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The Summer Fun Massacre
Not yet published
Expected 16 Jun 26Surviving the massacre is just the beginning in this razor-sharp take on the summer camp slasher from horror master Craig DiLouie.
SUMMER 1983. A blood-soaked summer camp counselor is found staggering down a country road. The sole survivor of a horrific massacre, Mary tells a nightmare of a masked maniac wielding an old skinning knife. Arriving too late to help, her boyfriend Tom Bailey is plagued by guilt.
SUMMER 1992. The camp reopens as Camp Summer Fun. Now a sheriff’s deputy, Tom doubts this is a good idea, but the camp has been refurbished, the counselors hired, and the little campers are on the way. Responding to reports of a blood-curdling howl near the camp, he again arrives too late to save anyone except a single brutalized teen. The killer nowhere to be found.
Hoping to catch the killer and finally right his mistakes, Tom reconnects with Mary. She's convinced that the killer is not human but instead a rural legend known as the Hungry Hare.
The sheriff wants the case closed, but refuses to believe in folklore. Mary dreams of revenge for her friends. And Tom hunts for any traces of the real or fictional. But the murderer could be closer to home than anyone expects.
The Hare is coming and is so, so hungry…
SUMMER 1983. A blood-soaked summer camp counselor is found staggering down a country road. The sole survivor of a horrific massacre, Mary tells a nightmare of a masked maniac wielding an old skinning knife. Arriving too late to help, her boyfriend Tom Bailey is plagued by guilt.
SUMMER 1992. The camp reopens as Camp Summer Fun. Now a sheriff’s deputy, Tom doubts this is a good idea, but the camp has been refurbished, the counselors hired, and the little campers are on the way. Responding to reports of a blood-curdling howl near the camp, he again arrives too late to save anyone except a single brutalized teen. The killer nowhere to be found.
Hoping to catch the killer and finally right his mistakes, Tom reconnects with Mary. She's convinced that the killer is not human but instead a rural legend known as the Hungry Hare.
The sheriff wants the case closed, but refuses to believe in folklore. Mary dreams of revenge for her friends. And Tom hunts for any traces of the real or fictional. But the murderer could be closer to home than anyone expects.
The Hare is coming and is so, so hungry…
300 pages, Kindle Edition
Expected publication June 16, 2026
About the author
Craig DiLouie
66 books1,606 followersCraig DiLouie is an author of popular thriller, apocalyptic/horror, and sci-fi/fantasy fiction.
In hundreds of reviews, Craig’s novels have been praised for their strong characters, action, and gritty realism. Each book promises an exciting experience with people you’ll care about in a world that feels real.
These works have been nominated for major literary awards such as the Bram Stoker Award and Audie Award, translated into multiple languages, and optioned for film. He is a member of the HWA, International Thriller Writers, and IFWA.
In hundreds of reviews, Craig’s novels have been praised for their strong characters, action, and gritty realism. Each book promises an exciting experience with people you’ll care about in a world that feels real.
These works have been nominated for major literary awards such as the Bram Stoker Award and Audie Award, translated into multiple languages, and optioned for film. He is a member of the HWA, International Thriller Writers, and IFWA.
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Review of advance copy received from Publisher
STARRED review in the May 2026 issue of Booklist and on the blog: https://raforall.blogspot.com/2026/05...
Three Words That Describe This Book: slasher w/new perspective, folk horror, duology
Honors the tradition and everything that is good about the summer camp slasher of the 90s (it is set in 1992 with flashbacks to 1983) but adds an important twist-- instead of being from the POV of the final girl (girls here because we have Mary from the 1983 massacre and Laura from 1992) it is from the deputy's point of view.
Let's examine this-- I loved what DiLouie did here. His last two books were with a similar idea. He took the cursed film and the cursed band tropes (in back to back books) and tried to make them fresh and new. He succeeded to a point. I liked them. But I did not love them. They were solid entries into the subgenres but they did not move the subgenre forward as a whole.
Here I am happy to report, DiLouie does just that. By taking the well trod summer camp/folk horror final girl slasher of the 80s and 90s and telling ti all from the perspective of the bumbling deputy-- the guy who always doesn't believe the girl, the guy who ignores the warnings and causes the disaster, etc... and gives him the voice and makes him involved in both the 1983 (as Mary's boyfriend) and 1992 (as the cop who finds the massacre victims and Laura), DiLouie has broadened the subgenre.
By having this book be about 2 massacres att he same camp it is also paying homage to the fact that this subgenre is ruled by sequels.
And, there is a folk horror reason here-- The Hungry Hare-- and rules behind how the massacres happen that enhance the story as well.
Finally, readers are promised that this is a dualogy and the second book is coming later this year!
I was very impressed and entertained like with Final Girl Support Group by Hendrix or I Was a Teenaged Slasher by SGJ-- books that honor what is best about the slasher trope but alter the perspective and to add something new and exciting that enhances every book in the subgenre. All three of these titles are written by people who know this subgenre backwards and forward, the stories are written with expertise and love with a commitment to giving readers something entertaining and new.
The SGJ comp is the best one because there are some supernatural things at work here, things that have rules, rules that make sense to fans of the slasher. But also, if you are new to the subgenre, this books is enjoyable and full on its own.
Also Autumn Springs Retirement Home Massacre by Fracassi
The nods to Scream and Friday the 13th are clear here as well.
Three Words That Describe This Book: slasher w/new perspective, folk horror, duology
Honors the tradition and everything that is good about the summer camp slasher of the 90s (it is set in 1992 with flashbacks to 1983) but adds an important twist-- instead of being from the POV of the final girl (girls here because we have Mary from the 1983 massacre and Laura from 1992) it is from the deputy's point of view.
Let's examine this-- I loved what DiLouie did here. His last two books were with a similar idea. He took the cursed film and the cursed band tropes (in back to back books) and tried to make them fresh and new. He succeeded to a point. I liked them. But I did not love them. They were solid entries into the subgenres but they did not move the subgenre forward as a whole.
Here I am happy to report, DiLouie does just that. By taking the well trod summer camp/folk horror final girl slasher of the 80s and 90s and telling ti all from the perspective of the bumbling deputy-- the guy who always doesn't believe the girl, the guy who ignores the warnings and causes the disaster, etc... and gives him the voice and makes him involved in both the 1983 (as Mary's boyfriend) and 1992 (as the cop who finds the massacre victims and Laura), DiLouie has broadened the subgenre.
By having this book be about 2 massacres att he same camp it is also paying homage to the fact that this subgenre is ruled by sequels.
And, there is a folk horror reason here-- The Hungry Hare-- and rules behind how the massacres happen that enhance the story as well.
Finally, readers are promised that this is a dualogy and the second book is coming later this year!
I was very impressed and entertained like with Final Girl Support Group by Hendrix or I Was a Teenaged Slasher by SGJ-- books that honor what is best about the slasher trope but alter the perspective and to add something new and exciting that enhances every book in the subgenre. All three of these titles are written by people who know this subgenre backwards and forward, the stories are written with expertise and love with a commitment to giving readers something entertaining and new.
The SGJ comp is the best one because there are some supernatural things at work here, things that have rules, rules that make sense to fans of the slasher. But also, if you are new to the subgenre, this books is enjoyable and full on its own.
Also Autumn Springs Retirement Home Massacre by Fracassi
The nods to Scream and Friday the 13th are clear here as well.
April 24, 2026
The Summer Fun Massacre isn’t your typical slasher story. It picks up after the massacre has ended, with the final girl as the only survivor. Now, the small-town sheriff’s department has to figure out who the killer is. This isn’t the first time this small town has dealt with a massacre. In the summer of 1983, a young woman named Mary was found covered in blood, walking alone down a dirt road. She was the only survivor and claimed a masked killer with a skinning knife was behind it. Her boyfriend at the time, Tom Bailey, is now a sheriff’s deputy working on the new case. Mary thinks the same killer is behind both massacres, and she believes it isn’t human, but a rural legend called the Hungry Hare.
I really liked how this book blended slasher horror with a police investigation. The pacing kept me hooked, and I ended up staying up late just to read one more chapter and look for the next clue. The POV of the small-town sheriff who had never handled an investigation this big made Tom an unreliable narrator, and I enjoyed trying to see whether the clues he discovered would lead to anything other than a dead end. The conclusion left me with unanswered questions that I am hoping will be answered in the sequel.
If you enjoy police procedurals and slasher horror with supernatural elements, I recommend this book.
The Summer Fun Massacre is out June 16th.
Thank you to NetGalley and Orbit books for the opportunity to review The Summer Fun Massacre. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
I really liked how this book blended slasher horror with a police investigation. The pacing kept me hooked, and I ended up staying up late just to read one more chapter and look for the next clue. The POV of the small-town sheriff who had never handled an investigation this big made Tom an unreliable narrator, and I enjoyed trying to see whether the clues he discovered would lead to anything other than a dead end. The conclusion left me with unanswered questions that I am hoping will be answered in the sequel.
If you enjoy police procedurals and slasher horror with supernatural elements, I recommend this book.
The Summer Fun Massacre is out June 16th.
