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Summer's Never Over
In this addictive dual-timeline debut novel, a woman confronts her past at the remote Southern summer camp where the tragic death of her fellow counselor may not have been an accident after all.
Five years ago, Greer left her family’s summer camp in the mountains of Georgia and vowed she’d never return. An idyllic season had turned into a nightmare after a mysterious Phantom began stalking the camp—and ended with Greer’s friend and fellow counselor dead. Losing Steph shattered everything, and Greer’s been fleeing from the grief ever since.
But then Greer’s mother dies, and Greer finds herself back at Dread’s Cove, surrounded by the people she was closest to that intense summer. Two ex-boyfriends—one a childhood sweetheart, the other the guy she's never gotten over—and old friends. Including Margo, Steph's best friend.
Greer and Margo didn’t leave things on the best of terms. But now, Margo needs her. Margo never believed that Steph’s death in that horrific fire was an accident—and she’s on the trail of an explosive secret Steph took to her grave.
Greer has to make a keep the Cove’s secrets and her own, or finally face the truth about that summer.
Five years ago, Greer left her family’s summer camp in the mountains of Georgia and vowed she’d never return. An idyllic season had turned into a nightmare after a mysterious Phantom began stalking the camp—and ended with Greer’s friend and fellow counselor dead. Losing Steph shattered everything, and Greer’s been fleeing from the grief ever since.
But then Greer’s mother dies, and Greer finds herself back at Dread’s Cove, surrounded by the people she was closest to that intense summer. Two ex-boyfriends—one a childhood sweetheart, the other the guy she's never gotten over—and old friends. Including Margo, Steph's best friend.
Greer and Margo didn’t leave things on the best of terms. But now, Margo needs her. Margo never believed that Steph’s death in that horrific fire was an accident—and she’s on the trail of an explosive secret Steph took to her grave.
Greer has to make a keep the Cove’s secrets and her own, or finally face the truth about that summer.
366 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 9, 2026
About the author
Darby Bozeman
1 book134 followersDarby Bozeman is a Portland, Oregon native who moved to Georgia for grad school a decade ago and thinks she can now officially call herself Southern. When she’s not reading or writing, she loves acting in community theater, discussing pop culture, and going out to buy coffee even when she could very much make it at home. She lives in Knoxville with her husband, Bryan, and their cat, Claude. Find her at @darbyboze and darbybozeman.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 530 reviews
June 10, 2026
It's been five years since Greer fled her family's highly rated summer camp in Georgia following the tragic death of her friend and co-counselor, Steph, in a fire. At the death of her own mother, the camp matriarch, Greer is forced to return to lay her mother to rest and handle her affairs. Old memories and ghosts of years past haunt her as she gets reacquainted with former camp counselors and attendees. It doesn't take long for the past to cast a long shadow over the camp raising questions and accusations about what really happened the night Steph died. Was it a tragic accident . . . or something more sinister? It appears Greer will have to either keep the lid on long-buried family secrets or face the truth.
Summer's Never Over is an addictive, highly atmospheric thriller that's sure to be THE book to read in the summer of 2026. The story unfolds via Greer's point of view in a dual timeline at a remote camp setting with a multitude of suspense and red herrings. A dark, ominous tone drives the story forward through a twisted plot line that includes rumors of a mysterious phantom haunting the woods. While I guessed correctly on a couple of twists, it did not lessen my enjoyment as the tension ramps up chapter by chapter. Author Darby Bozman's outstanding debut novel is one I highly recommended to readers who enjoy books with a camp style mystery and setting and those who enjoy suspense thrillers.
Special thanks to Berkley Publishing and Author Darby Bozeman for a complimentary arc of this title for review and the blog tour invitation. Opinions expressed are my own. This review first posted on my blog, Cross My Heart Reviews.
