Undead Menagerie

Steel City Apocalypse #1

by A.M. Geever

When the world ends, you adapt or die. Can two strangers trapped in a zoo survive as zombies close in around them?

Zookeeper Imogen is flying high. She loves her work caring for endangered Iberian Lynxes, and a promotion is on the horizon. Then a colleague throws her under the bus and her entire life goes into free-fall.

Mike dropped out of college to raise his sisters. Now, twenty years later, it’s time to live for himself. First step of his new life: marry his girlfriend. But an unwelcome surprise derails his proposal, and the future he’s longed for slips from his grasp.

When the zombie apocalypse strikes, Imogen and Mike are trapped inside the zoo. If Imogen wants to protect her lynxes, she’ll have to adapt. If Mike wants to find his family, he needs to survive.

Together, they must find a way out of the zoo—before it becomes as deadly as the ravenous hordes beyond its fence.


Steel City Apocalypse is a riveting post-apocalyptic thriller series with flawed yet complex characters and super-charged action. A zombie apocalypse survival series perfect for fans of Jonathan Maberry, Sarah Lyons Fleming, Baileigh Higgins, Christopher Artinian, and Zach Bohannon.

Grab your machete and join the Steel City Apocalypse today!

Genres: Zombies, Dystopia

ebook

Published January 18, 2023

About the author

A.M. Geever is the award-winning author of The Undead Age and Steel City Apocalypse zombie apocalypse adventures. She also writes gritty post-collapse fiction in her Fire in the Sky series, where a solar flare brings modern civilization to its knees. A sci-fi enthusiast who dreamed of Starfleet command, she loves to write about impossible choices, no-win scenarios, and bad behavior. She shares her home with her husband, two cats with impeccable manners, and a pair of Blue Heeler/Catahoula hellhounds who have two speeds: fast and snuggle.

Get your FREE disaster tales at amgeever.com

Connect on social media @amgeever

Media inquires: anne@amgeever.com

Reviews

[Ian · Rating 5 out of 5]

Imogen is a zookeeper working on a conservation program for the Iberian Lynx and doing her best to avoid the politics of the zoo when the zombie apocalypse hits. On the first day she is racing to the zoo to help out as best she can when the infected start attacking. She is rescued by Mike and they make their way to the zoo.

Mike has his own problems, as the days pass by he gets more and more desperate to check on his family but finds himself trapped inside the zoo with tensions that began before first day and have only worsened with zombies pressing in from all directions.

Zombie fiction can be any of a number of different genres. It can be science fiction, dystopian, horror, fantasy and even, on occasion, romance. Undead Menagerie very much leans into the horror genre with just a touch of science fiction and fantasy.

And it is so good. It feels like a punch in the gut on occasion —it's brutal, and it's a runaway train. You want the good guys to win, you want them all to survive, but sometimes that doesn't happen.

5 (occasionally heartbreaking) stars.

[Erin Stetler · Rating 5 out of 5]

Omg! I absolutely love zombie books and this one didn't disappoint! Had me on the edge of my seat sometimes wanting to scream at Mike and Imogen! I love that it was set at the zoo. After that ending, the second book can't come fast enough! I need to find out if they make it and if Imogen finds her twin!

[Mary Geever]

Added it, can't wait!

[Sloop · Rating 5 out of 5]

Undead Menagerie delivers the goods

I could probably write a review equal in length to the book, I have that much to say. So, please excuse me if I seem to be bouncing around on this.

I became enamored with AM Geever with her first Undead Age trilogy. I like zombies and the opportunity to reflect on humanity provided by the apocalyptic breakdown of society. Geever engages this angle well. The trilogy is a rollicking adventure where the stakes continually get higher but with equally deft insight into human relations, emotional attachment, etc, in the context of CONFLICT. The secret ingredient, in my perspective, is conflict being reflected on as an externality AND internality. The Undead Age trilogy delivers this in spades. And, I learned, I also like a dash of steamy romance. That trilogy managed to up the ante chapter after chapter.

Hence, my anticipation for this upcoming series, beginning here with Undead Menagerie.

So, what is my verdict? You have probably already noticed my five star rating. Now, without spoilers, I will tell you why.

This is probably a pedestrian subject/observation to many, but for me it remains a linchpin of storytelling and I’ll repeat it to anyone who will listen: Chekhov’s gun maxim. If you’re unfamiliar, it goes like this: Anton Chekhov suggests that, in good storytelling, one does NOT introduce a gun in act 1 if the gun does not go off by act 3. In essence, do not interject the story with false conflict or tension and either forget it and leave it unresolved or unaddressed.

It is doubtless Geever is familiar with this maxim and her stories benefit from adherence.

