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Difficult Girls
A teen girl’s attempt at social reinvention takes a deadly turn when a co-worker disappears—and she learns she may have been the last person to see the missing girl—in this razor-sharp, murderously funny thriller debut.
After the incident last year, Greta Riley Green is looking for reinvention, a fresh start, a chance to run away from the many secrets she’s suddenly hiding. A job at Hyper Kid Magic Land, the local amusement park, seems like the perfect way to forge a new path . . . no matter what it takes.
When fate pulls Greta into the orbit of Mercy Goodwin, star of the park’s most popular show, it feels like things are looking up. Beautiful and confident, Mercy dazzles audiences daily. And at the first party of the summer, she picks Greta to confide in. Mercy has a secret to share, if Greta will just meet her at lunch the next day. It’s a sign that Greta’s truly fitting in.
Only, when the time comes, Mercy is a no-show—as she is every day after that. She just stops coming to work. Greta knows something is wrong. She can’t help thinking back to the night of the party. Did Mercy seem upset? Terrified, even? Could she be in trouble? It wouldn’t be the first time a talented young performer came to a sinister end at Hyper Kid. . . .
Of course, Greta has her own issues with the past, and the more she uncovers Hyper Kid’s secrets, the more her own threaten to resurface. This job was meant to be a reboot, a summer without trouble. But trouble, it seems, finds Greta, and her past—and the bloody past of Hyper Kid—is about to catch up with her.
After the incident last year, Greta Riley Green is looking for reinvention, a fresh start, a chance to run away from the many secrets she’s suddenly hiding. A job at Hyper Kid Magic Land, the local amusement park, seems like the perfect way to forge a new path . . . no matter what it takes.
When fate pulls Greta into the orbit of Mercy Goodwin, star of the park’s most popular show, it feels like things are looking up. Beautiful and confident, Mercy dazzles audiences daily. And at the first party of the summer, she picks Greta to confide in. Mercy has a secret to share, if Greta will just meet her at lunch the next day. It’s a sign that Greta’s truly fitting in.
Only, when the time comes, Mercy is a no-show—as she is every day after that. She just stops coming to work. Greta knows something is wrong. She can’t help thinking back to the night of the party. Did Mercy seem upset? Terrified, even? Could she be in trouble? It wouldn’t be the first time a talented young performer came to a sinister end at Hyper Kid. . . .
Of course, Greta has her own issues with the past, and the more she uncovers Hyper Kid’s secrets, the more her own threaten to resurface. This job was meant to be a reboot, a summer without trouble. But trouble, it seems, finds Greta, and her past—and the bloody past of Hyper Kid—is about to catch up with her.
336 pages, Hardcover
First published July 8, 2025
57 people are currently reading
7059 people want to read
About the author
Veronica Bane
5 books130 followersVeronica Bane spent her formative teen years working at a popular theme park. Following days spent as a princess and an usher, she graduated from Chapman University with a BFA in Creative Writing. Since then, she has worked as a high school English teacher in Lincoln Heights, California. When she’s not writing, she’s exploring Los Angeles with her husband and their beloved dog, Bodhi. Her debut novel Difficult Girls was an instant USA Today bestseller.
Visit her at www.veronicabane.com and on social media @veronicabane to stay updated.
Visit her at www.veronicabane.com and on social media @veronicabane to stay updated.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 142 reviews
August 5, 2025
I enjoyed the twist and the second half of the book a bit more than the first half. Too bad Greta's secrets were in the past, otherwise would have made for a great story. The story was a bit slow moving for me. The narrator was upbeat so it kept me going.
This story followed Greta, an usher working at a theme park. There's a cold case murder happened there years ago that many want to try to solve including Greta. She befriended with Mercy for a short time before Mercy stopped showing up for work. Greta started investigating Mercy's disappearance and the cold case especially somehow a notebook from the dead girl fall into her hands. Mercy along with some others characters are performers at the theme park. Greta also made friends with Liam who helped her with the sleuthing are other ushers. Greta escalated her efforts with sleuthing when she found a new dead body.
Thank you PRHAudio and Getunderlined for the opportunity to read, listen, and review.
This story followed Greta, an usher working at a theme park. There's a cold case murder happened there years ago that many want to try to solve including Greta. She befriended with Mercy for a short time before Mercy stopped showing up for work. Greta started investigating Mercy's disappearance and the cold case especially somehow a notebook from the dead girl fall into her hands. Mercy along with some others characters are performers at the theme park. Greta also made friends with Liam who helped her with the sleuthing are other ushers. Greta escalated her efforts with sleuthing when she found a new dead body.
Thank you PRHAudio and Getunderlined for the opportunity to read, listen, and review.
March 9, 2025
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
DIFFICULT GIRLS by Veronica Bane
Thank you Netgalley, RHC, Delacorte, and Veronica for the earc (July 8)
Greta is reeling from an incident in her past, so she takes a job at Hyper Kid Magic Land to reinvent herself. What she doesn't expect is to be dragged into the world of Mercy, promised a secret that Mercy's been keeping. When Mercy doesn't show, Greta knows something happened. Something is wrong. So...Greta investigates, unearthing more than she ever thought possible.
DIFFICULT GIRLS is a thrilling tale where past and present mysteries intwine into one large mystery that's full of twists that I didn't see coming. Especially that last one. Like, I called half of it, but the actual whodunit left me baffled and all out shocked. It didn't cross my mind, and honestly I don't know why.
Not only is DIFFICULT GIRLS action-packed and full of mystery, it's full of new friendships, new relationships. What I loved most about DIFFICULT GIRLS was Greta opening herself back up and learning not to revel in the past no matter how difficult. The characters were likeable, even ones who shouldn't have been (of course only in the beginning, once the book picked up pace, the likeability of those ones dwindled until...BOOM, we see their true colors.)
DIFFICULT GIRLS is a must read for mystery/thriller lovers. This book has everything that makes a thriller thrilling. There's past and present drama, a mystery begging to be solved, and of course a little bit of a slow burn romance.