Summer's Never Over is an addictive, highly atmospheric thriller that's sure to be THE book to read in the summer of 2026. The story unfolds via Greer's point of view in a dual timeline at a remote camp setting with a multitude of suspense and red herrings. A dark, ominous tone drives the story forward through a twisted plot line that includes rumors of a mysterious phantom haunting the woods. While I guessed correctly on a couple of twists, it did not lessen my enjoyment as the tension ramps up chapter by chapter. Author Darby Bozman's outstanding debut novel is one I highly recommended to readers who enjoy books with a camp style mystery and setting and those who enjoy suspense thrillers.
Special thanks to Berkley Publishing and Author Darby Bozeman for a complimentary arc of this title for review and the blog tour invitation. Opinions expressed are my own. This review first posted on my blog, Cross My Heart Reviews.
June 1, 2026
BLURB:
Greer Olsen returns home after her mother’s death to the family’s summer camp, where a fire killed her friend Stephanie five years earlier. When new discoveries cast doubt on what really happened that summer, Greer reluctantly teams up with form frenemy Margot to uncover the truth.
REVIEW:
This strong debut novel is coming out at the perfect time, as it’s the summer thriller you need to add to your list. When I initially saw the cover and read the blurb, I was expecting an upper YA popcorn thriller, but it’s actually an intricate dual-timeline, character-driven thriller that’s atmospheric, emotional, and full of buried secrets and suspicious characters. There are also several popular thriller tropes woven in—unreliable narrators, toxic friendships, a dangerous love triangle, summer camp horror vibes, a phantom in the woods (and more), along with themes of grief, memory distortion, guilt, and how far people will go to bury the truth!
Told entirely from complex protagonist Greer Olsen’s first person POV—she’s complex, emotional, reactive, and an unreliable narrator. You get fully immersed into her story as she returns home after her mother’s death to the summer camp her family owns—where a devastating fire and the death of her friend Stephanie happened 5 summers earlier. I loved the way the author shifted between timelines, either to enhance the emotional impact or to pull another piece of the puzzle into place.
There’s a small group of friends and staff at Dread’s Cove that Greer interacts with. They all seem suspicious, especially Margot, who forms a reluctant alliance with Greer to uncover the truth behind mysterious findings. This book is layered—there are family secrets, questionable staff members, and a complex love triangle that develops as Greer’s history with Wes and new love interest Trevor gets messy and emotionally charged. Add in a so-called “phantom” in the woods appearing in both timelines, and you may find yourself questioning who’s really behind everything—or whether multiple people are working together to keep the past buried.
With short-to-medium-length chapters, strong momentum throughout, and constantly shifting timelines, this book is difficult to put down. The final chapters deliver shocking reveals and back-to-back twists that may leave your head spinning—some you may see coming and others that come out of left field. The epilogue is quick and tidy, offering some closure, but I was still left with lingering questions I wanted answered after such an intense buildup.
If you’re an audiobook listener, you’re in for a treat, as Carlotta Brentan does an incredible job bringing Greer and the rest of the characters to life. She fully captures the atmospheric tension of the story and narrates the reveals and twists with a lot of intensity, making this one an absolutely immersive listen!
Greer Olsen returns home after her mother’s death to the family’s summer camp, where a fire killed her friend Stephanie five years earlier. When new discoveries cast doubt on what really happened that summer, Greer reluctantly teams up with form frenemy Margot to uncover the truth.
REVIEW:
This strong debut novel is coming out at the perfect time, as it’s the summer thriller you need to add to your list. When I initially saw the cover and read the blurb, I was expecting an upper YA popcorn thriller, but it’s actually an intricate dual-timeline, character-driven thriller that’s atmospheric, emotional, and full of buried secrets and suspicious characters. There are also several popular thriller tropes woven in—unreliable narrators, toxic friendships, a dangerous love triangle, summer camp horror vibes, a phantom in the woods (and more), along with themes of grief, memory distortion, guilt, and how far people will go to bury the truth!
