What do you think?
Rate this book
The Undead #1-3
The Undead: Part 1
A deadly infection spreads across Europe. The Undead series: a terrifying account of one man desperately struggling to survive this harrowing event day by day. Part one—days one to three.
Howie is at home on a rare Friday night off work when an infection which has rapidly spread across Europe hits his hometown on the South Coast of England. Luck sees him through the first night when many others are taken down and infected, only to rise again as the undead. In surviving, Howie quickly learns and evolves, developing a new set of skills that will save him from disaster.
With a former work colleague, Dave, at his side, he braves the urban squalor of a ruined Portsmouth and begins to understand his desire to remain good in a world rapidly descending into chaos, where only the strongest survive.
Howie is at home on a rare Friday night off work when an infection which has rapidly spread across Europe hits his hometown on the South Coast of England. Luck sees him through the first night when many others are taken down and infected, only to rise again as the undead. In surviving, Howie quickly learns and evolves, developing a new set of skills that will save him from disaster.
With a former work colleague, Dave, at his side, he braves the urban squalor of a ruined Portsmouth and begins to understand his desire to remain good in a world rapidly descending into chaos, where only the strongest survive.
MP3 CD
First published December 15, 2015
8 people are currently reading
84 people want to read
About the author
R.R. Haywood
94 books1,234 followers"One of the most original voices of our time." - Richard Moriarty, The Sun
"Whether it's gritty horror, spectacular sci-fi, or insane comedy, RR Haywood delivers in style." - Chris Riches, Daily Express
RR Haywood is a Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, Amazon, and Audible bestselling author with over 4 million books sold and more than 30 Kindle Bestsellers. As one of the top ten most downloaded indie authors in the UK, Haywood has captivated readers worldwide with his diverse storytelling.
His creations include the global sensation EXTRACTED, the riveting CODE TRILOGY narrated by Colin Morgan, the phenomenal UNDEAD Series, the blockbuster DELIO, PHASE ONE, and the chart-topping A TOWN CALLED DISCOVERY. His latest work, FICTION LAND, narrated by Game of Thrones star Gethin Anthony, has been hailed as "an outrageously funny tour de force."
A former police officer, Haywood now resides with his dogs on the north coast of the Isle of Wight. He entertains audiences and shares his expertise on TikTok with his Writing Class for the Working Class.
"Whether it's gritty horror, spectacular sci-fi, or insane comedy, RR Haywood delivers in style." - Chris Riches, Daily Express
RR Haywood is a Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, Amazon, and Audible bestselling author with over 4 million books sold and more than 30 Kindle Bestsellers. As one of the top ten most downloaded indie authors in the UK, Haywood has captivated readers worldwide with his diverse storytelling.
His creations include the global sensation EXTRACTED, the riveting CODE TRILOGY narrated by Colin Morgan, the phenomenal UNDEAD Series, the blockbuster DELIO, PHASE ONE, and the chart-topping A TOWN CALLED DISCOVERY. His latest work, FICTION LAND, narrated by Game of Thrones star Gethin Anthony, has been hailed as "an outrageously funny tour de force."
A former police officer, Haywood now resides with his dogs on the north coast of the Isle of Wight. He entertains audiences and shares his expertise on TikTok with his Writing Class for the Working Class.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 41 reviews
November 6, 2015
I’m gonna go out on a limb and give this story 5-stars on pure entertainment factor. Sure, it’s no literary masterpiece, but it is a fun read (or in this case, audio book listen). I never found my mind wandering. There were a few facts and ideas that seemed far-fetched (beyond a zombie apocalypse), such as how quickly secondary societies were formed and founded, but they were not unforgivable. Not if you take this book as pure entertainment. I would caution readers that don’t like gore or cursing -- there are a few crude scenes as well -- but I would argue that they fit into the mindset of the protagonist and the story as a whole. I would note too that there is a fair amount of British dialog and slang, some of which an American child raised watching Masterpiece Theatre and BBC programs still couldn’t catch. That said, it wasn’t anything that hindered my connection to the story. Like The Walking Dead? Give this a try.
