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Zombie Dog #1
Cadaver Dog
Ever since the dead began to walk, there has been a need for tracking and capturing them. The city of Jack Calf, Colorado believes Angie Graves, a search and rescue volunteer and human remains dog handler, may be the answer. Angie is not so sure. She needs a different dog for this line of work, and the only one available is a dog named Murder who she rescued off the highway.
Murder is not a hero dog. He is missing a toe and part of his ear, and his hair is mottled from scarring. He is slow to trust, has a mischievous mind, and obsesses over his chicken toy. But if he and Angie can learn to work together, they may be the best answer to the zombie plague.
Murder is not a hero dog. He is missing a toe and part of his ear, and his hair is mottled from scarring. He is slow to trust, has a mischievous mind, and obsesses over his chicken toy. But if he and Angie can learn to work together, they may be the best answer to the zombie plague.
129 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 13, 2015
231 people are currently reading
531 people want to read
About the author
Doug Goodman
34 books62 followersI live in Houston, but I was raised in Lubbock, Texas. I’m an animal writer. It doesn’t matter if the animals I write about are zombie-hunting dogs, dinosaurs, or giant kaiju monsters, I’m interested in that area where animals and humans intersect. I’m especially curious about the mind meld that happens with working animals. This is my point of view for examining human nature, and why I enjoy writing these books so much.
My site says I’m a writer and an explorer. My wife and I are “often” travelers. Thanks to my work, I sometimes get the opportunity to visit extraordinary people in out-of-the-way places. In recent years I’ve explored parts of the Navajo Nation, Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, and I did a mesmerizing 20-state roadtrip with my supportive family. I’ve been to all but four states in the United States.
I live with two awesome kids (though one is having her own adventures in college), one amazing wife, and two white German Shepherds. Thank you for stopping by, and please check out one of my books. (They are all available from Amazon as paperbacks and e-books.) Since mid-2019, I’ve been donating twenty percent of my proceeds to charity. If you want to see where I donate, I update my donations via my newsletter.
My site says I’m a writer and an explorer. My wife and I are “often” travelers. Thanks to my work, I sometimes get the opportunity to visit extraordinary people in out-of-the-way places. In recent years I’ve explored parts of the Navajo Nation, Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, and I did a mesmerizing 20-state roadtrip with my supportive family. I’ve been to all but four states in the United States.
I live with two awesome kids (though one is having her own adventures in college), one amazing wife, and two white German Shepherds. Thank you for stopping by, and please check out one of my books. (They are all available from Amazon as paperbacks and e-books.) Since mid-2019, I’ve been donating twenty percent of my proceeds to charity. If you want to see where I donate, I update my donations via my newsletter.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 69 reviews
September 13, 2019
Disclaimer: I was sent an ARC copy of this book by the author, Doug Goodman, for an honest review
This is a pretty quick read, only about 130 pages, but don’t let that keep you from reading it. For how short this story is, it is PACKED with detail and suspense. If you are like me, I have never read a book or heard much information about cadaver dogs (dogs that are trained to find dead humans, as well as sniff out bombs or track). The fact that this author, Doug Goodman, is actually a volunteer for search and rescues and is a human remains dog handler…makes this story feel almost too realistic. But in the best way possible.
“Training a dog to track a zombie is like training a cadaver dog or a bomb dog. It takes patience, trust, and the right dog-and-handler team. And to not be afraid of zombies.”
-Angie Graves, The Zombie Dog’s Handbook
This story starts out with the reader meeting our main character, Angie, who is brought to an investigation where a dead body was reported to be seen. Angie and her cadaver dog, Waylon, start their search for the dead body, but instead come across a zombie. The zombies in this story are unlike any other zombies you have read about. These corpses are controlled by the Crimson Wasps, who attach their stingers to the skulls of the dead bodies to control them. Not only are these wasps highly dangerous, but a theory has been made by Dr. Saracen of Animal Control that the wasps are kidnapping children and the elderly to use them as food for the larvae of the wasps. Now Angie must train one of her dogs, a black and blue dog named Murder that she found on the side of the road, to track the zombies and save a young girl that was kidnapped.
It is not very often that you find (or in my case are given) a book that can so effortlessly combine real-life traits and experiences, twist them into something right off of a Hollywood movie set, and then deliver it in a way that makes it almost frightening because it is so believable. I fully enjoyed this read, and wasn’t bored once. The “downtime” in books can sometimes get me uninterested where I either skip ahead or put the book down, but this author knew just how to keep the less exciting events…eventful. I loved that I was learning about the training of cadaver dogs while enjoying a fictional novel, I almost feel like a professional dog trainer now ;) . Not only does the reader get inside experience into how these dogs train, but we also learn how their sense of smell is used as to work like a brain to problem solve and search. So cool.
