bite, heart, and a body count.
Since her husband’s death, Helena has been happy to serve her country. That comes to an abrupt end after she calls the current administration’s policies idiotic during a televised climate conference in Paris.
Oops.
Finally ready to chart her own life as a free woman, Helena jumps at the opportunity to spend a few days at a lovely inn nestled in the French countryside. She is charmed by the locals, captivated by the scenery, and tolerant of the other guests.
The humans are annoying, the fainting goats are distracting, and the resident cat is a menace. The zombies…well, they’re downright terrifying.
Armed with her signature dry wit and a cast iron frying pan, Helena must hold the line against the infected. Despite her best intentions, she has become attached to this quirky cast of characters and will do her best to ensure they all survive.
After dealing with politicians for nearly thirty years, what are a few zombies?
Perfect for readers who believe that the world needs more stories with kickass women over forty who save the day with competence, community, and weaponized sarcasm. First Lady Down is a found-family tale of the apocalypse with bite, heart, and a body count.
335 pages, Kindle Edition
Published January 31, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
February 2, 2026
2/01/26 Review:
☆☆☆☆☆
AN HUMORISTIC LOOK AT AN ZOMBIE APOCALYPSE IN FRANCE
First Lady Down (Cozy Tales of the Zombie Apocalypse book 2) by Mary Jane Owen is just about as funny as you can get when dealing with an Zombie Apocalypse in a small village in the French countryside where the formal first lady, Helena Barrett, her head securely and body guard Henry O'Connell, and her assistant Grace Diaz head to a quaint bed and breakfast for a little vacation before heading back to the U.S. after attending a climate conference in Paris.
The quaint bed and breakfast is a family run business run by a bubbly and flamboyant lady by the name Begonia, her adult son Jean Luc, and her mother-in-law Rose who is a 'say it like it is' and 'no bullshit' little old French woman that's been around and through a lot of different scary stuff from the Nazis invasion during World War II to losing her husband and son over the years but Zombies running around trying to eat you tops the list of strange shit she's lived through.
As bad as it would be to have three American foreigners, one being the former first lady, they have another American couple show up early for their reservations demanding rooms. Robert is a CEO in his forties, a real asshole believing his shit doesn't stink and that his fiance, Ashley, his twenty-five year old assistant, should do as told without argument as well as anyone else he comes into contact with. And then, there's Darla and William. Darla is a wife of a Canadian Diplomat who attended the same Climate Conference in Paris shows up after Darla's husband was infected while escaping Nice leaving her and her six-year oldish little monster also taking sanctuary at the B&B.
The French bed and breakfast proprietors not only have their hands full running the B&B but dealing with the Americans and Canadians taking up residence at their establishment while fending off zombies sets an all new standard of strange. Though for the most part, they get along extremely well, becoming friends, banding together for protection, companionship, and survival against the infected masses. The oddball and added stress factor of Robert's attitude and his self-righteousness and an out of control William chasing the goats around just adds to the chaos of the zombie apocalypse.
Don't get me wrong, there is a lot of humor, bonding, and friendship building too. The batter between Rose and Begonia and Helena will make you laugh your head off.
The thing that totally caught me off guard was this being the second book in this series the first book's characters were not part of this story. Though I found the characters in the first book really interesting, the characters in this second book brought a whole new captivating story that definitely held my interest throughout and even at the end of the story I can honestly say that I was hooked on the characters and wanted more.
This is a well-written tale and Mary Jane Owen has written this book in a way that is appealing to everyone. I really enjoyed this book as well as the first one and look forward to reading more of Mary Jane Owen's works in the future.
☆☆☆☆☆
AN HUMORISTIC LOOK AT AN ZOMBIE APOCALYPSE IN FRANCE
First Lady Down (Cozy Tales of the Zombie Apocalypse book 2) by Mary Jane Owen is just about as funny as you can get when dealing with an Zombie Apocalypse in a small village in the French countryside where the formal first lady, Helena Barrett, her head securely and body guard Henry O'Connell, and her assistant Grace Diaz head to a quaint bed and breakfast for a little vacation before heading back to the U.S. after attending a climate conference in Paris.
The quaint bed and breakfast is a family run business run by a bubbly and flamboyant lady by the name Begonia, her adult son Jean Luc, and her mother-in-law Rose who is a 'say it like it is' and 'no bullshit' little old French woman that's been around and through a lot of different scary stuff from the Nazis invasion during World War II to losing her husband and son over the years but Zombies running around trying to eat you tops the list of strange shit she's lived through.
