I went into this book without looking to much into what it was about so was pleasantly surprised by some of the supernatural elements that took place. A newlywed couple on their way to their honeymoon make a wrong turn and find themselves lost on a road surrounded by woods. They find a woman on the side of the road and decide to offer her a ride. It becomes clear that she is injured and that a truck is following them. They make a mad dash to the hospital where the woman dies on arrival. Suddenly our newly weds are suspects. The more they look into the mysterious murders taking place on this same road the more strange things start to get.

Simone St. James’ Murder Road is a masterful blend of suspense, supernatural elements, and 1990s nostalgia that kept me riveted from start to finish. The story follows newlyweds April and Eddie, whose honeymoon takes a chilling detour when they pick up an injured hitchhiker on a deserted road, only to become entangled in a series of unexplained murders haunting the area.

The author excels at creating an atmospheric setting that immerses you in the eerie small town of Coldlake Falls. The tension builds with each page as April and Eddie delve deeper into the town’s dark secrets, uncovering a blend of urban legends and real dangers that blur the line between reality and the supernatural.

The character development is particularly compelling. April and Eddie’s relationship adds depth to the narrative, and their personal histories intertwine seamlessly with the central mystery. The pacing is impeccable, with each revelation leading to a climax that left me both satisfied and eager for more.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for sending a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Murder Road by Simone St. James is a gripping supernatural thriller set in the summer of 1995. Newlyweds April and Eddie are on their way to a lakeside resort for their honeymoon when they take a wrong turn onto a creepy deserted road called Atticus Line. They pick up a bleeding hitchhiker, Rhonda Jean, who tragically dies at the hospital, making them prime suspects in a series of unexplained murders. As they dig deeper into the town's dark history and supernatural occurrences, they uncover chilling secrets that threaten their lives and sanity. The eerie atmosphere and 90s nostalgia 🎶 kept me hooked from start to finish. The quirky characters, especially the B&B owner Rose and the resourceful Snell sisters, added so much depth and intrigue to the story. St. James excels at creating a sense of dread and tension, making the reader feel the haunting presence of "The Lost Girl" and the danger lurking on Atticus Line. While some plot points were a bit predictable, the overall execution and the spooky vibes 👻 made for an engaging and fun read. Fans of ghost stories and St. James' previous works will not be disappointed.

The plot just didn't seem sure of itself. Have you ever had that experience? Where you want to feel like you are in your hands and you can kind of just sit back and relax and enjoy the ride? This was not happening here for me in this book. In Murder Road I kept having the distinct impression that Simone St. James didn't know exactly where she was going with the story.

It wasn't boring. It just felt sloppy. And then by the time I got to the end, I felt that the conclusion was kind of a letdown. It felt like the path easiest to taken, but not the path that was the best for the story?

There were weaknesses in this book that I just don't expect with this author. However, as I said, a solid four star read I'm not mad about it at all. And I will absolutely continue to auto-buy anything that she writes.

MURDER ROAD by SIMONE ST. JAMES is a deeply haunting, chilling, and compelling supernatural thriller that completely drew me in, even as it unnerved me. This is one of those books where you know going in that you’re stepping into dark, unsettling territory—but it still manages to surprise you when you least expect it.

I’ll admit, I found it fairly easy to predict the general direction of the story. But even with that sense of inevitability, the twists and turns caught me off guard in ways that left me holding my breath. There’s something so unsettling about a story where you feel like you know the map but the journey still manages to shake you. For me, that balance between the predictable and the unexpected kept the tension high and made the experience all the more gripping.

SIMONE ST. JAMES has an incredible way of creating a haunting world that feels almost too real. The imagery of the deserted road, the bloodstained hitchhiker, and the oppressive secrets of Coldlake Falls is something I can’t stop thinking about. April and Eddie felt so genuine—like people you could know—and their determination to clear their names, even while grappling with the unknown forces closing in, was both heartbreaking and inspiring.