The style of writing that Doug Goodman has is, to put it best, simple but eloquent. He has this amazing way of using his fantastic vocabulary where the reader doesn’t get lost and say to themselves, Wait, what?! He has great comparisons, the right amount of detail, and some very enjoyable humor throughout the book:
“Labs were a special kind of stupid. Case in point, Murder was smart enough to recognize the danger and wake her up, but then he started dancing around the fire-out of harm’s distance-with all the attention-hounding of a rump shaker in a rap video.”
“Nice dog. What breed is he?”
“Awesomeness.”
Another thing I noticed while reading, was the author doesn’t start out by going into full detail of the age and appearance of Angie. Usually authors love to put their character in front of a mirror at the beginning of their story, make them look at themselves, and then think about their own appearance. This author went a different route entirely, he dropped little clues throughout the book about what Angie looks like, but didn’t start to mention what her age MIGHT be until about the second half of the book. Even then, he doesn’t give you a straight answer, which I thought was pretty refreshing. One last thing, and I swear I’ll shut up ;) . The fact of naming a dog Murder, that just happened to turn out being a zombie hunter, was genius. The way he got his name Murder was clever and original, I feel in love with this goofy dog that was obsessed with his toy chicken.
If you still aren’t sure about reading this book, JUST DO IT. Live a little. This was a very different book from what I usually stick to reading, but I am SO glad that I read it. If you enjoy zombies, dogs, fictional adventure, or a little horror…read this. You will be so happy that you did, and better yet, there is going to be a sequel! :)
This is a pretty quick read, only about 130 pages, but don’t let that keep you from reading it. For how short this story is, it is PACKED with detail and suspense. If you are like me, I have never read a book or heard much information about cadaver dogs (dogs that are trained to find dead humans, as well as sniff out bombs or track). The fact that this author, Doug Goodman, is actually a volunteer for search and rescues and is a human remains dog handler…makes this story feel almost too realistic. But in the best way possible.
“Training a dog to track a zombie is like training a cadaver dog or a bomb dog. It takes patience, trust, and the right dog-and-handler team. And to not be afraid of zombies.”
-Angie Graves, The Zombie Dog’s Handbook
This story starts out with the reader meeting our main character, Angie, who is brought to an investigation where a dead body was reported to be seen. Angie and her cadaver dog, Waylon, start their search for the dead body, but instead come across a zombie. The zombies in this story are unlike any other zombies you have read about. These corpses are controlled by the Crimson Wasps, who attach their stingers to the skulls of the dead bodies to control them. Not only are these wasps highly dangerous, but a theory has been made by Dr. Saracen of Animal Control that the wasps are kidnapping children and the elderly to use them as food for the larvae of the wasps. Now Angie must train one of her dogs, a black and blue dog named Murder that she found on the side of the road, to track the zombies and save a young girl that was kidnapped.
It is not very often that you find (or in my case are given) a book that can so effortlessly combine real-life traits and experiences, twist them into something right off of a Hollywood movie set, and then deliver it in a way that makes it almost frightening because it is so believable. I fully enjoyed this read, and wasn’t bored once. The “downtime” in books can sometimes get me uninterested where I either skip ahead or put the book down, but this author knew just how to keep the less exciting events…eventful. I loved that I was learning about the training of cadaver dogs while enjoying a fictional novel, I almost feel like a professional dog trainer now ;) . Not only does the reader get inside experience into how these dogs train, but we also learn how their sense of smell is used as to work like a brain to problem solve and search. So cool.
The style of writing that Doug Goodman has is, to put it best, simple but eloquent. He has this amazing way of using his fantastic vocabulary where the reader doesn’t get lost and say to themselves, Wait, what?! He has great comparisons, the right amount of detail, and some very enjoyable humor throughout the book:
“Labs were a special kind of stupid. Case in point, Murder was smart enough to recognize the danger and wake her up, but then he started dancing around the fire-out of harm’s distance-with all the attention-hounding of a rump shaker in a rap video.”
“Nice dog. What breed is he?”
“Awesomeness.”
Another thing I noticed while reading, was the author doesn’t start out by going into full detail of the age and appearance of Angie. Usually authors love to put their character in front of a mirror at the beginning of their story, make them look at themselves, and then think about their own appearance. This author went a different route entirely, he dropped little clues throughout the book about what Angie looks like, but didn’t start to mention what her age MIGHT be until about the second half of the book. Even then, he doesn’t give you a straight answer, which I thought was pretty refreshing. One last thing, and I swear I’ll shut up ;) . The fact of naming a dog Murder, that just happened to turn out being a zombie hunter, was genius. The way he got his name Murder was clever and original, I feel in love with this goofy dog that was obsessed with his toy chicken.
If you still aren’t sure about reading this book, JUST DO IT. Live a little. This was a very different book from what I usually stick to reading, but I am SO glad that I read it. If you enjoy zombies, dogs, fictional adventure, or a little horror…read this. You will be so happy that you did, and better yet, there is going to be a sequel! :)
May 8, 2020
I was quickly caught up in the story of Angie Graves and her dogs. She trains them for all kinds of purposes, the newest being tracking zombies. Through fire swept forests, she races to save the life a young girl stolen by a zombie.
