Murder Road is a chilling, creepy thriller about a newlywed couple, April and Eddy. On their way to their honeymoon, they get lost on Atticus Line, a deserted road in Coldlake Falls. They find a hitchhiker, almost get ran off the road by a menacing black jeep, and finds the hitchhiker had been stabbed. The hitchhiker dies and April and Eddy become suspects. With the police watching their every move, the couple begins to dig deep into Coldlake's history. What they discover goes beyond just one killing, but multiple ones. Timelines are not adding up. Who is the real killer? Or killers?

Horror thrillers are my jam but it's hard to find authors who do it well. Ever since I've read The Sun Down Motel, I have been a big fan. Dear Ms. Simone St. James, please don't ever stop writing!!!

This book had me hooked! The spooky nature combined with the strong characters I found myself not wanting to stop reading. Newly married Michigan couple, April and Eddie are on their way to their secluded resort honeymoon. They take a wrong turn and soon become embroiled in a murder mystery that has serial killer possibilities. Can they survive this sudden change to their honeymoon vibes? Delightfully atmospheric with deeply traumatic characters and a mix of the supernatural makes this a fast paced for every mystery reader. This is a strong 4.5 star read for me with the only frustration being the responsible party for the beginning of the murderous trail. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced e-copy for an honest review.

Another classic Simone St. James- thanks Berkley for my copy of this book! It was much anticipated and I think she’s just getting better. This book was about Eddie and April, a newly married couple on the way to stay at a cabin but take a wrong turn. When they see a hitchhiker walking along the road, they stop to help, but soon realize that she’s hurt and there is someone following her.

Then the hitchhiker dies and April and Eddie find themselves under the watch of the police. They find out there have been murders on the same road for years, and they finally have the first two witnesses who have seen anything. April and Eddie decide to dig into the history of the town and start to learn that there is something much darker at work…possibly supernatural.

Thoughts: I loved this book! The way that Simone St. James blends the supernatural into reality is perfect and so well done. This book was set in the 90s which was perfect, and there wasn’t the huge jump between time periods like she usually has. I love how well she writes characters- it was so easy to like both Eddie and April, despite their checkered pasts, but my favorite character was Rose.

The mystery was interesting and I couldn’t wait to see how all the murders were connected! The Lost Girl was SO creepy and eerie and was the perfect way to add in her ghostly element to the story. The book was 5 stars all the way until the end, but the answer to the murder was rushed and unsatisfying. It seemed thrown in there and didn’t really tie in with the rest of the story. Regardless, it was still 4.5 stars and I thought it was one of her best!

"If you see her, you'll be next one found at the side of the road." Another twisty paranormal thriller from Simone St. James. This one did not disappoint and left me scared to drive alone at night.

Murder Road is an unsettling thriller about newlyweds April& Eddie, who become suspects in a murder investigation…. I know right?
I loved the eerie vibes the book made me feel, it’s also set in the 1990s and it’s nostalgia feeling.
This novel by Simone St. James wasn’t my favourite of hers, but I would recommend it to anyone that loves a creepy thriller.

Gripping, suspenseful, and atmospheric…though not as creepy as previous books by the phenomenal Simone St. James. I love the 90’s timeframe (always appreciate sleuthing that doesn’t involve cell phones and internet). I’m already looking forward to the author’s next book.

Thank you to Elisha at Berkley for a widget of the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Author Simone St. James has taken a ghost story told around the campfire and completely fleshed it out. And answered all of those questions you thought about while cowering in your sleeping bag.

"Murder Road" by Simone St. James is a gripping mystery that weaves together the past and present with atmospheric precision. The novel unfolds in a small town with a dark history, where amateur sleuths delve into a decades-old murder. St. James crafts a suspenseful narrative that skillfully blends elements of crime, paranormal, and psychological thriller genres. The characters are intricately developed, each carrying secrets that add layers to the intrigue. The author's evocative prose immerses readers in the eerie and chilling atmosphere. "Murder Road" is a page-turner, seamlessly blending the supernatural and criminal to deliver a compelling and haunting mystery.

