Bone & Marrow

by A. Janae Diminick

Bone & Marrow begins just one week after an announcement fractures what little stability exists within Siegfried Manor. What once felt like the start of something sustainable begins to splinter under the weight of shifting responsibilities, growing dependence on one another, and the unrelenting pressure of a world full of monsters that never rest. Survival no longer hinges on avoiding the dead, but on what it means to endure together as the loss of companions continues to mount and the cost of living grows heavier by the day.

No longer a position of authority, leadership has become a burden for Audrey, Daniel, and James. As they attempt to navigate a life none of them chose, love and loyalty look different for each of them. Devastating lies surface, leaving Daniel rejected, Audrey displaced, and James withdrawn. What began as desire twists into something far more a bond defined by obsession, control, and dangerous attachment.

Sanctuaries are built and alliances form, yet the infected prove to be only part of the threat. Cracking the surface of the apocalypse, dark secrets reveal an origin rooted in scientific hubris, myth-inspired experimentation, and a virus that mutates in unexpected and horrifying ways. Violence is constant, bones are crushed, skulls are split, and human hands are left drenched in blood. And if one listens close enough, something else calls in the distance…

Bone & Marrow is the second book in a new adult post-apocalyptic urban fantasy series with elements of horror and dark romance. It is a character-driven story about leadership and loss, found family and forbidden longing, and the thin line between the living and the dead. Perfect for readers who enjoy The Walking Dead, The Last of Us, Station Eleven, and The Originals, Bone & Marrow is not a tale of saving the world, but of learning how to live in it once it collapses.

613 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 16, 2026

About the author

A. Janae Diminick is an author of novels in the post-apocalyptic, horror, and urban fantasy realms. Not a fan of "Happily Ever After," the romance side of her novels often end in tragedy. She has been telling stories for nearly two decades and has a Bachelor of Arts in Creative Writing & English.

When she isn't working on her books, A. Janae Diminick is spending time with her blended family, baking cupcakes, sippin' wine, or throwing back energy drinks. Because she grew up in a military family moving every other year, A. Janae Diminick doesn't consider anywhere her home, though she does currently reside in Pennsylvania.

Reviews

[H]

Another gripe that this could have used better editing but for all that hot damn I am wrapped up in these characters and this story. I NEED Audrey and James to confess their love for one another and be together. Daniel and Audrey never felt right to me, James is the balance she needs, their darkness and light melding together! I desperately need the third book as well, I am so on edge waiting to know what happens next!

[Amy]

I couldn't wait to read this book I needed to know what was going on!!

- Love Triangle
- Zombies
- Dystopian
- Genetically modified

Secrets come to light that change how people are viewed. Lines are blurred and things get messy. Just like the last book.

This book finds the people living at Manor dealing with unexpected truths of what actually took place at there. It doesn't take long for people to realize there are worse things than zombies roaming. Supplies are running low and they need to branch out further for what they need. Winter is coming and that means bad weather and less time to gather supplies. It also means that 2 new people will be joining the Manor household. Will everyone survive?

The love triangle causes a rift that divides the house...yet no one speaks up. Can Daniel move forward? Can James forget? Can Audrey finally figure out her mess?

Who survives the harsh winter and the new zombies?