“The Fervor” by Alma Katsu

Happy Halloween, readers of Fallon! To celebrate, I have the perfect spooky book to read this weekend. A unique combination of historical World War II fiction with a healthy dose of horror, this one is sure to have you up and reading well past your bedtime!

Set during the height of World War II in 1944, Alma Katsu’s “The Fervor” weaves a spooky supernatural twist into a very real and painful chapter of American history. The story mainly centers on Meiko Briggs and her young daughter, Aiko, who have been uprooted from their lives in Seattle and forced into a remote Japanese American internment camp in Idaho. Even though Meiko is married to a white American pilot serving overseas, anti-Asian prejudice leaves her family with no protection from the government’s harsh wartime incarceration.

Life inside the camp is miserable enough on its own, but things take a terrifying turn when a mysterious illness starts spreading among the prisoners. What initially seems like a standard cold quickly escalates into something far worse, driving infected people into violent, uncontrollable fits of rage and aggression. To make matters even more suspicious, a sketchy team of government doctors arrives at the camp, seemingly far more interested in keeping the outbreak a secret than actually treating the victims.

Realizing they can’t rely on the authorities, Meiko and Aiko are forced to figure out what is really going on. Along the way, their path intersects with a couple of other key figures, including Fran, an ambitious female newspaper reporter looking for the truth behind the strange occurrences, and Archie, a widowed minister struggling with his own place in the middle of it all. As these four characters piece the puzzle together, they discover that the outbreak isn’t just confined to the internment camp; it’s beginning to leak into nearby towns as well.

Even more disturbing, Meiko begins to recognize clues pointing to something much older and more dangerous than a simple virus. The terrifying symptoms closely match folklore stories from her childhood in Japan—specifically ancient mythical spirits known as yokai, including a spider-like demon that feeds on human hatred, fear, and paranoia. With America already gripped by intense wartime hostility and xenophobia, the sinister entity finds the perfect feeding ground to fuel its power. Together, this unlikely group must race against time to expose the mystery behind the plague, navigating government cover-ups, dark magic, and human prejudice before the supernatural contagion completely consumes everything in its path.

I hope you enjoy this week's spooky pick. Read with caution if you're easily scared! Don't forget to check out my Instagram @allison.the.reader for more book recommendations and book talk!