I fell hard for Murder, Angie’s zombie tracking dog. She found him near death on the side of the road, nurtured him back to health, and found he had a calling for tracking zombies. He stole my heart as fast as he could steal your french fries. And his heart was a large as a lion’s.
The zombies were a new approach too. You didn’t get turned into one by being bitten. Something controlled them, used them as hosts for a very deadly purpose. Creepy stuff.
And Angie was easy to bond with. She’s a loner, much better with dogs than with people and will not stop until she’s finished a search.
Some scenes had my heart racing and some had my heart aching.
This was an intriguing beginning to the series and I’ve already grabbed the next book. Can’t wait to see where these characters wind up next.
I fell hard for Murder, Angie’s zombie tracking dog. She found him near death on the side of the road, nurtured him back to health, and found he had a calling for tracking zombies. He stole my heart as fast as he could steal your french fries. And his heart was a large as a lion’s.
The zombies were a new approach too. You didn’t get turned into one by being bitten. Something controlled them, used them as hosts for a very deadly purpose. Creepy stuff.
And Angie was easy to bond with. She’s a loner, much better with dogs than with people and will not stop until she’s finished a search.
Some scenes had my heart racing and some had my heart aching.
This was an intriguing beginning to the series and I’ve already grabbed the next book. Can’t wait to see where these characters wind up next.
October 26, 2015
Chasing zombies in the Colorado Rocky Mountains! Who could want more?! A suspenseful adventure that will make you growl at anyone who tries to interrupt your read. The author obviously has great knowledge of dogs and search and rescue. I can tell you from my experiences in the Rockies and with animals he is spot on. The characters endear themselves to you as strong and proud people trying to do their best in impossible circumstances - again spot on for search and rescue personalities. I would rate 6 out of 5 - I would recommend to friends but not share my copy. A good read.
June 24, 2018
Book Title: Cadaver Dog
Author: Doug Goodman
Format: Kindle
Genre: Fantasy
Book Title:
The title ' Cadaver Dog ' is interesting and self-explanatory. The title suggests that the plot is based upon a Dog as the main character.
Book Cover:
The cover is a simple image of a great valley with wonderful picturesque.
Plot:
Angie is a lone young woman who prefers to be with her dogs than the people. Once, she finds an almost dead dog on the side of the road, saves him, nurses him back to health and trains him to find the Zombie Wasp.
The storyline is very different and the rarest type but, the author has developed it into a believable story about how zombies could really come to exist in the real world with all the zombie controllers.
What I like:
1.The training of the dog by the female character to fight against the zombies
2.The bond between Angie and the dog
3. The attack and rescue sequences
What I didn't like:
Nothing to dislike, but was unable to focus as it was a fantasy genre.
The story is more for the fantasy genre fans and people who love pets. As I am away from these two, it was difficult for me to get inside the story. But once the actual mission of the attack against zombies started, I felt engrossed in the story.
Characters:
The readers can observe that Murder( the dog ) and Angie Graves ( The female character ) are scripted well in the plot.
Narration:
Interesting narration
Language & Grammar:
A very fine usage of grammar and language is found.
My Final Verdict:
A definite read for fantasy genre lovers
Book Title: 3/5
Book Cover: 4/5
Plot: 4/5
Characters: 4/5
Narration: 4/5
Language & Grammar: 4/5
Final Rating: 4/5
Author: Doug Goodman
Format: Kindle
Genre: Fantasy
Book Title:
The title ' Cadaver Dog ' is interesting and self-explanatory. The title suggests that the plot is based upon a Dog as the main character.
Book Cover:
The cover is a simple image of a great valley with wonderful picturesque.
Plot:
Angie is a lone young woman who prefers to be with her dogs than the people. Once, she finds an almost dead dog on the side of the road, saves him, nurses him back to health and trains him to find the Zombie Wasp.
The storyline is very different and the rarest type but, the author has developed it into a believable story about how zombies could really come to exist in the real world with all the zombie controllers.
What I like:
1.The training of the dog by the female character to fight against the zombies
2.The bond between Angie and the dog
3. The attack and rescue sequences
What I didn't like:
Nothing to dislike, but was unable to focus as it was a fantasy genre.
The story is more for the fantasy genre fans and people who love pets. As I am away from these two, it was difficult for me to get inside the story. But once the actual mission of the attack against zombies started, I felt engrossed in the story.
Characters:
The readers can observe that Murder( the dog ) and Angie Graves ( The female character ) are scripted well in the plot.
Narration:
Interesting narration
Language & Grammar:
A very fine usage of grammar and language is found.
My Final Verdict:
A definite read for fantasy genre lovers
Book Title: 3/5
Book Cover: 4/5
Plot: 4/5
Characters: 4/5
Narration: 4/5
Language & Grammar: 4/5
Final Rating: 4/5
June 14, 2018
I just really like how the Author took a very unique twist on the ‘zombies’. They are more vehicles to be used by the ‘wasps’. Now don’t let that fool you, they are still gross and nasty and evil. Just slightly different than what you would think.
