An unlikely bond is forged between three men from very different backgrounds when they serve time together in prison. A series of wrong turns and disastrous life choices has led to their incarceration. Following their release, Mangle, Decker and Tazeem stick together as they return to a life of crime, embarking on a lucrative scam. But when they stumble upon a sophisticated sex-trafficking … operation, they soon realise that they are in mortal danger. The disappearance of a family member and the murder of a dear friend lead the three to delve deeper into a world of violence and deception. In their quest for retribution and justice, they put their lives on the line. Their paths cross with that of Tatiana, who has left her home country for a better life in the West – or so she thinks. She soon realises she is in the hands of ruthless, violent people, who run an operation supplying girls to meet the most deviant desires of rich and powerful men. Will she survive the horrors of The Zombie Room? Are Mangle, Decker and Tazeem brave enough to follow her there, in an attempt to set her free?
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Finding out about the author’s history and his own stint in prison, it is no surprise that The Zombie Room shows us that a criminal record is not all that defines a person. The novel’s three main characters are your classic anti-heroes – a murderer, a drug dealer and a con artist fraudster. But, even with their criminal backgrounds, they cannot turn a blind eye, when they happen upon a a deep underground sex trafficking ring, which aims to satisfy the perverse desires of those willing to pay for it. Will the three criminals put aside their own fears and try and set the girls free, or will they meet a violent end, like one of their close friends?
I loved this novel and will be sure to read it again as a welcome departure from the usual predictable crime story. Highly recommended psychological thriller.
The Zombie Room by RD Ronald is the perfect example of why you should never judge a book by its cover. RD takes us through many adventures and shows us how life could be for people who ended up and are now released from jail. The Zombie Room ends up being nothing like anyone expects but shows what happens in real life. RD does an excellent job helping us to visualize each place and person and to feel the threat of imminent danger. Will they all rejoin their families and live life happily ever after? Or will they find themselves in more trouble than the ever imagined?
The Zombie Room by R D Ronald
Have read other works by the author and enjoyed them so happy to learn of this new one, description leaves me with many questions…
Won’t go into details of the story but my impressions: found language a bit on the rough side but it goes with the story line.
Wanted to hear more from the prison side of things-something I will never get to experience myself-Find it fascinating, the bond and achievements you can make while on the inside.
When the men get involved with helping others in the sex traffic ring they got their work cut out for them. Details are just so specific and well thought out where you can picture it happening in your mind.
Horrific scenes of torture I can’t even imagine in my wildest thoughts-they don’t even appear to be considered human to me.
Loved hearing about the technology used in this book from many different angles to think of what the devices could do good things in our society.
Terrifying minutes that linger took me a long time to move on to the rest of the story. Liked the ending but wanted more from this tale.
Ends with an excerpt from The Elephant Tree by the author which I loved.
Received this review copy from the author via the publisher and this is my honest opinion.
The Zombie Room by R.D. Ronald
I received a copy of the book and I am voluntarily leaving a review.
Mangle,Tazeem and Decker, three convicts become best friends after starting a friendship in a minimum security prison. The three all have their separate story to tell concerning how they were arrested and sent to prison.
” But true friendship, that’s real friendship, that’s real family , and if you find someone who will stick by you no matter what, then you do whatever’s necessary to hold onto them.”
As their friendship was sealed in prison, so they remain friends on the outside as they experience employment rejections due to their criminal record so decide to set up their own ” business plan ” so to speak. This is a story of friendship, terrible crimes and seeking justice.
Once again, R.D.Ronald provides a novel that had me on the edge of my seat throughout. By the end of the prologue I knew I was hooked as the mystery is tantalizingly dangled. Suspense arises from the continuous conflict, the book unfolds in a timely, well-spaced manner encouraging the reader to turn those pages! Having just caught my breath, I was lulled into a false sense of security before the next surprise was thrust upon me, leaving me even more interested and invested.
The characters and their relationships are tested time and again on encountering numerous life-threatening challenges, the stakes are raised becoming higher than the initial motivation. The main characters have strong personalities and as a reader, I cared about what happened to them and about the suspenseful situations they encountered. The false leads left them, and myself, unsure as to who could be trusted.
Sincerely hoping for a sequel!
Don’t let this tittle deceives you, this is not a book about Zombies, this book is a dark drama about how the life of three men that had been in prison takes them to a new path where they don’t only learn the crimes they’ve done in the past are nothing compared to what they are facing in that moment.
Mangle, Decker and Tazeem are the three men that have ended up together in prison and somehow create this bond between them. When they get released, they want to find a way to make money, but what the stumble upon on is truly different and the circumstances of their life choices are changing with this new reality.