What do I mean? Countless incidents occurs within her story that provide key context for what occurs later, YET, it is my experience that I never see it coming. A neat trail of breadcrumbs are laid out for me to follow but I am routinely blindsided by the forthcoming developments of action.

These consistent, pleasant surprises are key to the joy I experience in reading Geever’s novels. I am now in my mid-thirties and am coming to terms with my shifting tastes. Zombie movies were beloved to me as a young man. As I creep into middle age I can’t help but lament all of the art that is kind of sort of lost to me. Among these formerly cherished subjects is the zombie thriller.

Undead Menagerie revives that thrill in me. The key is the surprises. Despite the thoroughly explored territory of ‘zombie apocalypse thriller’ Undead Menagerie manages to invest in its original characters, avoid the regressive tropes, explore the human condition and SURPRISE THE READER.

I anxiously await its follow up and if you read Undead Menagerie you will, too. (I’m stopping here only because I don’t want to incidentally reveal the fate of any of its characters! It’d be a crime to spoil a single reveal!)

[Nancy (The Avid Reader) · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I opened Undead Menagerie and started reading I expected zombies right away but alas the zombies were slow in coming my way once they did the pace picked up and ran. The more I read the more I wanted to read. I mean I couldn’t turn those pages fast enough to satisfy myself.

I love me some zombies and as always, I wanted to see them from the beginning. But I was more than happy once the zombies showed up on the scene as I can’t remember any zombies quite like the ones in Undead Menagerie. The new twists on zombies in Undead Menagerie are so very awesome for lack of a better word at the moment.

Oh man, I could see each and every zombie as they were described. And speaking of descriptions they were excellent as well. The descriptions were so well written that I had no problem seeing it all play out as if I was right there. Oh, but I am glad I wasn’t.

We have a zookeeper, Imogen who wants nothing more than to stay with all her animals in the zoo to keep them safe. Imogen meets Mike on the road just as the undead comes to life. A zombie is attacking Imogen trying to bite her on the neck when Mike spots them. He races over and has a hard time putting that zombie down. After Mike saves Imogen they take off for the zoo.

Mike wants to go find his girlfriend Step at the hospital where she works but Imogen doesn’t think it is safe. Mike also has to go find his sisters to make sure they are ok and safe. Mike is determined to find his loved ones and no one or nothing will stand in his way.

Undead Menagerie has been a great read that kept me glued to my seat the whole way from beginning to end. Once those zombies did make their appearance on the scene I was hooked and the action never let up. I can’t wait for the next book in the Steel City Apocalypse.

I highly recommend Undead Menagerie to all zombie fans! Grab your copy of Undead Menagerie today and fight some zombies!

[Anima · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m a huge fan of the Walking Dead series and I felt right at home reading this book. We meet our main characters, Imogen and Mike, as they go about their life and start to hear about the strange news. It was fascinating to read about the zombie apocalypse as it begins, people in shock at the cannibalism and not understanding why. Imogen is an intriguing person, a zoo keeper with an unusual upbringing and a love for all animals. Mike is an electrician with a tight knit family, a girlfriend and sisters with their families. Their adventures are crazy and lead them through the city while trying to survive and help others. Reading about their turmoil with the decisions they faced was certainly stressful, and challenging to read. Geever is a new author for me and I was thrilled to receive an early copy. I have provided my review voluntarily.

[Sam · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was really excellent! A great first book in this new & exciting zombie end of the world adventure! The main character is a zoo keeper, so wild animals galore to add to the madness & mayhem! Well written, gripped me from the first chapter & I was gutted it as finished on the last page! I can't wait for the next part! I do recommend!

[AnnaReads · Rating 5 out of 5]

A.M. Geever takes the reader back to the world of her previous trilogy called the Undead Age. Since I laughed and cried with Mirand, Doug and the other characters, reading Undead Menagerie wasn’t even a question. And what a ride.

Geever takes us back to the beginning, this time it’s Pittsburgh though not California. The prologue sets the mood for the whole book. Gory, violent and pure fun.

Imogen is a zookeeper working with iberian lynxes. She is going through a hard time when the world as she knows it ends.
Mike dropped out of college to raise his younger siblings but the time finally came to live for himself. He has it all planned. Marry the girlfriend and have the life he always wanted. But things are never that easy and Mike can’t propose. And the world as he knows it ends.
Imogen and Mike meet and they are forced to run for their lives. Some people are acting weird. Did that man just bite someone? There is so much blood and chaos…
They run to the zoo where they think they will be safe until help arrives. Imogen wants to save her lynxes, Mike his family while trying to stay alive and well, relatively sane in a world where it seems the dead won’t stay dead.

I loved this one. I knew I would. Not a boring moment, never once found myself daydreaming about anything else. The story sucked me in and it wouldn’t let go.