You could really tell the Author knew what he was talking about when it came to the dogs, search and rescue and all the other technically side of things.
You could really tell the Author knew what he was talking about when it came to the dogs, search and rescue and all the other technically side of things.
March 28, 2021
Doesn't try to be more than it is. Instead, it holds its position as a story about a tracking dog in a world overrun by zombies and sticks with it until the end. It is consistent, and so, not mediocre enough to go lower than four stars. Not exciting enough for five. I can't help but notice a trend in Doug Goodman's books where the main character is almost always a trainer of police dogs and tracking dogs.
May 10, 2018
The author introduces readers to Angie Graves and some very special dogs. Te dogs Angie trains are helping to find zombies. This story is unique and I think stands out from your normal zombie story. This is the first book in the series and a quick, but intense read. I am looking forward to checking out more books by this author.
August 13, 2023
I would risk even a 4.5 out of 5
The dog from the title is Murder, a dog recued by Angie from "a murder of crows" (whatever that means in English :D -- I know that it means a bunch/a group of crows, but why exactly a murder ... I did not learned more in depth why it ); he was almost dead, and surely would have been like that if Angie left him out there, to be eaten by the crows or other animals.
Murder is teached how to detect and chase the "zombies" (the dead people taken as a walking prisoner by those dreaded giant crimson wasps, that seem to be invaded the world, without anybody having a clear idea where did they came from -- some pretend from Thailand, but not a sure knowledge).
Which he is more and more good at -- and towards the end they search for a dead bride made a zombie by such a wasp and to rescue a little girl that they suspect is kept as food for wasps larvae in the lair -- not to mention they are facing a bush fire, pretty close to them ...
And also Angie and Murder have some help from the Animal Control tram that built a robot capable of detecting smell like a dog would do, and which is supposedly in a contest with Murder for establishing which is better at this chase for the wasps + their zombied humans.
The ending of the book is pretty tough, Murder saving Angie from the wasp larvae in their lair, help her get the girl out, but the fire very close to them seem to take Murder down, and almost take Angie too -- this part is not veeery clear (Murder being dead -- Angie and her father *do* buty Murder, but .... I believe he will be present next in the following episodes of this series.
We'll see...
The dog from the title is Murder, a dog recued by Angie from "a murder of crows" (whatever that means in English :D -- I know that it means a bunch/a group of crows, but why exactly a murder ... I did not learned more in depth why it ); he was almost dead, and surely would have been like that if Angie left him out there, to be eaten by the crows or other animals.
Murder is teached how to detect and chase the "zombies" (the dead people taken as a walking prisoner by those dreaded giant crimson wasps, that seem to be invaded the world, without anybody having a clear idea where did they came from -- some pretend from Thailand, but not a sure knowledge).
Which he is more and more good at -- and towards the end they search for a dead bride made a zombie by such a wasp and to rescue a little girl that they suspect is kept as food for wasps larvae in the lair -- not to mention they are facing a bush fire, pretty close to them ...
And also Angie and Murder have some help from the Animal Control tram that built a robot capable of detecting smell like a dog would do, and which is supposedly in a contest with Murder for establishing which is better at this chase for the wasps + their zombied humans.
The ending of the book is pretty tough, Murder saving Angie from the wasp larvae in their lair, help her get the girl out, but the fire very close to them seem to take Murder down, and almost take Angie too -- this part is not veeery clear (Murder being dead -- Angie and her father *do* buty Murder, but .... I believe he will be present next in the following episodes of this series.
We'll see...
March 9, 2025
Part of Kindle Unlimited Challenge March 2025
Apparently this month has gone to the dogs, literally. This month I have read Cujo, Does the Dog Die? An Anthology of Canine Horror and now Cadaver Dog. This book combines two of my favorite things zombies and dogs.
Now I have read so many zombie, quasi-zombies, and not-really-really-zombie zombies, that I rarely get to say this, but this book was a very unique take on the zombie lore. The zombie virus is not spread by bites, but are instead spread by a mutated large wasp that controls people as part of its lifestyle.
I likes the main character and Murder, her dog. The ending made me tear up a little and more importantly made me curious about the next book in the series. at 128ish pages, this is more of a novella than a novel, but still I enjoyed the read and will be looking at more Doug Goodman reads in the future
Apparently this month has gone to the dogs, literally. This month I have read Cujo, Does the Dog Die? An Anthology of Canine Horror and now Cadaver Dog. This book combines two of my favorite things zombies and dogs.
Now I have read so many zombie, quasi-zombies, and not-really-really-zombie zombies, that I rarely get to say this, but this book was a very unique take on the zombie lore. The zombie virus is not spread by bites, but are instead spread by a mutated large wasp that controls people as part of its lifestyle.