As bad as it would be to have three American foreigners, one being the former first lady, they have another American couple show up early for their reservations demanding rooms. Robert is a CEO in his forties, a real asshole believing his shit doesn't stink and that his fiance, Ashley, his twenty-five year old assistant, should do as told without argument as well as anyone else he comes into contact with. And then, there's Darla and William. Darla is a wife of a Canadian Diplomat who attended the same Climate Conference in Paris shows up after Darla's husband was infected while escaping Nice leaving her and her six-year oldish little monster also taking sanctuary at the B&B.
The French bed and breakfast proprietors not only have their hands full running the B&B but dealing with the Americans and Canadians taking up residence at their establishment while fending off zombies sets an all new standard of strange. Though for the most part, they get along extremely well, becoming friends, banding together for protection, companionship, and survival against the infected masses. The oddball and added stress factor of Robert's attitude and his self-righteousness and an out of control William chasing the goats around just adds to the chaos of the zombie apocalypse.
Don't get me wrong, there is a lot of humor, bonding, and friendship building too. The batter between Rose and Begonia and Helena will make you laugh your head off.
The thing that totally caught me off guard was this being the second book in this series the first book's characters were not part of this story. Though I found the characters in the first book really interesting, the characters in this second book brought a whole new captivating story that definitely held my interest throughout and even at the end of the story I can honestly say that I was hooked on the characters and wanted more.
This is a well-written tale and Mary Jane Owen has written this book in a way that is appealing to everyone. I really enjoyed this book as well as the first one and look forward to reading more of Mary Jane Owen's works in the future.
Want to Read
December 1, 2025Yes! Loved Last Mom Standing so excited for this! If you love a good zombie book with a bit of chaos and giggles definitely check out Last Mom Standing. It was so good!
February 2, 2026
This made me laugh. Feisty old lady stuck in the French countryside with a group of eclectic people including a boorish rich American, an even older feisty French lady. Light hearted read.
February 19, 2026
I picked this one up because in brackets after the title it had (Cozy Tales of the Zombie Apocalypse) and I wanted to know how you did that. It also had a main character my age, if not my gender, and you don't get that much, I've noticed lately.
Helena Barrett is, as the title would indicate, the widow of a past US president, now an ambassador, who rapidly becomes an ex-ambassador when she describes her husband's successor's policies as idiotic. So a nice holiday in France, since she happens to be there, seems just the thing, together with the head of her Secret Service detail and her assistant. There's that worrying flu around, and an escalation in riots and violence on the streets, but they'll soon be away from all that.
Only not so much, as the sickness finds them, complete with aggressive, shambling victims, in their charming little French bed-and-breakfast, with a flamboyant hostess and her truly terrifying, aged mother-in-law, who managed to dispose of more than her fair share of Nazis, back in the day. Details in the book, I won't spoiler. There are people disposed of on screen, as it were, as you get with a zompoc, but it all feels strangely comfortable. I guess that's the cozy. It bewilders me how books like this are rather patronisingly termed "women's fiction."
Not every book, not even one featuring a potential world-ending sickness, has to be focused on how many automatic weapons you have and the details of their use. Yes, there's romance. This IS France.
I don't care about the romance part, to be honest, but I was interested in how Helena navigates her post-diplomatic life. And the fainting goats are bizarre and charming. In fact, the goats alone deserve an extra star on the rating.
Helena Barrett is, as the title would indicate, the widow of a past US president, now an ambassador, who rapidly becomes an ex-ambassador when she describes her husband's successor's policies as idiotic. So a nice holiday in France, since she happens to be there, seems just the thing, together with the head of her Secret Service detail and her assistant. There's that worrying flu around, and an escalation in riots and violence on the streets, but they'll soon be away from all that.
Only not so much, as the sickness finds them, complete with aggressive, shambling victims, in their charming little French bed-and-breakfast, with a flamboyant hostess and her truly terrifying, aged mother-in-law, who managed to dispose of more than her fair share of Nazis, back in the day. Details in the book, I won't spoiler. There are people disposed of on screen, as it were, as you get with a zompoc, but it all feels strangely comfortable. I guess that's the cozy. It bewilders me how books like this are rather patronisingly termed "women's fiction."
Not every book, not even one featuring a potential world-ending sickness, has to be focused on how many automatic weapons you have and the details of their use. Yes, there's romance. This IS France.
I don't care about the romance part, to be honest, but I was interested in how Helena navigates her post-diplomatic life. And the fainting goats are bizarre and charming. In fact, the goats alone deserve an extra star on the rating.
February 3, 2026
Warning: This is not your usual Zombie story and it will ruin you for the usual Z stories for a week or so.
I loved this book. Glorious characters - Helena, Begonia and Rose! Helena, former First Lady almost brain dead from too many years of trying to talk sense to politicians. Begonia, who has never met a bright caftan she didn't love and who understands in her bones that being French means she's always right, of course. And Rose - shockingly pragmatic, with a superpower that tells her whether someone needs a kick in the rear or a sympathetic ear. Three Chef's Kisses Awarded!