DIFFICULT GIRLS by Veronica Bane
Thank you Netgalley, RHC, Delacorte, and Veronica for the earc (July 8)
Greta is reeling from an incident in her past, so she takes a job at Hyper Kid Magic Land to reinvent herself. What she doesn't expect is to be dragged into the world of Mercy, promised a secret that Mercy's been keeping. When Mercy doesn't show, Greta knows something happened. Something is wrong. So...Greta investigates, unearthing more than she ever thought possible.
DIFFICULT GIRLS is a thrilling tale where past and present mysteries intwine into one large mystery that's full of twists that I didn't see coming. Especially that last one. Like, I called half of it, but the actual whodunit left me baffled and all out shocked. It didn't cross my mind, and honestly I don't know why.
Not only is DIFFICULT GIRLS action-packed and full of mystery, it's full of new friendships, new relationships. What I loved most about DIFFICULT GIRLS was Greta opening herself back up and learning not to revel in the past no matter how difficult. The characters were likeable, even ones who shouldn't have been (of course only in the beginning, once the book picked up pace, the likeability of those ones dwindled until...BOOM, we see their true colors.)
DIFFICULT GIRLS is a must read for mystery/thriller lovers. This book has everything that makes a thriller thrilling. There's past and present drama, a mystery begging to be solved, and of course a little bit of a slow burn romance.
April 16, 2025
Wow!!! This page-turner kept me guessing from beginning to end!!! Loved the characters, the romance, the witty humor, the setting, and the healthy dose of girl power!!! 💪 Difficult Girls is absolute must-read for all lovers of YA thriller/mysteries!
May 11, 2025
3.5 ⭐️
This book is a Tilt-A-Whirl of teenage angst, murderous secrets, and a theme park so quirky it makes Six Flags look like a corporate snooze-fest. Sometimes it’s as chaotic as a toddler on a sugar high, but it’s got enough razzle-dazzle to keep you hooked.
First, meet Greta Riley Green, our unreliable narrator with a past so shady it could star in a noir film. After some mysterious “incident” (Bane keeps us guessing like a reality TV cliffhanger), Greta’s trying to reinvent herself at Hyper Kid Magic Land, a theme park that feels both whimsical and unhinged. Think roller coasters, sparkly costumes, and a vibe that screams, “We’re fun, but also maybe haunted.” Greta’s summer job is supposed to be her fresh start, but when Mercy Goodwin, the park’s dazzling star performer, vanishes after asking Greta to meet her, Greta’s plunged into a mystery stickier than a melted popsicle. Was she the last to see Mercy? And why does this park have more missing girls than a true-crime podcast?
Greta herself is a delightfully flawed heroine. She’s persistent, vulnerable, and just broken enough to root for. Her struggle to piece together her fractured past is raw and relatable. I saw a bit of my younger self in her—the girl who thought reinventing herself meant a new haircut and a fake-it-till-you-make-it attitude. (Newsflash: It doesn’t.)
Mercy is a glamorous enigma, all confidence and secrets, and I was invested. There’s also Ivy, a side character who’s so fierce and funny she deserves her own spin-off. The dialogue pops like bubblegum, and Bane’s take on toxic masculinity (“men are assholes because they choose to be”) had me clapping like I was at a feminist poetry slam. This book is a love letter to girls who are messy, difficult, and unapologetic, and I’m here for it.
Just like a with a Rollercoaster: when you go high, you gotta go low. The pacing can be as wobbly as a bumper car driven by a hungover teen. The first half builds delicious tension, but the second half feels like Bane tried to cram a season of Pretty Little Liars into 100 pages. Some twists are jaw-dropping, but others feel like they were thrown in for shock value, like a haunted house jump-scare that’s more annoying than scary. The romance subplot is cute but thinner than a carnival prize teddy bear—it’s there, but you’re not sure why. Liam is adorable, though. And while I love an unreliable narrator, Greta’s gaps sometimes left me frustrated, like trying to solve a puzzle with half the pieces missing.
Difficult Girls is perfect for fans of A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder or anyone who loves their thrillers with an amusement park. Bane’s debut proves she’s a voice to watch, and I’m already counting down to her next book. If you’re ready for a summer job that’s dreamy and deadly, grab this book, buckle up, and prepare for a wild ride.
This book is a Tilt-A-Whirl of teenage angst, murderous secrets, and a theme park so quirky it makes Six Flags look like a corporate snooze-fest. Sometimes it’s as chaotic as a toddler on a sugar high, but it’s got enough razzle-dazzle to keep you hooked.
First, meet Greta Riley Green, our unreliable narrator with a past so shady it could star in a noir film. After some mysterious “incident” (Bane keeps us guessing like a reality TV cliffhanger), Greta’s trying to reinvent herself at Hyper Kid Magic Land, a theme park that feels both whimsical and unhinged. Think roller coasters, sparkly costumes, and a vibe that screams, “We’re fun, but also maybe haunted.” Greta’s summer job is supposed to be her fresh start, but when Mercy Goodwin, the park’s dazzling star performer, vanishes after asking Greta to meet her, Greta’s plunged into a mystery stickier than a melted popsicle. Was she the last to see Mercy? And why does this park have more missing girls than a true-crime podcast?
Greta herself is a delightfully flawed heroine. She’s persistent, vulnerable, and just broken enough to root for. Her struggle to piece together her fractured past is raw and relatable. I saw a bit of my younger self in her—the girl who thought reinventing herself meant a new haircut and a fake-it-till-you-make-it attitude. (Newsflash: It doesn’t.)
Mercy is a glamorous enigma, all confidence and secrets, and I was invested. There’s also Ivy, a side character who’s so fierce and funny she deserves her own spin-off. The dialogue pops like bubblegum, and Bane’s take on toxic masculinity (“men are assholes because they choose to be”) had me clapping like I was at a feminist poetry slam. This book is a love letter to girls who are messy, difficult, and unapologetic, and I’m here for it.