Oh my gosh. I progressed faster and faster through this book eager to know what would happen next. These are the sort of events we’re used to seeing unfold on the screen of some American blockbuster movie, but this time the heroes of the tale are regular, but very different, characters who meet in prison. R D Ronald writes with sometimes beautiful and other times perfect simplicity, and this sets a perfect stage for the characters whole worlds turning upside down. I won’t give away specifics of the later revelations, but I promise there are plot twists you will discover that will make your hair stand on end! The ending is quite sudden and somewhat unexpected, but I love that The Zombie Room dares not to follow regular conventions, and there is the possibility of another book to continue where this one leaves off. I will definitely go back and read this again as there is so much going on at times I’m sure there were things that I missed. In fact it’s one of those books you want to give copies of to all of your friends so you have other people to talk to about it.
I recently read Ronald’s debut novel The Elephant Tree, so my eagerness to read the follow up was a mix of equal parts excitement and trepidation, trepidation because after being so overwhelmed by the first book I was worried he wouldn’t be able to carry on in such a successful way. Well, now I’ve read it I know I needn’t have worried as The Zombie Room is every bit the knockout! This story also reads in the same intricate but well plotted manner without tailing off like some genre novels do. It also doesn’t have the dragged out feel of other thrillers which just seem like they’re padding pages to get the quota of novel thickness to appear a better buy.
This novel is a delicious ball of crime, darkness and mystery goodness sprinkled with excitement and intrigue. A far cry from the novels I’ve been reading of late, too. There is a cunningly crafted storyline in place here that covers four main characters, so be prepared to pay attention so you don’t miss out on any of the intricacies. The characters are dark and delightful and I found myself dragged into the plot and falling in love with them from the very beginning. With multiple subplots and gripping prose what more could you want from a thriller novel?
The first thing that struck me about Ronald’s novels was the seemingly effortless ability to entwine the contemporary and criminal aspects of the stories with an adjacent moral compass that prevails throughout. At times the writing is The Zombie Room is nothing short of spellbinding, something that is rare these days, and even rarer at the beginning of a literary career. Some sections are so surreal that they would fit snugly into the Murakami portfolio, where as others read like a typically pacey crime thriller novel but manage to avoid the tired old clichés we’ve seen a million times before. I didn’t have particularly high hopes when I picked this one out but I’m really glad that I did as the depth covered in the book quite took me by surprise. The writing is good but not dumbed down like so many books are nowadays. The author grants the reader as having enough intelligence to cope with the complexities of the subject matter, but the rewards are exponential because of this. This was the first of Ronald’s books I read but bought the Elephant Tree right after.
I’m not surprised how this splits opinion so much as it is so very different to the majority of thriller books, but I just loved it! I genuinely didn’t know what to expect from every twist, and even when I thought I’d got used to that the ending blew me away again.
The Zombie Room is one of my first forays into the written world of Crime Thriller type genre. I’ve previously been a bit reluctant but after reading this book I’ll certainly be looking out for more by R D Ronald and maybe more. Mangle, Decker and Tazeem are strong lead characters with very different but typically dark histories that gives them an interesting perspective on events, and a good character development arc to boot. The writing is pacey, which I guess you would expect in a book like this, but the beginning is taken at a more steady place to get all pieces in a row before events explode forwards. Once started I doubt this will be a story you’d want to put down before finishing. It’ll be interesting to see if there are some follow up novels to come. I’ll be first in line if there are.
To begin with I wasn’t sure to expect from this one, but what a delight it turned out to be. Having protagonists that meet in prison provides a good backdrop for the suspense and drama that build up following their release and they come into contact with the sex trafficking ring. It is all wrapped up in a tidy ball of excitement and sprinkled with enough intrigue to keep the pages turning. The characters are believable and I empathized with them despite their own criminal backgrounds. The plot griped me right from the beginning and once they are out of prison it propels forward at a tidy rate of knots. Not very often, for me anyway, do I find an author I haven’t heard of before that makes such an impression like R D Ronald did here. A thrilling 5 star read!
I found The Zombie Room is one of those books that stays with you, long after you have finished it. Mangle, Tazeem and Decker, would probably never meet in normal life, but a bond in formed between them, when they meet in prison. Once out, instead of going straight doesn’t enter their minds, instead they go for the quick cash that only a scam can offer. They probably wished they had stuck to the above board when they inadvertently come across girls destined to be forced into the sex industry. The discovery is an act that can’t be undone, and when a friend is murdered and another disappears, they know that danger will some come for them too. Will the three men run, or will they face this danger head on, or will they try and bring justice to those who run the Zombie Room.
Ronald have delivered a right page turner and I can’t wait to read more from this original British crime writer.
Once the characters are introduced the writing and dialogue in The Zombie Room grows concise and tightly packed in a way that adds to the urgency of the plot. Initially a slow-burner, and I don’t know if this is a deliberate tactic by the author but it certainly added to the tense nature of the building events. There is a lot going on with the main and sub plots but it is handled in a way that makes the flow feel natural rather than the head-scratching moments you sometimes get with books of this nature as you try to remember who did what to whom. All in all I’d say this is an enjoyable psychological thriller with a number of twists and ups and downs. I’m very much looking forward to reading more by R D Ronald.
