What do you think?
Slasher Season #1
The Summer Fun Massacre
Surviving 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…
304 pages, Paperback
First published June 16, 2026
About the author
Craig DiLouie
67 books1,718 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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Displaying 1 - 30 of 825 reviews
June 9, 2026
**2.5-stars rounded up**
The Summer Fun Massacre features a unique take on the Tradition Slasher. In this book, we follow the police officer who arrives on the scene too late to prevent a tragedy.
For Tom, our MC, this kind of tragedy has struck twice in his life. Once in 1983, when the girl he was dating, Mary, ended up the final girl in a brutal Summer Camp slaying, and again in 1992, when another massacre occurs after the camp reopens. Tom is the 1st-officer responding to the scene.
That's pretty much all the massacre you're gonna get, the aftermath. We follow Tom in the days following as he deals with his complex emotions on both crimes and tries to solve them before they happen again.
I don't know, y'all. I had high hopes for this one, but unfortunately, I feel like I am generously rounding up. I found it slow and boring; not a good match for my tastes, especially considering what I was expecting.
I wanted Summer Camp vibes and the massacre to be on page. Not a Summer Camp, named Summer Fun, that plays only a peripheral role in the story. I received zero 'camp' from this, and I'm salty about it.
I'm rounding up to 3-stars, not because I enjoyed the book, but because I believe others could. The writing is fluid, and Tom is well-developed as a character.
Even though I'm disappointed by the trajectory of the narrative overall, I do appreciate what DiLouie was doing here, switching up the perspective of a Traditional Slasher. I think that was a risk, and if he was comfortable going for it, I'm gonna support that.
I think that idea, to explore a different angle, and bring something new to the subgenre is a great idea, just for me, the content was dull as dirt.
At the end of the day, it lacked the fun and excitement I was looking for, and I feel like the title, though in a way, what the book is about, is sort of misleading. Fun was not had in my experience, and I needed more massacre as well.
With all this being said, just because this wasn't necessarily my cup of tea doesn't mean it won't work for you. I can be a picky-B, so take what I say with a grain of salt. If this sounds interesting to you, give it go. You could be finding a new favorite.
Thank you so much to the publisher, Run For It, for providing me with a copy to read and review.
Even though this wasn't a win for me, could I be convinced to read the sequel? Yeah, most likely. Yes.
The Summer Fun Massacre features a unique take on the Tradition Slasher. In this book, we follow the police officer who arrives on the scene too late to prevent a tragedy.
For Tom, our MC, this kind of tragedy has struck twice in his life. Once in 1983, when the girl he was dating, Mary, ended up the final girl in a brutal Summer Camp slaying, and again in 1992, when another massacre occurs after the camp reopens. Tom is the 1st-officer responding to the scene.
That's pretty much all the massacre you're gonna get, the aftermath. We follow Tom in the days following as he deals with his complex emotions on both crimes and tries to solve them before they happen again.
I don't know, y'all. I had high hopes for this one, but unfortunately, I feel like I am generously rounding up. I found it slow and boring; not a good match for my tastes, especially considering what I was expecting.
I wanted Summer Camp vibes and the massacre to be on page. Not a Summer Camp, named Summer Fun, that plays only a peripheral role in the story. I received zero 'camp' from this, and I'm salty about it.
I'm rounding up to 3-stars, not because I enjoyed the book, but because I believe others could. The writing is fluid, and Tom is well-developed as a character.
Even though I'm disappointed by the trajectory of the narrative overall, I do appreciate what DiLouie was doing here, switching up the perspective of a Traditional Slasher. I think that was a risk, and if he was comfortable going for it, I'm gonna support that.
I think that idea, to explore a different angle, and bring something new to the subgenre is a great idea, just for me, the content was dull as dirt.
At the end of the day, it lacked the fun and excitement I was looking for, and I feel like the title, though in a way, what the book is about, is sort of misleading. Fun was not had in my experience, and I needed more massacre as well.
