e-ALC, 09:25:08
Narrated by: Garrett Michael Brown and Elizabeth Cappuccino
Release Date: June 16, 2026
Published by: Hachette Audio
Read from: June 23-July 6, 2026
Slasher Season, #1
Source: The Publisher and Libro FM (I received this e-ALC from the publisher and Libro FM. I also read some of this from an e-ARC from the publisher and Netgalley. This did nothing to influence my review.)
Content Warning: Gore, Murder, Blood, Domestic Abuse, Police Brutality, Child Abuse
For Readers of: Audio, Contemporary, Dual Narrators, Historical, Horror, Sparkly Cover, Libro FM, Most Anticipated, Multiple POV, Realistic Fiction, Slashers, ThrillersSurviving 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…
*MY THOUGHTS*
This was one of my most anticipated reads when I saw it on Netgalley. I didn’t even know what it was about, but I saw “slasher” and that some part of this was set in the 80’s. I just knew I was done for. And though it was good, I had a few issues, BUT it was still good.
Ok so the thing that got to me was the amount of POVs. I think I’ve said that like multiple times in the past few days lol But they just don’t work for me. They basically just have to introduce every single character and THEN get started. And I know it’s kind of the point in slashers because you want to get to know all the people so that you can make your guess on who it might be, but Lordt it gets boring when things don’t start happening right away. I’m always anticipating it too hard and then it seems like I’m waiting for ever. So yeah it might be a me thing, but it seems like it took forever.
But when it did get going, it was so good! I loved the idea of the hare mask. I wasn’t interested in seeing another Michael Myers or Jason mask, so this was amazing. And let’s be honest, the hare mask was even scarier because of the way it was described as like matted fur, bloody at some points, and just really grotesque. I thought it sounded crazy, but also cool. I remember asking out loud if there were actual like pictures of his inspiration because I wanted to know if my imagination gave the right picture lol
The characters were all crazy. And literally all of them had too much going on lol I had guessed who it was, or I thought I did, but then it changed and then it changed again. He kept it going until the very end of the book. And even then it was revealed that that person wasn’t the only villain. (That doesn’t mean what you think it means.) There were multiple. And that’s not even the craziest thing that happens lol Just go read this and tell me if I’m alone in this lol
But the number one thing I loved about this was the writing style or descriptors? I was able to picture everything clearly and it creeped me tf out lol Like Idk what DiLouie has going on in his imagination, but like this was crazy. What’s that saying, “I love whatever is wrong with you!” LOL Yeah I kept thinking that the whole time. And now that I know it’s a series, I can’t wait for more of it. (And to make it better it’s a holiday slasher?! GIMMIE!)
This was a wild ride and I swear it was so weird. But yes of course I will be back for more. This was what I expected, but it also wasn’t. I’m hoping that the next one doesn’t have to have all of the same explanations so it’ll go smoother. But even if not, I’m ready to see how it goes.
Overall, I give this
