BOOK REVIEW: The Sun Down Motel by Simone St. James
This is an absolute MUST read!
I have 3 words to kick off my book talk... READ. THIS. BOOK. I listened to the audiobook on Audible, and the narration was wonderful. Whether you want to listen or hold the tangible book (honestly, sometimes I do both)… do it!
This was the first book I read in a while that I didn’t want to put down. There’s a little bit of everything in here. So before I completely go off the rails in my excitement, I’ll regroup. Let’s get to it!
Fell, New York 1982 is where we find Viv Delaney working in an isolated, roadside Motel as the night clerk.
Fell, New York 2017 is where we find Carly Kirk working in an isolated, roadside motel as the night clerk.
The development of this plot is like living in a parallel dimension, and it’s done in a very edge of your seat manner, changing between 1982 and 2017 at those perfectly placed moments. The author strategically and effortlessly placed which character would provide the read with what information. It added to the suspense and propelled the anticipation.
The gist is that Vivian went missing one night while working at the Sun Down Motel. Thirty five years later, Carly travels to Fell to figure out what happened to her aunt all those years ago. The magic here is we get to experience everything happening in real time in 1982 and experience the uncovering of the truth in real time in 2017. It’s the same story, in a way, presented almost in two different points of view and presented side by side.
Not only is this a murder mystery, but it’s also a creepy ghost story. I think we can all imagine that horror movie motel where the lights flicker and the local kids tell urban legends about the place. That’s the Sun Down. I honestly want someone to make a movie, but no, nevermind, I already created on in my mind.
Fell is fully developed as a small town that no one leaves. What does that mean? It means the most important thread between the parallel dimensions are the handful of characters that were involved in the events of 1982 AND 2017. This book may have fallen apart without them.
There are also those minor character who have a mirror image in the other world:
Jenny and Heather (classic roommates): Both a little off-kilter but that adds to the fun of them.
Jamie and Nick (gotta have the possible love interests)
Again, the book isn’t successful without these characters. They provide the sounding board for Vic and Carly as they talk through and try to figure out what is going on.
There isn’t really suspense in trying to figure out who the ‘bad guy’ is. It doesn’t take but so long to learn that. The suspense is created in the sense that you DO know who it is and you know something happened to Viv. You’re basically just waiting for it to happen.
Fantastic book. I’m not even upset that the ending wasn’t as wrapped up as solidly as I like. This is a book that I thought about for a long time after I finished it.
Where is this book on my bookshelf? Without a doubt it’s on the top shelf! The setting adds to the story, the characters are developed into real people, the suspense is real, the supernatural aspect is creepy, yet believable. I know that this will be a book that recommend often and will reread at some point!
Image 1 courtesy of www. Amazon.com
Image 2: Screenshot of my Audible