Murder land

Best friends Billie and Grace love a good theme-park conspiracy--so much so that they both land jobs at Californialand, a park brimming with harrowing history and sinister secrets. When Billie is assigned to Murder Land, the park's latest addition inspired by California's most infamous crimes, their excitement is paramount. Then one of their coworkers ends up dead--on a ride that Billie was supposed to be operating. Things quickly go from "apparent accident" to "apparent murder," and Billie, fearing blame, takes it upon herself to find the culprits. But she is soon overwhelmed as Murder Land lives up to its name, and the bodies begin to pile up around her. Greenwald's debut thriller, like a roller coaster in her titular park, delivers nonstop twists and turns as we barrel through a decades-spanning mystery. While the whodunit aspect feels somewhat convoluted, the story being told through the eyes of amusement park enthusiasts and urban explorers lends a fresh perspective on a tale as old as crime. Pair with Kiersten White's Hide (2022) for maximum theme-park thrills.

Opening night at a new murder-themed amusement park attraction turns into a deadly race against an unknown assailant. Billie Cooper, a recent high school graduate, has just received a promotion at Californialand, the theme park celebrating her home state where she's worked for two years. Now she's a ride operator in Murder Land, a new section inspired by infamous Southern California crimes. But Billie's first night goes off the rails when a fellow employee dies on her ride. Determined to prove it was natural causes and not her fault, Billie teams up with her friend--and one-time hookup--Leon, her best friend, Grace, and Grace's girlfriend, Sawyer. Together they uncover disturbing truths about the park's hidden history. As the events of the night unfold, the stakes rise, and someone else dies. The story includes transcripts from a YouTube series detailing the park's history and conspiracy theories tied to the property. While some plot points stretch believability, the theme-park setting adds to the intrigue. The diverse cast includes Billie, a queer Jewish protagonist with a rebellious streak, white-presenting Grace, who wants to pursue film studies, Korean Canadian Sawyer, who speaks French and is into hacking, and Leon, who's queer, cued white, and an engineering student. The atmospheric backdrop sets this work apart from similar stories. Fans of Natasha Preston and Eireann Corrigan will appreciate the fast-paced plot and compelling twists. A surprise-filled thriller unfolding in an evocatively spooky setting. (map)(Thriller. 14-18) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.