I had a strained relationship with Imogen. One moment I loved her just to want to slap her the next. But the funny thing is that this just made me love even more by the end of the book. She is stubborn to a fault but also kind-hearted and loyal, a good friend. Her stubbornness gets her almost killed but it also helps her save lives. She goes through the most changes in her character, she emerges as a warrior.
Mike is the defender of the group. Tall, big, strong guy whose strength comes from love and loyalty, for his girlfriend, his family and for Imogen. Yes, that is what gets him in trouble like a lot but I wouldn’t change a thing about him.
It took me all of five seconds to fall in love with him. I wish I had a Mike in my life.

The hand-drawn map of the zoo is genius and helpful. As is the glossary of terms. English is not my first language so it was immensely helpful.

All in all it was exciting to be back in this world and I can hardly wait for the next book. And I hope there will be a little romance in it…between Imogen and Mike maybe…please…

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Debra Schwitzer · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really loved the characters in this book. I also liked that the author came up with a very different way of discerning between the two types of zombies. Although this was not disclosed in this book, it was alluded to enough to have you thinking and wondering about it and perhaps coming up with your own theory for it. The writing is smooth and even though there are a number of characters, you will easily know who are the main character. Oh and if course it's about zombies so what's not to like.

[Deb · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really loved the characters in this book. I also liked that the author came up with a very different way of discerning between the two types of zombies. Although this was not disclosed in this book, it was alluded to enough to have you thinking and wondering about it and perhaps coming up with your own theory for it. The writing is smooth and even though there are a number of characters, you will easily know who are the main character. Oh and if course it's about zombies so what's not to like.

[Heidi · Rating 5 out of 5]

The power of survival
A fast paced story that unfolds as a horrific apocalypse sweeps the world. A wide variety of characters who all react differently. I got a great sense of who each of our main characters are, their backgrounds and hangups. They had to deal with a world that had changed in a way they were not equipped to deal with. There are so many things I would not think that would have to be dealt with like all of the animals in the zoo. Then dealing with the characters who just don’t get it.
It was easy to feel like part of the story, and in the landscape. Sometimes it was so tense I could just feel the fear myself. This story flows so well with witty and engaging writing that will keep you hooked to the end. Great and gritty characters to cheer for. Not a standalone but not a cliffhanger either, looking forward to the next installment. I received this book for free and voluntarily reviewed.

[Jade Lazlow · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a free copy of Undead Menagerie in exchange for an honest review. I've read several of A.M. Geever's books, and they just keep getting better and better. The author has written several zombie apocalypse novels, and she keeps each story fresh and exciting. Undead Menagerie starts out with a strange case of supposed "food poisoning" that spreads like wildfire. It reaches Pittsburgh, and it becomes clear the situation is much much worse. A zombie outbreak strikes, and two strangers caught up in the mayhem take refuge in a zoo. Imogene and Mike fight for survival as they try to make sense of the world gone mad amid disinformation and chaos. In desperate attempts to contact Mike's loved ones, the two embark on a hair-raising journey through city streets with zombies on their tails. This book is a page-turner that kept me up late because I couldn't stop reading.

[Roseann Powell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Anne did it again! This book was fantastic. These characters you love them, you hate them, you love to hate them. And the zombies are different from many other books. Oh, and let's not forget the animals. I laughed, I cried, I screamed. I could feel what the main characters were going through and could put myself in their shoes. The language guide at the beginning to help us non-Pittsburgh folks understand what was being said was so helpful. With that I'll say Yinz should grab and read this book. Cannot wait for book 2.

[Kay Mack · Rating 5 out of 5]

a gripping apocalypse

As a reader of post apocalyptic novels (lots) I expect drama, danger, death, grief and hope central to the humans involved. There is certainly all of that in Undead Menagerie and so much more. The characters are flawed and even multifaceted, just like real people. There is incredible danger and death. Most of all, just when you aren’t expecting it, there’s explosive grief. There’s pain too great for mere tears. Then there’s the zoo. The keepers remaining struggle to keep their charges alive, with food diminishing and danger growing. The story captured my heartstrings and hasn’t let go. It was just that good!

[Genevieve · Rating 5 out of 5]

I discovered this book at a con that I was vending at and when I heard zombie apocalypse in Pittsburgh I was intrigued. The story really grabbed me right away and I particularly was impressed by the action scenes and their pacing. It's gruesome and violent and exactly what I want from a story like this. I was surprised how invested I got in the animals at the zoo and the author did a great job showing how much the staff there cared about protecting them as well as the people in side.

I also live/work/play in the areas this book takes place in. If you are remotely familiar with the Lawrenceville, Highland Park, Garfield, or Friendship neighborhoods in Pgh... this is a blast. One scene takes place ON MY STREET! It was so cool to really see this story come alive in a place I was super familiar with.