This book also made me feel vulnerable in a way I wasn’t expecting. There’s something about a haunted road and a history of unexplained violence that speaks to the fears we carry about the unknown. It forced me to reflect on how fragile safety can feel—how a wrong turn can lead to something you can’t ever come back from. That emotional undercurrent added depth to what could have been a straightforward thriller.

To sum it up, Murder Road is a dark, haunting, and unforgettable read. It’s the kind of book that sticks with you—not just because of the twists or the eerie atmosphere, but because of the way it exposes those raw, human fears we try to keep hidden. Highly recommend this one for anyone who loves a thriller with heart and a touch of the supernatural.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher through Netgalley.

If you enjoy mysteries with a twist (who doesn't?) you will no doubt enjoy books by Simone St. James. In Murder Road, she has brilliantly crafted the story of a couple who become entangled in the life of a hitchhiker who the pickup in the middle of the road in an attempt to help.
When the hitchhiker dies, what follows is their worst nightmare: harassment by a police detective, who is convinced they had something to do with the death and a town who is good at keeping many secrets.
Murder Road will have you engrossed until the very end.

Changing things up here as this is a adult thriller, a pretty hyped up one, It revolves around this one particular road that is cursed basically and everyone steers clear of as it’s one where several murders have occurred over the years yet remain unsolved to this day. Of course, we follow a newlywed couple driving overnight to there honeymoon getaway, cross paths with a hitchhiker, they pick her up and she’s bleeding, I don’t want to say anymore than that. It’s a thriller so I always like going into them blind as well as keep my review minimal. It was definitly interesting.

3.5⭐ Honeymoon horror!

It's 1995, April and Eddie are heading to a resort for their honeymoon but somehow have taken a wrong turn. On Atticus Line, they come across a hitchhiker and give the young woman a lift. The woman is bleeding from injuries which prompts them to drop her at a local hospital where she dies.

It appears that the honeymoon is over and the couple becomes the prime suspect in the woman's death and gets tangled in Coldlake Falls unsolved mystery and deaths.

<I>Murder Road </i> is eerie and fast pace. I've enjoyed many novels by Simone St. James, this is my fourth. I like these characters and feel invested in the two main characters, their backstories, and supporting characters, but I'm not convinced about the motive! I feel the reveal makes no sense. 🤔 I still think it's an enjoyable spooky ride that's worth a read if you're into spookish mysteries.

Thank you Berkley Publishing Group and Netgalley for the DRC.
Published Mar 05, 2024

This one was a paranormal thriller, ghost story murder mystery and very creepy! It definitely made me not want to drive down any dark roads by myself. I enjoyed the whodunnit and that I couldn’t guess the twist!

Simone St. James is another of my must read authors so I picked this book up instantly when my library hold came in. I also was really intrigued by the summary and the idea of a haunted stretch of highway. From the beginning pages, I was completely hooked by this book. The intensity and creepiness of that opening scene really got me (if the entire book stayed this dark and creepy this book would easily have been five stars). And just like that I was all in on the ride that the author was taking me on. The question of what was behind everything that was going on in this small town and why had me turning the pages as fast as I could. And the ending definitely took me by surprise. This is my 4th book by this author and I will be reading everything she writes at this point. I will say that I am surprised by some of the mixed reviews I've seen. For me, this book was a fun, suspenseful, and page-turning read with 90's vibes as an added bonus. I definitely recommend!

Readers who enjoy books that straddle the line between suspense and horror or those just looking for an atmospheric read to get lost in should pick this book up. I think I'm landing on four stars overall. Here's my ranking of the books I've read by her so far if you are interested (top is my favorite):

The Sun Down Motel (easily my favorite of hers so far)
The Broken Girls
Murder Road
The Book of Cold Cases

All of these again are at least four star reads which is why I consider her to be a must read author at this point. They are all just so good! I need to work on catching up on her backlist.

A wrong turn can cost you your life!