With novels about urban crime, The Zombie Room will be on that list of unforgettable reads. R. D. Ronald builds the novel by recounting how each of the key characters are place on a path that intersects. Mangle incarcerated, caught with transporting drugs as a onetime deal to finance a house for his girlfriend. Decker sent to jail for killing a man who was threatening his sister and family. Tazeem, needing to care for his mother, uncle, and cousin changed his name and claimed a lottery ticket illegally. Being released at the same time gave them a bond as they readjust to society. Again, caught up in a gig for quick money they face a new foe. A lethal opponent as Tatiana can attest to. She is caught in a maze of her own with little hope of escape.
Alliances made in prison gives The Zombie Room a web of connections it builds this novel upon. R. D. Ronald digs into the dark side of life as he writes this crime thriller. It quickly moves from the different characters, giving them a personal agenda. I enjoyed how the tension developed and the plot was consistent with that way of life. I would recommend this for those who enjoy the urban crime genre.
Excellent book. Full of dark brooding characters and criminality but also razor sharp reality.
Suspenseful and fulfilling! The Zombie Room has everything you need from a thriller, whether you are a lover of the genre or a newbie you can’t help but become drawn in by the characterization and the suspense of it all. Mangle, Decker and Tazeem are characters you can’t help but become intrigued by and you begin to build up almost a friendship with them yourself despite their flaws, this in the end just makes them more human and you really appreciate everything they go through.
If you enjoy books that take you to very dark places that you are (fortunately) never going to visit, then I can easily recommend this book to you. “The Zombie Room” deals with the topic of human trafficking and prostitution, which are by no means easy to write about. Still, RD Ronald succeeds in maintaining a tasteful narrative that doesn’t add any fake glamour to the lives of women who are kidnapped and forced to become prostitutes.
Despite the gloomy setting and brutal characters, “The Zombie Room” leaves some space for humanity and compassion, as three unlikely saviors turn up to save another group of girls from the miserable fate that awaits them. Decker, Tazim, and Mangle are all ex-convicts who became friends in prison and are now trying to prevent the girls from ending up in the “zombie room.” They will even turn to the law if that’s what it takes to give the kidnapped victims another chance, so you know there’s a lot of tension and suspense waiting for you in this book.
British author R.D. Ronald made his literary debut with THE ELEPHANT TREE written in 2010. He has since published THE ZOMBIE ROOM in 2016. Ronald describes himself as a “transgressive novelist” – ‘A genre of literature that focuses on characters who feel confined by the norms and expectations of society and who break free of those confines in unusual or illicit ways. Because they are rebelling against the basic norms of society, protagonists of transgressive fiction may seem mentally ill, anti-social or nihilistic.’ Of interest, R.D. share he has served prison time for growing cannabis and it was while he was imprisoned that he began writing his novels.
Ronald’s textured writing is one of the several reasons his novels work so well. He understands the importance of a novel’s opening and we find evidence of that in his moody Prologue – ‘They were beautiful, the girls in the pink and turquoise string bikinis, Mangle couldn’t deny that. But in a strip club with a room of equally attractive women there was another reason why they caught his eye. The other women stalked the room, they owned it. They were the ones preying on the customers. But these two girls being dragged roughly out from a back room didn’t belong here any more than he did. There was no confidence in their movements, or their eyes, he could see that even across the darkened room. These women were someone else’s prey. Mangle tried to ignore them, after all this was supposed to be a night out with his best friends Tazeem and Decker, but something in the back of his mind just wouldn’t let it go. One song changed to another and a new dancer strutted out onto the stage. What was it about those girls, had he seen them somewhere before? Tazeem ordered a fresh round of drinks and Decker’s eyes glazed over as he watched the hypnotic movements of the girl on stage. Mangle couldn’t blame him. Decker had been in prison so long he must almost have forgotten what a naked woman looked like. Mangle’s hand curled lightly into a fist and he bounced it against his knee as he thought. What was it about those girls? He looked back across the room and the girl in the turquoise bikini caught his eye. And then he knew exactly who she was. And he knew that he had to save her.’
And the wind sweeps in and the plot is offered in distilled fashion: ‘An unlikely bond is forged between three men from very different backgrounds when they serve time together in prison. A series of wrong turns and disastrous life choices has led to their incarceration. Following their release, Mangle, Decker and Tazeem stick together as they return to a life of crime, embarking on a lucrative scam. But when they stumble upon a sophisticated sex-trafficking operation, they soon realise that they are in mortal danger. The disappearance of a family member and the murder of a dear friend lead the three to delve deeper into a world of violence and deception. In their quest for retribution and justice, they put their lives on the line. Their paths cross with that of Tatiana, who has left her home country for a better life in the West – or so she thinks. She soon realises she is in the hands of ruthless, violent people, who run an operation supplying girls to meet the most deviant desires of rich and powerful men. Will she survive the horrors of The Zombie Room? Are Mangle, Decker and Tazeem brave enough to follow her there, in an attempt to set her free?’
The unique aspect of RD Ronald’s books is the manner in which he subtly draws us into a situation and story that in other authors’ hands would not seem as directly witnessed. This is a visceral story, well scribed by an author who continues to grow in importance.