Just like a with a Rollercoaster: when you go high, you gotta go low. The pacing can be as wobbly as a bumper car driven by a hungover teen. The first half builds delicious tension, but the second half feels like Bane tried to cram a season of Pretty Little Liars into 100 pages. Some twists are jaw-dropping, but others feel like they were thrown in for shock value, like a haunted house jump-scare that’s more annoying than scary. The romance subplot is cute but thinner than a carnival prize teddy bear—it’s there, but you’re not sure why. Liam is adorable, though. And while I love an unreliable narrator, Greta’s gaps sometimes left me frustrated, like trying to solve a puzzle with half the pieces missing.
Difficult Girls is perfect for fans of A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder or anyone who loves their thrillers with an amusement park. Bane’s debut proves she’s a voice to watch, and I’m already counting down to her next book. If you’re ready for a summer job that’s dreamy and deadly, grab this book, buckle up, and prepare for a wild ride.
May 18, 2025
Thank you to Veronica Bane for giving me early access to read this!!
I absolutely loved this book. It keeps your attention throughout the whole book and really reminds me of GGGTM, but at a theme park.
Everything was laid out perfectly and went at the perfect pace. There was never too much information or too little. I did kinda guess the twist, but I read so many of things books that it’s too easy now. I also enjoyed the little romance we got to experience. It tied the book together.
I also enjoyed all the characters and there wasn’t really anyone extra or just didn’t make sense. I think Ivy will be my favorite of them all.
I absolutely loved this book. It keeps your attention throughout the whole book and really reminds me of GGGTM, but at a theme park.
Everything was laid out perfectly and went at the perfect pace. There was never too much information or too little. I did kinda guess the twist, but I read so many of things books that it’s too easy now. I also enjoyed the little romance we got to experience. It tied the book together.
I also enjoyed all the characters and there wasn’t really anyone extra or just didn’t make sense. I think Ivy will be my favorite of them all.
December 24, 2024
EXCITED!!!
January 21, 2025
Difficult Girls is a fantastically well written book! The twists and turns were wonderfully unpredictable and the characters are easy to invest in! The book was hard to put down!
September 20, 2024
Difficult Girls is the next big YA Thriller book--mark my words!!! Absolutely perfect for fans of AGGGTM. Fun, propulsive, and filled with humor and heart. I'm usually pretty good at putting the clues together early on in thrillers, but Difficult Girls kept me on my toes until the very end! There are so many twists and turns, and you never really know who to trust. I also deeply resonate with our main character, Greta. She is for the weird, socially awkward theater kids. For the ones who maybe are "too much" sometimes, who get wrapped up in their own heads and say the wrong things (I, too, would have struck up a conversation about cheese to try and talk to a cute boy I liked at 16). Also, it would be remiss of me not to mention the absolutely SWOON-WORTHY relationship between Greta and Liam (my sweet, secret cinnamon roll). Their blossoming friendship had me giggling and blushing the whole way through.
You all better add this one, because you will NOT want to miss it!
You all better add this one, because you will NOT want to miss it!
July 8, 2025
🎡 Thank You Veronica Bane for letting me be a part of the street team and for providing the E-ARC in exchange for an honest review!
4 ★
I’m happy to say that this book kept me invested from the very beginning! Not only was I interested in the mystery, but also the subplot about what happened with Greta in the past. As far as the main mystery goes, nothing really happens in the first half of the book. Instead, the first half was used to set up the mystery and theme park setting. Despite it starting off slow, Greta’s past slowly unraveling kept me turning the page.
I liked how the story was set in a theme park. However, the story did lose me a bit at the theatre aspect with the jargon (I didn’t know what a gondola was until this book) and technical stuff. Definitely a me problem though, because I’ve never worked at a theme park before, so I had a hard time picturing some of the things that were being described. I was able to look past it in favor of keeping up with the mystery.
I loved how the mystery wasn’t too convoluted and was easy to follow. The events leading to the twists were believable and actually made sense to me. The mystery didn’t feel forced either, and I didn’t feel like the twists were there only for the shock value. I actually did end up guessing the killer correctly based on gut feeling. Something about the way [redacted] was introduced and their behaviour after just didn’t sit well with me. I did suspect other characters, but when that one character showed up, all bets were off.
I really loved the characters as well! My favourites have to be our main trio, Greta, Liam, and Ivy. While I feel like I know and understand Greta, the opposite could be said for Ivy and Liam. I wish I had gotten to know Ivy, Liam, and the other side characters’ backstories more, because although we got a few tidbits about Ivy and Liam, it wasn’t quite enough to satisfy me.
Lastly, I thought there was the perfect amount of romance. It didn’t overshadow the plot, and I loved the implications regarding Liam’s feelings towards Greta more than anything.
If you like mysteries/thrillers with a dash of romance or are fans of Holly Jackson’s A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder, you definitely have to check out Difficult Girls. Out now! <3
—
Edit 22/10/24:
We have the cover!! I love that it’s pink! Super excited to be apart of the street team for Difficult Girls 🎢🎡🔪🖤
—
We got the little teaser graphic today!! It already sounds so exciting 🤭 theme park setting? I’m sat! 😝💗
(Also it seems to have similar vibes to AGGGTM!)
4 ★
I’m happy to say that this book kept me invested from the very beginning! Not only was I interested in the mystery, but also the subplot about what happened with Greta in the past. As far as the main mystery goes, nothing really happens in the first half of the book. Instead, the first half was used to set up the mystery and theme park setting. Despite it starting off slow, Greta’s past slowly unraveling kept me turning the page.
I liked how the story was set in a theme park. However, the story did lose me a bit at the theatre aspect with the jargon (I didn’t know what a gondola was until this book) and technical stuff. Definitely a me problem though, because I’ve never worked at a theme park before, so I had a hard time picturing some of the things that were being described. I was able to look past it in favor of keeping up with the mystery.
I loved how the mystery wasn’t too convoluted and was easy to follow. The events leading to the twists were believable and actually made sense to me. The mystery didn’t feel forced either, and I didn’t feel like the twists were there only for the shock value. I actually did end up guessing the killer correctly based on gut feeling. Something about the way [redacted] was introduced and their behaviour after just didn’t sit well with me. I did suspect other characters, but when that one character showed up, all bets were off.
