What do readers think of Summer's Never Over by Darby Bozeman? Write your own review.

I have a thing for mysteries about summer camps. That out in the middle of nowhere feel, teens and early 20s on the cusp of adulthood taking a summer off from the real world. And Summer’s Never Over gets those things right. But, it also never rose above the average, the nothing special category. Part of that is that the four main characters felt two dimensional.

Two new camp counselors arrive and shake up the dynamics of the old hands. By the end of the season, one of them is dead, burned up in a fire that consumed the camp. Now, five years later, the camp is due to re-open. But just before, the camp owner and mother to one of the main characters dies. This forces her daughter, Greer, to finally return. The rest of the folks from that summer are also there.

The book is told in the oh too overused dual timeline, both told from Greer’s POV. Greer obviously hasn’t moved on from that fatal summer. “For years now, I’d been drowning. The guilt was a gaping, bottomless chasm, threatening to pull me in and never let me resurface.” That writing example also gives you an idea of the melodramatic nature of the book, which includes a “Phantom” roving the woods during that earlier summer and scaring everyone.

None of the four main female characters are likeable. Jealous, petty, unstable. There are girl crushes that felt more appropriate for preteens. The book moves along predictable lines but the ending threw up plenty of red herrings to keep it somewhat interesting.

My thanks to Netgalley and Berkley for an advance copy of this book.

What I enjoyed about the book was the mystery needing to be solved - that kept me reading to the end. What I did not enjoy were the characters - I found them very superficial. And unfortunately as the author was trying to unfold the story it seemed as though the characters forgot how their character would behave in the situation. There was too much sneaking into rooms and pulling out surprises - what's this in my hand? - oh it's a gun...

I don't think there is enough depth in this story to have a good book club discussion. I would recommend this book to a young adult audience or to someone who wants a good beach read. Yes, sometimes you need a book that unfolds itself and you don't have to think about deeply.

Maybe it was just too soon to read about a murderous summer camp after the tragedy in Texas last year. In any case, this was a Did Not Finish for me. I did not find the characters engaging or the story line particularly compelling.

"But now, as she stood in front of me, I could feel the desperation. It rolled off her in waves, palpable."

3/5 stars.

What I liked:
1. the setting in a summer camp was terrific. You've got the woods and camps always seem fraught with danger, not to mention creepiness.
2. although the "I'm returning to my past to find out who murdered..." trope is kind of tired, I think Bozeman does a good job with turning it into something a little new.
3. some real good twists coming at you by the end that sort of make up for #1 below.

What I Didn't:
1. see above quote. I found the writing to be a bit juvenile at times, and Greer ("Little G"? really) to be an immature drama queen. To wit: "Maybe it was the old-school, Southern girl in me, but I wanted some admission of his feelings or intentions before I just let him hold my hand in the dark." Okay, you're in your mid-20s and have standards about hand holding?
2. Would like to have seen/experienced more of Greer's mom, Anita, as well as the other adults. They are mostly shadowy figures until the end.
3. Didn't really get the obsession with Stephanie and Margo. Was it b/c Greer had grown up isolated at the camp? That set up also struck me as a little weird, and would've liked more background. See above drama queen/immature.

Overall compelling, but not my favorite read of 2026.

NOTE: I received an advance reader copy of #summersneverover through my membership at @bookbrowse.