Dead Reckoning

Gr 10 Up—Three characters with vastly different backgrounds converge on the Texas frontier in 1867 while investigating a string of strange disappearances. Philippa Sheridan is a cross-dressing "cowboy" looking for her twin brother; Honoria Gibbons is a privileged young woman trying to stop charlatans from wiling money away from her gullible father; and White Fox, who was raised by Native Americans after being found in the wreckage of a wagon train, has been dispatched to find out why communication from a "Freedman Settlement" abruptly ceased. The three quickly discover that zombies are the source of the vanishings, and they work together to find out who is creating them and why. The characters' differing beliefs in science and mysticism are a source of much discussion. Ultimately, a cultlike leader is deposed and his creations dispatched with a hose full of salt water. The blend of a zombie thriller with a Wild West shoot-'em-up and some steampunk flair is certainly an intriguing premise. However, despite the thrilling nature of the plot, long portions of dry dialogue make this book drag between action scenes. Outdated language and difficult vocabulary add to the period feel, but make this book accessible only to advanced readers.—Sunnie Sette, New Haven Public Library, CT