Murder Land by Carlyn Greenwald focuses on 17 year old Billie, queer employee of a California theme park. At the story's open, Billie is preparing for her first shift in her new role as a ride operator in a new section of the theme park - Murder Land - on opening night.

When her ride is fixed after an unexpected shut-down, Billie invites her friends -- and creepy co-worker -- for a private ride. However, at the end of their jaunt, someone doesn't walk away. After getting help from her supervisor, now the apparent heart attack looks more like an accident--or could it be foul play?

With the help of best friend, Grace, Grace's girlfriend, and the cute boy Billie's interested in, the party are determined to discover the truth--even if it means sneaking around the park and sticking their noses where it doesn't belong. The question is-- will they all make it out of the park alive?

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Murder Land was an interesting concept, but the plot pulls readers in two directions. Billie's sexual orientation is referenced consistently throughout the story, but at often at confusing times, detracting from the action of the plot. While the story has uneven pacing, it's still enjoyable with a few twists.

Age Range: 9-12 grade.

This was a fun summer/spring read. I always enjoy reading in a theme park type of setting. I did read this a few weeks ago, and I will be honest nothing really stuck with me. I can't give too many specifics about the book, but overall it was a fun time.

If you need a quick and fast paced read this summer, or maybe a palate cleanser this would be a good one to turn to.

Congrats to Carlyn Greenwald for another successful YA tale. This was an entertaining take on a murder mystery thriller at a theme park. Nothing was too on the nose as to distract the reader from the setting. Thoroughly enjoyed.

Thank you to Sourcebooks Fire and NatGalley for providing an eARC for a honest review.

Murder Land follows 17 year old Billie who finds herself as a suspect in the mysterious death of a fellow employee. As Billie and her friends try to uncover what truly happened, it seems death and violence is following their every move. California land is a theme park with a dark history and even darker employees.

This was…..okay. I found myself constantly questioning Billie’s every move. None of it made sense. Also, how is the park still open and people taking money well after 1am. How is no one catching these kids running around a theme park. And when a major event happens, Billie just keeps going like it’s not effecting her? I don’t buy it. I wanted to really love it. I just found it not making enough sense to me. I often found myself only reading a page or two at a time.

Thank you NetGalley and Sourcebooks Fire for this ARC.

Maybe it’s because I’ve previously read another book with a near identical title and premise already but this one just didn’t work for me unfortunately. My best friend, however, would be obsessed with it so I’ll be sharing this recommendation with her post publication.

The actual mystery was a bit confusing... I think more time could've been spent in the set up because the reasoning wasn't clear until the very end. I know that's technically the point of a reveal but there should've been a few more threads to pick up on. I was too confused along the way. I liked how all of the characters were extremely messy and the author definitely hit on the energy of four teenagers who are all a little queer for each other.

OKAY... This book is my new obsession. Murder land gives me a whole new look on theme parks, lol. This was the most perfect YA Mystery/Thriller. Our main character, Billie, finds herself working at the theme park when one her co-workers dies. The death is seen as freak accident until more murders start occurring. This was a fast pace read that'll keep you engaged and keep you on the edge of your seat

Sadly this one wasn't what I thought! The characters did not do much 'murder land'-ing, and the plot could have taken place literally anywhere. The end also went way too farfetched for me.

Still, thank you Netgalley for the arc!

This is a fast-paced YA thriller set in a murder-themed amusement park, where 17-year-old Billie finds herself investigating a coworker's suspicious death on opening night. The book delivers a fun, eerie atmosphere and a diverse cast.
The unique setting stands out, and the single-night timeline keeps the tension high. However, character development is thin, and some plot points feel rushed or implausible. The tone also shifts awkwardly at times between horror and teen drama.

A great summer thriller! I love books that take place in theme parks and this one was really good! It was YA but I don’t think it felt like YA. I really enjoyed it! Will be recommending for Summerween!

Thank you to Sourcebooks Fire for my copy of MURDER LAND.

I really liked this in the beginning, but as the story unfolded it was just so incredibly unbelievable and I couldn't help but being mortified and sad for these teens! That kept me from fully being invested in the story and took away the escape and charm for me. I don't recommend this one.

hmm.

i think this was a perfectly serviceable young adult horror/mystery novel.

bisexual billie (i see what you were laying out here, carlyn) works a summer job at a theme park AND she gets to chill out with her best friend, grace. recently promoted to a ride operator, she expects a fun, event-filled summer. a wrench gets thrown in her plans when her first night on the top her creepy, elderly coworker ends up dying mysteriously on the ride that she's operating. suddenly, her key card isn't working, photos of that one deathly ride suddenly go missing, that employee's files are taken out of the system. and billie HAS to figure out what's going on before the body count gets even higher.

this had scooby gang vibes with a crackpot bunch of teen investigators trying to figure out what happened in the park. it was... fine, as i said previously. but, being set in a theme park, i was expecting the fun factor to be amped up - decapitations by rollercoasters, crazy people in themed character costumes chasing people down with a knife.

don't get me wrong, i thought the explored history of the park was kind of interesting and the true villain's motives all along were engaging, but ultimately i feel like those aspects were the most unexplored parts of the story, instead spending a bunch of time focusing on walking through uninteresting parts of the theme park and showing us a look "behind the scenes". ultimately, it wasn't the campy, fun time that i wanted, but i think if you're a big fan of ya horror you might have a visceral reaction to this one and imagine it as the cinematic thrill ride that it seemed intended to be.