Thank you to NetGalley and Orbit books for the opportunity to review The Summer Fun Massacre. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
April 14, 2026
A series of mass murders dating back to the 1940s, but is the killer even human? I loved this book. Slashers are my favorite and this really did not disappoint. The gore factor was definitely there. And I’m so excited to see there will be a sequel because I needed more when I finished this.
Thank you to NetGalley for this awesome arc!
Thank you to NetGalley for this awesome arc!
April 17, 2026
I went in thinking I was going to be reading a book about a Summer Camp gone wrong which it was, but I was thinking it was going to focus more on the camp activities and the horror of the camp. Bummer! I was thirsty for a good old fashion 80’s horror camp thriller! This one is more of a police detective book and the workings of the small town. Don’t get me wrong, there is still a tremendous amount of horror and disgust! But I wanted a little lightness and fun mixed in. There were way to many characters and just to much heaviness.
The book opens up with your typical one survivor and the sheriff to the rescue. There are a few chapters of gore and horror. But then it all goes down hill. It becomes small town politics, mayhem, police procedure and then the sex and romance breaks out! Like why?
I just find the book cover, the blurb and the whole story to be very deceiving! If you are looking for a true horror book this one you want to skip. I found myself not wanting to finish it, but I’m not one to DNF a book and I did want to find out who the red herring was!
THANK YOU NET GALLEY for an ARC COPY of this book. All opinions remain my own.
The book opens up with your typical one survivor and the sheriff to the rescue. There are a few chapters of gore and horror. But then it all goes down hill. It becomes small town politics, mayhem, police procedure and then the sex and romance breaks out! Like why?
I just find the book cover, the blurb and the whole story to be very deceiving! If you are looking for a true horror book this one you want to skip. I found myself not wanting to finish it, but I’m not one to DNF a book and I did want to find out who the red herring was!
THANK YOU NET GALLEY for an ARC COPY of this book. All opinions remain my own.
Did Not Finish
May 6, 2026Sadly, the title and synopsis led me astray on this one. While the book does throw you right into the slasher action, don’t let that fool you. This is not the campy, fun horror romp I was expecting.
The story quickly pivots to focus on the police investigation, making it much more of a procedural than a slasher. For readers who love that style, this might actually be a great fit. It just wasn’t what I was looking or hoping for personally.
I think this book absolutely has its audience. It just isn’t me.
Thank you to NetGalley and Orbit books for this advanced reader copy. My review is voluntarily my own.
The story quickly pivots to focus on the police investigation, making it much more of a procedural than a slasher. For readers who love that style, this might actually be a great fit. It just wasn’t what I was looking or hoping for personally.
I think this book absolutely has its audience. It just isn’t me.
Thank you to NetGalley and Orbit books for this advanced reader copy. My review is voluntarily my own.
May 11, 2026
I received an early copy from netgalley
I loved this book! It’s the story about a massacre that takes place in a summer camp. It then follows our main character, Tom, trying to figure out what’s going on in this small town and who the killer is. The more Tom discovers, the more he realizes that there’s more to this town than meets the eye. Meanwhile, the sheriff wants to close the case as fast as possible, even if they might not have the right suspects.
This novel is a great mix between horror and mystery. It starts off with a bang with all the horror possible. It then slowly turns into a mystery where Tom is trying to figure out what’s going on. It weaves in the horror elements expertly throughout. Though the pacing slows down to follow a mystery format, it’s never slow nor boring.
The last 20% of this book has you following Tom struggling to figure out what’s going on with an action pact ending. I thought this story was perfectly paced and flowed well. Though I know from very early on what was going on, it was fun to read Tom come to his own conclusions.
I would highly recommend this book.
I loved this book! It’s the story about a massacre that takes place in a summer camp. It then follows our main character, Tom, trying to figure out what’s going on in this small town and who the killer is. The more Tom discovers, the more he realizes that there’s more to this town than meets the eye. Meanwhile, the sheriff wants to close the case as fast as possible, even if they might not have the right suspects.
This novel is a great mix between horror and mystery. It starts off with a bang with all the horror possible. It then slowly turns into a mystery where Tom is trying to figure out what’s going on. It weaves in the horror elements expertly throughout. Though the pacing slows down to follow a mystery format, it’s never slow nor boring.
The last 20% of this book has you following Tom struggling to figure out what’s going on with an action pact ending. I thought this story was perfectly paced and flowed well. Though I know from very early on what was going on, it was fun to read Tom come to his own conclusions.
I would highly recommend this book.
April 13, 2026
ARC copy review , not offered anything for my opinion
This book brings out “Camp slasher” and “creed falls massacre” vibes to start with, a true “80s slasher” that gives you Friday the 13th vibes. We open with a bloody scene, not the first time for our host city. A town of lies and folk lore, we start strong but lose our momentum. Shortly after our slasher scene we are in a whoddunit, but laced with bad cops and history of lies and corruption. There is a large section mid book that moved so slow it’s almost hard to continue.
Once the culprit starts to show itself we twist and turn thinking we figured it out, but really did we?
A good story of folk lore and starts strong with our slasher, but momentum lost in the bureaucracy of politics.
I definitely want to read part 2 that is teased about at the end of the novel just to see what happens next.
This book brings out “Camp slasher” and “creed falls massacre” vibes to start with, a true “80s slasher” that gives you Friday the 13th vibes. We open with a bloody scene, not the first time for our host city. A town of lies and folk lore, we start strong but lose our momentum. Shortly after our slasher scene we are in a whoddunit, but laced with bad cops and history of lies and corruption. There is a large section mid book that moved so slow it’s almost hard to continue.
Once the culprit starts to show itself we twist and turn thinking we figured it out, but really did we?
A good story of folk lore and starts strong with our slasher, but momentum lost in the bureaucracy of politics.
I definitely want to read part 2 that is teased about at the end of the novel just to see what happens next.
March 8, 2026
I do love a good slasher! And this book certainly fit the bill. There was enough ambiguity that even though you think you know what’s happening & who did it, the rug is pulled right out from under you. I appreciated that the story didn’t go where I expected. Having a narrator that’s trying to solve the crime alongside the reader means that the case does have a long, winding, unpredictable streak.
What I liked too is that every character, including the protagonist Tom, have flaws. Big, contradicting flaws & that helps humanize each character & hides their true motivations until the end. And even with Tom investigating, he too has blinders on sometimes & only sees what he wants to see.
The violence in this book is not for the squeamish but that’s typical for a slasher tale. Can’t wait to see what comes next!
Thank you to Edelweiss & the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
What I liked too is that every character, including the protagonist Tom, have flaws. Big, contradicting flaws & that helps humanize each character & hides their true motivations until the end. And even with Tom investigating, he too has blinders on sometimes & only sees what he wants to see.
The violence in this book is not for the squeamish but that’s typical for a slasher tale. Can’t wait to see what comes next!
Thank you to Edelweiss & the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
May 9, 2026
I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This did not affect my opinion or the review itself.
This is the book version of a slasher film, and it is good.
In the 1980s, there was a horrible massacre at a summer camp. Now that summer camp is reopening, and something horrible appears to have happened there again. A cop, whose girlfriend was the only one left alive at the site of the 80s tragedy, is determined to figure out what exactly is going on. But he may be up against forces he does not understand.
This is not a book for the faint of heart. I watch horror movies through my fingers or just close my eyes when the gory parts happen. There were times in this book I wished I could do just that. The descriptions are very gory, but fit with the book instead of just being for shock value.
This book was scary too. It really read like a slasher story. The overarching mystery and reveal are very good, and the characters are really compelling due to all they have gone through. I would recommend this book.
This is the book version of a slasher film, and it is good.
In the 1980s, there was a horrible massacre at a summer camp. Now that summer camp is reopening, and something horrible appears to have happened there again. A cop, whose girlfriend was the only one left alive at the site of the 80s tragedy, is determined to figure out what exactly is going on. But he may be up against forces he does not understand.
This is not a book for the faint of heart. I watch horror movies through my fingers or just close my eyes when the gory parts happen. There were times in this book I wished I could do just that. The descriptions are very gory, but fit with the book instead of just being for shock value.
This book was scary too. It really read like a slasher story. The overarching mystery and reveal are very good, and the characters are really compelling due to all they have gone through. I would recommend this book.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
The Summer Fun Massacre | Craig DiLouie
🖤🖤🖤🖤/5
I’m forever chasing the high of reading Craig DiLouie’s “Episode Thirteen” so nabbing his newest book “The Summer Fun Massacre” was a no brainer for me. Naturally, I went into this expecting something along those same lines… and nope! We’re treated to something very different indeed.
On the surface, this looks like your classic summer camp slasher: isolated woods, a brutal past massacre, nervous counselors, and something lurking in the dark. But here’s the switcheroo: by the time the story really gets going, the “massacre” part is already over. Instead of watching it unfold in real time, we’re dropped into the aftermath, following a small-town deputy trying to piece together what actually happened.
And honestly? It worked for me and my Law & Order loving heart… just not in the way I expected.