Told entirely from complex protagonist Greer Olsen’s first person POV—she’s complex, emotional, reactive, and an unreliable narrator. You get fully immersed into her story as she returns home after her mother’s death to the summer camp her family owns—where a devastating fire and the death of her friend Stephanie happened 5 summers earlier. I loved the way the author shifted between timelines, either to enhance the emotional impact or to pull another piece of the puzzle into place.
There’s a small group of friends and staff at Dread’s Cove that Greer interacts with. They all seem suspicious, especially Margot, who forms a reluctant alliance with Greer to uncover the truth behind mysterious findings. This book is layered—there are family secrets, questionable staff members, and a complex love triangle that develops as Greer’s history with Wes and new love interest Trevor gets messy and emotionally charged. Add in a so-called “phantom” in the woods appearing in both timelines, and you may find yourself questioning who’s really behind everything—or whether multiple people are working together to keep the past buried.
With short-to-medium-length chapters, strong momentum throughout, and constantly shifting timelines, this book is difficult to put down. The final chapters deliver shocking reveals and back-to-back twists that may leave your head spinning—some you may see coming and others that come out of left field. The epilogue is quick and tidy, offering some closure, but I was still left with lingering questions I wanted answered after such an intense buildup.
If you’re an audiobook listener, you’re in for a treat, as Carlotta Brentan does an incredible job bringing Greer and the rest of the characters to life. She fully captures the atmospheric tension of the story and narrates the reveals and twists with a lot of intensity, making this one an absolutely immersive listen!
May 21, 2026
Tragedy hit Dread’s Cove Camp five years ago, and Greer never planned to come back. After her mom passes and she inherits the camp, she’s forced to face everything; including her two ex-boyfriends and two ex-friends. One of her ex-friends, Margo, is sure that the past tragedy was not an accident. Greer and Margo team up to uncover the truth.
Ugh I was excited for this one, but it was a miss for me. It was such a slow burn, the characters didn’t excite me enough, and I think if I didn’t have the audio that I would’ve DNF’d. I actually considered DNFing even with 1 hr left in the book. When I say slow burn, I mean SLOW. I was over halfway through and felt like not much had been happening. It wasn’t thrilling to be a thriller, and it wasn’t deep enough in the interpersonal connections to keep me interested in a fiction capacity. I am sure this one will find its audience since it already has great reviews! Just unfortunately was not for me.
Ugh I was excited for this one, but it was a miss for me. It was such a slow burn, the characters didn’t excite me enough, and I think if I didn’t have the audio that I would’ve DNF’d. I actually considered DNFing even with 1 hr left in the book. When I say slow burn, I mean SLOW. I was over halfway through and felt like not much had been happening. It wasn’t thrilling to be a thriller, and it wasn’t deep enough in the interpersonal connections to keep me interested in a fiction capacity. I am sure this one will find its audience since it already has great reviews! Just unfortunately was not for me.
June 9, 2026
4.5 stars. The perfect summer thriller to read on the beach. Twisty, interesting characters, and I love the summer camp setting.
June 9, 2026
Exactly what you want out of a thriller - twisty and tense and fun. Made even better by the fact that the author is not only a UGA alum, but a UGA English Ed alum :)
June 15, 2026
4.5 ⭐️ this is what I want from a summer thriller!!! I was so hooked and intrigued by the story that I physically could not stop reading. Hence why I binged this entire thing in one day 🤪 the mystery was layered, which I really appreciated, but the ending wasn’t all that shocking even though I didn’t necessarily predict anything. Other than that, the perfect thriller to read this summer and I highly recommend!
June 17, 2026
Overall this was a great story with excellent pacing, I wanted a bit more in regard to the thriller/mystery plot but I was content with how it all came together.
June 13, 2026
This book had all the elements I love in a thriller! Perfect setting, intriguing characters, and mind blowing plot twists. I always love thrillers set on a lake and this was done perfectly! I was so captivated the whole way through. Such a fantastic debut novel, and I can’t wait to read more from this author!
