The Summer Fun Massacre by Craig DiLouie

 

Summer camp and slashers were made to go together, and Craig DiLouie pairs the two in a way that feels both nostalgic and fresh. 

It's the summer of 1992, and Deputy Tom Bailey is on patrol when he gets a feeling he should go back to check on the counselors at Camp Summer Fun, where he responded to a report of strange noises earlier but found nothing. What he discovers is one girl, terrified out of her mind, barricaded in a cabin. The other counselors are dead, and there is a killer in a rabbit mask, The Hungry Hare, still stalking them. The thing is, Tom's been here before. Nine years earlier, a teenage Tom was walking to the camp when his girlfriend, Mary, came stumbling down the road covered in blood, the lone survivor of an attack at the hands of The Hungry Hare.

Tom and Mary are no longer together, but she is convinced that the killer is The Hungry Hare, a local supernatural legend tied to several deaths in this East Texas community going back many years. Tom is convinced that there is a more rational explanation, but he can't entirely dismiss her concerns. He's also carrying guilt for not arriving in time to stop the massacre. The sheriff is convinced that there is a person behind the killings. He also bears some guilt over not solving the murders nine years previously.

DiLouie flips the typical script of having a story told from the perspective of the "final girl" to the perspective of the police investigator. The story is part horror and part detective thriller. It's a combination that works very well. Tom continues to dig deeper, learning things about the town's history that he never knew. The sheriff is keen on Tom's investigation when it is pointing towards a quick resolution of the case, and decidedly antagonistic when Tom questions answers that seem too easy. The sheriff may have some skeletons in his own closet.

The suspense builds from Tom's dogged detective work, rather than intuitive leaps. He is filled with conflict. Tom is haunted by his late arrival--first as a teenager in and later as a deputy--fueling both his uncertainty and his determination. His cop instincts tell him to look for a rational explanation, but Mary insists that there is more to the story. His own feelings pull him in both directions. This makes him a very engaging viewpoint character. Mary, the sheriff, and the other deputies are also strong characters. Some represent the insular nature and stubbornness of small towns; others bring an outside perspective and challenge the agreed-upon version of events.

The slow accumulation of facts points the finger at several credible suspects, building suspense throughout. The episodes of violence explode off the page, bringing genuine thrills. The supernatural element creates an atmosphere of dread that hangs over everything. 

I loved the way this book blended elements of horror with an engaging mystery. Pure horror fans may be left wanting more, but there is plenty to satisfy here. Despite the graphic violence, the book reminds me of R. L. Stine's Fear Street stories; small-town mysteries where everyone is a suspect and dark secrets lurk beneath the surface.

The Summer Fun Massacre is the first part in the Slasher Season duology, with The Yule Day Slaughter due out later this year. It tells a complete story on its own, but definitely leaves you excited to come back. 

Craig DiLouie plays with slasher conventions and delivers an entertaining story that will take you in directions you don't expect. I continue to be impressed with his takes on horror.

I was provided a copy of this book by the publisher.