Camp Damascus (Hardcover)
August 2023 Indie Next List
“Something as horrible as a gay conversion camp is made even more terrifying in this sinister novel! With the claustrophobia and paranoia of Rosemary’s Baby and The Stepford Wives, I will recommend this book to every horror lover!”
— Brandy Herr, Arts & Letters Bookstore, Granbury, TX
INSTANT USA TODAY & INDIE BESTSELLER
A Best Book of the Year (Vulture) • A Best Horror Book of the Year (Esquire, Library Journal) • An Indie Next Pick!
“A joyful, furious romp through dark places, Tingle proves he's as good at fear as he is at love.” ―T. Kingfisher, bestselling author of What Moves the Dead
From beloved internet icon Chuck Tingle, Camp Damascus is a searing and earnest horror debut about the demons the queer community faces in America, the price of keeping secrets, and finding the courage to burn it all down.
Welcome to Neverton, Montana: home to a God-fearing community with a heart of gold.
Nestled high up in the mountains is Camp Damascus, the self-proclaimed “most effective” gay conversion camp in the country. Here, a life free from sin awaits. But the secret behind that success is anything but holy.
And they’ll scare you straight to hell.
Also by Chuck Tingle:
Camp Damascus
“Fantastic. Camp Damascus is seriously good.” —Jenny Lawson, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Furiously Happy
“A genuinely terrifying nightmare – but it ain’t the monsters you gotta be afraid of. Chuck Tingle is absolutely the best guide through this level of Hell.” —N.K. Jemisin, New York Times bestselling author
“It’s a bighearted, chilling ride that proves the author’s mantra over and over: Love is, indeed, real.” —Vulture
“This book is highly entertaining, cinematic, and filled with monsters, both human and supernatural, all of which will lure horror fans to its pages, but what holds it all together is the immense love at the heart of the novel.” —Library Journal (STARRED review)
“A timely, authentically chilling story.” —Booklist (STARRED review)
“Chuck Tingle continues to surprise and thrill. Camp Damascus is terrifying, darkly funny, and engagingly humane.” —John Scalzi, New York Times bestselling author
“Camp Damascus is a queer horror novel that unpacks the cruelty of conversion camps and that particular brand of religious fervor that actively harms people who are different under the guise of godliness....It is genuinely horrifying.... It is also beautiful and affirming.” —Tor.com
“Camp Damascus feels like a fantastic debut, and a subtle reinvention, and a proper evolution, all at once....a genuinely great horror story.” —BoingBoing
“This chilling page-turner should win Tingle a slew of new fans.” —Publishers Weekly
“Camp Damascus is as joyous as it is upsetting. It’s a Queer horror novel that neither shies away from the pain of prejudice nor downplays the victory of self-acceptance."—Esquire
"Camp Damascus is a very entertaining narrative about burning demons, friendship, and the power of love. ...It makes a statement that’s hard to deny: Chuck Tingle can write, and he’s here to stay."—Gabino Iglesias, Locus
“A joyful, furious romp through dark places, Tingle proves he's as good at fear as he is at love.” —T. Kingfisher, bestselling author of What Moves the Dead
"Camp Damascus is a hell of a ride. Tingle is right at home in the horror genre - he delivers all the thrills of a slasher while exploring the deep wounds that can be inflicted by broken systems. This book is worth your time." —Sarah Gailey, author of Just Like Home
“Jaw-dropping...both frightening and utterly cathartic. A queer nightmare of demonic proportions!” —Mark Oshiro, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Anger is a Gift
“This book is for anyone who thought they were going to hell for being themselves. Chuck Tingle takes that fear and weaves it into a seamless horror that will keep you up at night. Camp Damascus is a big hug to all of us who had to fight to find each other.” —J.R. Dawson, author of The First Bright Thing
“Intelligent, cleverly written, and subversive. A strong and brilliant story of identity, love, sincerity, and personal triumphs even when things get dark.” —R.R. Virdi, USA Today bestselling author of The First Binding
“Thrilling, engrossing, surprising, and ultimately uplifting. Tingle blends horror and sincerity and makes it look easy, producing a mystery of betrayal and righteous justice that you won't forget.” —Ryan North, New York Times bestselling & Eisner-winning author
“Clever, scary as hell, and deeply satisfying. Love is real, and it transcends genre.” —Jay Edidin, cohost of Jay & Miles X-Plain the X-Men podcast
"A well-crafted and surprisingly moving novel. And certainly quite different from Tingle’s previous work..."—CrimeReads