Home

'Absorbing, moving, and alarmingly believable, Home is an unforgettable story about identity, family, and the terrifying dynamics of a cult' Carole Johnstone, author of Mirrorland

'Highly engrossing' Heat

'A white-hot gem of a book; brilliantly researched, so gripping and propulsive you'll want to consume it in one go, but also glowingly, humanly real' Kirstin Innes, author of Scabby Queen

Someone has broken into Zoe's flat. A man she thought she'd never have to see again.
They call him the Hand of God.

He knows about her job in the cafe, her life in Dublin, her ex-girlfriend, even the knife she's hidden under the mattress.

She thought she'd left him far behind, along with the cult of the Children and their isolated compound Home – but now he's found her, and Zoe realises she must go back with him if she's to rescue the sister who helped her escape originally. But returning to Home means going back to the enforced worship and strict gender roles Zoe has long since moved beyond. Back to the abuse and indoctrination she's fought desperately to overcome...

Going back will make her question everything she believed about her past – and risk her hard-won freedom.

Can she break free a second time?


'An absolute triumph ... .I found myself holding my breath, hoping for the best for her, while expecting the worst. Highly recommended' Laura Shepperson, author of The Heroines and The Heir of Venus

Cailean Steed is a writer, teacher and aspiring dog owner who lives in Helensburgh with their husband and son. They have also resided in Aberdeen and Dublin, and hope one day to live somewhere with less rain.
Cailean's work has been published by New Writing Scotland, Boudicca Press and Barren Magazine. Home is their first novel. Their mother would like them to write something more cheerful.