With all this being said, just because this wasn't necessarily my cup of tea doesn't mean it won't work for you. I can be a picky-B, so take what I say with a grain of salt. If this sounds interesting to you, give it go. You could be finding a new favorite.
Thank you so much to the publisher, Run For It, for providing me with a copy to read and review.
Even though this wasn't a win for me, could I be convinced to read the sequel? Yeah, most likely. Yes.
Did Not Finish
June 16, 2026dnf @ 39%
i loved the other book i read from this author, but this is another case of false advertising. i wanted a camp slasher, not a crime centric police procedural. i’m not in the mood for that type of story, so im calling it here.
— thanks to NetGalley, the author and Orbit books for the arc, all opinions are my own.
i loved the other book i read from this author, but this is another case of false advertising. i wanted a camp slasher, not a crime centric police procedural. i’m not in the mood for that type of story, so im calling it here.
— thanks to NetGalley, the author and Orbit books for the arc, all opinions are my own.
July 7, 2026
Damn I'm gutted about this. I was really looking forward to a fun, camp, slasher horror. However, what I got was a deputy finding himself investigating the aftermath of the slasher. And following on from that was more of a police procedural and lots of politics. And I'm really sad about it. Most of the slasher side of things was glossed over and by the end of the book, I was pretty much zoned out. So sad. The cover is so pretty.
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
August 4, 2026
As a lifelong fan of slashers, this book was almost impossible for me to ignore. I've watched all the Friday the 13th installments, enjoyed I Know What You Did Last Summer, and have always had a soft spot for the classic summer camp horror formula. This book delivers many of the ingredients I love: a remote camp, a masked killer, young victims, dark secrets, and a legend that may be more than just a story. The author creates a wonderfully tense atmosphere and captures the feeling of those old-school slashers while adding his own darker elements. I especially liked the mystery surrounding the Hungry Hare and the question of whether this is a human killer or something far worse. The investigation, Tom's guilt, and Mary's quest for revenge give the story more depth than a simple body-count slasher. Not every moment worked perfectly for me, but the overall atmosphere and nostalgic horror vibes kept me hooked. A bloody, entertaining tribute to the slasher genre. Fans of campfire legends and 80s-style horror should definitely give this one a try. Really recommended
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 16, 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.
June 2, 2026
thank you to netgalley and the publisher for the arc. all opinions are my own.
if you’re looking for a campy summer slasher, perhaps look elsewhere. this was 90% (boring) police procedural following the drama and politics of a small county sheriff’s office and 10% (honestly probably less than that) classic slasher.
i also was hoping for more of the folklore horror/mythical being aspect to be explored. i think that could have been such an interesting and fun aspect of this story, but it felt kind of pushed to the side and not as well developed as you would expect.
i did not like any of the characters. while tom was trying to do well in his own mind, a lot his actions and inner monologue just had me cringing. he was not a compelling main character, nor was he very likable. there is nothing wrong with unlikable protagonists (i honestly love to read about them), but tom was just boring and i found myself not caring at all.
the rest of the main cast is pretty much all police officers, and quite a lot of them. they were very similar in their descriptions and personality traits, so i had a difficult time keeping track of who was who.
also the women in this were very clearly written by a man and quite frankly, it gave me the ick. it felt like the women were very one dimensional and i did not like the way one of the female characters was handled at the end of this. on a similar note, the random sec scene was??? out of place and just odd and not needed?
i will say this was very easy to read and i flew through it in only a handful of sittings. i thought this had the bones of a good summer horror book, but the execution fell completely flat.
if you’re looking for a campy summer slasher, perhaps look elsewhere. this was 90% (boring) police procedural following the drama and politics of a small county sheriff’s office and 10% (honestly probably less than that) classic slasher.
i also was hoping for more of the folklore horror/mythical being aspect to be explored. i think that could have been such an interesting and fun aspect of this story, but it felt kind of pushed to the side and not as well developed as you would expect.
