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Public Enemy Zero Kindle Edition

by Andrew Mayne (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.2 4.2 out of 5 stars 1,898 ratings
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The world is out to kill Mitchell Roberts. The helpless girl who needs help changing her tire. His petty ex-girlfriend and her new mate. An entire mall full of unassuming shoppers. They all want to murder Mitch in a blind rage when he's in their presence.

As Mitch attempts to unravel the mystery around his situation, he learns quickly that rabid strangers and friends aren’t his only predators. Police attempt to hunt him down by any means necessary and his every move is tracked by a shadowy government official with a secret to protect.

He'll need to use every resource he has, from the advice of a paranoid late night radio host, to his Twitter account and find out why he's become Public Enemy Zero.

TOP FIVE HIGH-TECH AMAZON BEST SELLER

“A fast paced thriller that I literally couldn't put down. I will definitely be checking out the other Andrew Mayne titles on Kindle.” - Robert Gemienhardt

“I think it's the mark of great sci-fi that despite the imagined elements that drive the plot, the characters and the situations feel real. Public Enemy Zero accomplishes this beautifully.” - Jeremy Lusk
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  1. Print length
    392 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Sticky notes
    On Kindle Scribe
  4. Publication date
    December 7, 2013
  5. File size
    820 KB
  6. Page Flip
    Enabled
  7. Word Wise
    Enabled
  8. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
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Editorial Reviews

From the Author

Like my other books I wanted to take a twist on a concept and look at it from a different point of view. 

What would you do if everyone really was out to kill you? This was the starting point for this story. Instead of a post-apocalyptic setting, I wanted to explore how someone would try to survive the most hostile situation imaginable and still maintain something of his moral compass.

Mitch isn't a conventional action hero. He has a conscience and really doesn't want to cause anybody harm, even when they're trying to rip his throat out. He knows the people trying to kill him are sick and not acting out of their own free will. This puts him into a situation where he has to be far more clever and inventive than the typical protagonist.

The mechanism behind the condition that's making people go crazy is more sinister than an escaped pathogen or a secret experiment. It's also more plausible than we'd care to realize. I spoke with a well-known neuroscientst about the biology behind the mechanism in order to give it an extra layer of reality.

About the Author

Andrew Mayne is the Wall Street Journal bestselling author of the Naturalist novels, including Thriller Award nominee The Naturalist as well as Looking Glass, Murder Theory, and Dark Pattern; an Edgar Award nominee for Black Fall; and the star of A&E's Don't Trust Andrew Mayne and a Discovery Channel Shark Week special. Andrew is a magician who started his first world tour as an illusionist when he was a teenager before going on to work behind the scenes for Penn & Teller, David Blaine, and David Copperfield. Ranked as the fifth bestselling independent author of the year by Amazon UK, Andrew currently hosts the Weird Things podcast. For more on him and his work, visit www.AndrewMayne.com.



Kevin T. Collins, an Audie Award-winning audiobook narrator, is an actor, singer, recording artist, and director who can be seen off Broadway, on television, and in films.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0052ZUXPA
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ (December 7, 2013)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ December 7, 2013
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 820 KB
  • Simultaneous device usage ‏ : ‎ Unlimited
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 392 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.2 4.2 out of 5 stars 1,898 ratings

About the author

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Andrew Mayne

Andrew Mayne

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Andrew Mayne is a Wall Street Journal bestselling author whose books include The Naturalist, a Thriller Award finalist and Black Fall an Edgar Award finalist Black Fall. He’s the star of the Discovery Channel’s Shark Week special Andrew Mayne: Ghost Diver, where he swam alongside great white sharks using an underwater invisibility suit he designed and also was the star of A&E’s Don’t Trust Andrew Mayne. He currently serves as the Science Communicator for OpenAI, the creators of ChatGPT and GPT-4.

@AndrewMayne

AndrewMayne.com

Customer reviews

4.2 out of 5 stars
4.2 out of 5
1,898 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Ms D
5.0 out of 5 stars Wow...this is an awesome find!
Reviewed in the United States on August 31, 2011
Verified Purchase
Buying a 99cent ebook like this, I didn't have the high expectations. But after reading Public Enemy Zero, all I can say is wow, where've you been all this time Andrew Mayne? My official best new author find of the year! The writing was polished and really drew me in. Nonstop action and suspense kept me reading until the very last page.

Other reviews have given a summary of the plot so I won't bother. But I have to say that I really enjoyed the main character, Mitch. First, he had amazing restraint and concern for others. I kept thinking, how much would I care about the lives & wellbeing of people who were trying to rip me apart? Not much, I'm sure. But Mitch is a really honorable and decent guy and he tries as much as possible to minimize the damage he causes. At the same time, he is a quick and creative thinker, managing to stay a few steps ahead of the professional bad guys. Being somewhat of a loner with a marginal career and no love-life, Mitch is not superman, but instead, a very human, likable character. All in all, a kind of everyman hero.