This leans much more into police procedural than straight horror. I’d say it’s something like 70% investigation, 30% slasher energy. There are definitely moments where the horror punches through (some of them bloody enough to stick), but the tension comes more from the slow unraveling of the mystery than nonstop fear. I did catch myself waiting for things to get scarier at times, but once I adjusted my expectations, I got completely pulled in.
Because the real hook here? The pacing. That “just one more chapter” spiral hit hard. The clues are doled out in a way that keeps you locked in, and I flew through this way faster than I normally would. Deputy Tom Bailey carries the story, and his internal push-pull of wanting to be a good cop while also feeling stuck in a town that won’t let him go, adds a layer that surprised me. The voice feels authentic, the small-town dynamics feel lived-in, and even when the cast leans a little tropey, it’s still a fun ride.
And can we talk about the Final Girl energy for a second? Because you know that’s my kryptonite. This book definitely taps into that Final Girl legacy in such an interesting way. It’s not just about surviving the horror, it’s about what survival does to you after the fact. The weight of it. The myth of it. The way a Final Girl becomes something almost larger than life… and maybe a little haunted because of it.
That said, if you’re going in expecting a full-on, campy, body-count slasher… this isn’t quite that. It’s quieter, more methodical, and more interested in the why than the kill. And that means, there’s no stopping here: I am ready and waiting for the sequel because your ghoul can’t be stopped!
Trope it up
🏕️ Summer camp with a dark past
🔪 Final girl legacy
🤫 Small town secrets
👻 Haunted woods vibes
🚔The “good cop” trying to do the right thing
🧓 Grizzled veteran vs.outsider dynamics
🩸 Slow-burn mystery with bursts of gore
If you’re into stories that blur the line between slasher and true crime procedural, and don’t mind a quieter, more character-driven approach to horror, this one’s worth the ride.
Thank you to Orbit Books, NetGalley and Craig DiLouie for the opportunity to read and relish this book.
🖤🖤🖤🖤/5
I’m forever chasing the high of reading Craig DiLouie’s “Episode Thirteen” so nabbing his newest book “The Summer Fun Massacre” was a no brainer for me. Naturally, I went into this expecting something along those same lines… and nope! We’re treated to something very different indeed.
On the surface, this looks like your classic summer camp slasher: isolated woods, a brutal past massacre, nervous counselors, and something lurking in the dark. But here’s the switcheroo: by the time the story really gets going, the “massacre” part is already over. Instead of watching it unfold in real time, we’re dropped into the aftermath, following a small-town deputy trying to piece together what actually happened.
And honestly? It worked for me and my Law & Order loving heart… just not in the way I expected.
This leans much more into police procedural than straight horror. I’d say it’s something like 70% investigation, 30% slasher energy. There are definitely moments where the horror punches through (some of them bloody enough to stick), but the tension comes more from the slow unraveling of the mystery than nonstop fear. I did catch myself waiting for things to get scarier at times, but once I adjusted my expectations, I got completely pulled in.
Because the real hook here? The pacing. That “just one more chapter” spiral hit hard. The clues are doled out in a way that keeps you locked in, and I flew through this way faster than I normally would. Deputy Tom Bailey carries the story, and his internal push-pull of wanting to be a good cop while also feeling stuck in a town that won’t let him go, adds a layer that surprised me. The voice feels authentic, the small-town dynamics feel lived-in, and even when the cast leans a little tropey, it’s still a fun ride.
And can we talk about the Final Girl energy for a second? Because you know that’s my kryptonite. This book definitely taps into that Final Girl legacy in such an interesting way. It’s not just about surviving the horror, it’s about what survival does to you after the fact. The weight of it. The myth of it. The way a Final Girl becomes something almost larger than life… and maybe a little haunted because of it.
That said, if you’re going in expecting a full-on, campy, body-count slasher… this isn’t quite that. It’s quieter, more methodical, and more interested in the why than the kill. And that means, there’s no stopping here: I am ready and waiting for the sequel because your ghoul can’t be stopped!
Trope it up
🏕️ Summer camp with a dark past
🔪 Final girl legacy
🤫 Small town secrets
👻 Haunted woods vibes
🚔The “good cop” trying to do the right thing
🧓 Grizzled veteran vs.outsider dynamics
🩸 Slow-burn mystery with bursts of gore
If you’re into stories that blur the line between slasher and true crime procedural, and don’t mind a quieter, more character-driven approach to horror, this one’s worth the ride.
Thank you to Orbit Books, NetGalley and Craig DiLouie for the opportunity to read and relish this book.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
Update from April 3, 2026:
It looks like the blurb has been adjusted since I wrote this review. I think it reflects the actual story much better than the one that I saw before reading!
Original review from March 30, 2026:
Don't let the blurb fool you: The Summer Fun Massacre by Craig DiLouie is not a rehash of beloved summer camp slasher flicks like Friday the 13th. Instead, you'll find a deconstruction of the aftermath, told from the point of view of one officer haunted by his place in the tragedy. Think police procedural if they were investigating Jason. I was on the fence about how to rate this, because the blurb set me up for such a different book, but DiLouie is clear in the acknowledgements that what he wrote is what he intended to deliver, and I can't fault him for the marketing.
I did find myself wishing for more overt horror throughout the book; I would say the split is roughly 70% cop drama, 30% horror story. There are pockets of horror at key moments, but personally I don't think the disquiet permeated the narrative the way I expect from a horror novel. I spent a lot of time wondering when the scares would start. I have a pretty high tolerance for horror, so this may just be my desensitization talking. There were a few gory scenes that will probably upset more sensitive readers.
(Also for sensitive readers: there is a pet dog, but he is never put in any danger!)
All that said, I ended up really enjoying this book—I think I read about 60% of it in one day, which I usually don't have the attention span to do. I got caught in a "just one more chapter" loop until suddenly I was at the end. The mystery—who killed the camp counselors?—is expertly-paced, drip-feeding just enough information to keep the pages turning. Alongside it is the internal struggle of a small town deputy who wants to be a good lawman, but who also wants to escape his hometown once and for all. On the subject of small town deputies, DiLouie absolutely nails the cadence of rural southern copspeak. There are southernisms in here I've only ever heard from my own family members!
(Also on the subject of small town deputies, this book is steeped in the same sort of copaganda that fuels long-running series like CSI, NCIS, and Law & Order. It is first and foremost a hero cop story, and while it does tackle corruption, readers hoping for a deconstruction of cop drama tropes will not find that here.)
The cast, while tropey, was fun to ride along with. You've got the hero cop, the grizzled veteran cop, the big city transplant cop, the cop who likes the job just a little too much. I hope we get more page time with the survivors in the second book. Which, by the way, this is the first book in a planned duology; the sequel is apparently set to release at the end of the year.
I think the last thing that might throw people off with this book is the present tense narration. I'm a fan of good present tense personally, but I think it's just a little bit messy in this book.
I haven't read a whole lot of even semi-recent slasher novels, so I'll comp to movies instead. Besides the obvious Friday the 13th (1980), think more recent slashers like Spiral (2021), Malignant (2021), and In a Violent Nature (2024). Mix it with the cyclical violence of Stephen King's IT (specifically the novel) and the drama of Chicago P.D., and you'll know what to expect going into The Summer Fun Massacre.
Update from April 3, 2026:
It looks like the blurb has been adjusted since I wrote this review. I think it reflects the actual story much better than the one that I saw before reading!
Original review from March 30, 2026:
Don't let the blurb fool you: The Summer Fun Massacre by Craig DiLouie is not a rehash of beloved summer camp slasher flicks like Friday the 13th. Instead, you'll find a deconstruction of the aftermath, told from the point of view of one officer haunted by his place in the tragedy. Think police procedural if they were investigating Jason. I was on the fence about how to rate this, because the blurb set me up for such a different book, but DiLouie is clear in the acknowledgements that what he wrote is what he intended to deliver, and I can't fault him for the marketing.
I did find myself wishing for more overt horror throughout the book; I would say the split is roughly 70% cop drama, 30% horror story. There are pockets of horror at key moments, but personally I don't think the disquiet permeated the narrative the way I expect from a horror novel. I spent a lot of time wondering when the scares would start. I have a pretty high tolerance for horror, so this may just be my desensitization talking. There were a few gory scenes that will probably upset more sensitive readers.
(Also for sensitive readers: there is a pet dog, but he is never put in any danger!)
All that said, I ended up really enjoying this book—I think I read about 60% of it in one day, which I usually don't have the attention span to do. I got caught in a "just one more chapter" loop until suddenly I was at the end. The mystery—who killed the camp counselors?—is expertly-paced, drip-feeding just enough information to keep the pages turning. Alongside it is the internal struggle of a small town deputy who wants to be a good lawman, but who also wants to escape his hometown once and for all. On the subject of small town deputies, DiLouie absolutely nails the cadence of rural southern copspeak. There are southernisms in here I've only ever heard from my own family members!
(Also on the subject of small town deputies, this book is steeped in the same sort of copaganda that fuels long-running series like CSI, NCIS, and Law & Order. It is first and foremost a hero cop story, and while it does tackle corruption, readers hoping for a deconstruction of cop drama tropes will not find that here.)
