Summer Sons by Lee Mandelo

Summer Sons

by Lee Mandelo

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.

And there is something awful lurking, waiting for those walls to fall.

Reviewed by Quirky Cat on

4 of 5 stars

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I can't believe I am so behind on the times, but I finally sat down and read Summer Sons. Now to take a few minutes to review it, as Lee Mandelo's writing deserves that much!

Andrew and Eddie were the best of friends. You'll notice the past tense in that statement. Eddie had to head off to continue his education. That shouldn't have been the end of the friendship. It wouldn't have been had Andrew had any say in the matter.

Unfortunately, Eddie's apparent suicide stops his plans in their tracks. Now Andrew is determined to get to the truth behind Eddie's death, even if that means handling a macabre inheritance and other...concerning details.

“Scrolling on his phone passed the time as he fought to tamp down the swelling tide of memories and miseries.”

Summer Sons is an intense horror read, perfect for this darker Tor line. Seriously guys, don't make the same mistake I did – read this book when it is nice and sunny out. As opposed to dark, dreary, and right before bed. Yeah, mistakes were made.

I think what made Summer Sons all the more chilling for me was how slowly it burned. That gradually growing sense of fear and horror got to me. Don't get me wrong – I loved every minute of it. I just also happened to pay an emotional toll in the process.

That's not all that hit me about Summer Sons because apparently, Lee Mandelo pulled out all the stops. There is something so painfully human about Andrew's situation – losing a best friend and trying so hard to hang on to whatever scraps remain, including a mystery that needs solving. It hurts.

Thankfully, there are good moments to balance those harder moments, including my favorite trope – the found family. I love it, and I hope you guys do as well because it plays a huge part in this book.

Thanks to Tor.com and #NetGalley for making this book available for review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Read more reviews over at Quirky Cat's Fat Stacks

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Reading updates

  • Started reading
  • 31 December, 2021: Finished reading
  • 31 December, 2021: Reviewed