I received this book for free from the Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
The Summer Fun Massacre by Craig DiLouie Series: Slasher Season #1
Published by Run For It on June 16 2026
Genres: Adult, Horror
Pages: 304
Format: ARC
Source: Publisher
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The nitty-gritty: Craig DiLouie twists the traditional camp slasher trope into a story told through the eyes of local law enforcement, without losing any of the thrills and chills that slasher fans expect.
The Summer Fun Massacre was not quite what I expected, but I still had a fun time with it. Rather than your typical slasher focusing on the actual killings, Craig DiLouie brings a much more character focused story to the table with a tale told from the point of view of a small town deputy who is trying to solve a rash of camp murders. Not only was Deputy Tom Bailey the perfect character to tell the story, but it was an interesting perspective that I don’t think I’ve seen before. But slasher fans, don’t worry! There’s still plenty of blood spilled, and the killings themselves are just gruesome enough to satisfy any horror fan.
Back in 1983, the town of Ledger was shocked when a bunch of counselors at the local camp were slaughtered one night. Tom Bailey was supposed to be there with his girlfriend Mary, but he decided at the last minute not to take the job. Mary turned out to be the “final girl,” as she was the only survivor of the massacre. Shortly after, Tom joined the local police force, mostly out of a sense of guilt for not being there to protect his friends, and ever since, he’s tried his best to balance the scales. The killer was never found, but now nine years later, it seems he’s back.
When Tom is called out to investigate some suspicious noises in the woods, near the newly reopened camp Summer Fun, he finds another massacre. Body parts are strewn all over the place, but luckily, he does find one girl who is still alive, a traumatized teenager named Laura. She says she saw someone in a rabbit mask right before the killings…
Is the killer connected to the local legend of the Hungry Hare? Tom is determined to find and stop them once and for all. But he’s up against the local sheriff, Buddy Jackson, who is eager to arrest someone and close the case, even if it’s the wrong person. Elections are coming up, and Buddy can’t afford to have an unsolved crime on his books.
But Tom wants justice for the victims, so he follows the clues to find the truth—before the killer strikes again.
DiLouie dumps readers right into the bloody action, and the story never really lets up. The Summer Fun Massacre is a fast-paced, quick read that flew by, mostly because I was invested in Tom’s determination to discover the identity of the killer. Tom is a fantastic protagonist, and I loved seeing the story unfold through his eyes. Not only has he been personally affected by the murders, which gives him an emotional reason for finding the killer, but he’s an upstanding cop who isn’t swayed by fame or corrupt politics, and there are plenty of both in Ledger. DiLouie makes Tom into the hero of the story, but instead of brawn and charisma, Tom is more of a quiet hero who doesn’t need to be in the spotlight.
The rest of the cops aren’t as nice, especially Hank, Buddy’s son, who responds to everything with anger and violence. There’s also lots of planting evidence, hiding important files and cover ups, adding to the “corrupt police” theme. Believe me, I was rooting for some of those guys to meet a terrible fate, and in some cases I got my wish, lol. I thought the behind the scenes shady politics was an interesting thing to focus on, although it did make the story feel more like a police procedural/thriller rather than a traditional slasher.
The author creates an interesting backstory involving several other mass murders that eventually tie in with what’s going on in the present. The Hungry Hare legend was also a lot of fun, and readers are left wondering if there is indeed something supernatural in the woods causing all the mayhem. Because this is the first book in a duology, don’t expect all your questions to be answered at the end of the story, just saying.
My only complaint is that I expected more of the “camp slasher” storyline, and other than a couple of scenes that actually take place at the camp, Summer Fun is barely in the story at all. Also, I do want to mention that there aren’t any children at the camp when the murders take place, just counselors, so in case you were worried about little kids and machetes mixing it up, you can rest easy.
There are also some great twists, misleads and surprising reveals, making the mystery part of the story even more exciting. DiLouie knows how to tell a good tale, no matter the genre, and I’m so glad that Tom Bailey’s story isn’t over yet. The thrilling finale resolves most things, but obviously leaves parts of the mystery unsolved, to be continued in the second book, The Yule Day Slaughter (releasing this November). And I’ll be first in line to read it!
Big thanks to the publisher for providing a review copy.
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