Title: Plagued World
Series: EMP Aftermath
Author: Grace Hamilton
Publisher: Relay Publishing
Release Date: 15th April 2026
BLURB
Society collapsed. But the true nightmare is only beginning…
Bear and Laurel are still reeling from the attack on their small community. Their clinic has been reduced to ashes, and what little remains of their medical supplies won’t last long. They need time to recover—but fate has other plans.
A brutal illness rages through the battered community, and there’s nothing Laurel can do to stop it. One by one, Thunder Bay’s residents are falling sick. Now, Trent is infected—and getting worse. With only natural remedies at their disposal, time is running out. They have to stop the spread before it’s too late.
Meanwhile, Gideon and Sharon travel with Kate, desperate to leave old enemies behind. But long, dangerous miles still separate them from the relative safety of Thunder Bay. And to make matters worse, someone is following them…
With two frightened children depending on them for protection, they’d rather avoid a fight. But every time they slip away, their pursuers close in again. It’s not bandits. It’s not hostile locals. They’re being hunted.
And soon, there’ll be nowhere left to run…
REVIEW
The cover depicts a male and female figure with masks on carrying weapons, which could be either Laurel and Bear, or Gideon and Mae. The cover fits well with the rest of the series book covers so far and it would make me pick it up from a book store shelf.
When I saw the title and the figures on the cover with masks I knew we were in for a highly contagious illness attacking the character we have grown to love, so I was immediately wondering how things would work out especially as the community have not really recovered from the medical clinic and its supplies being burnt down.
When a mysterious illness begins striking down people, Laurel has to act quickly whilst not causing alarm in an already tired and despondent community. When she visits the home of what turns out to be patient zero she cannot believe what she is seeing, the elderly man seriously ill with something he seems to have caught from the numerous cats he insists in keeping in his home as pets. You really see how far medicine has jumped back since the EMP, with no hospitals, no modern technology, vaccines and very little in the way of medicines. The illness spreads faster than the fire at the medical centre did and soon Laurel is making house calls to an increasing number of ill people. At first, she doesn’t believe what she is thinking, she thinks she is overreacting but her fears are real, the illness is the plague. Thunder Bay must isolate itself to prevent the spread, people need to keep themselves to themselves, stay indoors and take the herbal medication to treat the symptoms and the preventative herbal teas that Laurel and her family are making around the clock. The difficulty is getting all the residents of Thunder Bay to believe that the illness if the plague and how serious is, having them comply with the new restrictions on movement as well as having them put their faith in herbal medicines & preventatives when there is nothing else available. All this falls to Laurel, Bear, Mae, Trent and the trusted friend of Bear, Lyle. This small group of five need to go around the whole community of Thunder Bay delivering provisions without causing mass panic. Despite all precautions Trent falls ill with the plague. He is isolated within the cabin and treat with the herbal medications at hand.
Gideon and his group think their luck has changed when they meet Kate and her armoured vehicle, however it soon becomes apparent that Kate has not tole the group the whole truth about who she is, what she is carrying and how she came into possession of it. Kate also doesn't tell Gideon and his group that she is being chased down by the Rossi mafia family who do not care who is killed as collateral damage as long as they get back what belongs to them as well as some retribution on who took it. As always there are a lot of difficult decisions to be made....do they risk going to Thunder Bay with the Rossi Mafia on their trail, but it they don’t go there where else can they go? Also, Gideon knows that the medical supplies would be put to good use by Laurel, shared in the community not sold to the highest bidder like the Rossi Mafia want to do with them. The group attempt to lose the Rossi thugs following them but know its highly likely that they will come looking for them after the Rossi Mafia Bosses son Matty Rossi is shot by Gideon. They decide to go to Thunder Bay and if the Rossi thugs follow them there make a stance there. Eventually they arrive on the outskirts of Thunder Bay and see a sign warning of illness and saying Do Not Enter etc which makes Gideon, Sharon and Lisa even more determined to see their friend with the medication they have with them.
