Mark of The Beast by Stephen Simpson is a young adult apocalyptic novel, set on the fictional world of Rheta.

The plot begins on Christmas Eve, following several individuals who, influenced by a mysterious online book club, detonate six nuclear bombs across different continents.

These attacks prompt a global government to implement a mandatory barcoding system, where citizens must receive a tattooed mark on their foreheads to access finances, food, and travel.

The focus is on a teenager named Lydia and her family as they struggle with the fallout of this new world order.

After her father is tragically killed while attempting to comply with the regime, Lydia and her friend Liam decide to flee into the wilderness to live off-grid.

They seek to escape the encroaching police state and the spiritual implications of the mark, which many believe is the biblical mark of the beast.

Overall, the work explores themes of survival, religious prophecy, and the loss of personal freedom during a global catastrophe.