Summer of Night: A Novel (Seasons of Horror Book 1)

Set in the summer of 1960 in the small town of Elm Haven, Illinois, this novel follows five twelve-year-old boys—Mike, Duane, Dale, Harlen, and Kevin—as they form deep bonds during their childhood. Their days are filled with bike rides and time spent in the woods, marked by the secrets and silences typical of middle childhood. When a long-silent bell rings in the middle of the night, the townspeople recognize it as a sign that their carefree days have ended. From the Old Central School, described as a hulking fortress with the scent of coffins, an invisible evil begins to rise. Strange and horrifying events spread terror through the once-peaceful town. Determined to stop this ancient plague, the five boys must confront an arcane abomination that controls the night. The novel is part of the Seasons of Horror series and includes a new introduction by Dan Simmons.