I really loved the characters as well! My favourites have to be our main trio, Greta, Liam, and Ivy. While I feel like I know and understand Greta, the opposite could be said for Ivy and Liam. I wish I had gotten to know Ivy, Liam, and the other side characters’ backstories more, because although we got a few tidbits about Ivy and Liam, it wasn’t quite enough to satisfy me.
Lastly, I thought there was the perfect amount of romance. It didn’t overshadow the plot, and I loved the implications regarding Liam’s feelings towards Greta more than anything.
If you like mysteries/thrillers with a dash of romance or are fans of Holly Jackson’s A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder, you definitely have to check out Difficult Girls. Out now! <3
—
Edit 22/10/24:
We have the cover!! I love that it’s pink! Super excited to be apart of the street team for Difficult Girls 🎢🎡🔪🖤
—
We got the little teaser graphic today!! It already sounds so exciting 🤭 theme park setting? I’m sat! 😝💗
(Also it seems to have similar vibes to AGGGTM!)
August 27, 2025
I liked this book but I didn't love it. Greta had secrets from her past that she was running away from and still couldn't stay away from them because past and present seemed to mix together. This book was full of action and mystery but the plot twists were way too easy to guess. This book has a lot of new friendships built and new relationships.
This book is a good read for anyone who liked One of Us is Lying and A Girl's Guide to Murder. It's a good high school drama filled mystery with a little bit of romance, that is still questionable as to what come of it.
The first half of this book was super slow to me but the second half was like cramming so much drama into such a small time frame, but it still was a decent book in the end.
This book is a good read for anyone who liked One of Us is Lying and A Girl's Guide to Murder. It's a good high school drama filled mystery with a little bit of romance, that is still questionable as to what come of it.
The first half of this book was super slow to me but the second half was like cramming so much drama into such a small time frame, but it still was a decent book in the end.
July 12, 2025
I love an amusement park backdrop and will probably read a book in that setting no matter the genre. In DIFFICULT GIRLS by Veronica Bane, Greta, like so many YA protagonists, thinks she’s smarter than the police and they she can solve a twenty-year-old murder and the disappearance of a coworker.
Greta has to be one of the most annoying main characters I’ve read in recent years. She’s never met a conclusion she hasn’t jumped into head first. Her stream of consciousness thoughts had me wanting to take her to a psychiatrist for anxiety meds.
Greta’s big “secret” was anticlimactic, something she could have told as a comedy of errors (not what the boy did, but what she did in response).
DIFFICULT GIRLS had a few great twists and turns that make the book a worthwhile read for me.
Greta has to be one of the most annoying main characters I’ve read in recent years. She’s never met a conclusion she hasn’t jumped into head first. Her stream of consciousness thoughts had me wanting to take her to a psychiatrist for anxiety meds.
Greta’s big “secret” was anticlimactic, something she could have told as a comedy of errors (not what the boy did, but what she did in response).
DIFFICULT GIRLS had a few great twists and turns that make the book a worthwhile read for me.
Want to read
June 17, 2025"A teen girl’s attempt at social reinvention takes a deadly turn when a co-worker disappears—and she learns she may have been the last person to see the missing girl—in this razor-sharp, murderously funny thriller debut."
Read
July 13, 2025One of my favorite movies is Adventureland with Kristen Stewart and Jesse Eisenberg. There have been a few theme park YA books (I even did a post about them) and it's a location I always enjoy!
Difficult Girls has a relatable protagonist. Greta is hiding from an event in her past that she keeps a secret. Shunned at school, she gets a job at a local theme park and is soon intrigued by a) a murder that occurred there twenty years ago and b) the star performer of the park, Mercy Goodwin.
When Mercy disappears, Greta is convinced that the two cases are connected and starts investigating. With her cute sidekick, which made me think of GGGTM, of course...
Fun and surprising, and a book I think will please YA mystery fans!
Subscribe to my amazing newsletter HERE at JenRyland.com Let's be friends on Bookstagram!
Thanks to the publisher for providing an advance copy for review!
Difficult Girls has a relatable protagonist. Greta is hiding from an event in her past that she keeps a secret. Shunned at school, she gets a job at a local theme park and is soon intrigued by a) a murder that occurred there twenty years ago and b) the star performer of the park, Mercy Goodwin.
When Mercy disappears, Greta is convinced that the two cases are connected and starts investigating. With her cute sidekick, which made me think of GGGTM, of course...
Fun and surprising, and a book I think will please YA mystery fans!
Subscribe to my amazing newsletter HERE at JenRyland.com Let's be friends on Bookstagram!
Thanks to the publisher for providing an advance copy for review!
July 5, 2025
➵ 3.75 ⭐️
I expected this to be something similar to The Thrashers but this was... not that. I've heard people compare Difficult Girls to A Good Girl's Guide to Murder and maybe it's similar to it but since I haven't read it I really can't tell, all I know is it wasn't what I hoped it'd be.
The FMC Greta annoyed me more often than not. I know she's young (16-17yo) but her naïveté and idiocy made her feel like she was even younger. There were a few scenes where the cringe-ness and awkwardness made me question if she was actually 12 yo because the way she thought and acted often read younger than her supposed age. For example, for a big chunk of the book she wanted to stay away from Liam convincing herself he is a red flag because some of his coworkers jokingly call him "Dealer". She has no context nor does she ask what it means, she just assumes he deals drugs and clings to that religiously, convincing herself he is "dangerous" even when all of his actions point to the opposite. But the guy who is the actual red flag and she doesn't know him at all nor does she spend any time with him, she just assume he is good because she is attracted to him. There's like no critical thinking from this girl who is supposed to be smart and is convinced that it's her destiny to solve the disappearance of her coworker.
Speaking of that coworker, the way that Greta is put on this path is a little ridiculous. She doesn't know Mercy (forementioned coworker), Mercy isn't her friend, she has met her once (super briefly) during orientation at work and yet when she runs into Mercy at a party after work on her very first day mind you, during their one and only interaction it takes Mercy 10 seconds to start acting weird and to beg Greta to meet her the next day "so she can show her something", like they became besties out of nowhere and Mercy has any reason to confide in or trust Greta. I thought maybe by the end of the book we'll find out that there was a reason for that interaction or something to make it make more sense but that wasn't the case. It'd have been better if either Greta and Mercy were actual friends before she disappeared (but considering the whole plot takes place in the span of 5 days I guess there was no time for that) or if they didn't have that interaction at all and Greta just starts poking because she notices that Mercy isn't showing to work and given that she is already more or less fascinated with her that would've been enough.
