Since summer is coming to a close, I’m in search of some creepy thrillers set at summer camp, similar to The Last Time I Lied by Riley Sager. As I put together a TBR of summer camp thrillers, I’ll be sure to let you know which ones are worth the read!
The Last Time I Lied by Riley Sager
The Last Time I Lied absolutely has to be at the top of any list of summer camp novels. This is actually my favorite Riley Sager book of all time. It nails the spooky summer vibes, and this list was started in search of finding something similar. I absolutely recommend this book to any and all thriller readers, and you can join the spoiler discussion once you’ve finished.
Fifteen years ago, summer camper Emma Davis watched sleepily as her three cabin mates snuck out of their cabin in the dead of night. The last she–and anyone–saw of them was Vivian closing the cabin door behind her, hushing Emma with a finger pressed to her lips.
Now a rising star in the NYC art scene, Emma turns her past into paintings.. They catch the attention of Francesca Harris-White, the socialite and wealthy owner of the very same Camp Nightingale–and when Francesca implores Emma to return to the camp as a painting counselor, Emma sees an opportunity to find closure and move on.
Yet, it is immediately clear that all is not right at Camp Nightingale. Already haunted by surfacing memories, Emma is suddenly plagued by a security camera pointed directly at her cabin, mounting mistrust from Francesca, and, most disturbing of all, cryptic clues Vivian apparently left behind about the camp’s twisted origins. And as history begins to repeat itself and three girls go missing again, Emma must face threats from both man and nature in order to uncover all the buried secrets–including what really happened all those years ago.
The God of the Woods by Liz Moore
This looks awesome but has such a long wait time on my Libby. We’ll see if I’m able to get to it before summer’s out! Fingers crossed that the people of Las Vegas return their books quickly, because at time of writing I’m 273rd in line.
Early morning, August 1975: a camp counselor discovers an empty bunk. Its occupant, Barbara Van Laar, has gone missing. Barbara isn’t just any thirteen-year-old: she’s the daughter of the family that owns the summer camp and employs most of the region’s residents. And this isn’t the first time a Van Laar child has disappeared. Barbara’s older brother similarly vanished fourteen years ago, never to be found.
As a panicked search begins, a thrilling drama unfolds. Chasing down the layered secrets of the Van Laar family and the blue-collar community working in its shadow, Moore’s multi-threaded story invites readers into a rich and gripping dynasty of secrets and second chances. It is Liz Moore’s most ambitious and wide-reaching novel yet.
I’ll Never Tell by Catherine McKenzie
I was gifted a CD copy of this audiobook by the author years ago, but it got lost under the seat of my car and was only just unearthed. It’s been YEARS since I listened to an audiobook on CD, but that’s how I started! My brother and I actually used to binge books-on-tape that my aunt would bring home from her publishing job. I remember racing each other upstairs at the end of the school day to listen to a few chapters together. These days I can’t imagine listening at 1x, though…
I digress, this looks like a cool and creepy camp novel that I’ll be adding to this summer’s TBR. I do love Catherine McKenzie, so I have high hopes. And it’s read in part by Julia Whelan!
What happened to Amanda Holmes? Twenty years ago, she was found bludgeoned in a rowboat at the MacAllister family’s Camp Macaw. No one was ever charged with the crime.
Now, after their parents’ sudden deaths, the MacAllister siblings return to camp to read the will and decide what to do with the prime real estate the camp occupies. Ryan needs to sell. Margaux hasn’t made up her mind. Mary believes in leaving well enough alone. Kate and Liddie—the twins—have opposing views. And Sean Booth, the groundskeeper, just hopes he still has a home when all is said and done.
But it’s more complicated than a simple vote. The will stipulates that until they unravel the mystery of what happened to Amanda, they can’t settle the estate. Any one of them could have done it, and each one is holding a piece of the puzzle. Will they work together to finally discover the truth, or will their secrets finally tear the family apart?
The Troop by Nick Cutter
This book takes place during a Boy Scout camping trip rather than a true summer camp, but that’s close enough.
Once every year, Scoutmaster Tim Riggs leads a troop of boys into the Canadian wilderness for a weekend camping trip—a tradition as comforting and reliable as a good ghost story around a roaring bonfire. But when an unexpected intruder stumbles upon their campsite—shockingly thin, disturbingly pale, and voraciously hungry—Tim and the boys are exposed to something far more frightening than any tale of terror. The human carrier of a bioengineered nightmare. A horror that spreads faster than fear. A harrowing struggle for survival with no escape from the elements, the infected…or one another.
The Lake by Natasha Preston
The summary for this book looks so good, but the Goodreads reviews are not so hot. Do I give it a try anyways? I’m usually not the biggest fan of YA thrillers…
Esme and Kayla once were campers at Camp Pine Lake. They’re excited to be back this year as CITs (counselors in training). Esme loves the little girls in her cabin and thinks it’s funny how scared they are of everything–spiders, the surly head counselor, the dark, boys . . . even swimming in the lake! It reminds her a little of how she and Kayla used to be, once. Before . . . it happened.
Because Esme and Kayla did something bad when they were campers. Afterwards, the girls agreed to keep it secret. They’ve moved on–or so they say–and this summer is going to be great. Two months of sun, s’mores, and flirting with the cute boy counselors. But then they get a note. THE LAKE NEVER FORGETS. And the secret they’ve kept buried for so many years is about to resurface.
Summer Camp for Slasher Victims by Matthew Mercer
Hmm, will this be too campy for me? I’m not sure if it’s quite to my taste and the Goodreads reviews are lukewarm, but I might give it a try for this list. I generally prefer thrillers to straight up horror. The summer camp theme lends itself much better to the horror genre, though!
Welcome to Camp Safe Woods, a summer camp dedicated to repairing the spirits of those who have faced the unimaginable. Through tailored programs and a supportive community, we empower young hearts to rewrite their stories and unlock the potential for a future unburdened by fear, allowing kids to rediscover joy, hope, and the freedom to embrace life to the fullest.
Annie anticipated a life-altering journey, aiding trauma survivors at her grandfather’s camp as a counselor, but her expectations shattered against a macabre reality. Unveiling the tragic pasts of her fellow counselors and the campers under her care, she stumbles upon a world more chilling than her darkest fears. As the summer descends into a terrifying spiral and the camp’s serenity crumbles, they discover that a killer driven by a sinister secret is lurking among them. While those around her are forced to relive the worst experience of their lives and the camp is turned into a hunting ground, Annie faces a haunting uncertainty—will she fall victim to this deranged killer, or will she defy the odds, emerging with her very own survival story, worthy of a proper inhabitant of Camp Safe Woods.
What’s your favorite summer camp thriller book?
I’d love some more suggestions, so drop yours in the comments!
For more books set at summer camps, you can check out this tag to see my reviews of books of all genres.