It’s July 1995 and April and Eddie have taken a wrong turn. They’re looking for the small resort town where they plan to spend their honeymoon but end up lost and finding a hitchhiker along a deserted road. They stop to help her, but she needs a hospital where she ends up dying.

They find themselves in the crosshairs of the police. Unexplained murders have been happening on that stretch of road for years, and the cops finally have witnesses, or suspects.

As they start to dig into the town’s history and the stretch of road to clear their names, they begin to think something supernatural is at work. Something that could tear the town apart and take April and Eddie with it.

What an ultimate creepy book! I have loved Simone St. James more recent works, and this one did not let me down! It was so good, and I loved it so much. I was a little leery when this one started out because it was seemingly normal with nothing paranormal going on, and then the paranormal hit and wow it was fantastic.

I loved how this book transported me back to the 90’s and all their glory. They were a fun time, and this book had plenty of nostalgia for me. This book explored themes of PTSD and racism and the author did an excellent job with them, while keeping the issues era specific. I think this was important because we have come pretty far with these issues, and while it was hard to read about how they were treated seemingly not that long ago, it was good.

I enjoyed the characters of this book. April and Eddie were nuanced and a lot of fun. I love how they both had secrets and how they were revealed over the course of the book. April’s secrets were pretty shocking! Didn’t see them coming. Eddie’s secrets were a little less shocking, but still interesting and fit his character pretty well. Together April and Eddie worked well, they were both secretive, but they loved each other despite being a whirlwind romance.

While this one did fall a little flat for me with the big reveal, it was still a wonderful read, and I would highly recommend it. The overall vibes were very gothic, and I loved that. But with that in mind, this is a slower paced read. I think that this would make a fantastic audio book.

This review will be shared to my blog, speedreadstagram.com on publication day

Thank you to the publisher Berkley Publishing, @berkleypub, and Netgalley @netgalley for this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Whatever you do, don’t drive down Atticus Line. It’s an unmarked road where terrible things happen and no one has ever been able to figure out why. April and Eddie, a honeymooning couple, get caught up in Coldlake Falls’ oldest unsolved mystery in a surprising way. The Atticus Line murders have haunted the town for years. Will April and Eddie be the answer the police force have been waiting for? Or will they too fall victim?

I’m generally not a fan of supernatural horror type reads. It’s just not my thing. But this one had just enough intrigue and mystery to keep me interested. I loved the teenage amateur sleuth Snell sisters and other small town characters. I enjoyed this! My favorite StJames novel is still The Broken Girls, but this one might be right behind it.

If you like small town mystery and don’t mind a supernatural aspect, this might be for you!

Hits shelves March 2024! 🎉

Thank you to NetGalley and BerkleyPub for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A well written and interesting ghost story. This author does well in this genre. ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair review.

Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free, electronic ARC of this novel received in exchange for an honest review.
Expected publication date: Mar. 5, 2024
April and Eddie are newlyweds, planning to spend their honeymoon at a small cabin retreat. But somehow, they make a wrong turn and end up in Coldlake Falls, on an abandoned stretch of road called Atticus Line. They pick up a young hitchhiker, bleeding from what looks like a knife wound, and although they transport her to the hospital, she dies and both April and Eddie are suspects. April and Eddie begin to realize that something supernatural is taking place in Coldlake Falls, and they need to get to the bottom of it in order to clear their name.
Simone St. James’ new paranormal thriller, “Murder Road”, is a uniquely spooky novel that will send chills down your spine. Told in 1995, the couple are technology-free, and the O.J. Simpson trial is the leading news story. This time period absolutely worked with the plot, as having access to cell phones and the Internet would’ve made it far less captivating. April is the narrator, and both her and Eddie have personal secrets of their own that add some suspicion to their characters, which only serve to make the story all the more engaging and thrilling.
“Road” is a ghost story, but it is also so much more, and I was left guessing until the final pages. Atticus Line is referred to as the spookiest road in America, where many young hitchhikers have gone missing over the years, on the way to a secluded beach location. April and Eddie end up on the road, again and again, unable to leave and constantly being pulled back into the town of Coldlake Falls. I loved the paranormal aspect of this plot and it cranked the creep factor all the way up to ten!
The relationship between Eddie and April is sappy and romantic, as one would expect from a newly married couple, but they’re also both likable and relatable (although I could have really done without the constant references to all the men who checked out April’s legs). Their own personal histories have enough drama on their own, with adoptions and domestic abuse and murder, that it just makes sense that both Eddie and April would find each other and would be a great fit. The whodunit in this novel is terrifying and completely unexpected, and St. James crafts a unique conclusion that will leave you guessing.
St. James has delivered yet another hit with “Murder Road”!

