EL Chen’s Slasher Summer goes to Penguin Michael Joseph

Penguin Michael Joseph has acquired “gripping” horror novel, Slasher Summer, from EL Chen.

Commissioning editor Jorgie Bain acquired world rights from Dorian Maffei at Kimberly Cameron & Associates. North American rights have been sold to Peter Joseph at Crown.

Slasher Summer follows seven unlikely friends, all bonded by their shared love of horror films in high school who have drifted since moving to college. They decide to reunite in their famous hometown, Cedar Lake Falls, known for its ties to infamous blockbuster hit Slasher Summer.

On the eve of the town’s annual "Slasher Summer" festivities, the group meet for a weekend of fun by the lake, only to be hunted down one by one by a vengeful masked killer. Described as “a love letter to horror fans everywhere”, it “nods to classic slashers throughout, alongside its own original take on the genre, and particularly celebrates queer characters in horror”.

Chen’s novel Summerwood/Winterwood was longlisted for a Sunburst, Canada’s juried SFF award. Her short fiction has been published in venues such as Strange Horizons.

She said: “This book is a tribute to classic horror tropes, as well as the slasher story I’d want to watch. I’m thrilled that the team at Penguin Michael Joseph is sharing my vision with readers, and I hope people have as much scary fun reading it as I had writing it."

Bain said: “A homage for anyone who loved the Scream franchise growing up, Slasher Summer is fast paced, brilliantly clever, shocking and just utterly fun to read. EL Chen is an undeniable talent in this genre, and I cannot wait for readers to celebrate horror in the depths of summer with this devilishly brilliant book.”

Maffei added: “Equal parts fun and bloody, Slasher Summer has all the makings of a perfect retro horror romp – readers are in for the ultimate summer thrill.”

Penguin Michael Joseph will publish Slasher Summer in June 2026.