February 7, 2019
The Undead : Part One
A zombie book told by Howie who managed to survive the initial wave of infection and escape. I chose to read this book based I my love of R.R. Haywood series Extracted. I’ve have read a few zombie apocalypse books and unfortunately this one had a similar feel and not much special about it or its characters. I was hoping for the quirky characters, wicked humour and action from Extracted but apart from action the others were missing for me. There was a whole weird scene in a strip joint that seemed totally unnecessary and seriously uncomfortable. The end did show promise with the introduction interesting new characters but I don’t know if they will be incorporated into the next book. It was a good read just not great!
A zombie book told by Howie who managed to survive the initial wave of infection and escape. I chose to read this book based I my love of R.R. Haywood series Extracted. I’ve have read a few zombie apocalypse books and unfortunately this one had a similar feel and not much special about it or its characters. I was hoping for the quirky characters, wicked humour and action from Extracted but apart from action the others were missing for me. There was a whole weird scene in a strip joint that seemed totally unnecessary and seriously uncomfortable. The end did show promise with the introduction interesting new characters but I don’t know if they will be incorporated into the next book. It was a good read just not great!
January 31, 2019
Sadly I found it average. Like other reviewers that have said you could miss a chunk and not miss any of the story. Its true. Didn't find it funny, gory, horrific or nail bitingly good. Sad as it's set in Britain and I really love anything to do with Zombies. Narrator did his best.
For a really good zombie series IMHO (okay it's not set in Britain) try Mountain Man read by the marvellous R C Bray.
Won't read the next in the series and I'm glad it was a BOGOF.
For a really good zombie series IMHO (okay it's not set in Britain) try Mountain Man read by the marvellous R C Bray.
Won't read the next in the series and I'm glad it was a BOGOF.
April 26, 2017
Hate zombies, love apocalyptic stories... So really wasn't sure - but I loved this! Set in the UK so that was a big tick for me. Was a bit clunky but I went with it and so glad I did. Onto part 2 now. Who knew, me reading zombie.
December 8, 2019
Not a bad book. It has a bit of a rough start. It takes things very slow since this book only focuses on the first three days of a outbreak. They kind of focus on things in a good way but skip over key plot developments that make the book less unique. I would of preferred if the main characters focused more of adapting more to fighting the undead. (Instead of becoming badass zombie killing machines more quickly.)
February 6, 2016
This review is written for audible.co.uk:
(Am I allowed to post reviews from another site? Because I listened to this as an audiobook)
What made the experience of listening to The Undead the most enjoyable?
I think what drew me into the series at first was, 1) the protagonist being an Everyman and a normal guy, and 2) the fact that it is set in England - something I don't see a lot in zombie audiobooks quite often. When the book starts, we're introduced to our main protagonist, Howie, who quickly gets thrown into a chaotic world and is forced to come to terms with it.
One of my favourite bits was watching Howie trying to cope with and accept what is happening around him. I felt that this was important as it made him human and very likeable as a character. It gets better though once Howie meets his co-worker, Dave, who then joins him in his quest to find his sister in London. Howie and Dave's interactions may seem infrequent - and that's mostly due to Dave's impassive demeanour - but their interactions are the ones I look forward to whenever they do happen. Howie and Dave make a good team and I was hopeful that their bond will grow throughout the series.
If you’ve listened to books by R. R. Haywood before, how does this one compare?
This is the first one I've read/listened from this author.
Have you listened to any of Dan Morgan’s other performances? How does this one compare?
This is the only series I've listened to with this narrator. He performs surprisingly well, giving distinct voices for each character - particularly for Howie and Dave - and I do love his attempt of an Indian accent for one of the characters.
Any additional comments?
Although this was an overall enjoyable first installment, it does have its flaws. I find some of the action scenes a bit too long and repetitive. At the same time, some of the decisions that the protagonist, Howie, makes seem a little illogical and unnecessary - like the scene where he hacks down a horde of zombies using a variety of different tools, including a chainsaw - seriously, Howie uses an axe first, I think, stops for a while to duck back into a hardware store to take out another weapon, goes back outside and kills some zombies, pauses to go back inside to pick a different weapon, and so on, and this felt completely unnecessary! Howie kept emphasizing on how important it was that he gets to London to rescue his sister, making his mission an urgent one. But if Howie keeps stopping every now and then just to let Dave and himself kill some zombies for fun, then where's the urgency in that?
