The Dead of Summer

The Dead of Summer, Book 1

By: Ryan La Sala

Narrated by: Pete Cross, A'rese Emokpae, Ryan La Sala

Stephen King meets Holly Jackson by way of We Were Liars in this action-packed story of queer horror from the acclaimed author of The Honeys!

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 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.

©2025 Ryan La Sala (P)2025 Scholastic Audio Books

Critic reviews

"The Dead of Summer is like a Mike Flanagan movie: visceral and unsettling. The perfect creepy read!"—Tiffany D. Jackson, New York Times bestselling author of The Weight of Blood

"La Sala is back with a fresh new freakshow! Not only is The Dead of Summer a terrifying, fast-paced, maritime body horror, it's a timely plea to embrace your community when you can no longer trust those in charge. This is one beach read that will have you sprinting away from the ocean!"—Adam Sass, award-winning author of Your Lonely Nights Are Over

"A blistering tale of seaside horrors unleashed upon a beloved queer community, The Dead of Summer combines intricate plot with unforgettable characters. Every Ryan La Sala book is a gem."—Trang Thanh Tran, New York Times bestselling author of She Is a Haunting

Dark Atmospheric Queer Horror

Characters: 5⭐️
Setting: 5⭐️
Plot: 4⭐️
Themes: 4⭐️
Personal enjoyment: 5⭐️
Emotional Impact: 3.5⭐️
Overall rating: 4.75/5⭐️
Audiobook:5/5⭐️

Dark & Atmospheric queer horror 🏳️‍🌈

Ollie comes home to the island of Anchor Mercy after a year away with his mother “Gracie” fighting cancer. Three weeks later, Ollie is a survivor on a hospital ship being quarantined.

Please read this book! The audiobook is one of the best I’ve listened to. The interview transcripts made to sound like tape recordings and research logs were so well done. An amazing performance from all of the narrators.

My favorite thing was the back and forth narrative style between Ollies first person accounts and journal entries. The emotional depth of Ollie’s character was incredible. As the reader you really felt what Ollie was going through. I loved this.
The weepers!!! What a cool twist on zombie horror. Coral infestation eww I love it. But that cliffhanger? I need the next book

Autumnal Equinox Treat

As I watched the season fight to change, this was the perfect end of summer celebration as I hungrily listened to the story about love, loss, and the lives of a youth finding their ways in this wild watery adventure. Take a deep breath….now hold it! Enjoy!

Not a review but a thank you to the entire audible team involved in this production.

This is hands down the most amazing audio production I've ever read. You all are awesome.

The gasp I gusped!!

Ryan did it again! I don’t normally do horror, I just do it for Ryan and Adam Sass, because I know they will deliver.
And Ryan delivered again.
The world built was amazing, these zombie like people who unlike other zombies actually rest at night and wake up during the day.
And the relationships between the characters were so enthralling, and then he leaves us with this big cliffhanger!!

The imaginative and well thought out characters

This was a great read. I enjoyed the idea of the weepers, loved the characters and the story itself. Would highly recommend.