Pg. 69: Nancy Kress's "Dogs"

The current feature at the Page 69 Test: Dogs by Nancy Kress.

About the book, from the publisher:

The treat of terrorism and biological warfare becomes all too real when the danger comes from a family's most cherished pets. Tessa Sanderson, ex-FBI agent, has moved to a sleepy Maryland town in order to escape her tragic past. When the town's beloved dogs begin viciously attacking pet owners and their children, federal CDC agents determine that the dogs are carrying a mutated flu affecting the aggression center of their brains, for which there is no known cure. Tessa offers her unofficial assistance to Animal Control Officer Jess Langstrom, who has been ordered to round up all of the dogs and quarantine them. Meanwhile some of the locals, unconvinced of the threat, are preparing to protect their pets by any means necessary. But Tessa, the widow of an Arab who roused the suspicions of her FBI colleagues, has another secret: someone is sending her threatening emails in Arabic claiming responsibility for the virus, and she resolves to go deep undercover in order to expose a deadly conspiracy.

Dogs is a topical, fast-paced, biological thriller that will scare you while it makes you think.

Among the praise for Dogs:

"A spine-chilling, suspense-laden story of pets turned unwitting killers. Kress brings her thorough knowledge of genetics and biology to bear in this nicely creepy thriller."
—Publishers Weekly

"The suspense ratchets up in this perfect vacation read."
—Booklist

"A page turner ... unusual and refreshing. Highly recommended."
—Monster Librarian

"[A] fast-moving thriller (think Stephen King's Cujo) that capitalizes on Americans' love for their dogs."
—Library Journal

"Kress ratchets the tension up and up in a grand display of writerly talent. If you like suspense, you're gonna love this one!"
—Tom Easton

Read excerpts from Dogs, and learn more about the author and her work at Nancy Kress' website and her blog.

Nancy Kress is the author of twenty-three books, including the critically acclaimed Beggars in Spain, Probability Moon, and more recent, Nothing Human, which addresses the outcome of climate change.

The Page 69 Test: Dogs by Nancy Kress.

--Marshal Zeringue