Title: Slasher Summer
Author: E.L. Chen
Pages: 250
Genre: Horror, Fiction
In this campy love letter to the slasher films of the 1980s, seven friends reunite for a weekend of fun—only to be hunted down by a cold-blooded killer. But the real horror is not being able to escape who you were in high school…
The sleepy town of Cedar Lake Falls is best known as the shooting location of the campy ’80s horror flick Slasher. In high school, preppy Patrick, jock Jason, cheerleader Tiffany, stoner Freddy, goth Jennifer, and nerdy Michael had played the cast of Slasher during midnight showings, with virginal Carrie as the Final Girl, of course.
Years later, the friends reunite at the remote cabin where Slasher was filmed. They’ve changed since high school—Patrick came out, Mikey bulked up, and, well, Freddy’s still stoned—and they’re looking forward to a weekend to catch up. But when night falls, and the eponymous masked killer is spotted, the reunion takes a deadly turn. The friends discover their tires deflated and the phone line disconnected, and soon they’re being stalked by a mysterious assailant. Is someone trying to make their Slasher experience as authentic as possible?
One thing is for sure. Before the night is over, they each will have to take on the role they thought they’d left behind.
Evenin’ Brave Bookworms! 🔪📼
First things first, thank you to NetGalley and Crown Publishing for the advanced copy of Slasher Summer. And let me tell you… this one? It absolutely understood the assignment.
This book feels like digging up a dusty VHS tape from the back of a horror-obsessed childhood; one of those slightly warped, static-laced gems you know you probably shouldn’t have watched so young, but did anyway. The vibes? Pure 80s slasher goodness. Campy, cliché, and completely self-aware in the best possible way. It doesn’t try to reinvent the genre instead it lovingly resurrects it.
We’ve got our classic lineup: the jock, the cheerleader, the goth, the nerd, the preppy, the stoner… and of course, our sweet “final girl.” Together, they once formed the delightfully named Jumpscare Society, bonding over horror films, including their town’s claim to fame—a slasher film simply titled Slasher. Subtle? Never. Perfect? Absolutely.
Fast forward a few years (and one scandal later), and this rag-tag group reunites in their hometown of Cedar Lake, because what could possibly go wrong with a weekend getaway at the very cabin where the film was shot?
…yeah. Exactly.
What starts as nostalgia-fueled fun quickly curdles into something far more sinister. A prank call turns into a very real threat, and suddenly, they’re no longer reminiscing about horror but they’re living it. Paranoia creeps in like fog over the lake. Old friendships feel… off. And when you haven’t seen someone in years, you start to wonder…were they always like this?
Or is something darker hiding beneath the surface?
And oh, the tropes… they come in swinging like an axe in the dark. Pun intended! We’re talking: eerie lakeside cabin, ominous phone call, dead lines, no cell service, power outages, and yes, you guessed it – someone in a mask who turned unresolved issues into a body count. Sprinkle in some questionable decision-making (because of course they split up), and it’s basically a love letter to everything that made 80s horror iconic.
It does take a little time to get going, a bit like that slow pan across a quiet forest before the chaos begins, but once it hits its stride… you’re hooked. I had theories. Multiple. I was side-eyeing everyone. And while I thought I had it figured out… the twist still managed to land in a satisfying way.
My one little gripe? The ending. I was craving something grittier – maybe a touch more tragic, something that lingers under your skin. Don’t get me wrong, I see why they went the more crowd-pleasing route, but I was really hoping that final cabin scene would lean a bit more bittersweet… leave us with a chill and a heavy heart instead of comfort.
Still… something tells me this might not be the last we see of the Slasher. 👀
If you’re craving that nostalgic, popcorn-horror energy with a modern twist, this one is absolutely worth the read. Just maybe… don’t answer the phone while you’re reading.
You’ve been warned. ☎️
Hope you enjoyed the review and keep an eye out for this when it is released.
Meet you after dark.
💀Your cozy-macabre book bestie
Beneath the Book Light 