Get 3 months for $0.99 a month

LIMITED TIME OFFER
The Dead of Summer cover art

The Dead of Summer

The Dead of Summer, Book 1

 Preview
Get this deal Try for $0.00
Offer ends December 16, 2025 11:59pm PT.
Amazon Prime member exclusive: get any 2 titles with your free trial. Terms apply.
Just $0.99/mo for your first 3 months of Audible.
1 audiobook per month of your choice from our unparalleled catalog.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, podcasts, and Originals.
Auto-renews at $14.95/mo after 3 months. Cancel anytime.
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, and podcasts.
Premium Plus auto-renews for $14.95/mo + applicable taxes after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

The Dead of Summer

Written by: Ryan La Sala
Narrated by: Pete Cross, A'rese Emokpae, Ryan La Sala
Get this deal Try for $0.00

$14.95/mo after 3 months. Cancel anytime. Offers ends December 16, 2025 11:59pm PT.

$14.95 a month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy Now for $21.20

Buy Now for $21.20

About this listen

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 Action & Adventure Literature & Fiction Mystery, Thriller & Suspense Thrillers & Suspense LGBTQIA+

What the critics say

"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
All stars
Most Relevant
I just finished this and am left breathless and in love. it was the joy of a drag show with the sickening crunch of my favourite body horror and the mother of Pearl shimmer of queer found family. I could feel the deep love of tide pools and felt transported back home to the coast. super visceral! read it! The beautiful writing and the deeply relatbale relationship dynamics made this a hug during a year I have felt profoundly alone and alienated.

I loved every moment of this

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.