I know this isn't supposed to be a zombie story that makes all the sense in the world but I found myself face-palming and groaning every time Howie makes these illogical decisions or when the action scenes get too long - Don't get me wrong, I do enjoy well-written, fast-paced action scenes as I find myself pausing and straining to listen to them - but once it gets long, repetitive and unrealistic at times, they begin to ruin my listening experience.
Apart from these flaws, I think this is a pretty decent and entertaining listen.
(Am I allowed to post reviews from another site? Because I listened to this as an audiobook)
What made the experience of listening to The Undead the most enjoyable?
I think what drew me into the series at first was, 1) the protagonist being an Everyman and a normal guy, and 2) the fact that it is set in England - something I don't see a lot in zombie audiobooks quite often. When the book starts, we're introduced to our main protagonist, Howie, who quickly gets thrown into a chaotic world and is forced to come to terms with it.
One of my favourite bits was watching Howie trying to cope with and accept what is happening around him. I felt that this was important as it made him human and very likeable as a character. It gets better though once Howie meets his co-worker, Dave, who then joins him in his quest to find his sister in London. Howie and Dave's interactions may seem infrequent - and that's mostly due to Dave's impassive demeanour - but their interactions are the ones I look forward to whenever they do happen. Howie and Dave make a good team and I was hopeful that their bond will grow throughout the series.
If you’ve listened to books by R. R. Haywood before, how does this one compare?
This is the first one I've read/listened from this author.
Have you listened to any of Dan Morgan’s other performances? How does this one compare?
This is the only series I've listened to with this narrator. He performs surprisingly well, giving distinct voices for each character - particularly for Howie and Dave - and I do love his attempt of an Indian accent for one of the characters.
Any additional comments?
Although this was an overall enjoyable first installment, it does have its flaws. I find some of the action scenes a bit too long and repetitive. At the same time, some of the decisions that the protagonist, Howie, makes seem a little illogical and unnecessary - like the scene where he hacks down a horde of zombies using a variety of different tools, including a chainsaw - seriously, Howie uses an axe first, I think, stops for a while to duck back into a hardware store to take out another weapon, goes back outside and kills some zombies, pauses to go back inside to pick a different weapon, and so on, and this felt completely unnecessary! Howie kept emphasizing on how important it was that he gets to London to rescue his sister, making his mission an urgent one. But if Howie keeps stopping every now and then just to let Dave and himself kill some zombies for fun, then where's the urgency in that?
I know this isn't supposed to be a zombie story that makes all the sense in the world but I found myself face-palming and groaning every time Howie makes these illogical decisions or when the action scenes get too long - Don't get me wrong, I do enjoy well-written, fast-paced action scenes as I find myself pausing and straining to listen to them - but once it gets long, repetitive and unrealistic at times, they begin to ruin my listening experience.
Apart from these flaws, I think this is a pretty decent and entertaining listen.
October 14, 2015
This was an interesting enough listen, if you're wanting a story about an average guy making it during the ZA. That said this isn't a terribly unique take on the zombie story, nor are any of the other characters all that memorable.
There are moments of some sheer idiocy (who wants to grope a zombie stripper? oh...a dope.) and unnecessary explanations and filler. I don't need the play by play of a bowel movement. Really?
The story had passable action sequences, satisfying episodes of justified vengeance, and long dragging spots as well. Considering it takes place in the UK, I expected a bit more diversity. An Indian family that owns a corner mart stank of stereotyping or if I'm to be generous, weak and easy characterization... Yeah.
This wasn't a masterpiece, but it wasn't horrible. It was okay. Meh.
There are moments of some sheer idiocy (who wants to grope a zombie stripper? oh...a dope.) and unnecessary explanations and filler. I don't need the play by play of a bowel movement. Really?