The cast, while tropey, was fun to ride along with. You've got the hero cop, the grizzled veteran cop, the big city transplant cop, the cop who likes the job just a little too much. I hope we get more page time with the survivors in the second book. Which, by the way, this is the first book in a planned duology; the sequel is apparently set to release at the end of the year.
I think the last thing that might throw people off with this book is the present tense narration. I'm a fan of good present tense personally, but I think it's just a little bit messy in this book.
I haven't read a whole lot of even semi-recent slasher novels, so I'll comp to movies instead. Besides the obvious Friday the 13th (1980), think more recent slashers like Spiral (2021), Malignant (2021), and In a Violent Nature (2024). Mix it with the cyclical violence of Stephen King's IT (specifically the novel) and the drama of Chicago P.D., and you'll know what to expect going into The Summer Fun Massacre.
May 14, 2026
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!
This is a hard book to rate. Part of me feels like it is a three star book, but I zoomed through it; finishing it in a day. It was written well and engaging, but not what I expected.
For what it is I enjoyed it, but I wanted more campy vibes. Looking back it does say it in the summary, but I didn’t realize this was going to be a cop investigation. I liked the author’s note at the end explaining his thought process on why he wrote this book. He was writing it for the cops who get a bad rap in slasher novels for not doing their job. I’d say he accomplished his goal. But for me, I was expecting to get to know the people who got killed and experience the camp life, not everything happening right away.
This is a me issue, but I could not get it out of my head thinking Tom was a 50 or 60 year old man. I kind of had a hard time believing he was in his late 20s.
I really liked Laura and his dynamic. I liked it a lot better than his and Mary’s to be honest, even if it’s not romantic.
Scully was my favorite. He was so funny and a nice little comedic relief.
Tom and Buddy’s back and forth was really entertaining to read. The rapport between all of the characters worked really well for me. It all seemed very realistic and exactly how people would sound talking to each other. Especially cops and the way they speak to each other. Not that I would actually know because I never worked with cops, but at least from what I’ve seen in movies and tv shows, it seemed realistic.
I wasn’t expecting the end, but at the same time it was kind of obvious. It was cool to go through the story and figure out who was behind everything.
I don’t know how I feel about the “is it or is it not paranormal.” I never really enjoy that trope in books. I hate not knowing a clear answer on if it’s a human or something other worldly committing the crimes. We sort of get an answer at the end, but not really.
I am curious to read the sequel! I don’t think I will jump to read it right away, but I am curious where it will go. It definitely left the ending open, but it’s not like you HAVE to read the sequel because you are dying for answers.
If you go into this expecting it’ll mainly be about cops, you will enjoy this one. If you are looking for a true slasher type novel, this is not it.
This is a hard book to rate. Part of me feels like it is a three star book, but I zoomed through it; finishing it in a day. It was written well and engaging, but not what I expected.
For what it is I enjoyed it, but I wanted more campy vibes. Looking back it does say it in the summary, but I didn’t realize this was going to be a cop investigation. I liked the author’s note at the end explaining his thought process on why he wrote this book. He was writing it for the cops who get a bad rap in slasher novels for not doing their job. I’d say he accomplished his goal. But for me, I was expecting to get to know the people who got killed and experience the camp life, not everything happening right away.
This is a me issue, but I could not get it out of my head thinking Tom was a 50 or 60 year old man. I kind of had a hard time believing he was in his late 20s.
I really liked Laura and his dynamic. I liked it a lot better than his and Mary’s to be honest, even if it’s not romantic.
Scully was my favorite. He was so funny and a nice little comedic relief.
Tom and Buddy’s back and forth was really entertaining to read. The rapport between all of the characters worked really well for me. It all seemed very realistic and exactly how people would sound talking to each other. Especially cops and the way they speak to each other. Not that I would actually know because I never worked with cops, but at least from what I’ve seen in movies and tv shows, it seemed realistic.
I wasn’t expecting the end, but at the same time it was kind of obvious. It was cool to go through the story and figure out who was behind everything.
I don’t know how I feel about the “is it or is it not paranormal.” I never really enjoy that trope in books. I hate not knowing a clear answer on if it’s a human or something other worldly committing the crimes. We sort of get an answer at the end, but not really.
I am curious to read the sequel! I don’t think I will jump to read it right away, but I am curious where it will go. It definitely left the ending open, but it’s not like you HAVE to read the sequel because you are dying for answers.
If you go into this expecting it’ll mainly be about cops, you will enjoy this one. If you are looking for a true slasher type novel, this is not it.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
An ode to summer camp slashers, but from law enforcement POV.
🤘 Love this twist.
We even pay homage to the final girl trope. Again, with a twist.
🎬 This is very ‘Friday the 13th’, but not like you remember.
The gore is more detailed, IMO, the main perspective is from Deputy Tom Bailey, and it almost feels more like a murder mystery than a slasher novel. And topped with a touch of the supernatural.
I would call this a Police Procedural Slasher. 😁It’s a thing now.
😲 The whodunit suspense and red herrings hooked me like a bait worm.
I absolutely loved the thrill of the chase.
It wasn’t exactly the Slasher Novel I went in expecting, but I’m not mad at it.
-There’re multiple mass murders over the decades, a slow unraveling of secrets and connections that keep you guessing and on the edge of your seat with speculation, and a constant back-and-forth of your loyalty to certain characters.
This was such a fun, tropey read and I enjoyed it the entire time!
And any good serial killer worth its salt is due a sequel. Which we will get in November. 😜
The ending is satisfying but definitely leaves you 𝘩𝘶𝘯𝘨𝘳𝘺 for more.
🆂🆈🅽🅾🅿🆂🅸🆂
*Summer of ‘83. Mass murder at summer camp. Lone survivor-Mary. Tom’s girlfriend. Tom arrived too late to help. He’s plagued by guilt.
Summer of ‘92. The camp reopens and another mass murder takes place.
Now a sheriff’s deputy, Tom responds to reports of a blood-curdling howl near the camp. Again, he arrives too late. Lone survivor-Laura, 17yr old counselor.
Hoping to catch the killer and finally right his mistakes, Tom reconnects with Mary. She's convinced that the killer is not human but instead a rural legend known as the Hungry Hare.
The sheriff wants the case closed but refuses to believe in folklore. Mary dreams of revenge for her friends. And Tom hunts for any traces of the real or fictional. But the murderer could be closer to home than anyone expects.
The Hare is coming and is so, so hungry…
🙏 Thank you so much NetGalley and Orbit Books for the gifted eARC!
🤘 Love this twist.
We even pay homage to the final girl trope. Again, with a twist.
🎬 This is very ‘Friday the 13th’, but not like you remember.
The gore is more detailed, IMO, the main perspective is from Deputy Tom Bailey, and it almost feels more like a murder mystery than a slasher novel. And topped with a touch of the supernatural.
I would call this a Police Procedural Slasher. 😁It’s a thing now.
😲 The whodunit suspense and red herrings hooked me like a bait worm.
I absolutely loved the thrill of the chase.
It wasn’t exactly the Slasher Novel I went in expecting, but I’m not mad at it.
-There’re multiple mass murders over the decades, a slow unraveling of secrets and connections that keep you guessing and on the edge of your seat with speculation, and a constant back-and-forth of your loyalty to certain characters.
This was such a fun, tropey read and I enjoyed it the entire time!
And any good serial killer worth its salt is due a sequel. Which we will get in November. 😜
The ending is satisfying but definitely leaves you 𝘩𝘶𝘯𝘨𝘳𝘺 for more.
🆂🆈🅽🅾🅿🆂🅸🆂
*Summer of ‘83. Mass murder at summer camp. Lone survivor-Mary. Tom’s girlfriend. Tom arrived too late to help. He’s plagued by guilt.
Summer of ‘92. The camp reopens and another mass murder takes place.
Now a sheriff’s deputy, Tom responds to reports of a blood-curdling howl near the camp. Again, he arrives too late. Lone survivor-Laura, 17yr old counselor.
Hoping to catch the killer and finally right his mistakes, Tom reconnects with Mary. She's convinced that the killer is not human but instead a rural legend known as the Hungry Hare.
The sheriff wants the case closed but refuses to believe in folklore. Mary dreams of revenge for her friends. And Tom hunts for any traces of the real or fictional. But the murderer could be closer to home than anyone expects.
The Hare is coming and is so, so hungry…
🙏 Thank you so much NetGalley and Orbit Books for the gifted eARC!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
The Netgalley description for this book is very different from its Goodreads blurb, so I went into it expecting a completely different plotline. I thought I was getting a fairly traditional summer camp slasher, complete with a final girl and camp counselors being picked off one by one in the woods, but it turns out that the massacre is over by the time the story begins. Instead, this book is actually a police procedural with a side of slashing, and we follow along as small town cop Tom attempts to solve the grisly murders.
And, honestly? I was delighted. I don't mind slashers if they have an entertaining story and some character development to go with all of the chopping and hacking, but I am a fiend for a good police procedural, especially if it has some supernatural elements. So … yay!