I likes the main character and Murder, her dog. The ending made me tear up a little and more importantly made me curious about the next book in the series. at 128ish pages, this is more of a novella than a novel, but still I enjoyed the read and will be looking at more Doug Goodman reads in the future
June 15, 2020
I loved this book! It hit all the right notes for me! Something a little different to the normal zombie story! Great ideas, good story line & dogs! What more could you want! A thrilling ride, ups, downs & a great combination of mixed emotions! I do recommend this story & can't wait to read more by this author!
August 2, 2022
I picked this up because I thought it was a cool premise. I like dogs and I like spooky things, and I think there should be more of this combo.
I was hoping that the book would’ve been more about Murder the zombie hunting mutt then his owner, Angie. Maybe with perspective swaps, like they do in other spooky dog books. Unfortunately, it felt like Murder took a back seat for most of the story, and was mentioned when the author remembered “oh yeah…dog!” I did love that Angie named her mutt, Murder. What an epic name!
The writing was good for the most part. I’m not sure if this was a kindle problem, but sometimes unnecessary lines were added. Like, “Angie cried out. Her screams were shrill.” To me it dragged down the writing, so it didn’t flow as well as it could have.
I did like what the author did with the zombies though, because I was fully expecting the norm. Scary virus and then zombie, but this book actually had a very unique take on it.
Overall, the first book was meh, but I’m still looking forward to the rest of the series.
I was hoping that the book would’ve been more about Murder the zombie hunting mutt then his owner, Angie. Maybe with perspective swaps, like they do in other spooky dog books. Unfortunately, it felt like Murder took a back seat for most of the story, and was mentioned when the author remembered “oh yeah…dog!” I did love that Angie named her mutt, Murder. What an epic name!
The writing was good for the most part. I’m not sure if this was a kindle problem, but sometimes unnecessary lines were added. Like, “Angie cried out. Her screams were shrill.” To me it dragged down the writing, so it didn’t flow as well as it could have.
I did like what the author did with the zombies though, because I was fully expecting the norm. Scary virus and then zombie, but this book actually had a very unique take on it.
Overall, the first book was meh, but I’m still looking forward to the rest of the series.
August 4, 2022
Cadaver Dog is a very unique and creative story about dogs and zombies! The characters are realistic and interesting. The world is not over described (which I love) but it’s clear enough to envision. I enjoyed it very much and highly recommend it. Now I’m off to get book 2 in Zombie Dog series.
Read via Kindle Unlimited
Read via Kindle Unlimited
June 9, 2018
Sniffing Out The Dead
Be warned this is the first volume in the Zombie Dog series
which explains why things are not neatly tied up. However if you would like to read a horror/police procedural hybrid this might be for you.
Be warned this is the first volume in the Zombie Dog series
which explains why things are not neatly tied up. However if you would like to read a horror/police procedural hybrid this might be for you.
January 15, 2016
I also posted this review on my blog. To check it out, click here
Now, I usually don't read books about zombies. I don't necessarily hate them, the topic doesn't attract me very well. In the books that I've read, zombies usually are dead bodies that rise from the dead, without the allure that vampires have. You know, soulless cadavers that terrorizes and eat people.
This book attract me because from the title and the blurb it appeared to be more about dogs, than zombies. After all, the title is "Cadaver Dog". :)
While reading the book, I also started to like Doug's idea of zombies. Quite interesting, and inspired by reality. Crimson wasp are the reason why zombies exists. How are these kind of wasps inspired by reality, you ask? Well, they are descended from emerald wasps, also known as Ampulex Compressa. Check out this short video:
Beautiful wasp zombifies cockroach
Interesting, and a little bit creepy, right? I didn't know about these insects before this book. I actually read several articles and watch some videos about them in order to understand the book better. Right now, I am very happy that I live in Canada. :D
Back to the book review. In other words, the way these little green wasps control cockroaches, the same way crimson wasps control dead bodies. Personally, I was pleasantly surprised with these zombies. They're very interesting. The explanation is more detailed in the book, but I will not say more on the subject. Bear in mind though, the zombies are not the main characters or the plot of this book.
Cadaver Dog is quite a short book, but it's full of action and suspense. Don't let the short length make you not want to give this book a try. You know the saying, don't judge a book by its cover length.
The narrative is fast paced, and is told in the third person, which is my favorite kind of narrative. It tells the right amount of details, without ramblings and pages of info dumping.
The story follows Angie, a women in her early 30s, and her dog Murder. Angie trains dog for a living, but also because it's her passion. She loves dogs, so this career is perfect for her. Angie trains bomb dogs, police dogs, regular pets and so on. Ultimately, she manages to train Murder to find the wasp and their larva. While they do get to have some adventures, the story also points out the relationship between a dog and a human. Angie has a great connection with her dogs, and she treat them with a lot of love and kindness. She is more anti-social, and prefers the canine type of company.
I think this book is a perfect example of how a short novel can be as good as or better than a 500 pages book.
