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No one can be totally prepared for a zombie apocalypse. No matter what preparations are made, some flaws can only be overcome by luck. When a group of well funded people decided years before to prepare for the end of civilization by building impenetrable shelters, they unknowingly left a legacy for a small band of survivors. Hordes of infected dead have swarmed across the world and destroyed civilization. Most of the world's population is dead, yet some people are determined to cling to life and are given a second chance when they learn the secrets of those shelters. On the coast of South Carolina and in the harbor of the beautiful city of Charleston, this small band of survivors is once more faced with the hard choices and risks they are forced to take. They can either hide in the safety of their impenetrable shelter on a small island, or they can fight back against the end of the world. Along the way they must hang onto their humanity while evolving to match the brutality of the new world. When they discover a massive shelter in Charleston that dwarfs their own shelter on Mud Island, they take one small step closer to giving the world back to the living. This is the continuing story of their fight against the infected dead and against the living who would try to take from them what they have.

Audio CD

First published September 17, 2016

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About the author

Bob Howard

15 books64 followers
Meet the Charleston, South Carolina Author

The author Bob Howard (1951-) was born in New Jersey to parents who met in Germany during WW II. His father was from Ohio and his ancestors were from the UK. His mother was born in Romania. He grew up as an Army dependent, and lived overseas in Germany and Okinawa for most of his childhood.

Bob is a veteran of both the Navy and the Air Force and was stationed in Charleston, South Carolina. He fell in love with the city and made it his home. As a graduate of the College of Charleston (1978) with a degree in Psychology, he has worked in the field of social services. Bob has lived and worked in Charleston, South Carolina for 25 years then moved to Columbia, South Carolina because of a promotion with his job for the last ten years. Bob will retire soon and will live in Charleston, South Carolina to be near his children.

Bob and his wife Dawn (College of Charleston 1979) have been married 31 years and raised a son and a daughter both born in Charleston, SC. Bob has finally reached a time when he can enjoy writing, and the zombie apocalypse is his favorite genre.

Bob Howard's passion has always been writing. Bob's book, Alive for Now (http://www.realbobhoward.com/), is his first installment to the science fiction post apocalyptic genre, and he wants nothing more than to know that his readers enjoy his work.

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5 stars
465 (54%)
4 stars
261 (30%)
3 stars
97 (11%)
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18 (2%)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 48 reviews
Profile Image for XR.
1,979 reviews106 followers
March 25, 2020
Jean and Ed are really irresponsible parents. Also, I adore the Squirt! This was an entertaining read but the ending seemed abrupt and unfinished. Is there another book after? Is that the end?
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Donna.
4,552 reviews165 followers
June 5, 2025
This is book #3 in the Infected Dead series. I'm enjoying this one. It isn't overly gratuitous when it comes to gore or violence, but yet there is suspense. I like this balance.

The characters are quirky in their own ways and offer up light hearted banter. Overall, this has been light but fun. So 4 stars.
Profile Image for Liz Mandeville.
344 reviews18 followers
November 20, 2024
Happy, feel good, family oriented post apocalyptic zombie series, Die For Now is the 3rd installment of Bob Howard’s “For Now” series.

Some people just thrive in the apocalypse! Take the hero of this series who has got to be the luckiest man alive. His rich, crazy, prepper uncle has died and left him a fully stocked bunker and everything he needs to survive in any disaster situation. It’s on an island in South Carolina and even has a decoy house boat that attracts survivors, a seaplane and cameras so that they can check out the survivors that occupy the house boat so they can be vetted, or they can fly off to adventure and not have to cross the zombie filled mainland.

Next, he’s out practicing shooting one of the many guns in his arsenal when he just happens to rescue the perfect woman (also she’s a nurse) along with a giant fearless military dude who can also fly the seaplane and a female police officer who is trained in shooting and fighting, and all three of them are grateful, mentally stable and get along well with each other. Perfect.

