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Infested

Carol Gore (Goodreads Author)

3.97 · Rating details · 35 ratings · 17 reviews

Swarms of powerful mosquitoes sucking victims dry. Insatiable horseflies feasting on living flesh. Huge roaches with a ferocious bite. No tent is safe at the Green Swamp Zip-Line Adventure and Campground.

Camp manager, Casey Lovitt, and entomologist, Dr. Phillip Edwards, must go up against powerful business interests and cover-ups from the local sheriff’s department to stop ...more

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Kindle Edition, Rewind-or-Die #2, 97 pages

Published January 23rd 2020 by Unnerving

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The Midnight Exhibit, Vol. 1 by Eddie Generous

Benny Rose, the Cannibal King by Hailey Piper

Rewind-or-Die

23 books — 1 voter

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Average rating 3.97 ·

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· 35 ratings · 17 reviews

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Feb 11, 2020 Michael Hicks rated it liked it

Shelves: bought, horror

My review of INFESTED can be found at High Fever Books.

As I said in my review for The Midnight Exhibit Volume 1, small-press publisher Unnerving’s attempts to capture the golden age of B-movie straight-to-video horror is an aesthetic I am entirely on board for. While the opening gambit in this endeavor was a Creepshow-like anthology, Infested is the first single-author novella in Rewind or Die line-up.

Carol Gore’s release has quite a bit going for it, but coming hot on the heels of a strong ant My review of INFESTED can be found at High Fever Books.

As I said in my review for The Midnight Exhibit Volume 1, small-press publisher Unnerving’s attempts to capture the golden age of B-movie straight-to-video horror is an aesthetic I am entirely on board for. While the opening gambit in this endeavor was a Creepshow-like anthology, Infested is the first single-author novella in Rewind or Die line-up.

Carol Gore’s release has quite a bit going for it, but coming hot on the heels of a strong anthology that featured Renee Miller and Stephen Graham Jones, Rewind or Die suffers from a sophomore slump with Infested. Gore’s work relies on the tried-and-true horror trope of mutant man-eating bugs, like Gregory A. Douglas’s Paperback from Hell title, The Nest, a schlocky 1980 Zebra release that covered similar ground with more frenetic gusto and cinematic urgency. Infested taps into some of what made The Nest so enjoyable while, blessedly, leaving the late 70s/early 80s-era misogyny behind, but despite being a short read, it never quite achieves the same breakneck pace or shock value as its aged counterpart.

Infested is at its best, of course, when its focused on delivering some neat insect attacks upon unsuspecting, witless humans. The book starts off simple enough with the conceit that the mosquitoes have mutated — and they’re larger and all the more bloodthirsty for it. But as it turns out, they’re also not the only critters infected, and the North Carolina swampland setting gives Gore plenty of other bugs to play with. I appreciated the environmental message at the book’s core and its concerns over the ways mankind attempts to tamper, manipulate, and otherwise subvert Mother Nature for personal gains.

Where Infested didn’t quite work for me, though, was its repetitive back-and-forths with heroine Casey, the Green Swamp Zip-Line Adventure and Campground park manager, and the various men she has to contend with only to be brushed off. After a tourist dies from a mosquito bite, Casey tries to convince first Dr. Phillip Edwards, an entomologist from the state attempting to curb the insect population growth of the swamp, then park owner Mr. Wright, and eventually her sheriff’s deputy brother. They ignore her for various reasons, and it carries a certain The Boy Who Cried Wolf feel to it as she keeps fighting against stupid men and idiotic bureaucracy to save people’s lives. It’s an interesting, and sympathetic, position to put her in, but it’s also a frustrating dash of Groundhog Day-like repetition when, really, you just want to get back to the gruesome, savage killer bugs. Of the latter, there wasn’t nearly enough mayhem and gore to really hold my interest, particularly given the projected influx of Memorial Day tourists scheduled to arrive.

