the time it was about summer’s never over

Posted June 9, 2026 by Stacee in Interviews | 0 Comments

this book was pitched to me as having a “creepy camp setting” and that was enough for me to want to read it. and when an interview with Darby was an option, I couldn’t wait to ask questions.

before we get to the answers, let’s check out the book.

Title: Summer’s Never Over
Author: Darby Bozeman
Pages: 368
Publisher: Berkley
Pub Date: June 9, 2026
Find it: PRH | Bookshop | Goodreads

Synopsis: Five years ago, Greer left her family’s summer camp in the mountains of Georgia and vowed she’d never return. An idyllic season had turned into a nightmare after a mysterious Phantom began stalking the camp—and ended with Greer’s friend and fellow counselor dead. Losing Steph shattered everything, and Greer’s been fleeing from the grief ever since.

But then Greer’s mother dies, and Greer finds herself back at Dread’s Cove, surrounded by the people she was closest to that intense summer. Two ex-boyfriends—one a childhood sweetheart, the other the guy she’s never gotten over—and old friends. Including Margo, Steph’s best friend.

Greer and Margo didn’t leave things on the best of terms. But now, Margo needs her. Margo never believed that Steph’s death in that horrific fire was an accident—and she’s on the trail of an explosive secret Steph took to her grave.

Greer has to make a choice: keep the Cove’s secrets and her own, or finally face the truth about that summer.

sounds good, right?

1. Please give the elevator pitch for Summer’s Never Over.

When a woman returns to the summer camp where she grew up – five years after it burned to the ground and her close friend died – she gets entangled in an investigation into the truth about that summer, the fire, and is forced to confront long-buried secrets about the people she loves.

2. Which came first: the plot line or the characters?

The very first thing I came up with was the setting – I knew I wanted to write a thriller that took place at a summer camp. But the characters quickly followed. I figured out what happened to all of them along the way (and what happened to all of them changed several times over).

3. Why do you love Greer and why should readers root for her?

SHE IS DOING HER BEST. I think we can all relate to that.

4. Were there any weird things you googled while researching?

Oh, plenty of weird things. “Parts of a gun,” for example. I also had lots of questions about types of birds and trees in Georgia.

5. Without spoilers, which scene was your favorite to write?

Any scene with Greer and Trevor. I looooove writing the two of them. I particularly loved one scene where they’re on Trevor’s porch, having a heart-to-heart.

Speed(ish) round:

1. You find out you’re being published for the first time. Describe the next 5 minutes.

I immediately begin weeping. I listen to “Anything Can Happen” by Ellie Goulding.

2. Which 3 things would you take to a desert island?

First, my husband. Mostly because I would miss him too much if he wasn’t there, but also because he would need to build our shelter / hunt for us / make a fire. Yeah, I’m not lasting long on the island if he’s not there. Second, my kindle. Third, buckets of sunscreen. As much sunscreen as humanly possible.

3. You can only read one book for the rest of your life. What is it?

What!! Impossible question. My first thought was THE SEVEN HUSBANDS OF EVELYN HUGO by TJR, so I’ll go with that.

4. What is the one thing about publishing you wish someone would have told you?

Don’t keep moving the goalposts for yourself.

5. You wake up and discover that you are Bella in Twilight. You know how it plays out. What do you do differently?

Well, obviously I don’t go play baseball in the woods that day. I never meet James or Victoria. I think that would fix most of the issues.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Darby Bozeman grew up in Portland, Oregon, but she’s spent the better part of her adult life in the South. She has a master’s in teaching from the University of Georgia and she taught middle school English for five years. When she’s not reading or writing, she loves acting in community theater and discussing pop culture. She lives in Knoxville with her husband, Bryan, and their cat, Claude. website | instagram