HOME begins right where the previous book Vacation left off. Christie and her two children are fleeing from the Paterville Camp after her husband, Jack, sacrifices himself so the family could get away. Christie is despondent over the loss of her husband yet she tries to hold things together for the sake of the children. The drive back to their home is dangerous and after their experience at the Paterville Camp, Christie is very cautious when dealing with other people. As they finally make it home, the family discovers that there were mass attacks from the zombie/mutant-like creatures called the Can Heads while they were away and their once gated and secure home is no longer safe.

The neighbors have all seemingly evacuated the neighborhood and Christie decides it is best to do the same. While Christie is inside accumulating some needed supplies for the family, her children are attacked by a large group of Can Heads and is saved by the only remaining neighbor named Helen. Helen is great with a rifle and kind to the family and tells them of a place in the mountains where she thinks they will all be safe. They arrive at the compound in the mountains and try to settle into the routine and strict rules that are placed upon them, but the family feels uneasy nonetheless. After an attack on the compound, they discover that the difference between normal humans and Can Heads is becoming harder to differentiate.

This book was just as good as the first, but it is certainly not a light and fun read. The Murphy family is irrevocably changed by the events that happened in the previous book and in HOME. Matthew Costello does a great job evoking the terror and grief that Christie and her family feel during their ordeal and HOME is fast-paced from the first page to the last. There were times where I felt the same despondency and loss that Christie did because you realize that Jack would know how to handle the situation in a better, more efficient manner. Although Christie wasn't prepared to lead her family through a zombie apocalypse, she is always a mother lion protecting her cubs.

The ending lends to a continuation in the series as there was no clear wrap-up to the storyline and I do hope so as I have enjoyed these books a great deal. I hope that further books will have Matthew Costello describing more about the origin of the Can Heads and the event that caused the world to tilt so drastically in chaos. If you love post-apocalyptic stories, HOME will resonate strongly for you. The rapid-paced energy and urgency that the short chapters create make this a book that anyone who loves thrillers or survivor stories should love. The title itself describes the voyage of the family, to their home, and when that is no longer safe; to a place they can call a surrogate home. But is any place truly safe?