The story had passable action sequences, satisfying episodes of justified vengeance, and long dragging spots as well. Considering it takes place in the UK, I expected a bit more diversity. An Indian family that owns a corner mart stank of stereotyping or if I'm to be generous, weak and easy characterization... Yeah.
This wasn't a masterpiece, but it wasn't horrible. It was okay. Meh.
October 26, 2015
One of my favorite zombie books. Nothing really new, but the British setting gives it a different flavor. Solid characters, good mix of action and humor. If you are a fan of zombie fiction, I don't see how you could not enjoy this one.
February 21, 2016
A nice easy UK based zombie apocalypse story, a fun read and any book based around a night manager of Tesco's survival is well worth trying!
August 29, 2018
A wonderful tale of Zombies. It is unique in that the books are just one day. It is well worth the time to follow.
May 11, 2022
It's a fine zombie book but it gets a little bit power fantasy at times. Also the writing of women in the book is particularly poor
October 25, 2025
The book focuses on the first three days.
Howie son of Howard, is a night manager at a supermarket. During the day, he is forced to attend a manager’s meeting. This means he doesn’t need to work the night shift. It’s a rare Friday night off. All day he has been hearing about random attacks in Europe, on the radio, and on TV. Small snippets of information are gathered before his attention is stolen.
This book is fast with characters you’ll love or hate (like all of R. R. Haywood’s books). Howie wants to check on his mum and dad. He steals a bike. This gives us a view of a disseminated town and highway. They have gone looking for him, so he heads back to his place. He stops in at his old workplace and runs into Dave (not David) one of his night shelf packers, and together they head to London to find Howie’s sister.
Along the way, there are many battles and many discoveries.
For instance, during the day, the zombies move slowly with stiff joints. But at night, they growl and awaken into high speed killing machines.
Part one ends on a cliffhanger. Luckily I bought a pack on 1-20. Already halfway through Part two.
Howie son of Howard, is a night manager at a supermarket. During the day, he is forced to attend a manager’s meeting. This means he doesn’t need to work the night shift. It’s a rare Friday night off. All day he has been hearing about random attacks in Europe, on the radio, and on TV. Small snippets of information are gathered before his attention is stolen.
This book is fast with characters you’ll love or hate (like all of R. R. Haywood’s books). Howie wants to check on his mum and dad. He steals a bike. This gives us a view of a disseminated town and highway. They have gone looking for him, so he heads back to his place. He stops in at his old workplace and runs into Dave (not David) one of his night shelf packers, and together they head to London to find Howie’s sister.
Along the way, there are many battles and many discoveries.
For instance, during the day, the zombies move slowly with stiff joints. But at night, they growl and awaken into high speed killing machines.
Part one ends on a cliffhanger. Luckily I bought a pack on 1-20. Already halfway through Part two.
January 29, 2020
A Weak Vision
This is a review of the series as a whole. I read books up to day 7 at which point I gave up.
Why, you ask?
Well if you've read the other dissenting reviews you'll know its because of one thing: boredom. I think the more interesting question though is why was the book boring in the first place? Simply put, the author is laying down the plot of the story as he writes the series. In the hands of an amazing writer this can lead to success (think GRR Martin) but most writers will fail at this technique. Often relying on "action" that is unconnected to the plot (just bashing zombie skulls for pages on end), storylines that lead to nowhere and plot conveniences to pull the main characters from an impossible situation that an author accidently wrote them into.
So why the high score? Because the first couple of days are a fun ride. If you can happily dump it after that then it's a good read, else don't bother.
This is a review of the series as a whole. I read books up to day 7 at which point I gave up.
Why, you ask?
Well if you've read the other dissenting reviews you'll know its because of one thing: boredom. I think the more interesting question though is why was the book boring in the first place? Simply put, the author is laying down the plot of the story as he writes the series. In the hands of an amazing writer this can lead to success (think GRR Martin) but most writers will fail at this technique. Often relying on "action" that is unconnected to the plot (just bashing zombie skulls for pages on end), storylines that lead to nowhere and plot conveniences to pull the main characters from an impossible situation that an author accidently wrote them into.