I won't pretend that The Summer Fun Massacre is fine literature, but I did enjoy it quite a bit. The Hungry Hare is the thing of nightmares, and Tom is a fairly likeable bloke as far as these types of books go. We still get a bit of the slashing that was promised, but not so much that it becomes the focus (or the point) of the story. It's dark and creepy and even a little emotional at points, and there are definitely some unexpected twists and turns.
I do have to say, though, that after reading DiLouie's My Ex, the Antichrist, I was expecting some campiness and I'm just the tiniest bit disappointed that none materialized. Oh, well.
But, anyway, if you like slashers and police procedurals and have a healthy fear of large murderous rabbits, there's probably a pretty good chance that you'll enjoy this one. There's a sequel that should be coming out later this year, and I can't wait to get my hands on it.
3.75 stars, rounded up.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Run For It for providing me with an advance copy of this book to review. Its expected publication date is June 16, 2026.
And, honestly? I was delighted. I don't mind slashers if they have an entertaining story and some character development to go with all of the chopping and hacking, but I am a fiend for a good police procedural, especially if it has some supernatural elements. So … yay!
I won't pretend that The Summer Fun Massacre is fine literature, but I did enjoy it quite a bit. The Hungry Hare is the thing of nightmares, and Tom is a fairly likeable bloke as far as these types of books go. We still get a bit of the slashing that was promised, but not so much that it becomes the focus (or the point) of the story. It's dark and creepy and even a little emotional at points, and there are definitely some unexpected twists and turns.
I do have to say, though, that after reading DiLouie's My Ex, the Antichrist, I was expecting some campiness and I'm just the tiniest bit disappointed that none materialized. Oh, well.
But, anyway, if you like slashers and police procedurals and have a healthy fear of large murderous rabbits, there's probably a pretty good chance that you'll enjoy this one. There's a sequel that should be coming out later this year, and I can't wait to get my hands on it.
3.75 stars, rounded up.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Run For It for providing me with an advance copy of this book to review. Its expected publication date is June 16, 2026.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
ARC
I'd like to thank Orbit Books, Run For It, and NetGalley for the chance to give "The Summe Fun Massacre" an early read in return for an honest review.
If you know me, you would know what summer camp slasher are my absolute favorite sub-genre within horror. No matter the quality, I always eat them up and have so much fun doing so. And, I'm glad to say, Craig DiLouie's "The Summer Fun Massacre" is a fun time!
It's refreshing to get a different perspective when it comes to this genre, focusing on the cop that was too late and what that does to a person. I thought Tom was a solid main character, though I would have liked a bit more backstory to fully round-out his character. The rest of the supporting characters do their jobs, but aren't terribly noteworthy. While I wasn't necessarily the biggest fan of the villain, I thought it was nice to have something supernatural in the mix, as well as a design that I haven't ever seen before in a killer.
The pacing of the book is good, with enough ebbs and flows to keep you wanting to read more without getting fatigued. There was a lot of attention to detail put in, which created a vivid world that I was able to see plain as day while reading. DiLouie's writing is quick and easy, not necessarily spelling everything out for you, but making it a read that you can sit back, relax, and enjoy without putting a ton of effort into.
I'll be very excited to see what comes from the next book, which will be out later this year, as we finish out Tom's story. It's refreshing to see something you haven't seen before in a genre that has a ton of exposure, which made reading this a real treat. It may not have been entirely what I thoguht it was going to be, since I thought it was going to be a typical summer camp slasher, so it was nice to have something in the same vein, but does it's own thing.
Be sure to check "The Summer Fun Massacre" out when it is published on June 16, 2026!
I'd like to thank Orbit Books, Run For It, and NetGalley for the chance to give "The Summe Fun Massacre" an early read in return for an honest review.
If you know me, you would know what summer camp slasher are my absolute favorite sub-genre within horror. No matter the quality, I always eat them up and have so much fun doing so. And, I'm glad to say, Craig DiLouie's "The Summer Fun Massacre" is a fun time!
It's refreshing to get a different perspective when it comes to this genre, focusing on the cop that was too late and what that does to a person. I thought Tom was a solid main character, though I would have liked a bit more backstory to fully round-out his character. The rest of the supporting characters do their jobs, but aren't terribly noteworthy. While I wasn't necessarily the biggest fan of the villain, I thought it was nice to have something supernatural in the mix, as well as a design that I haven't ever seen before in a killer.
The pacing of the book is good, with enough ebbs and flows to keep you wanting to read more without getting fatigued. There was a lot of attention to detail put in, which created a vivid world that I was able to see plain as day while reading. DiLouie's writing is quick and easy, not necessarily spelling everything out for you, but making it a read that you can sit back, relax, and enjoy without putting a ton of effort into.
I'll be very excited to see what comes from the next book, which will be out later this year, as we finish out Tom's story. It's refreshing to see something you haven't seen before in a genre that has a ton of exposure, which made reading this a real treat. It may not have been entirely what I thoguht it was going to be, since I thought it was going to be a typical summer camp slasher, so it was nice to have something in the same vein, but does it's own thing.
Be sure to check "The Summer Fun Massacre" out when it is published on June 16, 2026!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
3.5/5
Have you ever watched a horror movie ending when the cops pulled up and wonder "what happens now" or "how are they going to explain that to the police?" Then this is the novel for you, though you may be a bit disappointed. I loved the idea, but it all being from the POV of the police officer makes the reader feel removed from the action, even when Tom is in the middle of the action he somehow feels removed from it Also, the slashing has already occurred when the novel starts, so despite the title, the main story here is Tom trying to solve the mystery vs a slasher tale.
The concept was interesting; the execution was subpar. I'm invested enough to read the sequel and see if it works more for me.
It's 1992 and Summer Fun Camp is ready for campers. It's the night before the start of a session and the counselors gather around the fireplace to tell spooky stories. The spookiest story of all may be the history of the camp, which has a massacre in the 80's that left one final girl, and the killer was never found.
Deputy Tom Bailey has a personal connection to that massacre, his girlfriend was the sole survivor, and he joined the police department to stop anything like this from happening again. So, when he's on patrol and gets a call about screams at the camp, he rushes over to find his worst nightmare has come true. Yet again there is one sole survivor, and yet again Tom is determined to figure out what happened. With the help of his ex-girlfriend, Tom attempts to solve the truth behind the massacres, even while his own police department is against his investigation.
Thank you to NetGalley for an eARC of this novel.
Have you ever watched a horror movie ending when the cops pulled up and wonder "what happens now" or "how are they going to explain that to the police?" Then this is the novel for you, though you may be a bit disappointed. I loved the idea, but it all being from the POV of the police officer makes the reader feel removed from the action, even when Tom is in the middle of the action he somehow feels removed from it Also, the slashing has already occurred when the novel starts, so despite the title, the main story here is Tom trying to solve the mystery vs a slasher tale.
The concept was interesting; the execution was subpar. I'm invested enough to read the sequel and see if it works more for me.
It's 1992 and Summer Fun Camp is ready for campers. It's the night before the start of a session and the counselors gather around the fireplace to tell spooky stories. The spookiest story of all may be the history of the camp, which has a massacre in the 80's that left one final girl, and the killer was never found.
Deputy Tom Bailey has a personal connection to that massacre, his girlfriend was the sole survivor, and he joined the police department to stop anything like this from happening again. So, when he's on patrol and gets a call about screams at the camp, he rushes over to find his worst nightmare has come true. Yet again there is one sole survivor, and yet again Tom is determined to figure out what happened. With the help of his ex-girlfriend, Tom attempts to solve the truth behind the massacres, even while his own police department is against his investigation.
Thank you to NetGalley for an eARC of this novel.
Review of advance copy received from Storygraph
Release: June 16, 2026
Author: Craig DeLouie
Publisher: Orbit Books
Rating: 3.75★
Thoughts:
The Summer Fun Massacre is a slasher lover's dream. Craig DiLouie crafts a nostalgic and bloody ride that feels both familiar and uniquely horrifying. Set in a summer camp with a dark past, the story takes us back to 1992, just before the camp is set to open. With rumors of a long-dead killer resurfacing and horrific screams echoing through the woods, the tension builds from the first page. DiLouie mixes slasher gore with eerie mystery, keeping readers on edge as they navigate both the supernatural and the very real danger of an unstoppable killer. It’s fast-paced, visceral, and packed with twists that horror fans will appreciate.
This book suits someone in the mood for something: tense, dark
Pace: fast
Plot or Character Driven?: plot-driven
Strong Character Development?: no
Loveable Characters?: it's complicated
Diverse Cast?: no
Are Character Flaws a Main Focus?: no
Main Themes / Tropes:
slasher horror, summer camp, final girl, nostalgia, urban legends, supernatural suspense, revenge, survival
Synopsis:
In the summer of 1992, camp Summer Fun in Texas is gearing up for another season—despite its horrifying history. In the 1980s, a massacre claimed multiple lives, leaving one sole survivor and a legend of a killer that was never caught. Deputy Tom Bailey, with personal ties to the original massacre, must face the terrifying possibility that the killer has returned. As the counselors prepare for a night of bonfires and rites of passage, they unwittingly awaken a deadly nightmare.