I loved this book. Glorious characters - Helena, Begonia and Rose! Helena, former First Lady almost brain dead from too many years of trying to talk sense to politicians. Begonia, who has never met a bright caftan she didn't love and who understands in her bones that being French means she's always right, of course. And Rose - shockingly pragmatic, with a superpower that tells her whether someone needs a kick in the rear or a sympathetic ear. Three Chef's Kisses Awarded!
February 1, 2026
LOVE, LOVE, LOVED IT!
This is the second book in this series, and it didn't disappoint!! Great characters, you think you know them ! Buy this book, and the first one if you haven't read it!!
This is the second book in this series, and it didn't disappoint!! Great characters, you think you know them ! Buy this book, and the first one if you haven't read it!!
January 31, 2026
A truly happy story
I enjoyed the action, the characters who changed and evolved throughout the story. The humor was gentle. The horrors were exactly horrible enough.
I enjoyed the action, the characters who changed and evolved throughout the story. The humor was gentle. The horrors were exactly horrible enough.
February 1, 2026
what an amazing stiry
I read this in one sitting I could not put it down, the characters were amazing, the story was fast paced and so enjoyable!
I read this in one sitting I could not put it down, the characters were amazing, the story was fast paced and so enjoyable!
February 1, 2026
So good!
Loved the first "zombie" book and loved this one just as much. Well done. It had it all and I loved that the ex exited..
he was a lot.
Loved the first "zombie" book and loved this one just as much. Well done. It had it all and I loved that the ex exited..
he was a lot.
February 19, 2026
It was supposed to be a chance for former First Lady Helena Barrett to start a new life away Washington politics. And how do you start a new life? Start with a vacation in the French countryside. But Helena has to first deal with zombie apocalypse. But Helena will have help with locals Begonia, Rose, and Jean-Luc and some travels that land on the doorstep.
"First Lady Down" by Mary Jane Owen is a companion to Owen's first book "Last Mom Standing" Both books are great and great cozy tales of the zombie apocalypse and should not be missed.
"First Lady Down" by Mary Jane Owen is a companion to Owen's first book "Last Mom Standing" Both books are great and great cozy tales of the zombie apocalypse and should not be missed.
February 9, 2026
"The clang of heavy cast iron meeting the back of his thick skull cut off whatever else Robert was going to say. His eyes rolled up into his head like a cartoon character and he crumpled to the floor in a heap.
Behind him, Rose stood holding Begonia’s cast iron frying pan, her expression utterly serene."
Robert had that coming. This was a fun, fairly predictable read.
Behind him, Rose stood holding Begonia’s cast iron frying pan, her expression utterly serene."
Robert had that coming. This was a fun, fairly predictable read.
March 25, 2026
FUN READ
This was an incredibly fun read. I couldn’t waste time doing the other things I needed to do because I wanted to keep living in the world of the wonderful characters portrayed in the book.
Mary Jane Owen kept me right there with all of them. I lived what they lived. And I would love to be right back there with them.
This was an incredibly fun read. I couldn’t waste time doing the other things I needed to do because I wanted to keep living in the world of the wonderful characters portrayed in the book.
Mary Jane Owen kept me right there with all of them. I lived what they lived. And I would love to be right back there with them.
February 3, 2026
ai assisted tripe
As a follow up novel it was written with AI help and was very poorly written. It was sad. And I don’t mean that in a good way. It is meant in the manner of sadness that is reserved to poor writing, pitiful language and a dearth of a coherent plot.
As a follow up novel it was written with AI help and was very poorly written. It was sad. And I don’t mean that in a good way. It is meant in the manner of sadness that is reserved to poor writing, pitiful language and a dearth of a coherent plot.
February 5, 2026
A rare “feel-good” Post-Apocalyptic” book!
Wonderful companion book to “Last Mom Standing”. They are both stand alone books that are well worth reading. I usually stay away from zombies- but these books are light hearted despite a few zombies thrown into the mix.
Wonderful companion book to “Last Mom Standing”. They are both stand alone books that are well worth reading. I usually stay away from zombies- but these books are light hearted despite a few zombies thrown into the mix.
April 10, 2026
It was a good story, really enjoyed the first one as well, but I just can't get past the fact that no one is asking, why this happened, where did it come from. That being said its was still worth the read.
February 4, 2026
Very Good
I enjoyed this story very much. It made me cry & laugh. The situation is traumatic but they got through it.
I enjoyed this story very much. It made me cry & laugh. The situation is traumatic but they got through it.
February 4, 2026
RECOMMENDED
February 11, 2026
Wonderful
This book is great! From the first chapter to the last! Read it in a day and smiled A LOT!
This book is great! From the first chapter to the last! Read it in a day and smiled A LOT!
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews