The Death Code by Lindsay Cummings is the sequel to The Murder Complex, a bloody debut novel about keeping the population in check by any means possible.

The Death Code takes places just a few weeks after The Murder Complex finishes, with Meadow captured and being tortured for what she knows. Though the book starts off on an intense note, it keeps raising the bar from there.

The only thing Meadow wants is to save her family, and the only thing Zephyr wants is to protect Meadow. Sometimes their goals don’t align, and as Meadow slips further away from him, Zephyr begins to wonder if he’s made the right choice by following her to the ends of the Earth.

The world opens up and we leave the Shallows, venture outside the perimeter, and learn some startling new facts about this terrifying world.

‘The Death Code’ review

The Death Code by Lindsay Cummings takes what we saw in the first novel and cranks it up several notches. If life was rough for Meadow before she was captured, it’s nothing in comparison to how she’s living when we see her at the start of the book. This novel holds nothing back, and the raw emotion and pain only justify how dark and cruel this world can be.

Zephyr’s story continues as well, and he’s faced with some difficult decisions that will affect his relationship with Meadow. As she spirals into a darker place than she’s ever been in before, he tries to help her fight it while battling his own demons.

The true highlight of this book, however, is the setting. We get to see what it’s like outside the Shallows, and learn that perhaps paradise isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. We also get to learn more about how the Murder Complex first began, and what else is going on in the rest of the world.

The Death Code takes you down a dark, winding road, but there is light at the end of the tunnel by the final few chapters.

The Death Code by Lindsay Cummings is available now. You can add it to your Goodreads list, or purchase it from Amazon or IndieBound.