In this book, the four happy survivors meet a father/ daughter pair that escaped from Charleston also completely by luck and discover that they are not the only ones with a bunker! There’s another, much bigger bunker hidden somewhere under a fort off the coast of South Carolina as well as more than 40 other bunkers across the country.

The group set off on a mission to find the other bunkers and other survivors and the action begins!

I think I’m going to stop at this third installment, as I’m finding it hard to relate to these people. But for those who want a happy, baby and child filled apocalypse, y’all enjoy.
Profile Image for Cynthia Terrones .
193 reviews10 followers
May 7, 2017
AUTHOR BOB HOWARD HAS FOUND A NEW WAY TO HELP BRING HUMANITY BACK FROM THE BRINK.

With his new family and friends, Ed Jackson finds that there is a much larger shelter up the coast from them below Fort Sumpter. When they go to check it out, they decide they want to help bring humanity back from the brink and the perfect place to start is by finding the right people to live in this new shelter as it can house more than 300+. But they have less time than they think as something just as bad if not worse is headed there way. Now they have to do all the can in the least amount of time and then there's always someone worse than the dead could ever be that just want to take it all away, not caring if it could mean the end of all humanity. Another great, must read from Author Bob Howard, who has found a new way to help humanity survive and come back from the brink.
Profile Image for john patrick darby.
10 reviews3 followers
January 17, 2018
Still not a great storyline but has potential

Still not a great storyline. The Series has great potential that's why I've kept buying it. There needs to be some more character development and some antagonist. There needs to be some kind of sustained confrontation and or great betrayal. Too many of the conflicts happen quickly resolved with little effort some of the plots are very predictable.
Profile Image for Kendra Jones.
249 reviews2 followers
June 10, 2025
I normally don't consume "zombie" related content because it's been overdone, imoimo. However, I got this for free on Audible and figured I'd give it a try. I loved it! Some things were a little ridiculous, but I enjoyed it, and overall, at the end, I wanted more. I just saw there are more to this story, and im so excited!
Profile Image for Joy Jensen.
28 reviews3 followers
October 3, 2018
Can't say enough good things

About this series! I wasn't expecting something so original and unique! I thought the zombie theme had just about been worked to death but Bob Howard has brought us a fresh look at surviving.
2 reviews
January 26, 2019
Great read

Engrossing and characters are vulnerable and human in a non syrupy way excellent addition to add the teenagers and kids and the pain and happiness in this new world. On to the next!
46 reviews
September 8, 2019
Rebuilding and new leaders

I enjoyed this book and the character development as new folks are brought in under the Mud Island Team. There are a couple of deaths that were difficult and some surprises. A lot can happen and the rebuilding is slow!
Profile Image for Henric  Jensen.
16 reviews
June 13, 2022
I am still enjoying myself. Not sure I liked that one VERY annoying character had a very short arc - given that it was sort of a redemptive cop-out. I think I would have enjoyed at least one major showdown before the redemption.
16 reviews
July 7, 2017
Great read!

Anyone who loves books about zombies or the Apocalypse must read this book! I now have a new favorite author!
Profile Image for Jimmy Abril.
34 reviews2 followers
August 23, 2017
Great series

Great series! Can't wait for the next one. I am really enjoying this series. One of the best I have read
17 reviews1 follower
November 28, 2017
Loved it!!!

This is a great series, with lots of interesting characters and close calls. If you enjoy zombie novels, I think you will find this series well worth reading!!!
35 reviews
June 11, 2022
awesome!

Can’t stop reading this series! I honestly am impressed by how realistically plausible the reactions are of the characters. Can’t wait to read more!
Profile Image for Dee.
204 reviews1 follower
February 26, 2025
Funny to say I enjoy this series, but it is like candy.
Profile Image for Helen Robare.
813 reviews5 followers
February 28, 2024
Book 3 in the Infected Dead series.

Unfortunately, our heroes are finding out that the living surviving members of the human race are more dangerous and tenacious than the unliving denizens.