The last third of the book goes a long way toward kicking the narrative into a higher-gear, but I can’t help but feel there were a few missed opportunities that could have really been capitalized on. Gore does a fine job paying off much of the character developments and interpersonal relationships, which much of the book’s focus sticking to the human element. Personally, I wanted waaaay more nasty bug attacks and awful, vulgar deaths, and a smidge less familial drama and will-they or won’t-they romance. The body count is surprisingly slim and at least two of those take place off-page, which proved a bit frustrating.

Infested isn’t a bad debut for Gore, but it didn’t exactly deliver everything I had hoped for. I do look forward to seeing what the author comes up with next, though! ...more

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Sep 15, 2020 Audra (ouija.doodle.reads) rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: horror, womxn-of-horror, novella

This is a quick, gory little story about bugs gone wrong—hugely wrong (lol)—and I got way more invested in it than I expected to be! What a great horror novella.

Another entry in the Rewind or Die series (I'm on a kick), this tale is about a swamp where the bugs begin mutating and growing way larger than is cute and worst of all, thirsting for blood. The best moments of the story are definitely the descriptions of the bugs and the chaos they inflict. Bugs are truly alien and have some strange way ...more

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Mar 16, 2020 Alex | | findingmontauk1 rated it really liked it

Shelves: owned, kindle-books, lohf

To sum up, Infested is a novella where bugs become way bigger and more aggressive than they should be. And in a serious, people-murdering, end-of-the-world kind of way. Certain bugs have always freaked me out a bit and so to see them bigger and in larger groups was pretty irksome and made my skin crawl. Just imagining seeing people covered in giant mosquitoes to where you can't even see their skin is enough to make me run for the hills. And do not get me started on the humongous roaches.

This is ...more

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Jan 21, 2020 Sherry Fundin rated it really liked it

Shelves: fiction, horror, read-in-2019, series

OUCH! It starts out with a bug bite. And, it’s all downhill from there.

Casey is the environmentalist type, so it is no surprise finding her working for the Green Swamp Zip Line Adventure and Camp. It allows her to keep a close eye on the Swamp.

Doctor Phillip Edwards was trying to control the mosquito population by sterilizing them, then releasing them to compete for the females, hopefully limiting reproduction.

Cody is a cop, her brother, AND a major dick!

A hurricane. A chemical plant. Flooding i ...more

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Jul 29, 2020 Thomas Joyce rated it really liked it

This is exactly the kind of entertaining killer bug story you'd hope to find in the horror section of the video store. The descriptions of the mutated versions of common insects had me scratching my arms and neck, I felt as though I were being bitten while reading! We are led to believe that protagonist Casey has been a doormat for everyone from her abusive brother to her horrible boss for as long as she can remember, but that all changes in this book. She becomes a tough, kick-ass heroine and, ...more

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Feb 03, 2020 Brennan LaFaro rated it really liked it

From the cover to the plot to everything inside, this book was exactly what I wanted it to be. I have a soft spot for southern swamp horror, oddly specific I know, and Carol Gore's Infested does a fine job of scratching it.

The bugs in this particular swamp are growing bigger and more aggressive. It starts with mosquitoes and then moves onto horseflies, wheel bugs, ticks, and all sorts of other creepy crawlers that are bad enough at their normal size. (Side note: if you don't know what a wheel b ...more

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Jul 19, 2020 Heather Horror Hellion rated it it was amazing

I hate bugs!
I love bug horror!

This book is the perfect giant killer bug book. There were some bugs I had to Google just to get the correct picture in my head.That is to be expected because, I don't know much about bugs.

The characters were great the main character was a stong women, the other characters were well written and likeable.

The setting was in the swamp and im glad I didn't read this outside.

The part with a brown recluse was awesome and disgusting.

I loved the ending and the side sto ...more

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Jul 27, 2020 Bruce Kessler rated it really liked it

Fun read....exactly as advertised...like watching a B grade movie...beware the killer insects!

