Where the Dead Go to Die

By: Aaron Dries, Mark Allan Gunnells, Crystal Lake Publishing

Narrated by: Raquel Beattie

Length: 7 hrs and 26 mins

Publisher's summary

There are monsters in this world. And they used to be us. Now it's time to euthanize to survive in a hospice where Emily, a woman haunted by her past, only wants to do her job and be the best mother possible.

Post-infection Chicago. Christmas.

Inside The Hospice, Emily and her fellow nurses do their rounds. Here, men and women live out their final days in comfort, segregated from society, and are then humanely terminated before fate turns them into marrow-craving monsters known as ‘Smilers.’ Outside these imposing walls, rabid protesters swarm with signs, caught up in the heat of their hatred.

Emily, a woman haunted by her past, only wants to do her job and be the best mother possible. But in a world where mortality means nothing, where guns are drawn in fear and nobody seems safe anymore—at what cost will this pursuit come? And through it all, the soon to be dead remain silent, ever smiling. Such is their curse. This emotional, political novel comes from two of horror’s freshest voices, and puts a new spin on an eternal topic: the undead. In the spirit of George A Romero meets Jack Ketchum, Where the Dead Go to Die it is an unforgettable epilogue to the zombie genre, one that will leave you shaken and questioning right from wrong…even when it’s the only right left.

It won't be long before that snow-speckled ground will be salted by blood.

©2016 Aaron Dries, Mark Allen Gunnells, Crystal Lake Publishing (P)2021 Fireside Horror

Maybe this book wasn’t for me

I think that maybe this story just wasn’t for me. I never really read zombie books, so I can’t compare it. According to other reviews this isn’t your ordinary zombie book. I only listened because someone recommended it. I do think it was well written and had touching moments, but again it just wasn’t for me. I struggled to finish it.

Not your usual zombie story

I got a copy of this book from Story Origins. When I started it I thought to myself "Why on earth did I pick this book? I don't read zombie stories. I won't be finishing this one to review it." Well, there is a first time for everything. This is so much more than a zombie story. This is a pandemic story, a near future post apocalyptic story, a medical story and a human nature story. It has the feeling of today with government control and protestors outside. It is set in Chicago years after the infection started. As the illness progresses, the person becomes a Smiler. It is required that they notify the government when they are infected, and in the beginning they were immediately put to death. Now they have a Hospice where the dead go to die. Before the transformation to Bone Eater is complete the patient is humanely euthanized. Emily is a nurse in this facility. We see the patients for what they are-sick people. There is blood and gore but there is also humanity. The ending is definitely not what you expect for a zombie story. Warning-it's a tear jerker.

Loved it

I absolutely loved it! Very well written, kept my attention and lefted me wanting more. I'll be reading more books from this Author.

This one hurts so good.

This is NOT your everyday zombie novel, or anything close, and it’s not a fun, lighthearted easy read or listen. (I don’t mean that as a negative thing, just to set the tone.) It’s packed with heartache. It did grip me—this was a one-sitting listen for me. It’s demented and yet realistic-feeling.

It’s a short read but don’t let it fool you. It will draw more feels than most books several times its length, and comes with excellent world-building and strong character development. I’m impressed by what the authors have done here, even if I am still heartbroken from so many aspects of this book. I expect it’ll stay with me for a long time and I’d love to see it as a movie or TV series.

I enjoyed these authors’ twist on the whole zombies / post-apoc trope—they truly humanized the infected, and they did it well. They weren’t afraid to us kids and … seriously, I wrapped this up hours ago, but it’s still tugging at my heartstrings.

Very well done.
4.5 stars.


The narration and audio quality were perfect, a 5-star production.

Brutally AWESOME

My heart!! Ugh!! This book!! THIS DARN BOOK!!!
This is the kind of horror I love!! No holding back! No hands to cover your eyes… just pure HORROR! I’m not talking about “blood and guts” kind of Horror, I’m talking about “this sh*t could happen in real life, gut-wrenching, heart-aching” kind of Horror!
I loved it! I absolutely loved it…. Even though it had me weeping!! But hey… that’s when you know it’s good! If a book can make you emotional… you got a winner! This was absolutely a WINNER!!

Love the authors

This was a good one. I listened to it because i like other works by Aaron Dries. The story was a bit predictable at a certain point but still enjoyable nonetheless!!