Infestation — Matt Shaw

The Infestation: The Fringed Ornamental tarantula has been known to cause a coma to some of the people it has bitten. The Chinese Bird Spider, known for its extreme aggression, has caused at least one infant death and has a venom which kills 50% of the lab mice it was tested on. The Mouse Spider and the Sydney Funnel-Web spider - both tiny - can bring down a full-sized adult if an anti-vemon isn't administered quickly enough. The Brown recluse spider, and the Chilean recluse - both extremely venomous with their bites causing necrosis; dying tissue at the site of the bite with potential for the wound to grow up to ten inches. The Black Widow, the Redback...Killers. And even if you don't die you can expect swollen lymph nodes, headaches, fevers, nausea and tremors, seizures and even comas and respiratory failure. The Six-Eyed Sand spider - one of the most venomous spiders in the world - one bite and you bleed from your skin, orifices - even your eyes - and there is no anti-venom. Even when there is anti-venom, though, it doesn't mean you're safe...The Brazilian Wandering Spider - thought to be THE most venomous spider according to the Guinness World Records...One bite from this and even the anti-venom being administered isn't a sure way of keeping you alive. It's still possible you'll die. So what do these have in common, other than the fact they're all spiders? All of them are tame in comparison to this new, aggressive species which is fast wiping out the country in Matt Shaw's new horror novel "The Infestation." The Infestation 2: The United Kingdom has fallen with no chance of ever getting it back or stopping the spread of the hatchlings. The only hope the survivors have is to seek refuge in one of the many countries offering them the chance of salvation and a new life. But starting again, having lost everything and everyone you loved, is not easy - especially when you don't really know the people who are taking you in...