Eleanor's brother is missing. He hasn't come home from New York, and Eleanor is worried. So, she goes to check and see if a telegraph was sent - and a zombie attack happens. The Dead flock the post office. Sounds like quite the opening scene, right?! I thought so. Immediately, Dennard brings the action, zombies, and craziness. It's a great scene to begin the book, because readers get a feel of the tension and mood of the setting. Not an easy feat, but Dennard did it! 
 Well, her brother is still missing, and while Eleanor was attacked in the post office, one of the zombies gives a letter to Eleanor - from her brother. This means that the zombies have her brother, or whoever is controlling them has him. Eleanor goes to the Spirit Hunters for help, and our story begins. 
 I really liked this book! I can't believe I put off reading it for so long. I love historical fiction, and this book is an amazing historical fiction novel. It's set in the 1800s, and readers are constantly reminded of this. The mode of dress, the speech, the somewhat arranged marriages, the regression of women's rights... Dennard keeps bringing about Eleanor's pending engagement and marriage, which is a great way to remind readers that the romance in historic times had many different barriers - some very different from today. 
 Speaking of romance, we have Eleanor and Daniel. I really like Daniel - he isn't the typical YA hero. I suppose because he is a historical fiction character, and not a contemporary character, there MUST be differences, but I feel like even then, Daniel is different. A good different. I love his mercurial temper - it reminds me of my own. That might not be a good thing though. 
 Anyway, the plot of this story is very interesting and engaging. I like how Dennard ended this book - it's not a pretty ending, physically or emotionally, but it's a fitting ending. The climax is very exciting and heart-stopping, and the ending is a straight slope down.