In this book, the group has split up in order man some of the unoccupied refuges like the one in Fort Sumter. Chief and Kathy go out on their own looking for the underground refuge in Charleston. They get more than they bargained for though as the Charleston refugee is MASSIVE!! Rest easy though, the original group of Chief, Jean, Kathy, and Eddy stay together though they do go off on missions.

Jean is now in the 3rd trimester of her pregnancy so she is staying home and safe at the Mud Island refuge with Molly. Though they aren't given but two choices 1.) stay safe in the refuge and let the world and the survivors deal with as best they can or 2.) Go out and try to help others who may be worth saving. As with the other two books new friends are made by helping others. Here they rescue 2 prisoners held captive by "out for themselves only" humans.

We learn more about Chief's past and Kathy before she got on the cruise ship (book 1) the Atlantic Spirit. We are given information about tides and currents, knives and gun safety and make. We also learn more about what made the unliving and are beginning to understand that there is more than one means of transmission (bite).

To my delight, there are antagonists but they are usually individuals who prey on other humans just because they can but none of these actually threaten our (main or temporary) heroes.

One new member joins the core group towards the end of the book but I'm not sure if I like how it was written. :)
1,182 reviews17 followers
January 13, 2020
Not sure if this is the end of the series, or the end of an ark.

I did like this book a lot, but I think too much of it is spent on survivors instead of the main cast and crew of the series. I also don’t believe there’s any emotional ramifications for what characters do, because of jeans mistake people once again died. There’s no consequences for her actions, situations like that are just glossed over. She does not show any emotional response to the things she does. Now if this is an ark you just sent out the best characters to see what’s out there.
442 reviews8 followers
December 14, 2019
The Story Continued

This volume of the series brouggt an additional enemy to the story. Spiders, changed by the virus like the crabs but aggressive and like the zombies all headed to one place. Humans again can be our own worst enemies when the desire for power is strong. Chief, Ed, and the rest of the Mud Island gang fight to stay alive and keep humanity from becoming extinct. Loved the book! The ending felt a, bit rushed, so I hope there is more to come soon!
Profile Image for Sean.
18 reviews
May 20, 2020
Good continuation of a good story

This one gave me the heebie jeebies just looking at the cover. This was a good next step, answered a couple questions, posed a couple more for later. I like the author's writing style, he tells a good story very smoothly, makes the read easy. Not a good place to jump in, but go back to the first one and read them all. You get to see both the characters and the author grow, very enjoyable series.
Profile Image for andrew jackson.
59 reviews2 followers
October 5, 2016
Great Read

This has been an outstanding series to this point and this book has kept to the series roots. At the end of this book you are left with a question is this it will their be another. Well I for one hope there is for there is more to this story of brave and adventurous survivors
70 reviews4 followers
November 20, 2016
Non-stop Edge of Your Seat Ride

As this is the third book of the series, the story line has broadened and is extremely better conceived. The survivors keep trying to improve their situations while being consistent in trying to help the innocent survive. The new twist is shocking and scary. Will they survive this next challenge?
Profile Image for Jennifer Raymon.
18 reviews1 follower
November 21, 2020
I loved this series. As soon as I saw this one had been published, I got it right away. The characters in the series make for a very good read. I love the zombie genre but he could have put any kind of monster, threat, or cataclysm and it would be the same. It's the writing and characters but the zombies don't hurt.
1 review
December 5, 2022
I read lots of pandemic books. This book I think is the very best series i have ever read. Realistic. Full of credible facts. great characters. book after book just gets keeps getting better. not looking forward to the last one tho. Gonna miss the chief. Tom and the kadiesm all legends in my mind. Definately could be a block buster tv series if they could do the story justice.
37 reviews1 follower
October 1, 2016
Awesome book

My goodness great reading hope to see a 4th book to see how things worked out after the radiation cloud fall out is over with and see a separate book on captain Miller and his group.
38 reviews
September 28, 2022
Fantastic series, if you want a really good Zombie end of the world series Try these books by Bob Howard.I’m rereading Bob’s series as I love it so much, I’ll be buying the number #8 and #9 so I can keep following my favourite survivors.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 48 reviews

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