i did not like any of the characters. while tom was trying to do well in his own mind, a lot his actions and inner monologue just had me cringing. he was not a compelling main character, nor was he very likable. there is nothing wrong with unlikable protagonists (i honestly love to read about them), but tom was just boring and i found myself not caring at all.
the rest of the main cast is pretty much all police officers, and quite a lot of them. they were very similar in their descriptions and personality traits, so i had a difficult time keeping track of who was who.
also the women in this were very clearly written by a man and quite frankly, it gave me the ick. it felt like the women were very one dimensional and i did not like the way one of the female characters was handled at the end of this. on a similar note, the random sec scene was??? out of place and just odd and not needed?
i will say this was very easy to read and i flew through it in only a handful of sittings. i thought this had the bones of a good summer horror book, but the execution fell completely flat.
July 13, 2026
I went into this one craving a pulse-pounding, action-packed slasher to kick off my summer reading. What I got instead left me bored and yawning by the midway point.
Maybe it’s just me, but I love stories that drop me right onto the shoulder of the characters—deeply immersive, where I’m living the tension and terror alongside them. This felt more like a detached “slasher aftermath” recap than a gripping, in-the-moment horror ride. The premise had potential, but the execution never pulled me in.
Craig DiLouie’s style unfortunately isn’t clicking for me. After reading The Thirteenth Episode (which I also found pretty mediocre), I noticed the same pattern: he’s telling the story rather than showing it. There’s a lot of narration and summary where I wanted visceral scenes, raw emotion, and cinematic dread.
It’s possible fans of slower-burn, more reflective horror might enjoy this one, but if you’re looking for heart-racing summer slasher vibes, this might not be the right fit.
Maybe it’s just me, but I love stories that drop me right onto the shoulder of the characters—deeply immersive, where I’m living the tension and terror alongside them. This felt more like a detached “slasher aftermath” recap than a gripping, in-the-moment horror ride. The premise had potential, but the execution never pulled me in.
Craig DiLouie’s style unfortunately isn’t clicking for me. After reading The Thirteenth Episode (which I also found pretty mediocre), I noticed the same pattern: he’s telling the story rather than showing it. There’s a lot of narration and summary where I wanted visceral scenes, raw emotion, and cinematic dread.
It’s possible fans of slower-burn, more reflective horror might enjoy this one, but if you’re looking for heart-racing summer slasher vibes, this might not be the right fit.
June 18, 2026
Not exactly what I was expecting, I was expecting straight 80's style slasher but it was more like 'Friday the 13th' combined with a police procedural. Don't get more it was still enjoyable. The one main problem I had was that the plot seemed to rely on the constant bullying by several of the main characters and the abject naivete of others, if I was reading this traditionally and hadn't been listening on Audible, I probably would have dnf'd instead of completing it, glad I finished it after all.
August 22, 2026
TW/CW: Language, bloody scenes, animal death, smoking, alcoholism, domestic abuse
*****SPOILERS*****
About the book:
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.
Release Date: June 16th, 2026
Genre: Horror (yeah that's what this is saying it is 👀)
Pages: 304 (100 pages too long)
Rating: ⭐ (one star only because I can't go lower)
What I Liked:
1. Love the cover of the book
What I Didn't Like:
1. 1983 mentioned 28 times
2. Characters are boring
3. Book reads like a young adult
4. Boring
Overall Thoughts:
{{Disclaimer: I write my review as I read}}
I do not like our characters.
Imagine a cop that already went into a scene that almost got him killed once before but now he follows Mary; a woman who was almost killed to the woods at night next to the camp to find a man he thinks is responsible for killing and eating campers.
I'm trying to enjoy this book but it's too boring and the characters are coming off like wet noodles.
Final Thoughts:
I almost bought this book and paid $20.00 for it but thank God I put it back and just got it from the library. The cover was trying to suck me in. Not this time Satan.
The book has zero interesting things that happened. I feel like it's the kind of book that tells you but never shows you. The characters lacked any kind of personality despite the author telling us about them. It all felt like basic surface level stuff.
You could tell me this is a YA or New Adult book and I wouldn't doubt you. It feels like it.