The end has a bit of a cliff hanger so I'm trying to jump into book two ASAP.

[Heather Kennedy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow...

Brilliant first book in the series.
Absolutely gripping the whole way through.Cant wait for the next book.So well written and pace was thrilling.

[Kay Mack · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a reader of post apocalyptic novels (lots) I expect drama, danger, death, grief and hope central to the humans involved. There is certainly all of that in Undead Menagerie and so much more. The characters are flawed and even multifaceted, just like real people. There is incredible danger and death. Most of all, just when you aren’t expecting it, there’s explosive grief. There’s pain too great for mere tears. Then there’s the zoo. The keepers remaining struggle to keep their charges alive, with food diminishing and danger growing. The story captured my heartstrings and hasn’t let go. It was just that good!

[Brandi Hutton · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you're from the Pittsburgh area and you love zombies and/or the apocalypse, this book is right up your alley. I was recently at Steel City Con and was lucky enough to get to meet the author and discover her books. I love the idea of having different storylines in the same world (Undead). This book will keep you on the edge of your seat, wondering what's going to happen next. It'll also make you wonder if that strange noise you heard outside of your window is perhaps the start of the apocalypse.

[Abigail-Alberta Yoder · Rating 5 out of 5]

Super fun in a messed up way

I really felt for all the animals and had always wondered what might happen. I liked the character's stories but felt like Imogen was really delusional for a while. I was like girl you're a badass get it together. But I suppose if I wasn't such a zombie fan I'd be pretty much in denial too. Totally recommend! I will say though I wish we had some of the time skips because I like a good action scene. Although there were plenty to be found! Already bought the second book, hoping for Jay & Amy to have character development or fall in a zombie pit.

[Cora · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really tried to like this, I really did. I was excited to see this set in Pittsburgh. Not very often is there a zombie story set in Pittsburgh. Ultimately I was not a fan of the characters. Mike was tolerable, that's about it. Maybe it's just a me thing? I don't know. The over explanations of Pittsburgh had been fine until it was done over and over and over again, repeatedly and annoyingly. That's why I originally dnf'd the book. I decided to give it, it's fair shot but for a zombie book I found it a bit slow and boring. The entire thing was just meh. Cool concept, okay-ish execution.

[Zac Sigler · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’m genuinely interested in the characters, particularly Mike and Imogen. I got the book in State College at ComicCon. There were some spots that struck me as repetitive, and at one point, Imogen escalates without much reason given. Even though the majority of the story involves the zoo, I found the chapters at Mike’s sisters to be my favorite. SPOILER: I usually detest animals dying, but at least in this story it makes sense and isn’t gratuitous. So sad for the turtles! I would be interested in the next book. I

[Authors favourite · Rating 5 out of 5]

I didn’t expect a zombie book to break my heart but here we are.

Imogen just wanted to protect her animals. Mike just wanted a second chance. When the world ends and they’re trapped in a zoo, it’s not just about survival it’s about finding purpose when everything familiar is gone.

This wasn’t just gore and chaos (though there’s plenty of tension) it was raw, human, and unexpectedly moving. I’m still thinking about those lynxes.

[Teri Ruscak · Rating 5 out of 5]

A.M. Geever
Undead Menagerie: A Zombie Apocalypse Survival Thriller (Steel City Apocalypse Book 1)
Imogen and Mike
These two set off across the city helping others and trying to survive as the zombie Apocalypse starts to rage.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Valerie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very good

The characters portrayed in this story are very realistic. People who could not accept the reality of the situation would die unless they adapt very quickly to the new reality.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

pretty good!

Pretty good!! I enjoyed this story!! Totally different from others that I have read! I’m looking forward to hopefully finding out what happened to a few of these characters and their family members!

[Smalltowncat · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read

Well, this was action packed from the first chapter to the last. Very interesting plot about how zoo keepers would function in a zombie infested city. The characters' reactions are really well written. Can't wait to read the second book in this series.

[Anthony · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing book. The realism of the characters and development make it a true page turner. With all the excitement A.M. Geever keeps the story flowing and the geography on point. Absolutely cannot wait to read book 2. I I'll say this one is a must read

[Kareena Gaffney · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's good!!

I definitely enjoyed this book and I was surprised at certain parts because of how the story flowed. So far my favorite male characters are Mike, Clyde, and Zach. My favorite female characters are Sandy, Imogen, and Becky.

[Natasha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Definitely read it!

On one hand, I would get so frustrated with Imogen sometimes but this book really stayed with me. In the world of Mike and Imogen, I think most people would fall in with Imogen.

Very good, highly recommended and great characterization!

[Todd Bliss · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is quite the exciting story of the beginning of the end of the world with zombies and survival and it’s a very exciting read