Title: The Sun Down Motel
Author: Simone St. James
First published February 18, 2020
327 pages, Hardcover
ISBN: 9780440000174 (ISBN10: 0440000173)
Rating: 4.03
Overview
In Simone St. James’ thrilling novel, The Sun Down Motel, the past and present collide in a rundown roadside motel. Carly Kirk arrives in Fell, New York to investigate the mysterious disappearance of her aunt Viv Delaney, who worked as a night clerk at the Sun Down Motel in 1982.
Carly takes on the same job her aunt had and soon realizes that something is not right at the motel. As she digs deeper, Carly uncovers the secrets that have been hiding in the shadows for over three decades.
Will Carly be able to solve the case and find out what really happened to her aunt? Dive into this atmospheric suspense novel that will keep you on the edge of your seat until the very end.
About the Author
Meet Simone St. James, a talented author who has made her mark as a bestselling writer with novels like The Book of Cold Cases, The Sun Down Motel, The Broken Girls, and The Haunting of Maddy Clare. Her captivating storytelling has earned her two RITA awards from Romance Writers of America and an Arthur Ellis Award from Crime Writers of Canada.
Simone’s love for ghost stories began in high school when she wrote her first spooky tale about a haunted library. After spending two decades working behind the scenes in the television industry, she decided to pursue her passion for writing full-time.
Simone and her husband share their home in the outskirts of Toronto, Canada with their beloved cat.
Editoral Review
The Sun Down Motel by Simone St. James is a thrilling horror novel, first published on February 18, 2020. St. James is a talented author with a background in screenwriting, and her experience in visual storytelling is evident in her vivid descriptions of the eerie setting and her attention to detail.
The novel follows the intertwined stories of two women, Vivian in 1982 and Carly in 2017, who both work the night shift at the Sun Down Motel in Fell, New York. Vivian goes missing after investigating strange occurrences at the motel, and Carly becomes obsessed with uncovering the truth about what happened to her aunt.
The novel is a blend of horror, mystery, and thriller genres, with a healthy dose of supernatural elements woven in. The themes revolve around grief, trauma, and the lengths people will go to for justice and closure.
The setting of the Sun Down Motel is a character in and of itself, with its haunted history and creepy atmosphere lending an underlying sense of danger and foreboding throughout the novel.
St. James’ writing is compelling from beginning to end, with well-developed characters and an expertly crafted plot structure.
She employs a unique narrative structure, jumping back and forth between Vivian’s story in 1982 and Carly’s story in 2017, keeping the reader on edge and invested in both timelines. The pacing is excellent, with just the right balance of action, suspense, and character development.
The author also does an excellent job of incorporating historical and cultural significance into the novel. The story is set in a time when women faced numerous obstacles and discrimination, and St. James shines a light on these issues through her characters’ experiences.
The novel also explores the intersections of race and class, with Vivian’s story touching on the impacts of gentrification and displacement.
One minor criticism of the book is that some of the supernatural elements feel unresolved and could have been developed more fully.
However, this is a minor quibble in an otherwise masterfully crafted story.
Overall, The Sun Down Motel is a must-read for horror and mystery fans.
It is a chilling and thought-provoking novel that will keep readers on the edge of their seats. For those who enjoy atmospheric and suspenseful storytelling, this book is sure to please.
I give it a score of 4 out of 5 stars.