Favorite Quote:
“Surviving the massacre is just the beginning.”
Author: Craig DeLouie
Publisher: Orbit Books
Rating: 3.75★
Thoughts:
The Summer Fun Massacre is a slasher lover's dream. Craig DiLouie crafts a nostalgic and bloody ride that feels both familiar and uniquely horrifying. Set in a summer camp with a dark past, the story takes us back to 1992, just before the camp is set to open. With rumors of a long-dead killer resurfacing and horrific screams echoing through the woods, the tension builds from the first page. DiLouie mixes slasher gore with eerie mystery, keeping readers on edge as they navigate both the supernatural and the very real danger of an unstoppable killer. It’s fast-paced, visceral, and packed with twists that horror fans will appreciate.
This book suits someone in the mood for something: tense, dark
Pace: fast
Plot or Character Driven?: plot-driven
Strong Character Development?: no
Loveable Characters?: it's complicated
Diverse Cast?: no
Are Character Flaws a Main Focus?: no
Main Themes / Tropes:
slasher horror, summer camp, final girl, nostalgia, urban legends, supernatural suspense, revenge, survival
Synopsis:
In the summer of 1992, camp Summer Fun in Texas is gearing up for another season—despite its horrifying history. In the 1980s, a massacre claimed multiple lives, leaving one sole survivor and a legend of a killer that was never caught. Deputy Tom Bailey, with personal ties to the original massacre, must face the terrifying possibility that the killer has returned. As the counselors prepare for a night of bonfires and rites of passage, they unwittingly awaken a deadly nightmare.
Favorite Quote:
“Surviving the massacre is just the beginning.”
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
The Summer Fun Massacre was my first novel by Craig DiLouie – his plots always sound so interesting, but I had never made the time for one of his books before. The cover and premise of this one intrigued me – it picks up immediately at the tail-end of a summer camp massacre leaving all but one counselor dead. There’s a small-town location, gory scenes of bloodshed and dismemberment, and a hint of supernatural forces at work – all things I love in a horror book. Unfortunately, this was a bit of a snooze-fest. Also, being a duology (which I wish I knew before I picked it up – I don't think the Goodreads description mentions this), there’s no resolution.
The whole book is from the viewpoint of our main character Tom, a sheriff’s deputy, as he arrives on-scene of the massacre and then the investigation afterwards. There are also numerous other deputy characters, but I couldn’t tell you any distinguishing characteristics of any of them. Then we have Sheriff Buddy who is your stereotypical hard ass who only cares about getting re-elected.
The beginning of the novel was great and instantly hooked me. We learn about the massacre that just occurred as well as the one from 1983 with eerily similar characteristics. Then we got bogged down in the politics and discourse between the Sherrif’s department and the local police force. Tom was also a wet blanket of a character; very one-dimensional and stereotypical ‘local cop trying to do the right thing.’
We will see if I pick up the second book. Maybe if it is more from the viewpoint of the massacre survivor and not the police.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the advanced copy.
The whole book is from the viewpoint of our main character Tom, a sheriff’s deputy, as he arrives on-scene of the massacre and then the investigation afterwards. There are also numerous other deputy characters, but I couldn’t tell you any distinguishing characteristics of any of them. Then we have Sheriff Buddy who is your stereotypical hard ass who only cares about getting re-elected.
The beginning of the novel was great and instantly hooked me. We learn about the massacre that just occurred as well as the one from 1983 with eerily similar characteristics. Then we got bogged down in the politics and discourse between the Sherrif’s department and the local police force. Tom was also a wet blanket of a character; very one-dimensional and stereotypical ‘local cop trying to do the right thing.’
We will see if I pick up the second book. Maybe if it is more from the viewpoint of the massacre survivor and not the police.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the advanced copy.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I went in expecting a classic summer camp slasher. Something tense, atmospheric, gory, and character driven with that nostalgic slasher edge. Instead, what I got felt much closer to a politically tinged police procedural. That shift in focus isn’t inherently a bad thing, but it does make the book feel mis-marketed, and it definitely wasn’t what I was hoping for.
The novel is also extremely ambitious, juggling a large cast of characters and multiple perspectives. Unfortunately, that ambition doesn’t fully pay off. Many of the characters (especially the numerous police officers) blend together, lacking distinct voices or meaningful development. Without strong characterization, it becomes difficult to stay invested or even keep track of who’s who.
There is a survivor POV woven throughout, revealing pieces of what happened at the camp, and those sections come closest to delivering on the "slasher" premise. But even then, the actual horror elements feel distant, more reported than experienced. The result is a story that talks around the massacre rather than immersing you in it. Since this will be a duology, the novel begins laying the groundwork for the next installment.
Ultimately, I think my disappointment comes down to expectations. I was ready for a gripping slasher, and instead found a procedural with vague horror elements at the edges. There are interesting ideas here, but for me, it didn’t deliver on the promise of its premise.
Many thanks to NetGalley, Craig DiLouie, and Orbit books for the ARC. All opinions are my own.
The novel is also extremely ambitious, juggling a large cast of characters and multiple perspectives. Unfortunately, that ambition doesn’t fully pay off. Many of the characters (especially the numerous police officers) blend together, lacking distinct voices or meaningful development. Without strong characterization, it becomes difficult to stay invested or even keep track of who’s who.
There is a survivor POV woven throughout, revealing pieces of what happened at the camp, and those sections come closest to delivering on the "slasher" premise. But even then, the actual horror elements feel distant, more reported than experienced. The result is a story that talks around the massacre rather than immersing you in it. Since this will be a duology, the novel begins laying the groundwork for the next installment.
Ultimately, I think my disappointment comes down to expectations. I was ready for a gripping slasher, and instead found a procedural with vague horror elements at the edges. There are interesting ideas here, but for me, it didn’t deliver on the promise of its premise.
Many thanks to NetGalley, Craig DiLouie, and Orbit books for the ARC. All opinions are my own.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
⭐️⭐️⭐️✨ — The Summer Fun Massacre by Craig DiLouie
This isn’t the scream-in-the-woods, blood-everywhere kind of slasher you think you’re picking up.
It’s quieter than that.
Colder.
The horror here feels like something that already happened and never really ended.
The story circles around a summer camp tragedy, but instead of throwing you straight into the chaos, it lingers in the aftermath. In the questions. In the way a town carries something it refuses to fully name. You’re not running from the killer you’re trying to understand it.
And that tension? It works… until it doesn’t.
The atmosphere is easily the strongest part. There’s this constant unease, like something is just slightly off in every scene. You’re waiting for it to snap and sometimes it does but a lot of the time, it pulls back into investigation instead of horror.
Which is where I struggled a bit.
It leans heavily into unraveling the mystery, and while that adds depth, it also dulls some of the fear. The pacing slows, the focus shifts, and the sharp edge of the story softens more than I wanted it to.
But I will say this it sticks with you.
Not because of the scares, but because of the idea behind it:
that some stories don’t stay buried,
and some places don’t let go of what happened there.
Final thoughts:
unsettling > terrifying
more about aftermath than action
horror that lingers instead of explodes
3.5⭐ for a story that doesn’t chase you… it just waits for you to notice it’s already there
This isn’t the scream-in-the-woods, blood-everywhere kind of slasher you think you’re picking up.
It’s quieter than that.
Colder.
The horror here feels like something that already happened and never really ended.
The story circles around a summer camp tragedy, but instead of throwing you straight into the chaos, it lingers in the aftermath. In the questions. In the way a town carries something it refuses to fully name. You’re not running from the killer you’re trying to understand it.
And that tension? It works… until it doesn’t.
The atmosphere is easily the strongest part. There’s this constant unease, like something is just slightly off in every scene. You’re waiting for it to snap and sometimes it does but a lot of the time, it pulls back into investigation instead of horror.
Which is where I struggled a bit.
It leans heavily into unraveling the mystery, and while that adds depth, it also dulls some of the fear. The pacing slows, the focus shifts, and the sharp edge of the story softens more than I wanted it to.
But I will say this it sticks with you.
Not because of the scares, but because of the idea behind it:
that some stories don’t stay buried,
and some places don’t let go of what happened there.
Final thoughts:
unsettling > terrifying
more about aftermath than action
horror that lingers instead of explodes
3.5⭐ for a story that doesn’t chase you… it just waits for you to notice it’s already there
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to Netgalley for a free copy of the digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Wow, I had a great time with this summer camp slasher story based in the early 90's. It was campy, it was slashy, it was all things Summer Fun! I feel like Craig DiLouie took all your typical slasher tropes and cliches and twisted them. The author mentions that he wanted to write something for all the Deputy Deweys out there and I think he nailed it.
Right away the book opens in the carnage and I feel like it kept a pretty fast pace through the whole book. You have a small town with an elected sheriff and all the politics of that dynamic. One thing to note is this book has "Sequel" atmosphere that I would put on level with Terminator 2, Friday the 13th part 2, or even Jeepers Creepers 2. However, this is the first book in a duology and I think the sequel vibe WORKED! It gave a different layer to how DiLouie handled his 'Final Girls'.
