“Dead Stay Dead” by Paul Jessup is an imaginative novella that mixes college kids, zombies, ghosts, a little Lovecraft Mythos and a whole lot of fun. It is part of a novella series from The Zombie Feed, and if this is typical of its quality, this looks to be a fine fiction line.
The story takes place in one night. The main character Natasha can see the dead and the action begins when she realizes her latest sighting is not a ghost but a zombie. The remainder of the fast paced story details her efforts to get other students to help her solve this mystery.
Her roommate Melissa agrees to help after an attack convinces her Natasha is not crazy. Melissa offers comic relief as her obsession with horror movies provides some punchy dialog and satirical fun. They are joined in their quest to save the campus by another student, a young man they call Lettuce Head and briefly by a geeky but brave band of SCA members.
Along the way, there are some surprising twists as to the secrets at hand, including an original contemporary take on the Aklo Letters of Arthur Machen and H. P. Lovecraft lore.
Jessup maintains a nice balance between humor and horror. It comes across as a kind of Hard-R-rated Buffy tale, reminiscent of the film Zombieland.
All around, the novella was an intriguing and entertaining read.
– Horror Bob
- Interview with J.R. Bookwalter - January 22, 2015
- Interview with Andrew J. Rausch - January 22, 2015
- Interview with Rick Popko and Dan West - January 22, 2015
- Interview with Director Stevan Mena (Malevolence) - January 22, 2015
- Interview with Screenwriter Jeffery Reddick (Day of the Dead 2007) - January 22, 2015
- Teleconference interview with Mick Garris (Masters of Horror) - January 22, 2015
- A Day at the Morgue with Corri English (Unrest) - January 22, 2015
- Interview with Writer/Director Nacho Cerda (The Abandoned, Aftermath) - January 22, 2015
- Interview with Actress Thora Birch (Dark Corners, The Hole, American Beauty) - January 22, 2015
- Interview with Actor Jason Behr, Plus Skinwalkers Press Coverage - January 22, 2015