1983 is mentioned 28 times in a book that is almost 300 pages, so on average it's said every 10.5 pages. Too many times. I mean who is the author trying to remind of what year it happened?
I am so disappointed. This was one of my most anticipated books of the year and it such a let down.
IG | Blog
Thanks to Netgalley and Run For it/Orbit Books for this advanced copy of the book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
*****SPOILERS*****
About the book:
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.
Release Date: June 16th, 2026
Genre: Horror (yeah that's what this is saying it is 👀)
Pages: 304 (100 pages too long)
Rating: ⭐ (one star only because I can't go lower)
What I Liked:
1. Love the cover of the book
What I Didn't Like:
1. 1983 mentioned 28 times
2. Characters are boring
3. Book reads like a young adult
4. Boring
Overall Thoughts:
{{Disclaimer: I write my review as I read}}
I do not like our characters.
Imagine a cop that already went into a scene that almost got him killed once before but now he follows Mary; a woman who was almost killed to the woods at night next to the camp to find a man he thinks is responsible for killing and eating campers.
I'm trying to enjoy this book but it's too boring and the characters are coming off like wet noodles.
Final Thoughts:
I almost bought this book and paid $20.00 for it but thank God I put it back and just got it from the library. The cover was trying to suck me in. Not this time Satan.
The book has zero interesting things that happened. I feel like it's the kind of book that tells you but never shows you. The characters lacked any kind of personality despite the author telling us about them. It all felt like basic surface level stuff.
You could tell me this is a YA or New Adult book and I wouldn't doubt you. It feels like it.
1983 is mentioned 28 times in a book that is almost 300 pages, so on average it's said every 10.5 pages. Too many times. I mean who is the author trying to remind of what year it happened?
I am so disappointed. This was one of my most anticipated books of the year and it such a let down.
IG | Blog
Thanks to Netgalley and Run For it/Orbit Books for this advanced copy of the book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
July 16, 2026
I went into this book expecting a fast passed slasher book for my summerween reads. What I got was a lot of crooked cops, politics, and backstabbing. Sure there were deaths. It just wasn't what I expected. Slight let down.
September 13, 2026
I actually really enjoyed this book for most of it. It was fun, creepy, and had me interested in seeing where everything was going
BUT the final 10–15 chapters really started to drag for me. It felt like we were getting the same tension over and over again, and I just wanted everything to finally come together
And honestly, I really didn’t like the ending. After all that buildup, I expected the final reveal and payoff to feel more satisfying, but it just felt underwhelming and a little too convenient. I wanted more from the ending, especially after spending the whole book trying to figure out what was actually going on 😭
Overall, I still thought it was a good read and I enjoyed most of it, but the dragging final chapters and disappointing ending definitely brought it down to 3 stars for me
Did Not Finish
September 7, 2026DNF @ 28%
Sadly, this one was just not clicking with me. Like many others have said in their reviews, the title is extremely misleading. There's very little "summer camp slasher" here, and a whole lot of "slow-paced police procedural". This book might work great for someone who enjoys that type of story, but I'm not the right audience for it and wouldn't have picked this book up in the first place if it had been marketed more transparently.
Thank you to the publisher for the gifted copy! All thoughts are honest and my own.
Sadly, this one was just not clicking with me. Like many others have said in their reviews, the title is extremely misleading. There's very little "summer camp slasher" here, and a whole lot of "slow-paced police procedural". This book might work great for someone who enjoys that type of story, but I'm not the right audience for it and wouldn't have picked this book up in the first place if it had been marketed more transparently.
Thank you to the publisher for the gifted copy! All thoughts are honest and my own.
July 28, 2026
2⭐️= Below Average.
Audio.
This was a bit of a letdown, as I was expecting your typical’ slasher movie’ set in a summer camp. What I got was the local sheriff trying to solve the crime. The blurb was a little misleading.
It was fairly easy to listen to but could have been a little more dynamic.
Audio.