The novel doesn't have a happy ending, though. At least not completely. I personally loved it, I think it was a perfect fit for this story.
In general, I had a great experience reading this novel, and I recommend this book to everybody. It doesn't have gory details or anything like that, so it can be read by teenagers. Give it a try, you'll not regret it.
I give this book a rating of 5.5
Now, I usually don't read books about zombies. I don't necessarily hate them, the topic doesn't attract me very well. In the books that I've read, zombies usually are dead bodies that rise from the dead, without the allure that vampires have. You know, soulless cadavers that terrorizes and eat people.
This book attract me because from the title and the blurb it appeared to be more about dogs, than zombies. After all, the title is "Cadaver Dog". :)
While reading the book, I also started to like Doug's idea of zombies. Quite interesting, and inspired by reality. Crimson wasp are the reason why zombies exists. How are these kind of wasps inspired by reality, you ask? Well, they are descended from emerald wasps, also known as Ampulex Compressa. Check out this short video:
Beautiful wasp zombifies cockroach
Interesting, and a little bit creepy, right? I didn't know about these insects before this book. I actually read several articles and watch some videos about them in order to understand the book better. Right now, I am very happy that I live in Canada. :D
Back to the book review. In other words, the way these little green wasps control cockroaches, the same way crimson wasps control dead bodies. Personally, I was pleasantly surprised with these zombies. They're very interesting. The explanation is more detailed in the book, but I will not say more on the subject. Bear in mind though, the zombies are not the main characters or the plot of this book.
Cadaver Dog is quite a short book, but it's full of action and suspense. Don't let the short length make you not want to give this book a try. You know the saying, don't judge a book by its cover length.
The narrative is fast paced, and is told in the third person, which is my favorite kind of narrative. It tells the right amount of details, without ramblings and pages of info dumping.
The story follows Angie, a women in her early 30s, and her dog Murder. Angie trains dog for a living, but also because it's her passion. She loves dogs, so this career is perfect for her. Angie trains bomb dogs, police dogs, regular pets and so on. Ultimately, she manages to train Murder to find the wasp and their larva. While they do get to have some adventures, the story also points out the relationship between a dog and a human. Angie has a great connection with her dogs, and she treat them with a lot of love and kindness. She is more anti-social, and prefers the canine type of company.
I think this book is a perfect example of how a short novel can be as good as or better than a 500 pages book.
The novel doesn't have a happy ending, though. At least not completely. I personally loved it, I think it was a perfect fit for this story.
In general, I had a great experience reading this novel, and I recommend this book to everybody. It doesn't have gory details or anything like that, so it can be read by teenagers. Give it a try, you'll not regret it.
I give this book a rating of 5.5
May 12, 2018
Hero Dog
This is a great story, with a fascinating twist on the traditional zombie plot. Murder, named for the murder of crows surrounding his dear dead body when our heroine first found him as a stray pup, is a valiant dog who more than rises to the occasion, and repeatedly so. I won't spoil the story for you, but expect to fall in love with this black and blue mutt and his handler, Angie. This is a team worth following. The book is well written and well-edited, a true pleasure to read. A+ Bravo!
This is a great story, with a fascinating twist on the traditional zombie plot. Murder, named for the murder of crows surrounding his dear dead body when our heroine first found him as a stray pup, is a valiant dog who more than rises to the occasion, and repeatedly so. I won't spoil the story for you, but expect to fall in love with this black and blue mutt and his handler, Angie. This is a team worth following. The book is well written and well-edited, a true pleasure to read. A+ Bravo!
October 1, 2015
This is an absolutely awesome version of the zombie apocalypse. Most zombie stories are all the same - unknown virus - people affected by virus become zombies - zombies bite other people creating more zombies. I love those books too but Cadaver Dog has a totally different reason behind the apocalypse. No virus but a giant wasp!
Angie Graves is a Search and Rescue volunteer. She trains all varieties of scent dogs for individuals or police. Doug Goodman who is a human remains dog trainer, explains how Angie does her training but it is not heavily detailed to the point of boredom. Animal Control is in charge of capturing the sited zombies. Angie Graves has been asked by the entomologist working with Animal Control if she could train one of her dogs to be a 'zombie' dog.
She is up for the challenge even though using a large (hand-sized) wasp for scent gives her the heebie jeebies. The Director of Animal Control is convinced that robots are much more capable of finding zombies than a dog. Angie plans to prove him wrong.
This is an unusual look at the zombie theme which I found refreshing. Anyone who likes to read books about the undead will surely enjoy Cadaver Dog.
I received this book free from the author for review purposes. For more information about Doug Goodman and his other books, check out http://www.douggoodman.net/apps/blog/
Angie Graves is a Search and Rescue volunteer. She trains all varieties of scent dogs for individuals or police. Doug Goodman who is a human remains dog trainer, explains how Angie does her training but it is not heavily detailed to the point of boredom. Animal Control is in charge of capturing the sited zombies. Angie Graves has been asked by the entomologist working with Animal Control if she could train one of her dogs to be a 'zombie' dog.
