Joyland is (to me at least) a return to "classic" King. It's 1973 and college student Devin Jones needs a summer job, and a change. His girlfriend makes it clear that she'll be working in Boston - without him. But never fear, there are openings to work at Joyland amusement park in North Carolina! Sure it's a kind of a tourist trap that sells fun and employs an assortment of newbie workers and seasoned carnies. Maybe cleaning up after kids who get sick on rides isn't the greatest job. And having people put their trust in you to run rides, from the ferris wheel to the bumper cars, based on some very short training is pretty nerve wracking. But there can't be anything real about a murdered girl haunting the funhouse. Or can there?
I had fun reading Joyland and I suspect King had a good time writing it. Ghosts, carnies, creepy underground tunnels, old school rides, a mysterious woman, a visionary boy, and a great off-season storm make for spooky reading goodness. Oh, and a fantastic book cover from Hard Case Crime publishing!
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