This was a bit of a letdown, as I was expecting your typical’ slasher movie’ set in a summer camp. What I got was the local sheriff trying to solve the crime. The blurb was a little misleading.
It was fairly easy to listen to but could have been a little more dynamic.
April 21, 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.
July 15, 2026
It’s super weird that someone made the choice to market this book in a way that is so divorced from what it actually is. Sadly, it’s also not very good. I had to look up what Run For It Books (the publisher of this title) actually was, turns out it’s the horror imprint at Orbit books/Hachette. Run for what? The imprint’s name is equally as a bizarre choice as the marketing for this book.
July 18, 2026
Qué tal un buen slasher pero narrado desde la perspectiva del ayudante del sheriff , mientras intenta frenar al asesino. Y sí es una bilogía, así que toca esperar a la segunda parte.
La niña canta en voz baja: "El cazador tenía hambre, pero el pueblo le dijo que no". Tom sabe el resto. Todos los niños de Ledger crecen sabiendo eso. Comió algo prohibido en el lugar al que lo obligaron a ir. En el Bosque Susurrante, todos deben tener cuidado con el hombre que ahora caza como la Liebre Hambrienta. Una leyenda rural de la región del Panhandle de Texas.
Tom vuelve a señalar que los asesinatos son inquietantemente similares a la masacre de medianoche que ocurrió hace nueve años. La misma máscara, los mismos métodos y el mismo momento, el mismo resultado. ¿Acaso el asesino se enteró de que el campamento de verano reabriría y decidió regresar para repetir la masacre? ¿O se trata de un imitador? ¿Una imitación de un homicidio masivo que, a su vez, se inspiró en una extraña leyenda rural? Nunca atraparon al asesino.
La niña canta en voz baja: "El cazador tenía hambre, pero el pueblo le dijo que no". Tom sabe el resto. Todos los niños de Ledger crecen sabiendo eso. Comió algo prohibido en el lugar al que lo obligaron a ir. En el Bosque Susurrante, todos deben tener cuidado con el hombre que ahora caza como la Liebre Hambrienta. Una leyenda rural de la región del Panhandle de Texas.
Tom vuelve a señalar que los asesinatos son inquietantemente similares a la masacre de medianoche que ocurrió hace nueve años. La misma máscara, los mismos métodos y el mismo momento, el mismo resultado. ¿Acaso el asesino se enteró de que el campamento de verano reabriría y decidió regresar para repetir la masacre? ¿O se trata de un imitador? ¿Una imitación de un homicidio masivo que, a su vez, se inspiró en una extraña leyenda rural? Nunca atraparon al asesino.
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.
July 5, 2026
1.75
this book is definitely being heavily mismarketed. I thought this was going to be about a summer camp and killer on the loose and it really wasn’t. this was a police procedural with weirdly a lot of small-town politics. we follow from the perspective of one of the cops who is trying to find the killer and he was just such a boring and meaningless character. I really hate following from the POV of a cop anyway but this was just a pain to trudge through. I also hate how the women in this book were written so one dimensional and at some points I was confused on who was who because all the women were written the same way. I think this is my final time picking up a craig dilouie book. he’s not the author for me. the only reason this isn’t a one star is because the writing wasn’t a complete nightmare.
this book is definitely being heavily mismarketed. I thought this was going to be about a summer camp and killer on the loose and it really wasn’t. this was a police procedural with weirdly a lot of small-town politics. we follow from the perspective of one of the cops who is trying to find the killer and he was just such a boring and meaningless character. I really hate following from the POV of a cop anyway but this was just a pain to trudge through. I also hate how the women in this book were written so one dimensional and at some points I was confused on who was who because all the women were written the same way. I think this is my final time picking up a craig dilouie book. he’s not the author for me. the only reason this isn’t a one star is because the writing wasn’t a complete nightmare.
July 29, 2026
Another winner by Craig DiLouie. I really enjoy his books and the title/cover combo sold me. I am so stoked there's a follow up on the way!!