She is up for the challenge even though using a large (hand-sized) wasp for scent gives her the heebie jeebies. The Director of Animal Control is convinced that robots are much more capable of finding zombies than a dog. Angie plans to prove him wrong.
This is an unusual look at the zombie theme which I found refreshing. Anyone who likes to read books about the undead will surely enjoy Cadaver Dog.
I received this book free from the author for review purposes. For more information about Doug Goodman and his other books, check out http://www.douggoodman.net/apps/blog/
October 8, 2018
This weekend I dove into Doug Goodman’s Cadaver Dog and while it is not my usual genre of choice I truly enjoyed it from start to finish. Goodman has crafted a page-turner that takes place in an alternate reality were zombies exist and are under Animal Control jurisdiction. Working as a freelance search and rescue officer, Angie Graves, a rough around the edges dog trainer, is drafted to the front lines for a battle against the undead. With her special partner, Murder a foundling mutt, she tracks zombies through the Colorado wilderness. Naturally the best time and place to hunt zombies is unpopulated mountain sides in the dark. While this short novel does have some descriptive gore and a decidedly creepy nemesis, it is at its core a suspense story in the vein of Dean Koontz or Michael Crichton.
I mostly write recipes and a Christmas letter, but I do appreciate the process of editing down a narrative to its most basic components and Goodman has accomplished that. Cadaver Dog is a neat little package with some wonderful dialog, colorful characters and plenty of twists and turns to keep the reader engaged.
I mostly write recipes and a Christmas letter, but I do appreciate the process of editing down a narrative to its most basic components and Goodman has accomplished that. Cadaver Dog is a neat little package with some wonderful dialog, colorful characters and plenty of twists and turns to keep the reader engaged.
May 3, 2018
Intriguing
I really enjoyed this book. It was complex and well written. The characters were defined, and appeared very realistic. I look forward to reading more books by this author.
I really enjoyed this book. It was complex and well written. The characters were defined, and appeared very realistic. I look forward to reading more books by this author.
April 29, 2018
A different take on the zombie genre
This was different than most of the zombie novels out there. Zombie bites don't transmit the zombie virus, because it isn't a virus. The main character is a dog trainer and Handler comma an interesting soul who I would have liked to get to know better. There was good action in the story and an ending that was bittersweet. I'd read another.
This was different than most of the zombie novels out there. Zombie bites don't transmit the zombie virus, because it isn't a virus. The main character is a dog trainer and Handler comma an interesting soul who I would have liked to get to know better. There was good action in the story and an ending that was bittersweet. I'd read another.
June 24, 2018
Wowza! What a ride!
Angela (Angie) Graves is an antisocial, gruff, genius dog trainer. She's trained bomb sniffing dogs,cadaver dogs, rescue dogs, even simple obedience; but she's never trained a dog to hunt zombies; actually to hunt the wasps that " drive" the zombies.
Murder is a rescue animal, a dog that Angie found more dead than alive. Lop eared and scarred, Murder has that unnameable drive, the drive to succeed. When Angie tells Murder, "Buzz, find Buzz!" he springs into action.
A lost girl becomes the sole focus of Angie and Murder as they race against time and an out of control wildfire, to find the lost child and save her from an unimaginable horror....
Riveting! I was enthralled from the first sentence. This action packed novel doesn't disappoint! If you're looking for a unique and unusual twist in a zombie tale, this is the one for you!
Angela (Angie) Graves is an antisocial, gruff, genius dog trainer. She's trained bomb sniffing dogs,cadaver dogs, rescue dogs, even simple obedience; but she's never trained a dog to hunt zombies; actually to hunt the wasps that " drive" the zombies.
Murder is a rescue animal, a dog that Angie found more dead than alive. Lop eared and scarred, Murder has that unnameable drive, the drive to succeed. When Angie tells Murder, "Buzz, find Buzz!" he springs into action.
A lost girl becomes the sole focus of Angie and Murder as they race against time and an out of control wildfire, to find the lost child and save her from an unimaginable horror....
Riveting! I was enthralled from the first sentence. This action packed novel doesn't disappoint! If you're looking for a unique and unusual twist in a zombie tale, this is the one for you!
March 3, 2016
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. This is in no way reflected in my opinion of this story.
Cadaver Dog is a gripping novella, I didn't want to put it down. It's rare that a zombie story gives us something beyond the usual end of the world scenarios but this book delivers a whole new, and chilling take on how zombies are created. The science behind the zombies found here is entirely believable and horrifying. The characters are easy to care about and realistic. I loved Angie and Murder. I found myself rooting for them to succeed in both the training and rescue missions. The ending left me heartbroken and wanting more. I highly recommend this phenomenal 5 star read.