I'm surprised that I've not heard of the author, Andrew Mayne, before. After looking at his profile and some of his websites, it looks like he is a really creative and prolific character himself. I have now downloaded his other 2 ebooks and, if they are even close to as good as Public Enemy Zero, will be keeping up with anything he writes.
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J Bryden Lloyd
4.0 out of 5 stars Very good read. Recommended!
Reviewed in the United States on June 22, 2012
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Book Review: Public Enemy Zero by Andrew Mayne
Reviewed by J Bryden Lloyd

Writing Style - 3.5/5.0 (Good)
This was one of those books that improved as you read. In the early chapters, the text felt a little clunky and the dialogue was adequate but seemed to occasionally stop short. I don't think this was really an error, but personally, I found myself reading things twice to be certain of the context. Don't get me wrong, this was not a continuous thing and I am most certainly putting it down to personal preference. Other than that, once the story got moving, things were very much better and I have to say that the chase scenes were nicely visual and well drawn.

Character Development - 4.0/5.0 (Very Good)
I linked with the "Mitch" character very easily and I was impressed with the pace that the author allowed this character to develop and become the central core of the plot. Admittedly, I felt that "The Naked Man" persona was at best unnecessary and at worst a distraction from an exceedingly well-built character base and it came as no surprise to discover the identity of this character.
Beyond these two, I found the other key members of the cast very engaging, though I do think that - in a few cases, and especially with Dr Lovestrange - the author failed to make the best use of them in the latter stages of the tale.
Indeed, I had sort of hoped that Mitch might have placed a live call to the radio station when he came into possession of Lovestrange's phone.

Descriptive - 4.5/5.0 (Excellent)
Of all the elements within this book, the descriptive was by far the most memorable. Where perhaps specific people and events were quickly forgotten, the descriptions of the locations and the detail within the scenes were exemplary. In many ways, this eye for the right balance of information was the key that made me want to read on.

Language & Grammar - 4.0/5.0 (Very Good)
There were several typo's and comma-based things that I will mention only in passing. Effectively, a minor polish will make this a thoroughly more complete work and a definitively better read. However, the use of language, the author's careful attention to the details and the generally excellent dialogue - which greatly improved as the story progressed - made this a good read.

Plot - 4.5/5.0 (Excellent) *MINIMAL SPOILERS*
The main plot and the key sub-plot regarding the virus were brilliantly conceived. The use of the incidental characters to build the tension around the main protagonist was very good and very well written, creating the constant threat of harm - and worse - in order to keep the flow of the story.
The early stages of the plot, where the people in the mall went berserk, was an excellent and nicely thought-out, as well as setting the stall for the problems that would face the main character throughout the story. At the end, equally, the scene after he posts the tweet is an inspired event in the book.

General - 4.0/5.0 (Very Good)
In summary, this was highly commendable and a good, solid read. The issues I have mentioned earlier were definitely only minor ones and other those, I was very impressed with this. Certainly worthy of anyone's time to read it.

Solid Four Stars. Has to be worth the read.
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StudioDude
3.0 out of 5 stars Fast paced and entertaining, not sure about the ending though...
Reviewed in the United States on January 7, 2012
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I started this book right after finishing another, as in, I finished one book and immediately opened this one on my kindle while trying to relax to go to sleep. I ended up reading the first quarter of the book that night. Within a couple of pages I was having to go back to the beginning to see if I'd missed something. Things started happening very quickly and never really let up.

I have some background in broadcasting, so I enjoyed having a main character who is a lowly night host on a crappy station. His plight seemed to have some real weight as I read the story and I legitimately wanted SOMETHING good to happen to him. Yowza, this poor dude just fell into a really bad stretch with practically no warning.

I only gave it 3 stars because while I did enjoy it, I found the conclusion of the story to be disappointing. A lot of time was spent setting up for something to happen with the Naked Man in the Forest that just fizzled. His identity was dangled in front of us, but the revelation of who it was didn't really have some earth shattering result. Perhaps there's more to that story in a follow-up or sequel, but for this book it just hangs there. The poison ivy on the testicles part made me shiver a little too, but that's probably the intent.

I still left this book having enjoyed the read, but wanting more for Mad Mitch at the end.