The mystery itself was interesting enough, even if in the beginning I was actually more interested in what Greta was hiding than in Mercy's disappearance. Once secrets started to come out I liked the way the past murder tied up with what was happening in the present.
The romance was probably my fav part even if it wasn't the main focus simply because Liam was my fav character. He was an absolute cinnamon roll that must be protected at all cost and there were a few times where I asked myself what he even saw in Greta. She wasn't a bad character, hell I even agree with Liam that what she did to the boys locker room was badass even if she didn't do it exactly on purpose lmao but my gods, I wanted to shake her so many times. She had a lot of trauma and she was betrayed by the majority of her closest people so her judgement was definitely messed up which in turn was messing her up and that's why I tried to give her a lot of grace but for the better part of the book she was very frustrating.
There's a part of Gina's review I completely agree with—
I don't know if Greta was coded as neurodivergent and I don't think I've seen the author promote the book with anything relating to that, but it wasn't just Greta. There were other characters, specifically these boys who were bullying the FMC, who showed up in like one chapter and the way they acted given their age and social status was... bizarre. I'm not a teacher, so I'm not around teenagers all the time, and I may not be a teenager myself anymore, but I remember very vividly what high school used to be like and how teenagers act and the depiction in this book was just not it.
All in all, this was a decent debut (even though this isn't technically the author's first book, she's ghostwriter who's written over 10 books) and if you don't read thrillers or murder mysteries often this may surprise and even shock you. It's a good summer "who dunnit" read with a splash of messy relationships and past secrets.
eternal gratitude to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC
𝗔𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝗴𝗶𝗿𝗹 𝘄𝗵𝗼 𝗵𝗮𝘀 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗯𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝘁𝗼𝗹𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘆'𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗼𝗼 𝗺𝘂𝗰𝗵, 𝘁𝗼𝗼 𝗹𝗼𝘂𝗱, 𝘁𝗼𝗼 𝘀𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗶𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲, 𝘁𝗼𝗼 𝗱𝗶𝗳𝗳𝗶𝗰𝘂𝗹𝘁. 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝗲. 𝗗𝗼𝗻'𝘁 𝗹𝗲𝘁 𝗮𝗻𝘆𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝘁𝗲𝗹𝗹 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝘄𝗶𝘀𝗲.
I expected this to be something similar to The Thrashers but this was... not that. I've heard people compare Difficult Girls to A Good Girl's Guide to Murder and maybe it's similar to it but since I haven't read it I really can't tell, all I know is it wasn't what I hoped it'd be.
The FMC Greta annoyed me more often than not. I know she's young (16-17yo) but her naïveté and idiocy made her feel like she was even younger. There were a few scenes where the cringe-ness and awkwardness made me question if she was actually 12 yo because the way she thought and acted often read younger than her supposed age. For example, for a big chunk of the book she wanted to stay away from Liam convincing herself he is a red flag because some of his coworkers jokingly call him "Dealer". She has no context nor does she ask what it means, she just assumes he deals drugs and clings to that religiously, convincing herself he is "dangerous" even when all of his actions point to the opposite. But the guy who is the actual red flag and she doesn't know him at all nor does she spend any time with him, she just assume he is good because she is attracted to him. There's like no critical thinking from this girl who is supposed to be smart and is convinced that it's her destiny to solve the disappearance of her coworker.
Speaking of that coworker, the way that Greta is put on this path is a little ridiculous. She doesn't know Mercy (forementioned coworker), Mercy isn't her friend, she has met her once (super briefly) during orientation at work and yet when she runs into Mercy at a party after work on her very first day mind you, during their one and only interaction it takes Mercy 10 seconds to start acting weird and to beg Greta to meet her the next day "so she can show her something", like they became besties out of nowhere and Mercy has any reason to confide in or trust Greta. I thought maybe by the end of the book we'll find out that there was a reason for that interaction or something to make it make more sense but that wasn't the case. It'd have been better if either Greta and Mercy were actual friends before she disappeared (but considering the whole plot takes place in the span of 5 days I guess there was no time for that) or if they didn't have that interaction at all and Greta just starts poking because she notices that Mercy isn't showing to work and given that she is already more or less fascinated with her that would've been enough.
The mystery itself was interesting enough, even if in the beginning I was actually more interested in what Greta was hiding than in Mercy's disappearance. Once secrets started to come out I liked the way the past murder tied up with what was happening in the present.
The romance was probably my fav part even if it wasn't the main focus simply because Liam was my fav character. He was an absolute cinnamon roll that must be protected at all cost and there were a few times where I asked myself what he even saw in Greta. She wasn't a bad character, hell I even agree with Liam that what she did to the boys locker room was badass even if she didn't do it exactly on purpose lmao but my gods, I wanted to shake her so many times. She had a lot of trauma and she was betrayed by the majority of her closest people so her judgement was definitely messed up which in turn was messing her up and that's why I tried to give her a lot of grace but for the better part of the book she was very frustrating.
There's a part of Gina's review I completely agree with—
"Also, some of the ways that the author described the girls affection for boys was cringey and I wasn’t sure if that was supposed to represent the fact that she was neurodivergent so she looked at the world a little bit differently or whether this was supposed to be how the author perceived teenage brains to work. I know that the author is a teacher and so I’m assuming spends as much time as teenagers as I do as a teacher and I’m not convinced that that was the most accurate depiction of the way that they see the opposite sex."
I don't know if Greta was coded as neurodivergent and I don't think I've seen the author promote the book with anything relating to that, but it wasn't just Greta. There were other characters, specifically these boys who were bullying the FMC, who showed up in like one chapter and the way they acted given their age and social status was... bizarre. I'm not a teacher, so I'm not around teenagers all the time, and I may not be a teenager myself anymore, but I remember very vividly what high school used to be like and how teenagers act and the depiction in this book was just not it.
