This is the most niche genre that I read and also my absolute favorite books to read in general. Horror or suspense novels set in amusement park type settings bring my two favorite things together in a beautiful marriage. Horror is my favorite broad genre and amusement parks are my favorite setting that brings me back to some of the happiest points in my life. When the two of those things come together it is absolute magic. I find these books are few and far between and articles or lists online are also unicorns when I do manage to find them, so the following are my top picks and I hope this helps bring more visibility to these books as well.
(Hey, you know the way I’ve run this blog. I only recommend products that I actually own and use? Well, some of the links you click on are what’s known as “affiliate links”. So if you do buy something I’ll probably earn a few bucks.)
Joyland by Stephen King
This one is likely to be the most recognizable on the list. This book brings in all the feelings of warmth and summertime. This novel is set in a theme park in North Carolina. Devin Jones takes a summer job in Joyland and makes new friends while battling a broken heart. This story follows a young man in the summer of his youth as he navigates his life.
At the end of the summer Devin decides to stay in North Carolina and arranges for a dying boy he has become close with to tour Joyland privately in the off season. Mix in an old mystery about a woman who was murdered in the only dark ride within Joyland. Has the murderer reappeared after all these years?
Joyland is primarily a coming of age story, but as with any Stephen King novel, it has many layers. This is not the cliche horror of Stephen King but more of a slow burn journey that will leave you with a tornado of emotions and a feeling of longing for a place you have never been before.
Welcome to the Dark House by Laurie Faria Stolarz
Several young people win an essay contest. The prize? A getaway and a behind the scenes look at the latest project from Justin Blake. Not everyone in attendance is a fan of the works of Justin Blake and the horror of his projects but everyone settles into the house fine.
Quickly things begin to feel a bit unsettling and eerie. Starts out small and then balloons until a member of the winners goes missing. In the end the book leads into an amusement park of fear. And warning, this book does end in a cliffhanger, but we have since learned that this is only the first book and the second one has already been released. I am excited to dive in to the second book “Enter the Dark House”
This book has an unsettling feeling that lurks just below the surface as you are reading. It will keep you on the edge of your seat all the way up to the cliffhanger, and it will have you running to your local bookstore to pick up the next book just to see how things progress. I know that's what I’ll be doing.
Inferno Park by J. L. Bryan
This book is no holds barred. Our main character, Carter, and his family have lived and worked next to Starland Amusement park all of his life. One night at the end of the summer Carter is able to go out with his friend to the park when disaster occurs. A massive sinkhole forms in the park resulting in the death of over 100 park operators and guests alike. This leaves Carter’s family in shambles and results in the shut down of Starland Amusement park, which after the accident is referred to as Inferno Park. The experience leaves Carter with trauma he tries to keep buried.
As with any old and abandoned place, the park turns into a sort of local legend that persists even after most of the original residents of town have left. A new girl moves into town and strikes up a friendship with Carter and this leads Carter back to the one place he’s been running away from since that fatal day in Starland. The town begins to suffer as kids begin to go missing. Is the park to blame? Has it woken up again after all this time? Are the spirits of those who lost their lives that day still trapped inside?
There are so many eerie elements, but it also brings in the straight suspense and horror. Inferno Park is host to several interesting, but scary characters. There are so many twists and turns and gore within this novel that it has become one of my comfort books.
Fantasticland by Mike Bockoven
Fantasticland “The place where fun is guaranteed” is an amusement park that has been around since the 1970’s and is a competitor to Universal and Disney parks. When a hurricane tears through Florida, some of the staff of the park agree to stay on to keep the park safe from looters and any damage that can be prevented. After a long five weeks rescue workers make their way into the park and are met with a horrific scene.
In a series of personal interviews with the survivors of Fantasticland the grisly events of the past 5 weeks begin to unfold. How would people react in total isolation? How would boredom affect the employees? Cut off from the world, the employees divide from one another into small groups all fighting for survival and supplies.
My favorite way to enjoy this novel is with the audible audiobook as the chapters are narrated in the tone and voice of each individual being interviewed, but the hardback is a great second as well. This one is honestly my favorite book out of this whole list. I reread this once at least twice a year. While some of it is graphic and could be difficult to stomach it raises some interesting questions about youth and the human condition. I would highly, highly recommend picking this one up and giving it a try. I cannot recommend it enough. Jason Card is my absolute favorite character and how I would like to think I would handle the same situation he was put into.
Honorable Mention:
Hide by Kiersten White
The challenge: spend a week hiding in an abandoned amusement park and don't get caught.
The prize: enough money to change everything.
This book is going to be released in May of this year. The first two sentences sucked me in right away and I immediately preordered it. I have high expectations of this book and hope it lives up to Fantasticland, earning a spot on this favorites list.