Cadaver Dog is a gripping novella, I didn't want to put it down. It's rare that a zombie story gives us something beyond the usual end of the world scenarios but this book delivers a whole new, and chilling take on how zombies are created. The science behind the zombies found here is entirely believable and horrifying. The characters are easy to care about and realistic. I loved Angie and Murder. I found myself rooting for them to succeed in both the training and rescue missions. The ending left me heartbroken and wanting more. I highly recommend this phenomenal 5 star read.
December 12, 2018
Doug Goodman’s Cadaver Dog is an exciting adventure story that plays with various genres (without getting bogged down in them) and manages to find a dark and truly frightening twist on the idea of the zombie, creating a monster more sinister and original than the garden variety shambling corpse.
I’m a zombie fan, but not really a dog person, so I was happy to see that the story makes use of its dog characters in a way that isn’t sappy and isn’t stuck in any kind of zombie cliche storm.
I found it to be a nice complete read in itself as well as a good start to the ongoing series. There’s plenty of questions left to be answered and I’m curious to see where the series goes.
I’m a zombie fan, but not really a dog person, so I was happy to see that the story makes use of its dog characters in a way that isn’t sappy and isn’t stuck in any kind of zombie cliche storm.
I found it to be a nice complete read in itself as well as a good start to the ongoing series. There’s plenty of questions left to be answered and I’m curious to see where the series goes.
February 10, 2021
Have you ever thought about what really causes zombies? What about those insects that use live hosts to incubate their larvae? Take a dedicated rescue dog trainer who becomes involved in a lost child search combined with a wildfire and a competitive robot team. Sounds like a recipe for disappointment and disaster. But, for some reason you empathize with the ups and downs of the character's struggles. It is more scary than feel good but the relationship between the trainer and her dog overshadows it all.
September 21, 2015
I received a copy of this book for an honest review. First of all I want to say that this story had two of my favorite things: dogs and zombies. I really liked the idea of training a dog to find Zombies and missing people. The plot was interesting and characters were really likable. The book had a creepy feel to it and kept me interested. I would definitely recommend it if you are interested in reading something with horror, action and drama.
May 13, 2016
Short but good...
What a really nice read. A little shorter than what I normally like, but after the first page I jumped right in.
This was a different take on zombies and how people are turned. Big wasps! How I hate bugs. Loved Murder (and his chicken), he seemed like a good, smart dog. Angie was fleshed out enough to give you a sense of who she is.
Good storyline with a natural exciting flow. Would love to read more from this author! Follow up, please?
What a really nice read. A little shorter than what I normally like, but after the first page I jumped right in.
This was a different take on zombies and how people are turned. Big wasps! How I hate bugs. Loved Murder (and his chicken), he seemed like a good, smart dog. Angie was fleshed out enough to give you a sense of who she is.
Good storyline with a natural exciting flow. Would love to read more from this author! Follow up, please?
May 24, 2016
Cadaver Dog is a fast paced fast read. It is full of energy and excitement. Angie and her dog named Murder (neat how he got that name--it has to do with crows!). Murder is in the process of being taught to hunt down Zombies. The zombies in this book are totally different from any of the zombies I have read about and different than TWD zombies. These are smart zombies and have a unique way of reproducing. Take the chance-- read the book. Highly recommend.
May 22, 2021
Never giving up
Angie was training Murder to track the zombie wasps. The plan was to track them back to their lairs and kill the larvae. The search for the small child taken by the zombie interrupted her training. The forest fire didn’t help either. Great personal loss was coming but she wasn’t aware of it now. Can she find the child with Murder’s help? Read this story and find out.
Angie was training Murder to track the zombie wasps. The plan was to track them back to their lairs and kill the larvae. The search for the small child taken by the zombie interrupted her training. The forest fire didn’t help either. Great personal loss was coming but she wasn’t aware of it now. Can she find the child with Murder’s help? Read this story and find out.
July 10, 2016
Great Read!
This story combined two subjects I like to read about: dogs and zombies! Very well written, grabs your interest and doesn't let go! Unlike some books I have read lately, there are no spelling/punctuation issues that distract from the story. I loved this, and am eagerly awaiting more from this author!
This story combined two subjects I like to read about: dogs and zombies! Very well written, grabs your interest and doesn't let go! Unlike some books I have read lately, there are no spelling/punctuation issues that distract from the story. I loved this, and am eagerly awaiting more from this author!
September 12, 2018
Could be better
Inconsistencies are annoying. The final zombie is way too coordinated after everything else that had been said about them. Also, it is said that the one dog died and then somehow he is at her side and alive at the end. And last, 3 stings from one wasp, in very specific areas each time is just at wrong
Inconsistencies are annoying. The final zombie is way too coordinated after everything else that had been said about them. Also, it is said that the one dog died and then somehow he is at her side and alive at the end. And last, 3 stings from one wasp, in very specific areas each time is just at wrong
July 25, 2016
I am confused as to how this book has been rated so highly. It is poorly written and unengaging. I got about half way through and decided life was to short waste my time on it. Character development was nil, background undeveloped and not enough of a plot to hook me in.
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