Books Like The Dead of Summer
Families who loved The Dead of Summer by Ryan La Sala often look for books with a similar feel. These 20 recommendations were selected for their similarity in style, theme, and reading level.
Families who loved The Dead of Summer by Ryan La Sala often look for books with a similar feel. These 20 recommendations were selected for their similarity in style, theme, and reading level.
Reach for this book when your teenager is struggling with the weight of a shared trauma or is feeling isolated by a heavy secret within their friend group. Ryan La Sala crafts a chilling, atmosphere-heavy horror story about a group of teens returning to the summer camp where their friend died, only to find themselves hunted by a mysterious figure who seems to know their deepest shames. It is an intense exploration of grief, the toxicity of 'guilty' friendships, and the terrifying ways we haunt ourselves when we refuse to face the truth. While it delivers high-stakes scares, it serves as a profound metaphor for the suffocating nature of repressed guilt. Parents will find it a powerful, if dark, entry point for discussing accountability and the importance of seeking help after a tragedy.
