The Dead of Summer

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4.9 (3)

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Author(s)

Ryan La Sala

Publisher

Push

Genre(s)

Age Range

14+

Release Date

September 16, 2025

ISBN

978-1546125877

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A heart-pounding thriller told in a mix of narrative voices and found documents from the bestselling author of The Honeys, perfect for fans of Tiffany D. Jackson, E. Lockhart, Karen McManus, and Rory Powers!

Two Days Before

Ollie Veltman is finally coming home to the quaint island of Anchor’s Mercy after a year away while his mom battled cancer. It should be a celebration -- his mom is cancer free, and she’s determined to have the best summer ever -- but Ollie’s (now ex) best friends think he abandoned them, and he’s returning with a lot of questions. Because for a place that’s perfect on the surface, a secret rots below the waves. A secret that could explain his mom’s illness, and the illness of so many other locals.

Ollie’s desperate search for the truth turns life-or-death when a storm descends upon the island. In its wake, a long-sunken horror rises . . .

Three Weeks After

Ollie is being held in isolation aboard a military hospital ship in the harbor. They say he’s a survivor, but they only know half the story. The truth is more monstrous than Ollie ever believed, and he suspects his saviors aren’t here to save anyone. Only Ollie can stop what's coming, but that means getting back to Anchor’s Mercy before it vanishes, taking with it everyone he has ever loved.

Editor review

1 review

An Atmospheric, Monstrous Horror

December 19, 2025 (Updated: June 12, 2026)

Overall rating

4.3

Plot

4.0

Characters

4.0

Writing Style

5.0

Illustrations/Photos (if applicable)

N/A

An action-packed horror novel, THE DEAD OF SUMMER, follows Ollie as he returns home to Anchor’s Mercy after a year. Between his mom now being cancer free and his old best friends thinking he abandoned them, Ollie is dealing with a lot. His situation is only made worse when a storm descends on the island. Are his saviors actually there to help? What secrets does the island hold? And can Ollie stop what is coming for Anchor’s Mercy?

What I Loved:
This novel is written from Ollie’s perspective, but it also includes bits from other pieces of media. Audio transcriptions and letters. Those details add a new level to the story. Instead of just one perspective, one person telling the story, it allows readers to see what else was happening and what other people thought.

Ryan La Sala has a gift with crafting chilling stories without making them outright horrific. Anchor’s Mercy is an island where the people in town tend to get sick. It’s not something that should be scary, but with what Ollie discovers as the events unfold it becomes something truly horrifying. It feels all-encompassing, surrounding readers and dragging them down to Anchor’s Mercy alongside Ollie.

This book was more emotional than I had expected from a horror novel. I expected fear, I did not expect such a profound feeling of worry and grief. The grief that Ollie experiences is honest and true, striking a chord with readers who have experienced anything even slightly similar.

This is not a plot that readers will fully relate to, because it deals with mystical horrors that aren’t real. But that doesn’t mean it’s not relatable. Ollie’s emotions are showcased in an honest way that twists around the readers and lingers. There’s always something that readers may find themselves relating to.

Final Verdict:
An atmospheric queer horror dealing with resilience and grief and illness, THE DEAD OF SUMMER is creepy and disturbing in the best way. With additional ways of storytelling and high stakes, it drags readers in and keeps them wanting to know more and more.

Evren Dodd, Staff Reviewer Top 50 Reviewer 128 reviews

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User reviews

3 reviews

Overall rating

4.9

Plot

4.7(3)

Characters

5.0(3)

Writing Style

5.0(3)

Illustrations/Photos (if applicable)

5.0(2)

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Ahhh!!!

April 18, 2026 (Updated: June 12, 2026)

Overall rating

5.0

Plot

5.0

Characters

5.0

Writing Style

5.0

Illustrations/Photos (if applicable)

5.0

Loved this book! The story was so interesting and I loved the characters. I loved the way the story was told and the mystery was so interesting. I can’t wait for the sequel to see how things turn out!

Good Points

Highly recommend if you’re looking for a unique mystery/adventure story!

Delaney Top 50 Reviewer 101 reviews

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The Dead of Summer Book Review

March 31, 2026 (Updated: June 12, 2026)

Overall rating

4.7

Plot

4.0

Characters

5.0

Writing Style

5.0

Illustrations/Photos (if applicable)

N/A

The Dead of Summer follows Ollie Veltman as he returns to Anchor’s Mercy after being away for a year while his mom was sick with cancer. She is now in remission, which should make things feel normal again, but nothing really is. His old friends are distant and upset with him, and the island itself feels off. As Ollie starts looking into why so many people in the town get sick, he uncovers something much darker beneath the surface. When a storm hits, everything escalates and the danger becomes real in a way he did not expect.

The story is told not just through Ollie’s point of view but also through things like audio transcripts and letters. This makes the book feel more layered and gives readers insight into what other people are experiencing. It helps build tension because you start to see pieces of the truth before everything fully comes together.

The setting plays a big role in the story. Anchor’s Mercy seems peaceful at first, but the more Ollie learns, the more unsettling it becomes. The idea of a place where people are constantly getting sick turns into something much more disturbing as the story unfolds. The horror is not overly graphic, but it builds in a way that makes it feel constant and hard to escape.

The emotional side of the book stands out just as much as the mystery. Ollie is dealing with fear, grief, and the possibility of losing people he loves. Even though the story includes supernatural elements, his reactions feel real and easy to understand. That makes the story more impactful because the stakes feel personal.

Overall, the book combines mystery, horror, and emotional depth in a way that keeps the story interesting the whole time. It focuses on both what is happening on the island and how it affects Ollie, which makes it more than just a typical horror story.

Good Points

Uses different formats like transcripts and letters to add depth

Strong emotional themes that feel realistic

Setting becomes increasingly unsettling as the story develops

fantasyreads11 Top 50 Reviewer 125 reviews

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Hard to put down

March 12, 2026 (Updated: June 12, 2026)

Overall rating

5.0

Plot

5.0

Characters

5.0

Writing Style

5.0

Illustrations/Photos (if applicable)

5.0

llie’s back in his hometown, Anchor’s Mercy, ready for a chill summer after his mom’s finally cancer-free. But the island? Yeah it’s not okay!

Old friends are bitter, the vibes are off, and something dark is literally bubbling beneath the surface. Then a massive storm hits and let’s just say, what comes out of it is the stuff of nightmares!

Three weeks later, Ollie’s locked away on a military ship, being called a survivor. But no one really knows what happened. Except him. And whatever it is, it’s not over!

Ryan La Sala delivers eerie beach-town horror with heart, sharp writing, and a story that grabs you by the throat. Creepy, surreal, and so hard to put down!