After enjoying THE BOOK OF COLD CASES, I took a chance on MURDER ROAD. Admittedly, I don’t typically love supernatural stories so I recognize I am not the intended target audience for this book.

The story follows a newly married couple that finds themselves on a mysterious road with long-held secrets. I had a hard time connecting with the characters and their amateur sleuthing. The story had a bit of a YA lean which doesn’t bode well for me as a reader.

I did enjoy the Michigan setting and could vividly picture the tree-lined streets with nothing for miles. I also appreciated that Simone Saint James highlighted the beautiful lake Michigan beaches that I know and love.

Readers who enjoy ghost stories may find deeper enjoyment with THE BOOK OF COLD CASES.

RATING: 3/5
PUB DATE: March 5, 2024

Many thanks to Berkley for an electronic ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was really good!

A huge thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Pub for my advanced copy of Murder Road! ❤
Murder Road is one of my most anticipated releases of 2024 and I am so fortunate to have been granted early access.

What I Enjoyed-

✨ The 90's Nostalgia
✨ The Writing
✨ The Multiple Mysteries
✨ The Atmosphere
✨ The Snell Sisters
✨ The Ending

Why This Book Lost a Star-

There was a twist in the book that just left me like ehhhh. It didn't wow me lol and that's ok. It just wasn't a five star read.

Overall- Highly recommend. I look forward to reading more by this author.

Oh my this book was deliciously scary. I had to hide my eyes at several points (I am very faint hearted though). I love how the author brought so many shivers to a book set in the summer.

I greatly enjoyed the setting of this book. I grew up in the 90s and it is always fun for me to read books set in that time period (though the fact that they are rapidly becoming historical fiction can give me a case of the sad, lolsob I'm OLD). I also really enjoyed the mystery, and could have used more of the teenage girls that were ahead of their time in becoming citizen cold case detectives and true-crime aficionados. I liked their attitudes and I think they would probably be quite entertaining in their own story.

Another haunting thriller from Simone St. James! One of my favorite authors, St. James writes horror with heart, and Murder Road is a fine example. A juicy mystery, and characters we can't help but care about - be they alive, dead, or something in between.

Oh, boy. What did I get myself into? Those were some of my first thoughts when I started reading this book. Murder Road was intense! I was creeped out and stressed out within the first 10%. I was reading it at night and decided quickly that this book was going to be a daytime read only. Just when I thought things were calming down, the intensity would increase again. Murder Road was one of those books that kept me on the edge of my seat the entire time I was reading it. It kept me entertained, guessing, and worried for the characters the entire time I was reading. I loved how it managed to surprise me at times when I thought I knew what was coming. The revelations were surprising, and I loved the ending. This book exactly what I've come to expect from St. James and is a new favorite of mine from this author.

Murder Road was my first Simone St. James novel, so there was a lot of hype that had been building anticipation for this novel, and I was not let down.
This novel had amazing characterization and the setting and timeframe was done expertly.
Supernatural mystery/thrillers are somewhat hard to find, in my experience, especially ones that are done well. This novel accomplished a lot for what it was. Although it’s not something that has forever impacted me (mystery/thrillers rarely do) it is one that I will definitely reccomend and think upon fondly.
4/5 stars would 100% say pick this up!

I really enjoyed Simone St. James, latest addition. The characters in this one were great. The element of them trying to stay ahead of the police really kept it moving. I love that the ghosts in St. James books always exist to help push the narrative and the characters. Very enjoyable.