I am generally not drawn to books classified as horror or those that dip into the paranormal, and yet when I see a new Simone St. James book, I can't help myself. Her writing is captivating and mysterious and her characters are both relatable and realistic. The Broken Girls was one of my favorite novels from 2018 and so couldn't wait to dive into The Sun Down Motel.

As is common in SSJ's stories, there are two timelines linked with a common mystery. In this book, Carly is finding herself in a small town in New York. The town happens to be where her aunt went missing 35 years earlier. As Carly investigates her aunt's disappearance and mysteries surrounding the motel that both girls work/worked at, events become progressively more sinister in nature.

I loved this book. The elements of mystery and suspense play in perfectly to create a tense read. And even though this is a ghost story at its heart, the ghost component doesn't massively change the outcome of the story itself (the paranormal aspect isn't the driving force of the story). Being the third Simone St James book I have read, I can guarantee that I will be reading her future works

*I would like to thank the publisher, author, and NetGalley for providing an ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*

Atmospheric and well-paced, The Sun Down Motel was both difficult to put down, but at times, easy to flinch away from. I enjoyed the dual timelines. We did figure out the supernatural elements rather quickly, and I did wish the characters felt a little more alive, but generally an entertaining experience.

4.5 stars! Simone St. James is the queen of paranormal and The Sun Down Motel was no exception. This was an atmospheric and suspenseful thriller that I enjoyed so much! Of course I bought a hard copy from BOTM to add to my collection.

Thank you to the publisher for providing an ARC via NetGalley!

A haunting that takes the reader into the mind of a killer!

In 1982, 20yo Vivian opens the story as she arrives at work for the night shift in Fell, New York at the Sun Down Motel. Thirty five years later in 2017, Vivian’s niece, 20yo Carly, arrives in Fell to investigate her aunt’s disappearance. Vivian is one among several women that are surrounded by unknown circumstances, four others were found murdered. This begins a haunted story that will take Carly through her Aunt Vivian’s last days and into the thoughts of a killer. Excellent story, 5 stars!

Likes/dislikes: Spooky hauntings and great writing with alternating points of view between Carly and Vivian.
Language: R for 127 swears and 17 f-words.
Mature Content: PG-13 for implied sex by mentioning getting rid of virginity.
Violence: PG-13 for bloody death.
Ethnicity: predominantly white.

Love all of Simone St. James books they never disappoint! I really enjoyed this one also the two timelines. I highly recommend to anyone who likes creepy ghost stories.

"The Sun Down Motel" by Simone St. James is a novel that combines elements of mystery and the supernatural. The story takes place in a small town in upstate New York and focuses on a run-down motel that has a reputation for strange happenings. The book alternates between two timelines, one set in the 1980s and the other in the present day, as the protagonist tries to uncover the truth about what happened at the motel many years ago.

The writing style is engaging and the author does a good job of building suspense. The atmosphere of the small town and the eerie atmosphere of the motel are effectively captured, creating a sense of unease throughout the book. However, some readers may find that the supernatural elements of the story are a bit heavy-handed, and may detract from the overall atmosphere of the book.

The characters in the book are well-developed and there are some interesting twists and turns in the plot, but some may feel that the resolution of the mystery is a bit lackluster. The ending of the book is not as satisfying as it could have been, and I felt that it lacks closure.

"The Sun Down Motel" is a fun read for fans of mystery and the supernatural. It has its strengths, but also some weaknesses that may prevent it from being a true standout. If you're looking for a book that will keep you engaged and guessing until the very end, give it a try.

As usual, Simone St. James is a force. This is my favorite of all her books so far. In 2017 Carly is searching for her Aunt Viv, who disappeared in 1982. Carly goes back to the hotel Viv was last seen at to learn the secrets of what happened, and why. I loved this story, with an importance of violence against women. Also a creepy motel in the middle of no where is such a good setting. Thanks to Netgalley for a free copy in exchange for an unbiased review.

I apologize. I thought I had already sent this.

Review:

And this boys and girls is why Simone St. James is a queen!

Simone St. James is the master of writing. I will debate anyone who puts me up to it. I swear I can devour this woman's books. There is ZERO in her works that is cookie cutter and I am always left guessing and satisfied.

Phenomenal characters wrapped up in a storyline that kept me guessing. I found the characters in this book to be particularly engrossing and I found myself picking up the book at times when I had small reading opportunities because I wanted to find out what happened next. I also love the way this book was able to weave in multiple genres. Very few authors can do this well. I have found the even SSJ can have issues with it flowing well. In The Sun Down Motel though...she nailed it.

Reviewed for publisher via Netgalley.

