Summer Sons

By: Lee Mandelo

Narrated by: Will Damron

Length: 12 hrs and 38 mins

Publisher's summary

Lee Mandelo's debut Summer Sons is a sweltering queer Southern Gothic that crosses Appalachian street racing with academic intrigue, all haunted by a hungry ghost.

Andrew and Eddie did everything together, best friends bonded more deeply than brothers, until Eddie left Andrew behind to start his graduate program at Vanderbilt. Six months later, only days before Andrew was to join him in Nashville, Eddie dies of an apparent suicide. He leaves Andrew a horrible inheritance: a roommate he doesn’t know, friends he never asked for, and a gruesome phantom that hungers for him.

As Andrew searches for the truth of Eddie’s death, he uncovers the lies and secrets left behind by the person he trusted most, discovering a family history soaked in blood and death. Whirling between the backstabbing academic world where Eddie spent his days and the circle of hot boys, fast cars, and hard drugs that ruled Eddie’s nights, the walls Andrew has built against the world begin to crumble, letting in the phantom that hungers to possess him.

A Macmillan Audio production from Tordotcom

©2021 Lee Mandelo (P)2021 Macmillan Audio

Critic reviews

"Summer Sons is a southern summer in book form: hot and hungry and haunting. I couldn't put it down." —Alix E. Harrow

"Truly intense: you can smell the blood, the sweat, and the petrol. It absolutely rips." —Tamsyn Muir

"At once a raw, beautifully written gothic and an adrenaline-fueled debut, Summer Sons heralds a rich new voice in speculative fiction. Lee Mandelo is for real." —Andy Davidson

Spooky + Realistic/non-toxic Queer Rep. = Great📖

While I sometimes wanted to strangle Andrew, I thought the narrative was quite enjoyable. A good mix of realistic characters, spookiness, & queer themes/representation. It was exactly what I was looking for. Will's narration was also perfection. There was 2 or 3 chapters along the way I thought could've been omitted, but they only add to the intricate detail and imagery that Lee creates.

fantastic and immersive story and narration

the narration was NOT weird, it was just properly southern. fantastic story that is quickly becoming top 5 of all time. i literally have no notes!!!!!

Quite enjoyable book.

The story grabbed my attention right from the start. I think the narration was a good portion of my enjoyment.

excellently creepy

I was very pleased to find some paranormal fun reading in the LGBT category that is actual fiction. It's not a romance novel, even if there are people who are romantically involved. I listened to it while camping and nearly gave myself about 8 heart attacks. The relationships are interesting and the plot is very creative. The university campus shenanigans feel so real. The end is satisfying, which I require because real life isn't always that way. Awesome book!

Gripping story and Characters.

So here's the thing. I saw this recommended and just downloaded before making a 13 drive. And I am so glad I did.

I wouldn't normally say that I'm into goth/supernatural but this was nothing like that. It was about exploring yourself and the perspective of relationships.

it was scary to recognize yourself in the main character and how it took so long to acknowledge what you truly want. But that was just an added bonus in a well crafted story line that will keep you engaged right through.

I am so glad I listened

Honestly, this was the surprise of the year for me and it’s only February. I had this in my library for sometime and just kept passing it over. It is beautifully written, wonderfully preformed and the story is riveting. I highly recommend giving it a try.

*chefs kiss*

Our protagonist Andrew is about to start his master’s program at Vanderbilt and is dealing with the loss of Eddie, his adopted brother/best friend/???. After a traumatic incident when they were younger, the two have an inescapable bond, more than just friends and more than the earth…

I definitely recommend folks check this out!!! The writing is immaculate and the story is just…so worth it!

Overview: Andrew, determined to figure out what really happened to Eddie, goes to Nashville and meets our ragtag cast of characters: Riley, the roommate; West, the mentor; Sam, Riley’s cousin and overall bad boy; and Prof. Troth, the program’s advisor. Each day brings more questions, forcing Andrew to confront his relationship with Eddie, their ties to an ancestral inheritance, and the mystery of why someone wanted to hurt Eddie - for his niche research interests or for his inheritance?

Things to look forward to: pining, discovery and acceptance of sexuality, southern gothic vibes, calling out systemic racism in academia, fast cars and boys, polyamorous rep, found family

CW: death (happens off and on page in a flashback); being haunted; dead animal; drug use; homophobic slurs

everything

awesome story great performance. really love the horror, romance, and spooks. really great to see stories like this out

A modern southern horror romance for the guys

Wow I loved this book. The southern voice actor, the class and race conscious story, the real quality of the coming-to-terms-with-queerness. the casual trans masc visibility. the flawed protagonist. More please.

Queer Southern Gothic At It's Finest

I’ve seen this novel compared to Maggie Stiefvater’s “Raven Cycle” series a few times and I agree. There are many, many elements of this story that mirror and compliment that one. However, it must be said that this book is far more adult and far less whimsical.

But trust me, that’s a good thing. Seriously, read this book.

This story is about grieving. Bottom line. The pain Andrew is going through after losing his best friend Eddie is visceral. If you’ve experienced loss of a loved one, some of this will be hard to get through because it will cut a very deep and familiar path through your heart. Compound that with the anxiety of coming into your sexuality and coming out? It’s a powder keg of raw, real shit. And I’m so here for it.

If you’re not a fan of slow burns, then you should probably get out now. This story’s pace is edging at its finest. Masterfully holding on to its tension and keeping us from any kind of respite or relief for so long that when it all starts to finally unravel It. Is. Exquisite.

I cannot recommend this book enough.

Will Damron is an incredible narrator and I will absolutely be looking for other things he has narrated. Surperb job.

A few extra thoughts: The horror elements are subtle at first but unlike the slow burn of the story, they amp up pretty quickly. There’s a fair amount of gore, especially toward the end, but nothing so traumatizing it needs mentioning. That being said, I should put a warning for suicide and suicidal themes here. Please proceed with caution if this is something that triggers you.

There are also heavy sexual themes, and yes, there is sex (fist pump). It’s not overly graphic, but it’s not a fade to black either. The romance element of this story is a bit in the background but at the same time, it’s one of the main cogs driving things forward. You’ll understand once you read it. It’s excellent, trust me.

And last, but certainly not least, I am ecstatic over the trans representation. Thank you, Lee Mandelo for writing a major character who is trans but not having their “transness” be their defining feature.

In closing: Read This Fucking Book.