I will 1000% be looking forward to the 2nd half of this duology.
Given this is a slasher, I would assume that most triggers would be ok with most readers. However, one that I do think may need to be pointed out is the amount of discussion and description of suicide. This novel does dive into the different ways that people handle trauma and/or traumatic events (whether first or second hand) and it doesn't really hold back. I, honestly, appreciated that aspect.
Wow, I had a great time with this summer camp slasher story based in the early 90's. It was campy, it was slashy, it was all things Summer Fun! I feel like Craig DiLouie took all your typical slasher tropes and cliches and twisted them. The author mentions that he wanted to write something for all the Deputy Deweys out there and I think he nailed it.
Right away the book opens in the carnage and I feel like it kept a pretty fast pace through the whole book. You have a small town with an elected sheriff and all the politics of that dynamic. One thing to note is this book has "Sequel" atmosphere that I would put on level with Terminator 2, Friday the 13th part 2, or even Jeepers Creepers 2. However, this is the first book in a duology and I think the sequel vibe WORKED! It gave a different layer to how DiLouie handled his 'Final Girls'.
I will 1000% be looking forward to the 2nd half of this duology.
Given this is a slasher, I would assume that most triggers would be ok with most readers. However, one that I do think may need to be pointed out is the amount of discussion and description of suicide. This novel does dive into the different ways that people handle trauma and/or traumatic events (whether first or second hand) and it doesn't really hold back. I, honestly, appreciated that aspect.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
after enjoying Suffer the Children i had high hopes for The Summer Fun Massacre. i was ready for a classic 80's/90's slasher with a bit of a urban legend twist...
the first half is definitely the better portion of the book, it started out pretty strong & it gets straight to the action in chapter one. there were things i liked & things i didn't. i liked the Texan small town vibes, trying to connect the past massacre to the current events & figuring out if it's a copy cat killer or the same person. it was delivering that summer camp slasher i was looking for in the first half.
somewhere around the 45-50% mark it took a turn. it goes from slasher to a heavy political police procedural. everything suddenly turned into "oh i'm up for re-election for sheriff so i have to hurry & fix this mess so i get re-elected" instead of actually trying to solve who the murderer is for the purpose of actually doing their job as cops? the horror & "slasher" elements really take a backseat from this point on & the pacing starts to drag.. Buddy, the sheriff, was giving slight Sheriff Hoyt vibes from the standpoint of doing whatever it took to remain sheriff to hide his families past & current dirty secrets. he just had a dirty cop vibe surrounding him the entire time.
there's so many characters, police to be more specific, that it started getting harder & harder to keep track of who everyone was. i could not tell who was who between the sheriff, the mc Tom & the chief for a few chapters in the beginning & to be honest i still can't tell you who the other three or four cops were. they all mesh together & sound too similar for me to differentiate.
one of my biggest icks in a book is when there's an unnecessary romance/relationship or sex scene & for whatever reason that's also included somewhere towards the end. literally out of nowhere... im sorry what??? why is this happening, what is it adding to the story?? excuse me while i delete this from my memory.
there's definitely potential but the execution just missed the mark for me. i know there's a second book coming but i'm left a little too underwhelmed to decide if i'm going to continue the duology.
Thank you to NetGalley & the publisher for this arc in exchange for an honest review
the first half is definitely the better portion of the book, it started out pretty strong & it gets straight to the action in chapter one. there were things i liked & things i didn't. i liked the Texan small town vibes, trying to connect the past massacre to the current events & figuring out if it's a copy cat killer or the same person. it was delivering that summer camp slasher i was looking for in the first half.
somewhere around the 45-50% mark it took a turn. it goes from slasher to a heavy political police procedural. everything suddenly turned into "oh i'm up for re-election for sheriff so i have to hurry & fix this mess so i get re-elected" instead of actually trying to solve who the murderer is for the purpose of actually doing their job as cops? the horror & "slasher" elements really take a backseat from this point on & the pacing starts to drag.. Buddy, the sheriff, was giving slight Sheriff Hoyt vibes from the standpoint of doing whatever it took to remain sheriff to hide his families past & current dirty secrets. he just had a dirty cop vibe surrounding him the entire time.
there's so many characters, police to be more specific, that it started getting harder & harder to keep track of who everyone was. i could not tell who was who between the sheriff, the mc Tom & the chief for a few chapters in the beginning & to be honest i still can't tell you who the other three or four cops were. they all mesh together & sound too similar for me to differentiate.
one of my biggest icks in a book is when there's an unnecessary romance/relationship or sex scene & for whatever reason that's also included somewhere towards the end. literally out of nowhere... im sorry what??? why is this happening, what is it adding to the story?? excuse me while i delete this from my memory.
there's definitely potential but the execution just missed the mark for me. i know there's a second book coming but i'm left a little too underwhelmed to decide if i'm going to continue the duology.
Thank you to NetGalley & the publisher for this arc in exchange for an honest review
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Imagine a small town colliding with the eerie vibes of an 80s slasher flick, where a killer emerges from the depths of urban legend. It’s horror intertwined with the classic final girl trope, and this book definitely channels some serious Summerween energy.
The story kicks off right away at Camp Summer Fun, a secluded spot in the Texas woods that’s gearing up to reopen for the summer of 1992. But there’s a dark shadow hanging over it—back in the summer of 1983, a horrific murder took place, leaving several victims and only one survivor. It feels like history might just be on the verge of repeating itself.
Deputy Tom Bailey, following his instincts, decides to investigate the camp and stumbles upon a gruesome scene and a girl desperately fighting for her life. Burdened by guilt and haunted by “what ifs,” he embarks on a quest to uncover the truth and see if those chilling myths and legends hold any weight. I really appreciated the backstory—it added so much depth and context, especially when it came to the classic police work.
If you’re looking for a fast-paced read that keeps you on your toes, questioning what’s real and what’s not, then this is definitely the book for you. The ending? Absolutely explosive! It was just what I needed.
Thank you Netgalley, Orbit Books, and Craig DiLouie for the ARC. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.
The story kicks off right away at Camp Summer Fun, a secluded spot in the Texas woods that’s gearing up to reopen for the summer of 1992. But there’s a dark shadow hanging over it—back in the summer of 1983, a horrific murder took place, leaving several victims and only one survivor. It feels like history might just be on the verge of repeating itself.
Deputy Tom Bailey, following his instincts, decides to investigate the camp and stumbles upon a gruesome scene and a girl desperately fighting for her life. Burdened by guilt and haunted by “what ifs,” he embarks on a quest to uncover the truth and see if those chilling myths and legends hold any weight. I really appreciated the backstory—it added so much depth and context, especially when it came to the classic police work.
If you’re looking for a fast-paced read that keeps you on your toes, questioning what’s real and what’s not, then this is definitely the book for you. The ending? Absolutely explosive! It was just what I needed.
Thank you Netgalley, Orbit Books, and Craig DiLouie for the ARC. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I’ve been waiting to read this book for months! Craig DiLouie is an auto buy for me, especially after reading My Ex, the Antichrist (seriously, it’s amazing). I have a lifelong love of slasher movies and books. Give them all to me, I will devour them like I’m bedridden and stress eating ice cream. But we hardly ever get to see things from the other side, from the survivors and the officer who finally swoops in to save the day. This, my friends, is that book. I did initially expect more of a slasher with this one, but I was so pleasantly surprised because this was so much more than that. It was part slasher, part small town procedural, while still being all horror. I loved it. The characters were fantastic and very much fit the tropes of a slasher film. I read most of it in one sitting, but stupid responsibilities got in the way. The pacing was perfection, the tension was perfection, I don’t have a single complaint about it. And I absolutely loved the nineties timing of it. It was like a movie in my head. In fact, someone please make this into a movie!
Huge thanks to Orbit Books | Run For It and NetGalley for sending me this ARC for review! All of my reviews are given honestly!
Huge thanks to Orbit Books | Run For It and NetGalley for sending me this ARC for review! All of my reviews are given honestly!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
The Summer Fun Massacre is a whodunnit that traverses two decades and combines police procedural elements with horror. I really enjoyed the law enforcement corruption angle, as well as the gore and action near the end.
This book wasn't quite what I thought it was going to be. Based on the amazing cover, I thought it was going to be something more like Friday the 13th, with most of the action taking place at a camp, plus a lot of those 80s counselor vibes or something. Instead, the book was more dialogue-heavy and didn't focus as much on those elements. It was still entertaining, but it ended up being a little bit of a letdown.
I liked the idea of a deputy working within a sheriff's office that is corrupt and that completely dropped the ball during the original murder/massacre years before. The small-town aesthetics are still present, which I really loved, and apparently, there is going to be a fun sequel!
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers at Run for It for providing me with an e-ARC. I look forward to reading the sequel, which seems like it will have some kind of Yule/Christmas setting! I'm still interested in this series, and I look forward to picking up the next installment when it releases.