Review published on Goodreads, 8 February 2020:

If you're looking for an eerie ghost story to liven up your February, look no further! St. James' newest is a creeptastic THE SHINING/Bate Motel mash-up that will have you jumping at everything that goes bump in the night (and the morning and the early afternoon ...). It's a compulsively-readable mystery/horror novel that you won't be able to put down (even if you want to in order to, you know, sleep). I'm glad I started it on a day when I didn't have to get out of bed (the joys of recovering from surgery) because I literally could not put this book down. It's engrossing, twisty, thrilling, and fun in a morbid way. I loved it. I'd give it 4 1/2 stars if I could.

I found The Sun Down Motel to be a spooky, but not quite scary, story of a young woman’s disappearance from a run down haunted motel in 1982. Her niece Carly takes a job at the same motel in hopes of finding out what happened to her aunt and possibly other young women who were murdered in the town. Full of ghosts and supernatural happenings, this book was hard to put down! 4 ⭐️ Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC!

This was one of my favorite reads! I loved the creepy, gothic paranormal vibes. The characters were so unique and easy to be intrigued by. I loved how the story progressed. And that ending!

BOOK REVIEW: The Sun Down Motel by Simone St. James

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Pages: 340
Genre: Thriller
Sub-Genre: Ghost Thriller
Location: Upstate New York, US

IF YOU LIKE THIS BOOK THEN TRY…
Book: The Drowning Kind by Jennifer McMahon
Movie: Stir Of Echoes

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All my reviews can be seen at This Is My Everybody | Simple Living | Denise Wilbanks at www.thisismyeverybody.com

♡ Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC. I voluntarily chose to review it and the opinions contained within are my own.

5 stars!

I don't give many 5 star ratings but this book was fantastic! I love Simone St James and her unexpected use of the supernatural!

Having recently finished the previously published “The Sundown Motel” by Simone St. James, I am happy to have had the chance for the e-book preview; thank you NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group!

Unexplained phenomena happens everyday. This story was filled with those moments to the extreme. The atmosphere and motel setting of darkness and isolation was creepy, and the details of the murders that were revealed was disturbing.
The combination of true crimes, detective work, and unexplained events definitely made this an entertaining, satisfying and chilling story!

The Sun Down Motel is a quirky supernatural read with just enough spooky details to encourage you to keep reading to solve the mysteries that have been plaguing the site for over 35 years. Love of these entertaining ghostly thrillers keeps me reading.

I loved the Sun Down Motel! I really enjoyed the fact you got to see 2 different timelines and how their stories intertwined. Even with a dual timeline, I didn't have any problem following the book. I thought the characters were likable and I also enjoyed the plot, it flowed smoothly and I thought it came together nicely and I liked the twists there were. I definitely recommend this book.

3.5 stars

This is a fast-paced ghost story mystery. Listened to the audiobook and the narrators Brittany Pressley and Kirsten Potter are superb. They each gave voice to one of the main characters so it was easy to follow who was telling the story at any given time.

I was intrigued throughout and the book totally plays out as if it were a movie--in fact I think it would be an incredible movie as "atmospheric" is totally the name of the game here. The girls working the night shift at the front desk is creepy in and of itself, but add in the ghosts and the other spooky happenings that occur and the scary factor is ramped up even more.

What made this not work as well for me as it could have--amateur detecting. Viv's detecting was the worst, I had anxiety when she was following the suspect around and sneaking around outside of his house. Drives me crazy that these young girls in the story can find out more than the police! It's also a bit cliched and cheesy at times, I can kind of forgive the past events for seeming that way, but a present-day college student should be a LOT more street smart.

Still worth reading, it was an enjoyable experience and I was intrigued enough by the story to keep listening throughout the day to find out what happened. I'm not generally a big fan of anything paranormal or ghost related, but in this instance it totally worked within the confines of the tale, adding a unique angle and twists.

3.5 stars for this haunting mystery. It took a while to get into the story and I enjoyed the two timelines. The mystery of what happened to the aunt took a surprising twist which readers will like. Give this a read even if you don’t believe in ghosts.

A good ghost story and a good mystery.

I can’t think of a modern book quite more appropriate for this time of year than The Sun Down Motel by Simone St. James. I stayed up late turning pages and checked behind the couch a couple of times to make sure I was *truly* alone while reading…

I received a free ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I absolutely loved this one. Just the sort of thing I like. Two timelines years apart where someone is trying to figure out what happened to someone from the past. The main characters were so well developed and likable. I kept trying to figure out what the big twist was going to be…and I couldn’t figure it out. That’s always good. I didn’t even mind the supernatural parts of the book. I will be reading more of this author’s work!