It’s been a year since they left school. Ryan, Katie and Ben went their separate ways to university. Greg has a promising football career ahead of him. And Alisha has been resitting her last year. It’s been a year since their friend Janey committed suicide. But putting the past behind them, a reunion is in order and they head of to Spain for two weeks in the sun. It doesn’t take long for sunscreen and sangria to turn to horror… and a summer they will never forget, if only they survive it.

Cruel Summer has James Dawson’s personality stamped all over it. Several of the elements that made Hollow Pike so popular are present; a diverse cast in a book that isn’t about diversity. Something the YA community is screaming out for. The holiday to Spain is a key part to growing up in Britain which means whilst it’s not set in the UK, it’s still incredibly British. Just don’t get any ideas about ways to spend your first holiday as a grown-up!

On one hand, it’s a book for the Scream generation. Of course, we’re grown up now and I hope today’s teenagers can appreciate the irony. Ryan likes to describe his life as if it were scripted. There’s lots of references to clichés and tropes but it’s done in a manner that it’s meant to be obvious. Ryan is pointing them out after all. Yet, the story still managed to avoid being clichéd itself. It’s a wonderful homage to the days of teen horror before it got gory. Think Point Horror (check out James' Point Horror Book Club) but better. Hugely entertaining.

The narrative keeps you guessing right up until the dramatic climax. Ryan likes the predictability of TV land but it doesn’t apply here. It’s one of those books that will take you a while to recover from too. What an ending!