The gore was on point. I actually said "oh gross" several times and proceeded to read paragraphs to my husband. There was no way I was experiencing that alone. Ha Ha!
I liked the rural legend aspect a lot! Not sure I'm ever going to look at rabbits the same way ever again though 👀 YIKES! The Hungry Hare can stay far away from me thanks.
A great summer slasher! Definitely recommend. Thanks to HBG Canada for my gifted copy.
The gore was on point. I actually said "oh gross" several times and proceeded to read paragraphs to my husband. There was no way I was experiencing that alone. Ha Ha!
I liked the rural legend aspect a lot! Not sure I'm ever going to look at rabbits the same way ever again though 👀 YIKES! The Hungry Hare can stay far away from me thanks.
A great summer slasher! Definitely recommend. Thanks to HBG Canada for my gifted copy.
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!
August 30, 2026
I’ll confess to being biased on this one. I met Craig DiLouie a couple months ago. He’s local to my city and had such a great time chatting with him and his darling gal. As such I knew exactly what I was getting into. I also knew why he wrote this the way he did, a redemption arc for the archetypical bumbling idiot deputy. You know the one in all the slashers who’s always two steps back and just doesn’t seem smart enough to stand a chance. Therefore going into The Summer Fun Massacre I knew the focus wasn’t the actual massacre event description but instead its investigation. From what I’ve read from others that is what they found disappointing. I’m not sad to miss out on gory explicit descriptions of slasher deaths frankly, but I get if you go in expecting that being disappointed by the political cop drama that unfolds here instead.
Don’t get me wrong there are still some slasher moments (including a call from inside the house!). My favourite is when a sole survivor stands up and just says, to the discomfort of everyone at a memorial, ‘fuck’. It’s a brilliant moment to make people understand that she doesn’t want condolences for her friends deaths or ‘wow you were lucky’ statements but instead for folks to realize she lost all her friends she loved and she doesn’t understand why she is the one to survive and not them. It’s a poignant moment and one I felt was a truly new expression for a sole survivor story. If there is one thing I do lament is we don’t get more of this character overall.
There are so many twists and turns in the end of this that I couldn’t put it down in the last 75 pages. Everything falls into place nicely and while I thought I had the twist figured out I was only half correct. DiLouie left in a surprise that tickled my brain but made perfect sense in the end. Nothing cheap or convenient here. Just good ole writing and set-up that turns a couple times more than you might expect.
I recommend going into The Summer Fun Massacre knowing this is a slasher-adjacent book. It’s about solving the crime. It has politics, moments of excitement and danger, a sad love story, and as many twists and turns as a good rollercoaster ride. Book two comes out this fall and connects right into this one. However there is enough of a finale here that you won’t be totally frustrated (or at least I wasn’t); and yet I still look forward to book two and some further answers and maybe more of a supernatural element?!
I’m glad to put this quick read on my print shelf with its author signature and inscription to both my husband and I.
Quick note: If you want a real spooky read from Craig DiLouie pick up Episode Thirteen. It’s the best of his I’ve read to date and a truly unique take on a haunted house (using found footage format!).
Please note: I received an eARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. This is an honest and unbiased review.
Don’t get me wrong there are still some slasher moments (including a call from inside the house!). My favourite is when a sole survivor stands up and just says, to the discomfort of everyone at a memorial, ‘fuck’. It’s a brilliant moment to make people understand that she doesn’t want condolences for her friends deaths or ‘wow you were lucky’ statements but instead for folks to realize she lost all her friends she loved and she doesn’t understand why she is the one to survive and not them. It’s a poignant moment and one I felt was a truly new expression for a sole survivor story. If there is one thing I do lament is we don’t get more of this character overall.
There are so many twists and turns in the end of this that I couldn’t put it down in the last 75 pages. Everything falls into place nicely and while I thought I had the twist figured out I was only half correct. DiLouie left in a surprise that tickled my brain but made perfect sense in the end. Nothing cheap or convenient here. Just good ole writing and set-up that turns a couple times more than you might expect.