So why the high score? Because the first couple of days are a fun ride. If you can happily dump it after that then it's a good read, else don't bother.
March 20, 2018
This is told from the perspective of a survivor in England. The slang sometimes required me to think through what the character was trying to say but I found it enjoyable for the most part. The narrator has a definite English accent and the delivery was primarily dry and monotone, giving it even more credence as a story set in England, or so I thought. However, over time and towards the end of the book, the clinical descriptions and flat delivery started taking their toll and just became annoying. How do you make the zombie apocalypse annoying? Listen to this book. By the way there are 23 more books in this series.
September 19, 2021
Very likeable characters get this book off to a really quick start. Howie & his staff & his "plan for success" at work were amusing & fun. Then the ENTIRE world goes to heck in less time than it takes Howie to eat a pizza?!! Very unrealistic. I mean from TV just showing attacks on the Continent, then to all the TV stations in Britain going off the air before the guy finished his pie? Give me a break. Other than that annoyance, the story continues in a smooth (almost too smooth, zombie-wise) manner. I'll look for Book 2 & see how I like it.
December 27, 2018
I cannot recommend this series highly enough. It has everything! I have cringed, cried, and laughed out loud so many times while reading this series. Day 1 intrigues is to Mr. Howie, our hero. He's just a night manager at Tesco when the Zombie Apocalypse begins, but he becomes the leader of the Living Army. What a ride!!
March 9, 2021
I am listening to part 18 of this fabulous apocalypse series. The writing is brilliant and the narrator, does a fabulous job, maintaining different and convincing voices for the many characters in the stories.
This is the first 'zombie' series that I've read as its not my usual genre choice but i am enjoying it hugely.
Thanks RR Haywood and Joe Jameson.
This is the first 'zombie' series that I've read as its not my usual genre choice but i am enjoying it hugely.
Thanks RR Haywood and Joe Jameson.
November 24, 2021
I have avoided this book for so long. I desperately didn’t want to like it. There are so many books in this series…ok I will read just one. I enjoy the genre but I will hate this book.
I loved this book. Really enjoyed the writing style and got thoroughly caught up in the lives of Howie and then Dave.
Zombies, London, humouress writing. What’s not to like!
I loved this book. Really enjoyed the writing style and got thoroughly caught up in the lives of Howie and then Dave.
Zombies, London, humouress writing. What’s not to like!
December 27, 2020
A solid introduction to this series. It’s not groundbreaking, it’s a comforting introduction to a genre that I love. In the next instalment I’m hoping for more characters to be introduced that stick around, and a story that is hopefully more complex.
August 22, 2021
The tension is electric and action genuinely edge of the seat. Routing for the lead character is easy with such a relatable lead. Only criticism is the book is relentless and there are few moments to breathe between one crises to another.
dnf
January 13, 2022DNF
I was really enjoying this book and thought this whole series had great promise until there was just constant fat shaming for literally no reason, they’re undead zombies why does their size matter?
I was really enjoying this book and thought this whole series had great promise until there was just constant fat shaming for literally no reason, they’re undead zombies why does their size matter?
February 25, 2022
This was alright, but perhaps a bit light. It was very heavy in the gore department, but everything else was quite simple and straightforward. Written for the action, and not for the deep thoughts or feelings.
August 1, 2017
Entertaining, funny, all around a great listen (via audible).
February 13, 2019
It was ok. I found it interesting but didn't really astound me or make me want to continue the series. I might get back into the series someday.
June 26, 2020
Liked it. Entertaining zombie book. Don‘t know if I‘ll continue the serie
February 17, 2022
Fantastic read! Very entertaining, funny (I am a fan of English humor) and kind of realistic...?
March 28, 2022
I thought I'd be fed up with apocalyptic zombie books by now but I really enjoyed this one. Not taking itself serious probably helps a lot.
July 10, 2022
Solid zombie 🧟♂️ story.
January 3, 2023
I wasn't expecting much from this book, but was pleasantly surprised to find it kept my interest and I really enjoyed the characters. Off to purchase book two!
May 26, 2023
Epic! Great story.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 41 reviews