Meat

Veterinarian Tom Copeland takes a job at a factory farm called Sunnyvale after a scandal at his suburban practice. His job is to keep the animals alive for long enough to get them to slaughter.

But there are rumours of a strange creature living beneath the complex, accidents waiting to happen on brutal production lines and the threat of zoonotic disease from the pigs, sheep, cows, chickens and fish that the complex houses.

Suddenly, disaster rocks Sunnyvale and cleaners, butchers, security guards and clerical staff alike must come together under the ruthless leadership of CEO John MacDonald. Together, they'll learn what happens when there's a sudden change to the food chain.

Bon appétit.

***

Most horror story books exist only to scare you. This one comes with a message.

Less "all creatures great and small" and more "the end is nigh", discover the games creatures play when their human overlords are no longer in charge. Fuelled by a mysterious virus, the ruthless creatures take control of Sunnyvale and leave John MacDonald and his cronies trapped inside the admin building.

The trigger warning book to rule them, Meat has everything from a science fiction virus to a rat king and zombies, zombies, zombies, but with a twist. It's a virus pandemic book written before the pandemic, a prophetic entry into the list of zombie apocalypse books that will leave you tossing and turning at night.

Most fiction pandemic books and books about zombies have a message, and this one is no different. It's an accidentally vegan book which turned its author from being a vegetarian to being vegan. Based on a huge amount of research into factory farming, it's a call-to-action for plant-based eating.

But being a plant-based book doesn't make it plant-based propaganda. It's a prescient and relevant addition to the list of fiction pandemic novels and zombie books for adults that also happens to advocate a plant-based diet. It's perfect for when you need vegan gifts for the bookworm in your life.

Now, pass the plant-based vegan food. It's dinner time.