I recommend going into The Summer Fun Massacre knowing this is a slasher-adjacent book. It’s about solving the crime. It has politics, moments of excitement and danger, a sad love story, and as many twists and turns as a good rollercoaster ride. Book two comes out this fall and connects right into this one. However there is enough of a finale here that you won’t be totally frustrated (or at least I wasn’t); and yet I still look forward to book two and some further answers and maybe more of a supernatural element?!
I’m glad to put this quick read on my print shelf with its author signature and inscription to both my husband and I.
Quick note: If you want a real spooky read from Craig DiLouie pick up Episode Thirteen. It’s the best of his I’ve read to date and a truly unique take on a haunted house (using found footage format!).
Please note: I received an eARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. This is an honest and unbiased review.
July 4, 2026
actual rating: 3/5 stars
read for the tarot readathon 2026: knight of cups (read a book with a character going through emotional turmoil)
review to come.
read for the tarot readathon 2026: knight of cups (read a book with a character going through emotional turmoil)
review to come.
July 14, 2026
I LOVED THIS!
Like most of you, when I picked up this novel, I was expecting a campy slasher. I, however, was pleasantly surprised when this became more of a police procedural with the main focus being the who & why done it? I love getting into investigations and figuring out what the hell happened.
Excellent novel, easy to follow and enjoyable pacing.
Like most of you, when I picked up this novel, I was expecting a campy slasher. I, however, was pleasantly surprised when this became more of a police procedural with the main focus being the who & why done it? I love getting into investigations and figuring out what the hell happened.
Excellent novel, easy to follow and enjoyable pacing.
August 6, 2026
I went into Summer Fun Massacre expecting a full on slasher, dripping with campy ’90s nostalgia and enough bloodshed to make a VHS horror fan grin. Unfortunately, that’s not what this book delivers.
We get maybe five minutes of gory goodness before the story pivots hard into a tongue and cheek police‑procedural. From there, it’s nearly 200 pages of following the local deputies as they try and repeatedly fail to solve the case before it goes cold… just like the eerily similar massacre from the early ’80s. And the one before that. And the one before that. Because this town has a long, strange history of bodies piling up in the same patch of woods, stretching back to the ’60s.
Local legend blames a hare‑masked creature that burrows underground and rises every so often to feast on human flesh. Deputy Tom, however, is convinced the truth is far more human ... and far more personal. With ties to the ’83 killings and this fresh massacre happening practically under his nose, he’s determined not to let the killer slip away again.
I’ve yet to find anything by DiLouie that hits the same unforgettable high as Suffer the Children, though I keep hoping. I really thought Summer Fun Massacre might be the one ... but nope. It’s not a bad book, just not the book I was expecting. Instead of a slasherfest, we get the behind‑the‑scenes politics of small‑town policing and the slow grind of an investigation that may never find its monster.
If you’re looking for a procedural with a horror edge, this might work for you. But if you’re craving a blood‑splattered slasher romp? Adjust your expectations accordingly. Sigh.
We get maybe five minutes of gory goodness before the story pivots hard into a tongue and cheek police‑procedural. From there, it’s nearly 200 pages of following the local deputies as they try and repeatedly fail to solve the case before it goes cold… just like the eerily similar massacre from the early ’80s. And the one before that. And the one before that. Because this town has a long, strange history of bodies piling up in the same patch of woods, stretching back to the ’60s.
Local legend blames a hare‑masked creature that burrows underground and rises every so often to feast on human flesh. Deputy Tom, however, is convinced the truth is far more human ... and far more personal. With ties to the ’83 killings and this fresh massacre happening practically under his nose, he’s determined not to let the killer slip away again.
I’ve yet to find anything by DiLouie that hits the same unforgettable high as Suffer the Children, though I keep hoping. I really thought Summer Fun Massacre might be the one ... but nope. It’s not a bad book, just not the book I was expecting. Instead of a slasherfest, we get the behind‑the‑scenes politics of small‑town policing and the slow grind of an investigation that may never find its monster.
