Without a doubt, Jonathan Maberry's Patient Zero rockets along at break-neck speed, a good thing considering that's exactly what it takes to kill a zombie. The novel is full of plot twists, things are never boring, and the science behind the zombie plague is explained in great detail - and most of it is based on fact, a testament to Maberry's willingness to do some tough research. Kudos! I like that this is a spin-off series of Rot and Ruin; I also liked that Patient Zero was written for a more adult audience than Benny's series. 
 The downside of a fast plot, though, is that it leaves very little room for character development: some of the characters were two-dimensional and flat; the plot relied on cliches instead of allowing the characters to fully develop into complex, interesting people. That's not to say that they're completely undeveloped - Joe has a past fraught with violence that explains his current fighting skills - but some additional depth and complication, or maybe a lull in the plot where Joe wrestles with some of this, would have further strengthened this action-packed zombie novel. (view spoiler)[Joe has a revelation at the end that he was born with this mark of violence is quick and nearly painless for him. This was a fascinating - and realistic? - revelation for him to come to, but I wish he had to struggle with the depth and gravity of it a little bit more. (hide spoiler)] 
 overall, a great read for folks who like action and zombies!