In Frederick Lee Brooke’s ZOMBIE CANDY, Larry and Candace Roach’s marriage is in trouble.  It is disintegrating because Larry is a sex addict who weaves a tapestry of lies and cares not about the collateral damage his condition causes to the woman to whom he has pledged his love.

In this parody of the zombie genre, Brooke uses the undead as a symbol of the dirty little secrets that motivate and imprison people, those hidden things that form their psyches and refuse to die, undead motivators of human behavior.

Larry Roach is despicable.  A Russell Crowe look alike, he parlays his physical appearance into a lifelong fix on his drug of choice.  He also is addicted to zombie movies.

Candace Roach has secrets of her own that haunt her. A gourmet cook with a weight problem, or at least a weight problem in her own mind, she discovers Larry’s infidelity. That discovery threatens to destroy her and forces her to come to grips with her own demons.

She enlists the aid of her best friend, private investigator Annie Ogden, to get the goods on her husband. Ogden conceals a relationship she fears will jeopardize the investigation and her friendship with Candace.

When the depth of Larry’s addiction comes to light, Candace makes two decisions: 1. She will take control of her life, and 2. She will teach Larry a lesson he will never forget.

Brooke builds suspense as the final section of ZOMBIE CANDY kicks into gear. As the action moves from Chicago to Tuscany, Candace orchestrates her revenge, recruiting faux zombies to deliver the coup de grace.

ZOMBIE CANDY bridges the genres of thriller, horror, romance and dark humor. Candace was even kind enough to provide an appendix with several of her favorite gourmet recipes. Zombie movie buffs will also find scenes in the book that are takeoffs on zombie classics.

The book is fun, graphic and insightful. Please check it out, especially if you like twice-baked potatoes with lobster and caviar, or maybe penne pasta with sage and apple.