If you’re looking for a procedural with a horror edge, this might work for you. But if you’re craving a blood‑splattered slasher romp? Adjust your expectations accordingly. Sigh.
August 29, 2026
Craig DiLouie has written some of my favorite horror novels, but the quality of his work varies wildly from book to book, and unfortunately this one was pretty middling.
For one thing, at this point in history, the Only Good Cop In Town trope really tests the elasticity of my suspension of disbelief. For another, this was all boring police procedural and almost no freaky slasher horror. There were also just some choices made in terms of storytelling, especially towards the end of the book, that I just found kind of disappointing.
I'll be happy to pick up more of Craig DiLouie's books in the future, as I always have, but I probably won't be reading any more of the books in this series. I'm just not invested.
For one thing, at this point in history, the Only Good Cop In Town trope really tests the elasticity of my suspension of disbelief. For another, this was all boring police procedural and almost no freaky slasher horror. There were also just some choices made in terms of storytelling, especially towards the end of the book, that I just found kind of disappointing.
I'll be happy to pick up more of Craig DiLouie's books in the future, as I always have, but I probably won't be reading any more of the books in this series. I'm just not invested.
July 25, 2026
i went into The Summer Fun Massacre expecting a straightforward summer camp slasher, instead than following the massacre itself, the story begins in its aftermath, following Deputy Tom Bailey as he investigates the horrific events at Camp Summer Fun, it isn't another group of teenagers trying to survive a masked killer, it's a blend of police procedural, mystery and folklore.
June 25, 2026
Thank you to NetGalley and Orbit Books for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This one just wasn’t quite for me. It started out really strong, but I never fully connected with the characters, and the story started to drag a bit as it went on.
I also went into it expecting more horror, but it ended up feeling much more like a procedural thriller, which isn’t really my cup of tea. I kept waiting for a little more action, but it never really got there for me.
I can definitely see this working better for readers who enjoy slower, investigative thrillers, but it just wasn’t what I was hoping for.
This one just wasn’t quite for me. It started out really strong, but I never fully connected with the characters, and the story started to drag a bit as it went on.
I also went into it expecting more horror, but it ended up feeling much more like a procedural thriller, which isn’t really my cup of tea. I kept waiting for a little more action, but it never really got there for me.
I can definitely see this working better for readers who enjoy slower, investigative thrillers, but it just wasn’t what I was hoping for.
July 9, 2026
Thank you to Orbit and NetGalley for this E-ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I went into summer fun massacre expecting a classic summer camp horror story, and while it definitely has the atmosphere for that, I found myself wishing there had been more of the actual summer camp horror and less of the aftermath. The setting was exactly what drew me in and I loved the nostalgic slasher vibes, but so much of the story focuses on what happened after the massacre rather than letting readers experience more of the terrifying events at camp.
I really enjoyed the writing, and I was invested enough to keep turning the pages, but I couldn’t help feeling like I wanted more scenes set during the camp massacre itself. I think that would have turned this book into a 4 star read for me.
I enjoyed reading this book and for people who are fans of the summer camp horror, you will still enjoy reading this, just don’t go in expecting it to be mostly about the gore. Honestly, I wanted a little more camp gore vibes but for a camp slasher in the summer, it was still good.
I went into summer fun massacre expecting a classic summer camp horror story, and while it definitely has the atmosphere for that, I found myself wishing there had been more of the actual summer camp horror and less of the aftermath. The setting was exactly what drew me in and I loved the nostalgic slasher vibes, but so much of the story focuses on what happened after the massacre rather than letting readers experience more of the terrifying events at camp.
I really enjoyed the writing, and I was invested enough to keep turning the pages, but I couldn’t help feeling like I wanted more scenes set during the camp massacre itself. I think that would have turned this book into a 4 star read for me.
I enjoyed reading this book and for people who are fans of the summer camp horror, you will still enjoy reading this, just don’t go in expecting it to be mostly about the gore. Honestly, I wanted a little more camp gore vibes but for a camp slasher in the summer, it was still good.
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