June 14, 2026
As much as I wanted to rate this one higher - this was a very slow paced / character driven mystery. Not a fast paced thriller - if you’re looking for short chapters and neck break speed plot this is it. It does have a great summer camp atmosphere - but the story moved so slow and after the first 100 pages I almost DNF-Ed it because I had such a hard time picking it back up.
Read
June 4, 2026Perfect for Megan Miranda fans!
Greer heads back to the camp owned by her family, five years after a devastating fire that killed a fellow counselor. With a past-present narrative structure that alternated between the present day and that fateful summer, a mysterious "Phantom" who is haunting the camp in both past and present, and Greer's complicated relationships with another counselor, with her cousin, and with the two guys she was seeing at the time, this book serves up plenty of suspense, red herrings, and fun summer camp atmosphere. Like God of the Woods crossed with Pretty Little Liars!
Thanks to the publisher for providing an advance copy for review!
Greer heads back to the camp owned by her family, five years after a devastating fire that killed a fellow counselor. With a past-present narrative structure that alternated between the present day and that fateful summer, a mysterious "Phantom" who is haunting the camp in both past and present, and Greer's complicated relationships with another counselor, with her cousin, and with the two guys she was seeing at the time, this book serves up plenty of suspense, red herrings, and fun summer camp atmosphere. Like God of the Woods crossed with Pretty Little Liars!
Thanks to the publisher for providing an advance copy for review!
June 15, 2026
2.75 ⭐️-An interesting mystery which held my interest throughout, but the characters all kind of felt one dimensional and it was hard for me to get fully invested in the story.
Feels like the elements of this one were good but the execution was sort of lacking. The twist also wasn’t that gripping and I’m not sure if that’s just because I didn’t feel invested in the story.
Feels like the elements of this one were good but the execution was sort of lacking. The twist also wasn’t that gripping and I’m not sure if that’s just because I didn’t feel invested in the story.
June 12, 2026
3.5 ⭐️ I feel like this could have been 200 pages. I think this was a good debut novel and I would read another one by this author. It was just too slow for me, unfortunately. If you are looking for a summer camp campfire ghost story vibes, check it out 🏕️☠️🔥
February 21, 2026
Thank you to Netgalley and Berkeley Publishing Group for early access to this book in exchange for my honest
I love a good dual timeline and this one was done so well. The pacing felt intentional and sharp, slowly layering the past and present in a way that kept me constantly questioning what really happened. Every reveal felt purposeful and I was genuinely on edge waiting for the next piece to fall into place.
The atmosphere was one of my favorite parts. A remote Southern summer camp in the mountains of Georgia is already such a strong setting, but Bozeman made Dread’s Cove feel vivid and alive. I could practically smell the campfires and hear the lake water. It felt nostalgic in the best way. The friendships especially hit home for me. There was something so relatable about that stage of life, being 22 (🎶idk about you but I’m feeling 22 🎶), surrounded by friends, thinking the future is wide open and your biggest worries are fleeting summer dramas. That nostalgia made the darker elements land even harder.
The suspense was fantastic. The slow burn mystery surrounding Steph’s death and the Phantom stalking the camp created such an uneasy undercurrent. I appreciated how the tension built gradually rather than relying on constant shock value. Bozeman clearly knows how to craft a story and control the emotional beats. The grief, the complicated friendships, the unresolved feelings with old loves, it all felt layered and human.
If I had one critique, it would be the final twists. They did not completely work for me. I read a lot of thrillers each year, so I admit I can be hard to surprise, and I wanted just a little more punch from the ending. Even so, the journey getting there was incredibly engaging and I was fully invested the entire time.
I would absolutely recommend this to anyone who loves atmospheric thrillers with emotional depth, summer camp nostalgia, and secrets that refuse to stay buried.
I love a good dual timeline and this one was done so well. The pacing felt intentional and sharp, slowly layering the past and present in a way that kept me constantly questioning what really happened. Every reveal felt purposeful and I was genuinely on edge waiting for the next piece to fall into place.
