15th Anniversary Edition published in June 2024 by Cemetery Dance!
Someone is killing boys in a small town. The murder weapon is a truck, and the only protection is a curfew enacted to keep kids off the streets. But it’s summer—and that alone is worth the risk of staying out late for James, Willie, and Reggie.
Willie, who lost his arm in the first hit-and-run attack, finds it hard to keep up with his two best friends as they leave childhood behind. All of them are changing, hounded by their parents, hunted by the killer, and haunted by the “monster,” a dead thing that guards the dangerous gateway between youth and manhood. But that’s not all: shadowing the boys everywhere is Mel Herman, the mysterious and brilliant bully whose dark secrets may hold the key to their survival. As the summer burns away, these forces collide, and it will take compassion, brains, and guts for the boys to overcome their demons—and not become monsters themselves.
In this chilling and poignant debut novel, Daniel Kraus deftly explores the choices boys grapple with and the revelations that occur as they become men.
“Utterly unique from the very first line.”
JOSHUA FERRIS
“Beneath the terror and the thrills, there is truth in this haunting tale. It pierced my heart straight through.”
LAUREN MYRACLE
“This debut is wonderfully crafted, and is a compelling blend of coming-of-age horror and heart-wrenching revelations. This is a dark, eerie, and truly amazing novel that we highly recommend.”
CAPES & TIGHTS