Help to find a book please!

[Bluepinkyellowcakes]

Hi, I started reading a book years ago that went missing soon after, so only have vague memories of the beginning to go on. I think there was some sort of accident that released poison or possibly there was a virus, one woman left but her friend didn't. The woman who left went back and had to break through barbed wire (possibly with a man, maybe a soldier but not certain) to get back to her house I think to collect belongings, she saw her friend who had stayed behind. The friend was delighted at how much weight she was losing and wouldn't leave, I think possibly her mum was dead or dying from the virus/poison... And that's all I've got. Does it sound familiar to anyone please? Would love to find it and finish it.

Hopeful bump...

how long ago did you read this? paperback or hardback? any memory of the book cover etc?

I don’t know but it sounds good! 😄

Long shot, but could it be Flowertown by S G Redling?

Would have been maybe 20 years ago but my mind still goes back to it because it started so well and I'm still annoyed I never got to finish it! It was a paperback, can't remember the cover illustration though.

Flowertown actually sounds like it might be it, I do think it was set in America, will order a copy of that book, even if its not the one it sounds good, thank you

It's years since I read Flowertown but the breaking back in through barbed wire rings a definite bell - hope it's the one but if not, it's a similar theme so you'd hopefully enjoy it anyway.

Just realised flowertown was published in 2012 so can't be that although it's along the right lines and I'm still going to get a copy of that one! I was still living with parents at home when I read it so had to be published before 2004

Oh, that's a shame. I just had a quick look online and found someone else's list of supposedly similar books - disclaimer: I don't know any of them - but might be worth a look:

Newsflesh Trilogy by Mira Grant, The Windup Girl by Paolo Bacigalupi, Run by Michaelbrent Collings and Wool - Omnibus Edition by Hugh Howey

that sounds like plague 99 by Jean Ure

Agree with PP, it must be Plague 99, am sure that has the slimming/ losing weight bit

Will order the plague book too. The problem is I only managed to read a little of it so don't really know the plot to search if you see what I mean. I only put it down briefly, my mother thought I was finished with it and it was sent off in the charity bag before I could finish it, so very frustrating. Appreciate everyone's help though, and if nothing else it's giving me suggestions for new books to read, so thank you!

It definitely had the weight loss thing in it, the friend had previously been a bit plump I think so was thrilled with the side effect of the virus/poison/maybe even radiation I don't know, but it meant she was losing weight, she twirled round in her dress showing it off and wouldn't leave with her friend. Can't remember if it was the weight loss girl or the other one whose mum was ill or dying but that was definitely there too.

You could try the subreddit
r/whatsthatbook
The people on there are very helpful

Thank you, will try reddit too. Have ordered the plague and flowertown books, will update if either turn out to be the one I lost.

Fingers crossed for you!

Just a quick update in case anyone's interested, it was Plague 99. I wasn't sure as it was a bit "younger" than I remembered, but I was a lot younger then too so makes sense I guess, but I got to the part with the friend twirling about showing off her weightloss & realised it was definitely the right one. Thank you!

Thanks also for the suggestion of Flowertown, I read that over 2 days, it was a really good book, definitely recommend it :-)