All in all, this was a decent debut (even though this isn't technically the author's first book, she's ghostwriter who's written over 10 books) and if you don't read thrillers or murder mysteries often this may surprise and even shock you. It's a good summer "who dunnit" read with a splash of messy relationships and past secrets.
eternal gratitude to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC
July 25, 2025
3.75⭐️ This was your typical YA thriller, giving off Holly Jackson vibes—so if you like her books, you’ll probably enjoy this too. The mystery was solid, and I never guessed the killer. As an adult, some of the teen POV felt a bit cringey, and the ending wrapped up really fast, but overall it was a good, quick read.
July 10, 2025
•𝐅𝐈𝐕𝐄 𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐒𝐎𝐍𝐒 𝐓𝐎 𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐃 𝐃𝐈𝐅𝐅𝐈𝐂𝐔𝐋𝐓 𝐆𝐈𝐑𝐋𝐒
1. If you’re looking for a fun debut novel that reminds you of Pretty Little Liars, pick this one up!
2. I absolutely adored Liam, and so will you!
3. If you love a lot of twists, then you’ll really enjoy this YA mystery!
4. I’m a huge fan of amusement parks, so the fact that this took place in one was a lot of fun!
5. If you or your teenage daughter is into thrillers, then snag a copy today!
1. If you’re looking for a fun debut novel that reminds you of Pretty Little Liars, pick this one up!
2. I absolutely adored Liam, and so will you!
3. If you love a lot of twists, then you’ll really enjoy this YA mystery!
4. I’m a huge fan of amusement parks, so the fact that this took place in one was a lot of fun!
5. If you or your teenage daughter is into thrillers, then snag a copy today!
Read
December 11, 2024I love that the message of this book is not “men are assholes because they are men” but “men are assholes because they choose to be.” 👏👏
Loved the way Bane pitted my perception against truth and used the male characters to tug at what I wanted to believe about everyone. Excellent dig!!
Loved the way Bane pitted my perception against truth and used the male characters to tug at what I wanted to believe about everyone. Excellent dig!!
August 3, 2025
this was a fun YA murder mystery! there are three different mysteries in the book, and i couldn’t have guessed any of them, which is always nice. i also liked the message that you will never be “too much” for the people you’re meant to have in your life. excited for more teens to get to read this 🫶🏻
June 22, 2025
3.5*
not the best not the worst YA thriller. it took a while to get moving but once it did i was def invested. the end was full chaos though with a lot happening. i saw some twists coming but others surprised me. overall not bad not great
not the best not the worst YA thriller. it took a while to get moving but once it did i was def invested. the end was full chaos though with a lot happening. i saw some twists coming but others surprised me. overall not bad not great
Read
August 15, 2025a thriller for theater kids. it was well plotted but greta's naiveite was a bit over the top at times.
August 14, 2025
Spectacular debut from Veronica Bane! I didn’t know this was a comedy as well as a thriller, so that was the best surprise! I recommend going into this blind if you can, & just letting the story unfold!
October 23, 2025
“And to every girl who has ever been told that they’re too much, too loud, too sensitive, too difficult. You are everything you need to be. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.”
4.25⭐️
📖 Recommended for fans of:
• YA thrillers with an unusual setting
• MCs trying to rebuild or escape their past
• AGGGTM/OOUIL
• Workplace-centered mysteries
Greta Riley Green is not your typical YA heroine. She’s flawed, self-conscious, a little delulu (as my Kindle notes kept screaming), and desperate to reinvent herself after a humiliating incident the year before. She takes on a summer job at Hyper Kid Magic Land, a theme park that’s meant to be a new start — except it’s filled with secrets, eerie histories, and the kind of behind-the-scenes drama that could eat a person alive 🎡🔪.
I immediately felt transported back to my own job as a ride operator in an indoor funfair. The uniforms, the walkie-talkies, the backstage chatter, colleague gossip and rumours, even the random guests doing ridiculous things. Veronica captures that chaos so vividly that I found it almost too relatable. It’s such a rare and brilliant setting for a YA mystery! Bright, loud, artificial happiness hiding something much darker underneath.
I’ll admit, the main plot doesn’t kick in right away. The first half leans more into worldbuilding, like letting us sink into the routines, gossip, and setting of Hyper Kid Magic Land before the actual mystery takes over. Personally, I didn’t mind it because the setting was so immersive, but it’s worth noting for readers expecting instant action. When the twist finally hits, though, it HITS. I genuinely didn’t see it coming and had to pause for a second like, “wait, WHAT?” Especially because I was convinced I’d figured it all out at 42%, to my disappointment. Turns out, Veronica played the long game and delivered a reveal that was far sharper than the easy one I thought was coming. I love that she took that risk.
Greta is messy, insecure, and constantly overthinks everything (one time I literally wrote, “you’re so insecure and overthinker, which to be fair I am too, but it is annoying here,” in the notes 😭). But that’s exactly what made her compelling. She’s not pretending to be a detective; she’s just a teenage girl trying to make sense of chaos. When her co-worker Mercy goes missing, Greta throws herself into uncovering the truth, and the more she digs, the more the park’s glossy façade cracks.
The mystery unfolds with a rhythm that feels part A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder, part workplace drama, part coming-of-age story. There’s the eerie link between Mercy’s disappearance and the twenty-year-old cold case of Hyper Kid performer Hailey Portman — a haunting overlap of stories where both girls’ lives and ambitions collide with the same toxic system. The tension builds slowly, pulls you in, and even when Greta’s logic falters, you understand why she’s so desperate to prove herself. She wants to be seen as someone worth keeping around, and the park becomes a stage for that craving. There’s a quiet ache in every chapter about wanting to be enough. Difficult Girls is witty and dark all at once, a clever mirror of the way performance and reality blur right inside Hyper Kid park.
I was just as invested in the relationships as I was in the mystery. The friendship between Greta and Ivy (who’s effortlessly confident and protective) felt like what girlhood solidarity looks like in an environment that constantly pits girls against each other.
