Let’s Go to an Amusement Park, But Make it Murdery

Yes, I know, murdery isn’t a word. But maybe it should be. As we kick off this summer season, a lot of our tens will be heading out to local amusement parks. Sometimes they will be local small town carnivals with questionable ferris wheels. Sometimes they will be the big ones, surrounded by six flags or people in character costumes. I personally love a good roller coaster and that feeling of falling and thinking this is going to be the time and the exhilaration of the speed and the wind in your hair. I recently read two book set in deadly theme parks which reminded me of a few of my older favorites, and a list was born. Here today for you are theme parks, but murdery. Some have elements of supernatural, others just acknowledge that sometimes the monster is one of us. But whatever makes it murdery, these are all good reads for amusement park enthusiasts who want a little thrill with their thrill rides.

The Getaway by Lamar Giles

Publisher’s Book Description:

Welcome to the funnest spot around . . .

Jay is living his best life at Karloff Country, one of the world’s most famous resorts. He’s got his family, his crew, and an incredible after-school job at the property’s main theme park. Life isn’t so great for the rest of the world, but when people come here to vacation, it’s to get away from all that.

As things outside get worse, trouble starts seeping into Karloff. First, Jay’s friend Connie and her family disappear in the middle of the night and no one will talk about it. Then the richest and most powerful families start arriving, only… they aren’t leaving. Unknown to the employees, the resort has been selling shares in an end-of-the-world oasis. The best of the best at the end of days. And in order to deliver the top-notch customer service the wealthy clientele paid for, the employees will be at their total beck and call.

Whether they like it or not.

Yet Karloff Country didn’t count on Jay and his crew–and just how far they’ll go to find out the truth and save themselves. But what’s more dangerous: the monster you know in your home or the unknown nightmare outside the walls?

Karen’s Thoughts: I’m reading an ARC of this book as I write this post. It comes out in September of 2022. It is such a fascinating concept that tackles things like the climate change, poverty, food scarcity, classism and more . . . all set in a dystopian theme park that is inspired by the theme park with the famous mouse. You know which one I’m talking about. Giles doesn’t disappoint and every last detail of this book is woven together to create such a macabre vision of the future (which doesn’t seem all that far off these days) while tackling one of America’s favorite summer pasttimes. It’s good y’all. And creepy. Also, hands down the creepiest cover I’ve seen in a while. Should be a big hit.

Full Tilt by Neal Shusterman

Publisher’s Book Description:

Sixteen-year-old Blake and his younger brother, Quinn, are exact opposites. Blake is the responsible member of the family. He constantly has to keep an eye on the fearless Quinn, whose thrill-seeking sometimes goes too far. But the stakes get higher when Blake has to chase Quinn into a bizarre phantom carnival that traps its customers forever.

In order to escape, Blake must survive seven deadly rides by dawn, each of which represents a deep, personal fear — from a carousel of stampeding animals to a hall of mirrors that changes people into their deformed reflections. Blake ultimately has to face up to a horrible secret from his own past to save himself and his brother — that is, if the carnival doesn’t claim their souls first!

Karen’s Thoughts: This is an older title, around 2002, but you can never go wrong with Neal Shusterman. It’s been a while since I’ve read it, but it’s one I have never forgotten. High teen appeal.

Servants of the Storm by Delilah S. Dawson

Publisher’s Book Description:

Dovey learns that demons lurk in places other than the dark corners of her mind in this southern gothic fantasy from the author of the Blud series.

A year ago, Hurricane Josephine swept through Savannah, Georgia, leaving behind nothing but death and destruction—and taking the life of Dovey’s best friend, Carly. Since that night, Dovey has been in a medicated haze, numb to everything around her.

But recently she’s started to believe she’s seeing things that can’t be real…including Carly at their favorite café. Determined to learn the truth, Dovey stops taking her pills. And the world that opens up to her is unlike anything she could have imagined.

As Dovey slips deeper into the shadowy corners of Savannah—where the dark and horrifying secrets lurk—she learns that the storm that destroyed her city and stole her friend was much more than a force of nature. And now the sinister beings truly responsible are out to finish what they started.

Karen’s Thoughts: Here’s a look at what I said when I reviewed this when it came out –

I actually read this book sometime last year for no other reason than it had the most amazing cover ever. Yep, I too judge a book by it’s cover. This is some seriously creepy – and I mean that in the most amazing way – southern Gothic horror. The beginning part, where we learn about the poverty of the area, meet our main characters, and experience the storm: that is some amazing writing. And then you start learning about the way that demons kind of undulate under every part of this town – wicked cool. So descriptive, so haunting, so mesmerizing. The way that the author uses the lore of demons to undergird this entire world, an epically cool twist. And the way that the humans interact with the demons, which involves seriously gross things, will blow readers minds. There is an entire scene at a “amusement park” which will keep you awake at night and make you seriously reconsider your summer plans to visit your local carnivals.

Vanishing Girls by Lauren Oliver

Publisher’s Book Description:

Dara and Nick used to be inseparable, but that was before the accident that left Dara’s beautiful face scarred and the two sisters totally estranged.

When Dara vanishes on her birthday, Nick thinks Dara is just playing around. But another girl, nine-year-old Madeline Snow, has vanished, too, and Nick becomes increasingly convinced that the two disappearances are linked. Now Nick has to find her sister, before it’s too late.

Karen’s Thoughts: Sometimes a place or a person is haunted by memories of the missing. Less horror and more mystery/thriller, Oliver creates a moving exploration of siblings, loss, and small town mysteries that haunt. Beautiful prose and moving sentiments of guilt and grief will haunt you long after you put this one down. And it makes the list because the main character works at an amusement park that does play into the plot.

Hide by Kiersten White

Publisher’s Book Description:

The challenge: spend a week hiding in an abandoned amusement park and don’t get caught.

The prize: enough money to change everything.

Even though everyone is desperate to win–to seize their dream futures or escape their haunting pasts–Mack feels sure that she can beat her competitors. All she has to do is hide, and she’s an expert at that.

It’s the reason she’s alive, and her family isn’t.

But as the people around her begin disappearing one by one, Mack realizes this competition is more sinister than even she imagined, and that together might be the only way to survive.
Fourteen competitors. Seven days. Everywhere to hide, but nowhere to run.

Come out, come out, wherever you are.

A high-stakes hide-and-seek competition turns deadly in this dark supernatural thriller from New York Times bestselling author Kiersten White.

Karen’s Thoughts: This book is technically adult, but White is a prolific YA author and this is definitely accessible to mature teens who are reading Stephen King, for example. The main thing that makes this adult and not YA is that the main characters are all newish adults with a traumatic backstory and an emotional awareness that helps drive the plot and character development, there isn’t particularly any more gore or other content that you wouldn’t find in a YA book. And this book is really interesting and compelling. If you have teens that are reading adult horror, they will like this one.

So this summer, as you head out to your local festival or amusement park, be sure to take a look at what lurks in the shadows. And keep a light on after you read these.

Filed under: YA Fiction, YA Thrillers