This book wasn't quite what I thought it was going to be. Based on the amazing cover, I thought it was going to be something more like Friday the 13th, with most of the action taking place at a camp, plus a lot of those 80s counselor vibes or something. Instead, the book was more dialogue-heavy and didn't focus as much on those elements. It was still entertaining, but it ended up being a little bit of a letdown.
I liked the idea of a deputy working within a sheriff's office that is corrupt and that completely dropped the ball during the original murder/massacre years before. The small-town aesthetics are still present, which I really loved, and apparently, there is going to be a fun sequel!
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers at Run for It for providing me with an e-ARC. I look forward to reading the sequel, which seems like it will have some kind of Yule/Christmas setting! I'm still interested in this series, and I look forward to picking up the next installment when it releases.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
If you go into Summer Fun Massacre by Craig DiLouie expecting a straight-up slasher, you’ll get that… but it comes at you sideways.
It drops you right in the middle of everything, which honestly I loved. There’s no easing in, no slow build. Just chaos already in motion. Seeing it unfold from the perspective of the officer who shows up too late to the massacre adds this extra layer of dread. You already know how bad it is, and now you’re just walking through the aftermath piece by piece.
It’s bloody, gory, and intense in a way that doesn’t let up. The kind where you feel like you need to pause for a second but don’t want to because you need to know how much worse it gets.
The characters are messy, make terrible decisions, and feel real enough that it makes everything hit harder. I wasn’t rooting for everyone, but I was definitely invested in how it all went down.
My only thing is I wanted either a little more depth in spots or for it to just fully go off the rails. It kind of hovers in between at times. But overall, I had a lot of fun with it in that dark, “this is a disaster and I can’t look away” way.
3.75 ⭐️ rounded up to 4.
It drops you right in the middle of everything, which honestly I loved. There’s no easing in, no slow build. Just chaos already in motion. Seeing it unfold from the perspective of the officer who shows up too late to the massacre adds this extra layer of dread. You already know how bad it is, and now you’re just walking through the aftermath piece by piece.
It’s bloody, gory, and intense in a way that doesn’t let up. The kind where you feel like you need to pause for a second but don’t want to because you need to know how much worse it gets.
The characters are messy, make terrible decisions, and feel real enough that it makes everything hit harder. I wasn’t rooting for everyone, but I was definitely invested in how it all went down.
My only thing is I wanted either a little more depth in spots or for it to just fully go off the rails. It kind of hovers in between at times. But overall, I had a lot of fun with it in that dark, “this is a disaster and I can’t look away” way.
3.75 ⭐️ rounded up to 4.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thank you NetGalley and Craig DiLouie for the ARC. I leave this review voluntarily and happily. Also thank you publishers for your hard work!
Well what can I say i should have paid more attention. I didn't realize this was book two of a series. I was very confused about a few things but now that I know its got another whole book before it now I know why. Even so it definitely is an interesting book. It had me guessing the whole time and definitely had me wondering was I wrong the whole time? It definitely made me think. In a way it was kinda a who done it. By the end of it you definitely will have mixed emotions and want a lit of things to happen.
One thing I am happy about is there was a bit of lore. I of course can never get enough of that. I truly lived learning about the Hungry Hare. Its past and the present was just interesting and not to mention disgusting.
This book is not all that gorey so if thats what your looking for this isent for you. The beginning is gruesome but thats about it. What i can say is the characters are very much likable and you can only want so much for them. Not to mention you want to bash a couple of heads but thats normal for books like this.
Well what can I say i should have paid more attention. I didn't realize this was book two of a series. I was very confused about a few things but now that I know its got another whole book before it now I know why. Even so it definitely is an interesting book. It had me guessing the whole time and definitely had me wondering was I wrong the whole time? It definitely made me think. In a way it was kinda a who done it. By the end of it you definitely will have mixed emotions and want a lit of things to happen.
One thing I am happy about is there was a bit of lore. I of course can never get enough of that. I truly lived learning about the Hungry Hare. Its past and the present was just interesting and not to mention disgusting.
This book is not all that gorey so if thats what your looking for this isent for you. The beginning is gruesome but thats about it. What i can say is the characters are very much likable and you can only want so much for them. Not to mention you want to bash a couple of heads but thats normal for books like this.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I received this as a free arc copy in exchange for review but all opinions written here are my own.
As frequent horror genre reader, I went into this book with very different expectations of where I thought the story plot line would go. The beginning of this book has some great “slasher” type moments. As well as some other ‘horror-ish’ type things that happen through the story but I would not personally label this novel in the horror genre. As another reviewer mentioned this book is about 30% slasher, summer camp movie plot and the remaining 70% is the police investigative side of what happened.
All that being said, the first 1/2 of this book sucked me out of the biggest reading slump! I flew through the beginning horror scenes loving it and obsessed to read more. When it started taking more of the detective turn I was a bit confused and really slowed down with my reading pace, but overall I did enjoy it! This one is not going to turn out the way you probably think and was worth the read!
As frequent horror genre reader, I went into this book with very different expectations of where I thought the story plot line would go. The beginning of this book has some great “slasher” type moments. As well as some other ‘horror-ish’ type things that happen through the story but I would not personally label this novel in the horror genre. As another reviewer mentioned this book is about 30% slasher, summer camp movie plot and the remaining 70% is the police investigative side of what happened.
All that being said, the first 1/2 of this book sucked me out of the biggest reading slump! I flew through the beginning horror scenes loving it and obsessed to read more. When it started taking more of the detective turn I was a bit confused and really slowed down with my reading pace, but overall I did enjoy it! This one is not going to turn out the way you probably think and was worth the read!
April 10, 2026
If you go into The Summer Fun Massacre expecting a straightforward, pro-law-enforcement thriller, it’ll surprise you, but in the best way. I was a little wary at first that it might lean into copaganda territory, but that concern faded quickly. DiLouie takes things in a much more layered and interesting direction, and the result is a story that feels both tense and refreshingly self-aware.
What really worked for me is how well it blends genres. There’s a strong thriller backbone, but it’s also very much a slasher at heart, with some genuinely unsettling supernatural elements woven in. That combination could easily feel disjointed, but here it clicks. I felt that the pacing keeps you hooked, and the tonal shifts add to the unease rather than distract from it.
It’s also a departure from what I usually associate with Craig DiLouie. The vibe here is different. It's darker in some ways, but also more playful with genre conventions. It shows a range that I didn’t necessarily expect, and I appreciated seeing him stretch in this direction.
Overall, this was a really enjoyable read. It’s gripping, a little eerie, and doesn’t go quite where you think it will. Definitely recommended if you like your horror with a mix of thrills and something just a bit otherworldly.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an early copy in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
What really worked for me is how well it blends genres. There’s a strong thriller backbone, but it’s also very much a slasher at heart, with some genuinely unsettling supernatural elements woven in. That combination could easily feel disjointed, but here it clicks. I felt that the pacing keeps you hooked, and the tonal shifts add to the unease rather than distract from it.
It’s also a departure from what I usually associate with Craig DiLouie. The vibe here is different. It's darker in some ways, but also more playful with genre conventions. It shows a range that I didn’t necessarily expect, and I appreciated seeing him stretch in this direction.
Overall, this was a really enjoyable read. It’s gripping, a little eerie, and doesn’t go quite where you think it will. Definitely recommended if you like your horror with a mix of thrills and something just a bit otherworldly.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an early copy in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
✨ Available June 16th, 2026 ✨
Thank you to NetGalley & Orbit Publishing for the ARC!
If you’re looking for an edge-of-your-seat “summerween” read that captures that classic slasher vibe, like watching Friday the 13th for the first time, this is the book for you.
The story follows small-town cop Tom Bailey as he tries to crack the case of the “Hungry Hare,” an urban legend that has haunted the town since the ’80s… if not longer. While it delivers strong summer camp slasher energy, it also incorporates a police procedural element that adds depth to the story.
One of my favorite things about this book is how unpredictable it was. As a lifelong slasher fan, I like to think I’m hard to stump, but this one genuinely kept me guessing!
There were also moments (the second basement scene… EEEEYYYUUCKKK) that made my skin crawl. If I could have covered my eyes, I would have.
The killer’s design is disturbing, unique, and downright disgusting in a way that makes it truly unforgettable.
GIVE ME BOOK 2 NOW ⛺️
Thank you to NetGalley & Orbit Publishing for the ARC!
If you’re looking for an edge-of-your-seat “summerween” read that captures that classic slasher vibe, like watching Friday the 13th for the first time, this is the book for you.
The story follows small-town cop Tom Bailey as he tries to crack the case of the “Hungry Hare,” an urban legend that has haunted the town since the ’80s… if not longer. While it delivers strong summer camp slasher energy, it also incorporates a police procedural element that adds depth to the story.
One of my favorite things about this book is how unpredictable it was. As a lifelong slasher fan, I like to think I’m hard to stump, but this one genuinely kept me guessing!
There were also moments (the second basement scene… EEEEYYYUUCKKK) that made my skin crawl. If I could have covered my eyes, I would have.
The killer’s design is disturbing, unique, and downright disgusting in a way that makes it truly unforgettable.
GIVE ME BOOK 2 NOW ⛺️
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