The atmosphere was one of my favorite parts. A remote Southern summer camp in the mountains of Georgia is already such a strong setting, but Bozeman made Dread’s Cove feel vivid and alive. I could practically smell the campfires and hear the lake water. It felt nostalgic in the best way. The friendships especially hit home for me. There was something so relatable about that stage of life, being 22 (🎶idk about you but I’m feeling 22 🎶), surrounded by friends, thinking the future is wide open and your biggest worries are fleeting summer dramas. That nostalgia made the darker elements land even harder.
The suspense was fantastic. The slow burn mystery surrounding Steph’s death and the Phantom stalking the camp created such an uneasy undercurrent. I appreciated how the tension built gradually rather than relying on constant shock value. Bozeman clearly knows how to craft a story and control the emotional beats. The grief, the complicated friendships, the unresolved feelings with old loves, it all felt layered and human.
If I had one critique, it would be the final twists. They did not completely work for me. I read a lot of thrillers each year, so I admit I can be hard to surprise, and I wanted just a little more punch from the ending. Even so, the journey getting there was incredibly engaging and I was fully invested the entire time.
I would absolutely recommend this to anyone who loves atmospheric thrillers with emotional depth, summer camp nostalgia, and secrets that refuse to stay buried.
June 14, 2026
This book is a decent thriller, but honestly, it’s nothing special. If you have a really long list of books that you wanna get to, this is one that you can skip. But if you can get it at a garage sale or someone gives it to you it’s a nice way to pass the time. I would file this one into one that you would wanna borrow, but not necessarily own
2.5 stars.
2.5 stars.
June 15, 2026
So… I’m not quite sure how I feel about this one. 🤔 Some parts had me saying, “What?!” 😳 Then other parts had me like, “Whoa!” 😱 And then there were moments that had me doing this… 🤦🏻♀️
The twists just kept coming! It’s honestly one of those books where you’re constantly asking yourself, “How many twists are there?!” 😂
Between 3.8 and 4.0 stars ⭐️
The twists just kept coming! It’s honestly one of those books where you’re constantly asking yourself, “How many twists are there?!” 😂
Between 3.8 and 4.0 stars ⭐️
June 11, 2026
Greer returns to her family summer camp to mourn her mother and decide what comes next. What she didn’t expect to find was her old friends and lovers alongside her. Greer must find the true Phantom of the camp before it’s too late. I thought this was a fun summer read. I’m glad I chose this one as my June Book of the Month. There was some predictability which slowed me down a bit, but overall a good read.
June 17, 2026
3.5⭐️ idk i just feel EVERY book happening at a summer camp is rinse and repeat i want something NEW. I swear I’ve read this same plot multiple times 😌🙁
June 13, 2026
meh? just another thriller that isn't thrilling. it wasn't like a horrible read or anything but I thought it was not well paced and I didn't particularly care about the characters and especially not the romance. it's funny because I think a certain thing about the romance/love triangle could have worked for me if Bozeman wrote it better, but well. spoiler tagged for personal sad stuff:
June 14, 2026
This was an okay thriller for me. I enjoyed the summer vibes and the summer camp setting. I also liked the then and now timeline, especially the chapters set in the past leading up to the fire at the camp. This is definitely more of a slow burn thriller and unfortunately the pacing was a little too slow for me. While I was intrigued to keep reading and find out what happened, I was hoping for a bit more action and suspense along the way. I also never really connected with any of the characters so I wasn’t particularly invested in what happened to them. Some parts of the story felt predictable, but I will say there were a few reveals near the end that surprised me. This wasn’t the most exciting thriller, but I do think it’s a good read if you’re looking for a slower paced thriller with a summer camp setting.
I received in ARC copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review
I received in ARC copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review
June 14, 2026
I have an almost two year old toddler and a full-time job, so needless to say, I don’t have much time for any reading, much less a physical book. Each day I have maybe two hours of down time for chores and basic hygiene and maybe even talking to my husband.
