The Xander Hill Experiment by Raquel Taylor

ISBN: 1-59836-241-0

Horror

Titan Press

Electronic

Laurie Fletcher's life changed for the worse during her childhood. When a perverted, twisted cult leader did unspeakable things to her, Laurie's mind snapped. A predator grew inside of her, one that seeks revenge for those that preyed on the innocent. She grew to be cunning, intelligent and ambitious. She achieved high status as an FBI agent and for two years began to reach her killing goal. As an FBI agent, she hunted down and killed all the pedophile and other sick, demented predators out there. This landed her a nice, long stay at the Xander Hill Federal Sanatorium. Society had placed the label patient 114 on her, along with criminally insane. She had not even been at Xander Hill Federal Sanatorium that long before the outbreak happened.

Laurie was trapped, literally inside her padded cell, as something evil and monstrous tried to get to her. It is during an announcement on the loudspeaker, she discovers what has happened. Laurie has just been thrust into a life or death situation. Mindless zombies, who once were normal human beings, now were on a killing feast. If you were bitten by a zombie, the infection turned you into the same. Dr. Bradbury becomes their God at the Sanatorium, as he explains the rules over the loudspeaker, since he, himself is in hiding. Couples must pair up, male and female. Only one couple will survive, and be allowed to enter the real world to live among society. That couple must use their wits and hidden skills to destroy the zombies and even the other "players" of the game. Laurie is paired up with eighteen year old Number 37. Together, they must battle the horrifying, mangled creatures while trying to figure out the maze they are trapped in. To Laurie's added horror is to discover the world outside of the sanatorium is the same as in the inside. The disease has spread. If she does live, it does not guarantee Laurie will survive on the outside.

The Xander Hill Experiment guaranteed to knock most horror lover’s right out of the chair. It is full of deliciously, gruesome terror and suspense. I had no idea what was going to happen next, or who the next victim might even be. I found myself rooting for Laurie, even though she was mentally disturbed to put it nicely. During the middle of this story, you will be wondering, who exactly is the good or bad guy? Even Dr. Bradbury the voice over the loudspeaker, despite his madness is not really that wrong. The world outside has become a living nightmare. If one cannot survive being trapped at the sanatorium with these monsters, how will one make it in the open field? There is lots of disgusting, stomach-curdling gore in here, so do not say I did not warn you! I would recommend heading over to Titan Press and picking up this treasure of a book.

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