The Rossi thugs do arrive in Thunder Bay and a risky plan is formed by Laurel and Bear, in an attempt to weaken the men, they put them in the home of the now deceased patient zero. It works to a point but these are dangerous men and Matty Rossi uses drugs and is unhinged wanting to shoot everyone and anyone. Things come to a head when the Rossi men first kidnap Thomas, the young boy now in Gideons care. Laurel, Bear, Sharon, Lisa, Gideon and Lyle decide to try to retrieve Thomas. Everything is going to plan then when one of the men grabs Mae, Gideon sees red and shots are fired! A battle ensues sadly one of my favourite characters dies in the battle.
The Thunder Bay residents regroup and decide to try and lure the remaining members of the Rossi gang into a ravine where they can hopefully pick them off without losing any more Thunder Bay people. Bear and Lyle organise for Mae and the children to hide out at the Harkins place. Harkins may be a little eccentric but he does help when needed.
Another battle ensues, Matty Rossi is killed, a truce is made but I can’t help thinking that the war between the Rossi Mafia and the Thunder Bay residents is far from over.
I loved Gideon, Sharon and Lisa reuniting with Bear, Laurel, Mae and Trent. I enjoyed the introduction of the new character of Kate, though have to admit to being angry with her sometimes with her quite selfish attitude. Her younger brother died due to an asthma attack, brining home the fact that previously treatable conditions can be deadly in this new EMP Aftermath world. I could identify with Sharon and Lisa when it seems Kate is more bothered about her dog Beau and disregarding the danger that Thomas is also in. I’m still on the fence about her character and wouldn’t trust her 100% she seems to want to help the Thunder Bay Residents, that have taken her in despite the danger she brought to them, but she also seems like she would probably make a deal to save herself at the expense of others.
The book did have some happier news from Mae, though it does immediately put Gideons nose out of joint as he has always had a not always so secret crush on Mae and its certainly clear the feelings aren’t particularly reciprocated. Mae’s news also strengthens Maes position that she has not been pining for Gideon and is making a life for herself that doesn’t necessarily include Gideon in a romantic sense.
I also became angry with Gideon in this book, the way he lost his temper and said some really nasty things to Mae. It was kind of sweet how he had a “not so secret” love crush on Mae. I think you could say he was besotted by her and the idea of a future they could have together. Unfortunately Mae simply sees him as a good friend, and army colleague, though she makes this fairly clear she still remains friends with him. I was so angry when despite this he became rather possessive, and judgemental of Mae insinuating she wasn’t in a position to make wise choices and look after herself when we all know that Mae is definitely the daughter of Bear and Laurel, the best survivalist, preppers and when needed combatants when needed. Mae also has a protective sibling figure in Trent too. Gideon may think he is being protective but he certainly steps way over the mark and Mae lets him know.
I really love Trent, he has been through such a lot, lost everything, then finding Bear and becoming part of the family. Then just as he is experiencing first love with Alyssa, she is badly injured and dies. Trent has still not come to terms with the loss of Alyssa and still blames Laurel for her death which makes the atmosphere a difficult one to work with, however they manage to call a truce so they can work together making herbal medicine and delivering it to the community. Then when Trent succumbs to the plague, Laurel finds herself treating the young man that she views as a son, trying desperately to save his life, in the hope if he recovers, they can straighten out the way he feels about Laurel and what he considers Laurels part in Alyssa’s death.
Of course, I still adore Laurel and Bear and the way this devastation in the world has brought them back together, the way they protect their family, friends and the Thunder Bay community.
I’m also looking forward to more from the newer characters of Lyle, Harkins and Kate as well as more from the existing characters that are all more well known.
My immediate thoughts upon finishing the book were that it was another great book in the EMP Aftermath Series
Summing up, really sad to see the lives of some characters end, but interested to see where the character of Harkins will develop, maybe he will be the one to help Mae heal her heart and plan for the future? I honestly cannot wait to read more!
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