Married with Zombies

In Petersen's cute debut, a zombie apocalypse turns out to be the best thing for a crumbling marriage. Bickering Seattle suburbanites David and Sarah are startled to discover their marriage counselor eating another couple. After making it home safely, they decide to head to David's sister's house in Longview. Along the way, they encounter the walking dead at nearly every turn and apply their extensive knowledge of zombie movies to fighting them. Naturally, battling zombies brings them together in a way their therapist and assorted books never could. There's a point of diminishing returns—the zombie attacks eventually blur together and an encounter with a cult in a casino feels a little forced—and while the book is short enough to not overstay its welcome, the joke may not be sustainable through the planned sequels. (Sept.)