In 1995, April and Eddie are newlyweds on their way to their honeymoon. They are driving at night when they realize they are lost and they have taken a wrong turn. They are driving on a lonely road called Atticus Line. Just as they recognize their mistake, they see a woman walking on the side of the road.

April and Eddie decided to stop the car and help the woman. After the young woman agrees to get in the car with them, April notices blood from her midsection. They immediately take her to the hospital where she dies.

The police want to question the newlyweds as they have become the prime suspects in the death of the woman. They are asked not to leave town.

The couple soon learns that multiple deaths have been happening for many years on that road. Is there a serial killer in the town of Coldlake Falls?

Quite spooky and so very entertaining. Both main characters were quite engaging as well as Rose and the sisters who helped them.

Another addicting novel by Simone St. James.

Cliffhanger: No

4/5 Fangs

A complimentary copy was provided by Berkley via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Simone St James can’t do no wrong in my opinion. She is one of the few authors I constantly follow to see when is a new book coming out. The way she easily takes the reader to the without making it that much scary (even though is horror) is such a talent! The mystery, the scenery (Sundown motel was incredible in that matter) everything weaves in to make a great story every time.

An enjoyable read, although slightly forgettable. Definitely will read more by this author though! Overall worth it.

Review 3/5 🌙s

Overview: A newly married couple finds themselves in the middle of a small resort towns drama during their honey moon.

Review: i enjoyed this book but I did wish for more logical thinking I wanted them to make choices like a normal human not trying to drive the plot would do. I'm torn on this one it had great atmosphere.

I admit this year has been a rough one for me reading wise so it took me longer to get through this book then it normally would. However, that did not stop me from enjoying this book. I love Simone St. James as an author and have enjoyed every book of hers I have read so far. This one is no different. I like the supernatural elements, but also enjoyed getting to know the characters and seeing their interactions.

Thank you Berkley Pub, #partner, for the advanced e-copy of Murder Road in exchange for my honest review.

I have been a fan of Simone St. James for quite some time now. She is definitely one of my favorite writers of atmospheric supernatural thrillers and I just love them! I didn’t mean to wait so long to read this one, but it really worked well reading it during spooky season, so I can’t be mad about that!

This book grabbed me right away and it never let up. It’s creepy but not so much that you don’t want to keep reading. And I loved the 1990s setting, complete with no technology. Being stuck on a road with a hitchhiker who is bleeding and not being able to call ahead for help was all sorts of terrifying. But also, the characters just seemed so mysterious that you can’t help but want to find out more about them. That’s what I love about these books – they are so incredibly readable and engaging.

This book is full of twists and turns I did not see coming. It oozes suspense and has just the right amount of creepiness to make it perfect to pick up right now if you haven’t already read it.

This is a quick fast read. A couple finds themselves lost on a Michigan road. They pick up a girl hitchhiking only to discover she is hurt. When they get to the hospital, they become suspects and are asked not to leave town. They set out to solve the crime. Normally I enjoy a good ghost story and I have liked this author's other books. This book however did not live up to her previous books. It felt rushed and incomplete. When I finished I was disappointed.

I usually love Simone St. James thrillers but this one was just not it for me. I struggled to pick it up and never really looked forward to it.

April and Eddie are newlyweds with a lot of secrets. Secrets they’re keeping from the world and each other. While on their honeymoon, they take a wrong turn and end up on Atticus Line, aka murder road. They are soon wrapped up in a haunted murder investigation. Murder Road was okay- it took me a long time to finish because I found the beginning kind of boring and forgettable. This book definitely wasn’t as strong as Simone St. James’ others. Still, it picked up about 1/3 of the way through and was entertaining enough. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to read and review.

I am such a fan of Simone St. James!!!

My favorite of hers is by far The Broken Girls! I was so excited to read another book by her!!

Murder Road is quite the bang of an opening! I was hooked right away. I felt like it definitely got slower after the first chapter and had a hard time keeping my attention. Unfortunately, it became a tad repetitive for me.

Overall, she is such a strong author and it was a decent read.

3.5/5 stars