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Jan 19, 2020 Valerie (Cats Luv Coffee) rated it really liked it

Shelves: horror

A quick search of Google will tell you that 64% of people have a fear of insects. Some so much even that they encounter an irrational gripping terror. What is it about these creatures that our feelings of dread are so closely tied up with feelings of disgust? What is it about them that makes them so fear-inducing? Is it their alien appearance? Or that they make us feel unclean or our territory invaded? Infested takes that almost primal rejection response and lets it crawl all over you

Read more a ...more

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Feb 07, 2020 Kameron rated it it was amazing

(review request submitted by the author for an honest critique)

Besides arachnids, I’m not overly fond of most bugs or insects. Before reading Infested, I didn’t suffer from myrmecophobia (fear of ants), pteronarcophobia (fear of flies), or scolopendrphobia (fear of centipedes). I do have a fear of spiders, but arachnophobia is a pretty common phobia. However, after reading Infested, that’s all changed. I now suffer from entomophobia, fear of ALL bugs.

I don’t care if it’s a ladybug or butterfly, ...more

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Jan 25, 2020 Suz Jay rated it really liked it

Casey’s Forestry degree didn’t prepare her for giant insects hellbent on making humans their prey, but if she can’t get the swamp where she works evacuated and the authorities in to manage the infestation, people are going to die. Lots and lots of them.

This book gave me the creeps. The way creatures like mosquitoes and other insects feed is pretty disgusting on the small scale, but when the bugs are ginormous, it’s nothing short of terrifying.

Gore does a great job with the plot, by adding plen ...more

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Sep 18, 2020 Heather rated it really liked it

Carol Gore’s Infested (Rewind or Die) is a great classic-style horror novel. Casey works for the Green Swamp Zip-Line Adventure and Campground. At the moment, she’s been helping Dr. Phillip Edwards release sterilized mosquitos that are supposed to help lower the population of mosquitos on the whole. It’s the result of a grant from a nearby university, and Casey hopes it will keep the man who runs the campground, Mr. Wright, from using damaging pesticides in the swamp. It’s bad enough that the ch Carol Gore’s Infested (Rewind or Die) is a great classic-style horror novel. Casey works for the Green Swamp Zip-Line Adventure and Campground. At the moment, she’s been helping Dr. Phillip Edwards release sterilized mosquitos that are supposed to help lower the population of mosquitos on the whole. It’s the result of a grant from a nearby university, and Casey hopes it will keep the man who runs the campground, Mr. Wright, from using damaging pesticides in the swamp. It’s bad enough that the chemical plant upstream has previously contaminated the local water. Then the unthinkable happens–a person is attacked by hundreds of seriously large mosquitos, and dies. Next there are humongous horse flies that eat an alligator alive. Unfortunately, Mr. Wright refuses to shut the park down, tries to victim-blame for one incident, and–oh yeah, he has ties to the chemical company! Can Casey and Phillip figure out what’s happening and make it stop before the entire town is eaten alive?

The characters are great. Casey has a troubled family, is often dismissed and overlooked by her boss, and just wants to be able to make a living in the swamp that’s always been there for her. Phillip starts out as the befuddled professor, but he has a certain strength to him as well. And might there be an attraction between the two? Mr. Wright is not as well-detailed, but he also isn’t the focus of the book, so I think it works well enough. Casey’s family–her depressed, pill-popping mom and her bully of a cop brother–turn out to have more to them than I expected, which was nice.

The swamp is great, and I love the descriptions of the overgrown insects. Centipedes, spiders, roaches, wheelbugs–they all start showing up in larger sizes and with disturbing appetites. It’s a classic horror-style monster romp with a great cast and a fun plot. There are some good surprises along the way, too, despite the fact that this isn’t an incredibly long book!

All in all I really enjoyed this book. I did have one complaint: at one point Casey takes it upon herself to make her mom go cold turkey from pain pills, alcohol, and anti-depressants, all at once. Any one of those without the supervision of a doctor could go incredibly badly, much less all three!

Content note for gore and some seriously scary insects!