And then we have Liammmm. Sweet, nerdy, surprisingly grounded Liam Danilo Miramontes is the boy with fluffy hair (ngl, this sometimes seemed like his only trait because that description was definitely overused a bit) and a Filipino-Mexican background who stole my heart. His dynamic with Greta reminded me of the comfort you find in someone who just gets it. Lines like “I’ve got you” hit so differently because they’re quiet moments of safety in a world of suspicion. I was practically begging the book not to make him a red flag. He’s the steady heartbeat of this story, and it’s impossible not to root for him. Let’s just say he’s the “dealer” (iykyk) — the
Veronica Bane’s debut (!?) is absolutely worth the read. You can tell she once worked at a theme park herself; the details are too spot-on to be invented. Difficult Girls peels back the glitter and lights to show what’s underneath: ambition, loneliness, and above all, the courage it takes to start again.
Thank you to the author, Penguin Random House, and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest thoughts 💫
July 13, 2025
You can read all of my reviews at Nerd Girl Loves Books.
This is a fast-paced YA thriller that kept my attention from page 1. Greta is our unreliable narrator looking for a fresh start after an unfortunate “incident” at her prior school makes her an outcast. The author drips hints about the “incident” throughout most of the book and we don’t get the full picture until close the end.
Greta gets a job at an amusement park, hoping to reinvent herself among people that don’t know her past. She’s ashamed of her actions, full of doubts, and vulnerable. She doesn’t feel she can trust her judgement. When she has a brief encounter with Mercy, a promising performer at the park, she gets pulled into a decades old mystery she’s determined to solve. Especially when Mercy goes missing the next day and it seems she’s the only person concerned. This forces Greta to interact with her co-workers. Her interactions with other workers is what you’d expect from someone that had been traumatized. She’s nervous, awkward, constantly second-guesses herself, and talks down to herself. At times it’s painful to read how hard she is on herself. But she’s also tough, persistent, and not easily dissuaded. She just doesn’t give herself credit for those characteristics.
Co-worker Ivy is tough as nails, tells it like it is, and protectively takes Greta under her wings to show her the ropes. Co-worker Liam is a steady friend she comes to rely on and trust, even though based on her old friends’ reactions, thinks he’ll drop her once he finds out about her past.
The book clips along at a good pace and is a fast and easy read. There are some twists a reader will see coming, and others they won’t. The book has a satisfactory ending that caps off an entertaining read.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Toppling Stacks Tour. All opinions are my own.
This is a fast-paced YA thriller that kept my attention from page 1. Greta is our unreliable narrator looking for a fresh start after an unfortunate “incident” at her prior school makes her an outcast. The author drips hints about the “incident” throughout most of the book and we don’t get the full picture until close the end.
Greta gets a job at an amusement park, hoping to reinvent herself among people that don’t know her past. She’s ashamed of her actions, full of doubts, and vulnerable. She doesn’t feel she can trust her judgement. When she has a brief encounter with Mercy, a promising performer at the park, she gets pulled into a decades old mystery she’s determined to solve. Especially when Mercy goes missing the next day and it seems she’s the only person concerned. This forces Greta to interact with her co-workers. Her interactions with other workers is what you’d expect from someone that had been traumatized. She’s nervous, awkward, constantly second-guesses herself, and talks down to herself. At times it’s painful to read how hard she is on herself. But she’s also tough, persistent, and not easily dissuaded. She just doesn’t give herself credit for those characteristics.
Co-worker Ivy is tough as nails, tells it like it is, and protectively takes Greta under her wings to show her the ropes. Co-worker Liam is a steady friend she comes to rely on and trust, even though based on her old friends’ reactions, thinks he’ll drop her once he finds out about her past.
The book clips along at a good pace and is a fast and easy read. There are some twists a reader will see coming, and others they won’t. The book has a satisfactory ending that caps off an entertaining read.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Toppling Stacks Tour. All opinions are my own.
June 17, 2025
Difficult Girls follows Greta as she begins her new life after an incident at school last year. Her new job is at Hyper Kid Magic Land and she works hard to make new friends while ensuring her past stays buried. When she’s pulled into the most popular actress’s orbit, Mercy confides in Greta and has a secret she wants to share. However, Mercy doesn’t show to their meeting and keeps calling in “sick” to work. Greta is concerned and suspicious, especially with the park’s dark history. As she starts investigating, her past threatens to surface and destroy her new friendships as things turn deadly.
This was a fun, enjoyable mystery thriller. I really enjoyed that it was set at a theme park—it just makes everything so much fun and amusing. The author did a great job of weaving sinister vibes and suspicion. It was quite fast-paced and kept me interested the entire time. I did find it a bit predictable but still enjoyed the ending.
Greta is a very interesting character and complicated character. I didn’t love reading from her perspective, but I do think a lot of other people will. For me, it just didn’t work fully. I enjoyed the side characters and found everyone to be very distinct and had believable motivations. I quite liked Ivy and Liam and Gene. There was also a lot of humour that was amusing.
Overall, if you love ya mystery thrillers with a fun settings and interesting characters, I’d definitely recommend checking Difficult Girls out!
Thank you to Penguin Teen and Netgalley for the arc
This was a fun, enjoyable mystery thriller. I really enjoyed that it was set at a theme park—it just makes everything so much fun and amusing. The author did a great job of weaving sinister vibes and suspicion. It was quite fast-paced and kept me interested the entire time. I did find it a bit predictable but still enjoyed the ending.
Greta is a very interesting character and complicated character. I didn’t love reading from her perspective, but I do think a lot of other people will. For me, it just didn’t work fully. I enjoyed the side characters and found everyone to be very distinct and had believable motivations. I quite liked Ivy and Liam and Gene. There was also a lot of humour that was amusing.
Overall, if you love ya mystery thrillers with a fun settings and interesting characters, I’d definitely recommend checking Difficult Girls out!