My only real complaint about the writing was the foul language. Granted, Mitch is a twenty-something who probably uses the "F-word" like the Smurfs use, well, Smurf. However, the Mitch that my brain created would have been just as 3D even if he hadn't talked like the semi-literate ape that most of us are at that age. That's not to say that he didn't have plenty of intelligent words and thoughts, just a few too many of the other for my taste. Probably not much of a complaint, all things considered.
4 people found this helpful
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penny miller
5.0 out of 5 stars Usual Andrew Mayne goodie!
Reviewed in the United States on May 20, 2021
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While not my favorite Andrew Mayne book, (huge Dr. Theo fan here) I have to say that this guy writes books that are guaranteed to be entertaining and riveting. Pure escapism and always so well written and paced according to the story line. This one had a real sense of urgency that suited the plot and I appreciate his knowledge of his craft. If I were him, I would take it as a massive compliment that if I'm getting on a plane, I pick either Andrew Mayne or John Grisham, because I know that the time will fly by and I will be totally engrossed. Great job.
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Top reviews from other countries

Don Wither
4.0 out of 5 stars Interesting Concept and well written
Reviewed in Canada on July 23, 2014
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Very interesting novel. Not sure I was going to like it at first, but then it hooked me and I was in for the full ride. Enjoyable summer reading!
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Anthemusa Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars horror-thriller at its finest!
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 24, 2013
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It has to be said that Mr Mayne is fast becoming one of my favourite authors. This is definitely in the top 5 books I've read in the last 12 months, making it the second entry of his on that short list!

The story follows Mitch, a radio presenter. After two weeks off sick, he takes himself back to work and unleashes a chain of events that are as terrifying as they are bewildering. Everyone he meets is trying to kill him. At first he thinks he's just encountering crazy people, but then he makes the mistake of going to a shopping mall and all hell breaks loose. As he goes on the run as public enemy number one, he battles a Police force that won't listen and a government that's trying to kill him.

In short, it's a rip-roaring blend of horror and thriller, beautifully executed and very compelling. It reminded me a lot of Michael Crichton at his best.

You can't help but like Mitch. He's a genuinely nice but resourceful character and, when he realises that he may end up spending the rest of his life alone and in quarantine, your heart goes out to him. Like most people he believes the government are there to protect the public and that handing himself in would be the best thing to do.

Here steps in a fellow DJ and conspiracy theory talk-show host, who feeds him helpful advice on what's going on and how to escape the authorities, cleverly disguised as radio interviews.

It's a really powerful story. Parts of it are gruesome. It's very violent and most certainly creepy. It has a very real sense of wrongness because bad things like that shouldn't happen to such nice and unsuspecting people. I caught myself wondering at least twice how I'd cope if it happened to me and I'm pretty sure I wouldn't last a day. You find yourself cheering for Mitch, even when he's forced into inhumane actions as a result of the dire circumstances. There's also the frightening possibility that it could happen. The technology to alter pheromones is out there. It's no secret that the government carries out research on biological weapons. Conceivably, at a stretch of the imagination, something like this could actually be out there. That knowledge makes this book appeal to a base fear that resides in all of us.

It's written in such a fast-paced style that you find yourself utterly absorbed in what's going on. I think what makes it so compelling, though, is the way that Mitch uses the media to aid his cause. It was hard not to see the symbolism of it. Nowadays the truth is in the hands of the people. We're less easily manipulated by the media because, thanks to social media sites like Twitter and Facebook, we can get first hand accounts of what's actually happening on the ground, right where the events are happening. After uploading a video to Youtube pleading his case, Mitch turns to Twitter (where, incidentally, you can actually follow him @MadMitchFM) and discovers the #runmitchrun topic. From then on, his direct voice to the common people is his lifeline to safety. I LOVED how he handled the end of the book.

I did figure out fairly early on who the naked man in the forest was, but it didn't detract from the story because I wasn't a hundred percent sure and it's set itself up for what could be an epic sequel.

All in all, another sterling book from Mr Mayne and at less than a pound it's a bargain! Read it. You won't be disappointed.
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Steve
4.0 out of 5 stars Public Enemy Zero
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 29, 2012
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Thank you Mr Mayne, a good read.

This is a cracking value story (77p, I'd pay a fiver). I loved it, it was fun, graphic, actioned packed and a really interesting story, I'd read nothing like it and found the whole idea original, intriguing and well written. I genuinely cared about the main character and wanted to see how he survived his situation and overcame the obstacles facing him.

I only have a couple of issues (hence four stars), what happened to the two detectives in the 1st half of the novel, they seemed to get forgotten and ceased to be mentioned, however by introducing them and frequently going back to them I wanted to know more about them and their story. Second issue was the naked man in the forest, it was a distraction and didn't really add anything to the story.

Buy the book, read the book, its a good one. Enjoy
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@ReadingUnlimited
3.0 out of 5 stars Public Enemy Zero
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 25, 2021
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Unfortunately, this isn't my favourite Andrew Mayne book. I have thoroughly enjoyed all of his others but, this one just didn't have the usual grip on me that his other books do.
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HB
5.0 out of 5 stars Brilliant, fast paced, unusual story! I loved it!
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 8, 2024
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Andrew Mayne is an amazing author - all of his books are cleverly written and really interesting. I love that he integrates science, science fiction, humour and suspense. Patient zero did start very strangely but all fell into place. Mitch is an everyday guy who had an extraordinary week - fabulous story.
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