Original review posted on my blog: http://www.errantdreams.com/2020/09/r... ...more

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Dec 25, 2020 Eliza Jo rated it really liked it

Shelves: horror

From Sci Fi and Scary:

Casey Lovitt is the Green Swamp Zip-Line Adventure and Campground camp manager. The swamp has been her refuge since her father committed suicide and her family fell apart. Although she has a degree and could have many other career opportunities, she’s stayed near her childhood home to look after her mother, who is seldom sober.

Casey is tasked with helping entomologist Dr. Phillip Edwards. He is releasing mosquitoes into the swamp as part of a controlled study. When Casey is From Sci Fi and Scary:

Casey Lovitt is the Green Swamp Zip-Line Adventure and Campground camp manager. The swamp has been her refuge since her father committed suicide and her family fell apart. Although she has a degree and could have many other career opportunities, she’s stayed near her childhood home to look after her mother, who is seldom sober.

Casey is tasked with helping entomologist Dr. Phillip Edwards. He is releasing mosquitoes into the swamp as part of a controlled study. When Casey is bitten by a giant bug, he assures her that, other than its size, it’s perfectly normal. Casey isn’t convinced, and when oversized bugs start killing and devouring wildlife, she fears for the safety of the campground guests. Casey begs the owner to shut the campground down. She’s determined to figure out why the bugs are mutating, and desperate to find a way to stop it.

This book could be classified in a lot of subcategories. The insect population is infected with a mutation, and this mutation spreads, causing the problems to increase as the story progresses. In this respect, you could say it’s a pandemic. The problem is spreading and without an evacuation the people in town will be the next victims. It’s also a revenge story. And, with the breakneck speed the plot develops at, it’s a horror with strong thriller elements.

One of the strengths of this story is that it is anything but predictable. Casey has to figure out who to trust and keep an open mind as she gathers evidence. This isn’t easy because she is attacked by giant bugs herself and desperate to protect the public.

She is also determined to find out the truth about her father’s suicide. This means that she has to process some difficult truths and come to terms with them. Casey finds herself balancing her career with her romantic interests and her family’s problems simultaneously. She’s emotionally conflicted and it’s easy to see why her judgement may be clouded. These conflicts effectively add to the tension and the twists as the story unfolds.

The author packs a lot of story into this novella and delivers a strong read with an intriguing premise and a compelling protagonist.

4 out of 5 stars ...more

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Jan 26, 2020 Lesley Ann Campbell rated it really liked it

Casey Vs the giant bugs. I rather enjoyed this novella. No matter how big or how small, bugs are a phobia of the many. I for one am terrified of spiders and roaches. The sheer scale of the bugs within the pages was making my skin crawl. It's a fun story, reminds me of those SyFy originals, the old B-movie types that they show now like Sharknado.

Giant bugs everywhere, biting hikers and eating alligators alive. This is a fun tale of Girl Vs Beast. The story itself is nothing new really, it's very ...more

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Feb 04, 2020 John Lynch rated it really liked it

Book 2 of the rewind or die series is Infested, by Carol Gore. Is it worth you time? or does this one bite?

ive read 2 of the rewind or die series now, and while i liked both, if i were to choose which one, i'd prefer infested. This was just a fun book where you get exactly what you go into it thinking you're getting. It's a book about mutate bugs wreaking havoc in a swampland. The writing serves the story well, there are some minor plot threads that add to the characterization. The book was pret ...more

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Mar 24, 2020 Casandra rated it it was amazing

I'm still creeped out!

This was good at getting under your skin and making it crawl. Definitely recommend this read if you're not too scared of things that creep, crawl, and buzz. ...more

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Dec 10, 2020 Eric added it · review of another edition

Shelves: 2020, monster-fiction

Full review: https://monsterbookclub.com/2020/12/1...

...more

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About Carol Gore

Carol Gore

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Carol Gore examines the absurdity of life on earth by writing horror and humor, sometimes at the same time. Aside from writing, she's a yoga enthusiast, a painting hobbyist, and a lifelong voracious reader. She lives in the rural south with her husband and two sons. ...more