Thank you to Penguin Teen and Netgalley for the arc
December 1, 2025
Veronica Bane's Difficult Girls draws on her experience as a ghost writer and high school teacher to create a YA mystery novel that appeals to her target audience as well as some older readers. She has accomplished this via a plot that focuses on teens at work at an amusement park instead of drawing heavily on high school. Her dialog is believable. There are older characters with key roles. She includes multiple female roles, which reflects the probability that young women will be her main readers. Most of the male characters are almost stereotypical, good looking with athletic bodies. Reading this book is almost like learning how to write a successful YA mystery by reading one. The amusement park had its first murder victim, Hailey Portman, shortly after it opened 20 years ago. Some of the same people who worked back then are still there. Greta Green is excited about her job as an usher and wants to fit in. Her coworkers are reasonably friendly, but the performers at the various attractions are conceited. Greta decides solving the old murder would be a way to make friends. Her last year at school was a disaster and left her feeling like a criminal. Mercy Goodwin, a performer, offers to give her some information about the murder. Before she can, she starts calling in sick. Greta starts to worry- is Mercy making the calls (or is a friend or abductor?) She and Liam, a friend, but not a boyfriend, decide to investigate. Before they can figure things out there is another murder. Expect suspense and a creative and complex plot with multiple villains.
July 11, 2025
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
TL;DR: this is an interesting YA mystery with a well rounded main character/narrator who honestly, I really liked. The story is well paced, and the mystery is fun. The ending wasn't my favorite though.
I will keep an eye out for more stuff by Veronica Bane. I loved Greta to be honest (although I'm not sure everyone will) and the characters as a whole in this. The story is about Greta working at an amusement park to escape something from the past - and she stumbles upon another dark past and a mystery while there.
The story is well paced, although there were some loose ends (I wanted more about certain side characters who had hard to describe relevance to the plot). There were a few areas where the plot did lag here and there with what felt like odd overexplaining, but on the whole I felt really motivated to keep reading the story. I can see teens really enjoying this.
I couldn't quite figure out how old Greta was (I thought she was 15 but she's driving, and working almost full time it seems, so maybe she just graduated? I tried to figure it out by figuring Liam was a year younger than Ivy who is graduated so 17 maybe? I have no idea). The ending was also a bit wild for me - but I didn't see the twist coming and I think teens will enjoy the wildness of it. I'm just not the the target audience.
TL;DR: this is an interesting YA mystery with a well rounded main character/narrator who honestly, I really liked. The story is well paced, and the mystery is fun. The ending wasn't my favorite though.
I will keep an eye out for more stuff by Veronica Bane. I loved Greta to be honest (although I'm not sure everyone will) and the characters as a whole in this. The story is about Greta working at an amusement park to escape something from the past - and she stumbles upon another dark past and a mystery while there.
The story is well paced, although there were some loose ends (I wanted more about certain side characters who had hard to describe relevance to the plot). There were a few areas where the plot did lag here and there with what felt like odd overexplaining, but on the whole I felt really motivated to keep reading the story. I can see teens really enjoying this.
I couldn't quite figure out how old Greta was (I thought she was 15 but she's driving, and working almost full time it seems, so maybe she just graduated? I tried to figure it out by figuring Liam was a year younger than Ivy who is graduated so 17 maybe? I have no idea). The ending was also a bit wild for me - but I didn't see the twist coming and I think teens will enjoy the wildness of it. I'm just not the the target audience.
July 13, 2025
What I Enjoyed:
✨ Cold case + amateur sleuthing – Definitely gives AGGGTM vibes, though seasoned thriller readers may spot the twist coming.
✨ Messy, unreliable narrator – Greta, our FMC, is running from a troubled past while trying to solve a mystery. She’s flawed, young, and reads a bit immature at times, but that’s part of her charm.
✨ Slow-burn romance – Greta & Liam's relationship is sweet and gentle. Honestly? I might have enjoyed the romance more than the mystery 👀
✨ Strong friendship dynamics – Ivy, Mercy, Liam, and Gene were standouts. Their banter brought moments of humor and heart.
✨ Creepy-cute setting – A quirky theme park run by theater kids? Yes, please. It adds a fun but unsettling backdrop to the mystery.
🎧 Narration Note: Valerie Rose Lohman brings Greta to life with the perfect amount of teenage angst, tension, and vulnerability. Her performance adds depth and emotion that really enhances the story.
3.5⭐️
🎧 Narration Note: Valerie Rose Lohman brings Greta to life with the perfect amount of teenage angst, tension, and vulnerability. Her performance adds depth and emotion that really enhances the story.
3.5⭐️
May 27, 2025
Difficult Girls. Oh, where do I even start? This is a FANTASTIC debut from Veronica Bane, and I cannot wait to read more books that are explicitly from her (Recognising that she’s a ghostwriter, but I want more published with her name on them)!
First of all, Greta feels entirely unique as a character, from her name (I have never read a book where the main character is called Greta) to her past. I stand by the comment that she’s a badass (and that she deserved BETTER!!!!).
I like how twisty this book is, how I GENUINELY couldn’t predict the ending (I had an inkling about one part but the other bit? Ooooooo). I haven’t highlighted a book so much in a while. I genuinely, really, truly, love this book.
First of all, Greta feels entirely unique as a character, from her name (I have never read a book where the main character is called Greta) to her past. I stand by the comment that she’s a badass (and that she deserved BETTER!!!!).
I like how twisty this book is, how I GENUINELY couldn’t predict the ending (I had an inkling about one part but the other bit? Ooooooo). I haven’t highlighted a book so much in a while. I genuinely, really, truly, love this book.
July 14, 2025
I read somewhere that Veronica Bane had always thought amusement parks were creepy and that was all the information I needed to want to read this book.
I enjoyed solving Mercy’s disappearance along with Greta! My favorite part of the book was how it started out as “every girl for herself” and ended with community.
And Greta as the FMC was refreshing and relatable. She was so imperfect yet open to learning life lessons that even older folks are still learning.
Thank you to NetGalley and Delacorte Press for an eARC of this book! This is my honest review.
I enjoyed solving Mercy’s disappearance along with Greta! My favorite part of the book was how it started out as “every girl for herself” and ended with community.
And Greta as the FMC was refreshing and relatable. She was so imperfect yet open to learning life lessons that even older folks are still learning.
Thank you to NetGalley and Delacorte Press for an eARC of this book! This is my honest review.
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