So you know what a big deal it is that I finished this book in THREE days. Really two, because I couldn’t read at all one of those days.
For two days, I spent every second of my precious down time reading this book. No tv, no podcasts, no audiobook. Just sitting and blissfully reading this book.
Aka YOU SHOULD READ THIS BOOK TOO!!
Super fun and fast-paced mystery/romance/thriller set at a summer camp in North GA. Perfectly captures the feeling of summer camp - the crushes, the freedom, the magic. And all of that goodness is deliciously juxtaposed with the eeriness of the woods, betrayal of close friendships, and a dash of tragedy.
The main character has to process the loss of their mother (not a spoiler), so maybe not the best read if you’re sensitive to that. But other than that, no other trigger warnings! Just a really fun book with wonderful characters.
PS - Darby is also a really lovely person I’ve had the pleasure of meeting and I couldn’t be happier for her!!
So you know what a big deal it is that I finished this book in THREE days. Really two, because I couldn’t read at all one of those days.
For two days, I spent every second of my precious down time reading this book. No tv, no podcasts, no audiobook. Just sitting and blissfully reading this book.
Aka YOU SHOULD READ THIS BOOK TOO!!
Super fun and fast-paced mystery/romance/thriller set at a summer camp in North GA. Perfectly captures the feeling of summer camp - the crushes, the freedom, the magic. And all of that goodness is deliciously juxtaposed with the eeriness of the woods, betrayal of close friendships, and a dash of tragedy.
The main character has to process the loss of their mother (not a spoiler), so maybe not the best read if you’re sensitive to that. But other than that, no other trigger warnings! Just a really fun book with wonderful characters.
PS - Darby is also a really lovely person I’ve had the pleasure of meeting and I couldn’t be happier for her!!
June 15, 2026
the book really had me till the last 20% - the reveal of the phantom then and now was SO random and felt sort of rushed. other than that, i really enjoyed it and would maybe go to the camp for 24 hours (and i have said i don’t do camping ok, this is a compliment)
June 16, 2026
June BOTM pick. Debut Novel. Long buried secrets, betrayal, and twisty. If you loved The Last Time I Lied by Riley Sager like I did, then you will enjoy this. I love a good summer camp thriller/mystery. ☀️
June 10, 2026
Read this book if you like:
•summer camp thrillers
•debut novels
•complicated relationships
I ate this book up. I loved the dual timelines and the summer camp setting. I liked guessing who I thought did it based on new uncovered information. A must read summer thriller!
•summer camp thrillers
•debut novels
•complicated relationships
I ate this book up. I loved the dual timelines and the summer camp setting. I liked guessing who I thought did it based on new uncovered information. A must read summer thriller!
June 13, 2026
Quick read, entertaining for sure. Very similar vibes to God of the Woods- told in two timelines with one narrator.
June 13, 2026
Really enjoyed this book!!
June 14, 2026
3.5-4 ⭐️ This was a good mystery ! A debut author. I will read her next book.
It was a page turner and good twists. The perfect summer mystery!
Content: moderate language
It was a page turner and good twists. The perfect summer mystery!
Content: moderate language
June 15, 2026
quick, thrilling read! the plot twist GOT MEEEE. so much drama i couldn’t put the popcorn down. also- i LOVEEEEE a summer camp setting 🌅💧🏕️
June 18, 2026
Love a Georgia based book especially a thriller. And reading a book based on the current season. What a delight. This was a fun, easy and quick binge read!
June 14, 2026
This was my June Book of the Month pick and for a debut author, it was a decent summer mystery read. I liked the dual timeline and the addition of another mystery from the past. The one thing that kept this from being excellent for me was the culprit reveal and motive. I just didn’t feel like it fit. The setting was incredible and made me feel like I was in a summer camp. I’ll pick up the author’s next book.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 530 reviews