As the title would suggest, this is very campy and I had a lot of fun reading it. I love the current trend of making mystery books more mixed media, and honestly while this was nothing super special, I would still recommend it for a fun summery scary read.

When it hits summer time I love a good theme park thriller. This one definitely had all the makings of one; murder, over night in a theme park, and decades old secret. I was intrigued by the idea of a murder themed park and was hooked from the start. This definitely had me guessing until the end figuring out who the killer was. As much as I was excited for this one, it honestly fell a little flat for me. I wanted more actual murder and more of the Murderland part. I also felt lost in the dark on the why of everything and what the big secret was until it was finally revealed, as nothing was really hinted at. Also this is marketed as YA but there were honestly times where it felt more mature.

Overall, this wasn’t my favorite theme park thriller but it was a quick read and would be perfect for summer!

I thought the setting for this was excellent, a creepy amusement park with a whole section dedicated to murder! The later Billie and her friends are at the park, the creepier and more sinister things feel.

While I liked Billie as our MC, I had a hard time connecting to her
While a murderer is running around the park, and Billie and her friends are trying to figure out who it is, I found myself more interested in the background mystery that Billie and Grace had me sporadically trying to solve for years.

Some parts of this worked for me and some didn't, but I thought it had great potential so I'll definitely be checking out this author's future works.

Murder Land has a killer premise (pun 100% intended): a murder mystery set in a spooky amusement park? Sign me up. The setting is easily the standout here — eerie rides, flickering lights, and a layer of unsettling cheerfulness that makes every page feel like you're waiting for the next scream (of terror or delight, who can say?). The park itself is dripping with potential and Greenwald captures that uncanny, almost-too-happy vibe with real flair.

But beyond the gates, things get a little... wobbly. Even with the YA label, a lot of the details feel more juvenile than just “young.” Characters often act more like caricatures, and the mystery hinges on plot turns that require a heavy suspension of disbelief — or maybe a fast pass to the land of “wait, what?”

It’s not without its charm, and younger readers or those looking for a light, spooky romp might enjoy the ride. But for seasoned YA fans or mystery readers, the inaccuracies and surface-level storytelling might leave you feeling like the park ride broke down halfway through.

Spooky setting? Check. Great execution? Not quite. Still, there's just enough here to make it worth the ticket — especially if you’re in it for the vibes more than the twists.

Horror thrillers set in themed fun parks promise high stakes entertainment, but Murder Land fails to deliver and ultimately was a trudge to finish. By the time I got to the end I was not too bothered with who the killer was and, realistically, many teens who might pick this book up will be putting it down just as quickly and picking up their mobile device instead. The story opens with Seventeen-year-old Billie getting a cool summer job at Murder Land, but things go south incredibly quickly when on opening night an elderly co-worker dies whilst testing a ride. Billie is on the same ride, what initially looks like an accident develops into something else and Billie is slap bang in the middle of it, maybe even a suspect.

What follows happens over a very short space of time, with Billie and a few others carrying out their own investigation, until there is another death which is much closer to home. The story is interspersed with snippets from official reports regarding Murder Land, which were incredibly boring and came across as padding. Along the way we drop into Billie’s love life, dreams and whether she can trust her friends in what might be a deeper conspiracy. Much of this book failed to click, I struggled to maintain interest in the characters, got confused and did not find it realistic with so many characters being queer in some way. Not one I would recommend. AGE RANGE 13+

I would like to extend my sincere appreciation to Netgalley, the publisher, and the author for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review. This book was enjoyable, dark, mysterious, and suspenseful, embodying the essence of a captivating young adult mystery thriller. Firstly, I find the cover appealing and eye-catching, effectively representing the story without revealing too much. Regarding the characters, while some could benefit from further development and refinement, they are generally relatable and convincing, contributing to a well-crafted and suspenseful narrative. I thoroughly enjoyed the plot, which I found to be fun, unique, and refreshing, steering clear of overly serious themes. Additionally, the narrative skillfully added depth, ensuring it was not one-dimensional.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Carlyn Greenwald for providing me with a complimentary digital ARC for Murder Land coming out May 6, 2025. The honest opinions expressed in this review are my own.

This is the first book I’ve read by this author. I really love thrillers. The amusement park setting was really fun. I really enjoyed the high stakes involved. I think it could’ve used a little more slasher. I was definitely thinking it would be darker. I really love horror books. I think this one was a little on the tame side, but I enjoyed it. I would definitely check out other books by this author!

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys YA thrillers!

YA genre set in an amusement park where things aren't what they seem. Billie is looking forward to a great summer; there are no clouds she can see in her future. But life throws a huge twist when she's a suspect in the death of a coworker. Billie and her friends will investigate on their own.....with consequences.