April and Eddie are newlyweds who get lost late at night while driving to their honeymoon destination. They both have an eerie feeling and none of them can recall exactly how they got lost. Suddenly, they see a young woman walking aimlessly by the side of the road in pitch darkness. They offer her a ride. She quietly accepts and gets into the car. That’s when they see all the blood on her clothes.



This one had me hooked from the very first page! It was so creepy and enigmatic! Just as with every of Simone St. James’ books, this one is dark, scary and super interesting from start to finish. I love how the author always includes us -the weirdos who enjoy reading and researching true crime cases- in her books, managing to create lovely and lovable characters in the most obscure situations.

Unlike her previous books, this one left me with a few things that didn’t seem to quite fit, but those things were minimal and did not affect how much I enjoyed reading this book.

Four stars!!

I made it about 25% of the way in and really felt no pressing desire to continue. I love a good Evil Town story, but it took a while to really get going. I'd recommend other books by St. James over this one.

From the very beginning this book pulls you in. It sits somewhere between mystery and supernatural and easily keeps you guessing. The experiences the two lead characters have are intense and then at the same time you are learning more about their pasts - which are equally engaging! I love a mystery within a mystery. The characters are all so fleshed out and real. You feel like you’re in this small town, eating lunch with them in the heat of the summer, trying to figure out what is going on. I feel like this book will stay with me. Highly recommend!!
Huge thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I received this ARC from Berkley Publishing Group via NetGalley. This paranormal mystery in 1995 flows nicely. April and Eddie are on their way to their honeymoon and find themselves lost. They pickup a hitchhiker and become stuck in a small town for a crime they have not committed. I loved the nods to the nostalgia of the period. April and Eddie were likable characters and the secondary characters rounded out the vibe of the book. While the story progressed a bit slow, I will continue to read Simone St. James as her ghost stories continue to be some of my favorites. For once, this story didn’t jump time periods, it stayed solidly in 1995.

I quite literally jumped for joy when I got to read this book early. And it was incredible. So creepy throughout, lots of fun twists and turns, and some super lovable characters to really bring the story together. I loved it and cannot recommend it enough. Go ahead and preorder this one because you are going to want to read this one as soon as possible!! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

It's Michigan in 1995, and Eddie and April are supposed to be on their honeymoon. Instead they're lost on a back road. They see a hitchhiker and pick her up, only to find out the girl is seriously injured. They rush her to the hospital, pursued by a scary truck. When they get there, it's assumed that Eddie and April attacked the hitchhiker. It doesn't help that they are both keeping secrets, even from each other.

Murder Road was enjoyable, and I couldn't stop reading. My only gripe is procedural: several times I was taken out of the action by thinking "that's not what a cop would do." Not that I would know.

Simone St James has done it again. Murder Road is another ghost story so good it’s chilling. This book has so many unknowns that you just keep pulling threads loose until it all comes into focus. Years worth of unsolved murders finally have an answer even if they sound completely insane. You will not be disappointed with this read.

Another solid supernatural thriller from Simone St. James, Murder Road tells the story of newlyweds April and Eddie who take a wrong turn on their way to the small beach town where they have booked a few days as a honeymoon. On a creepy deserted road, they see a young woman hitchhiking and when they pick her up, discover she has been brutally stabbed. Unfamiliar with their surroundings, they seek a hospital but are followed briefly by a truck – possibly containing the murderer- but are able to escape. But their good Samaritan deed turns wrong when suddenly they are the prime suspects in the killing of the young woman. They soon discover that this stretch of road is the scene of several murders, and the subject of a local legend – if you see the “lost girl,” a local ghost, you’ll likely become the next victim. Placed by the police in the B&B home of Bea, the widow of a local policeman, they discover in her an unlikely ally against the police’s accusations, as they try to solve the recent murder and the case of the original lost girl, who seems to be haunting them both.

I’ll start by saying I am a HUGE Simone St. James fan. Have overtly loved every single book by her- except this one. I don’t know, it just didn’t have that THING that her other books have. It felt very forced.

The premise is great, a couple driving see an injured girl on the side of the road they try to help? Only to be accused when she inevitably dies? Great, let’s do it. It’s everything from there that gets a bit wonky for me.

Invariably the plot seems a bit easy to figure out pretty quickly. This doesn’t mean that I won’t be anxiously awaiting Simone’s next book- because I will.

A fantastic atmospheric thriller with a spooky paranormal base that keeps you hooked till the very end. I never say no to a Simone St James book.

I have liked other books by this author. She really seems to understand ambiance and this novel is no different. I found a few things a bit unbelievable, like how in the beginning the main characters decide to not tell the police about a truck they've seen. That was so wholly unbelievable, I almost put the book down. Once I got past that, I enjoye dhte quick-paced mystery.

I received this from the publisher for review. Wow I enjoyed this! St. James is at the top of her game with this new book. This has easily gone to the top of my favorites of Simone St.James books. The story was so intriguing it really kept me guessing until the end. It was very paranormal heavy and was really scary at some points, which I love! I did not see the plot twist coming either which is another big win for me. I highly recommend this if you love a good ghost story that will keep you guessing.

Murder Road is one of the best by Simone St. James. If you enjoyed her Sun Down Motel, this is the read for you!

In 1995 a young couple find themselves lost on a dark road, they pick up an injured hitchhiker who they take to a nearby hospital. While in route, a truck gives pursuit. After the hitchhiker dies, April and Eddie are the new suspects in a series of murders that have occurred to young people on that dark road.

Can they prove their innocence? Can they shed light on who the killer may be and what haunts the road after all these years?

An excellent thriller that ties together a murder mystery, psychological suspense, and a bit of the supernatural. Highly recommend!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

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

I've read and enjoyed pretty much everything that Simone St. James has put out, and this is no exception. I don't think it's the scariest thing she's ever written - in fact, I wanted more of the ghost and more scary parts - but I liked the characters and the pacing of the story. Probably closer to 3.5 stars for me, but rounded up.

A great take on a somewhat classic legend. We all have heard to some extent the hitchhiker ghost story about the sad lady on a deserted street. You know the one? This book took that story and made a murder investigation about it with a paranormal underlayer.

I had to keep reminding myself this takes place in the 90s because I kept telling the characters to look on their cell and internet lmao

Altogether, this was a good story. A little bit too easy once we got to the juicy bits but still an interesting story.

Thank you to the publisher for the advanced copy!

Spooky murder novel taking place in the 90s in Michigan…it’s like Simone wrote this one for me!
This story follows a young couple, April and Eddie, immediately after their wedding as they embark on a honeymoon in a small resort town. When a wrong turn leads them in the opposite direction, they encounter a hitchhiker…bleeding heavily…and as they race her to a hospital, an ominous truck is right on their tail. The instant the hitchhiker dies, they’re suspects 1 & 2, but with a history of mysterious murders on that same road, is another force at play? Or is a serial killer creeping around Coldlake Falls?
This was a good suspense novel that had me holding my breath at the end!
Thank you to Berkley Publishing for the ARC in exchange for my honest review. This comes out 3/5/24!

There's little I enjoy more than a Simone St. James thriller. Her best ones are all well-told, character-driven mysteries that tow the line between campfire ghost stories and normal-person-solving-crime procedurals. There's also usually some form of historic setting, whether in terms of flashbacks or diary entries, and while the twists aren't outrageously shocking, they make sense. So when I was fortunate enough to receive an ARC of "Murder Road", I cleared my weekend and dove in.

"Murder Road" tells the story of a newly married couple who has the unfortunate luck to pick up an injured hitchhiker who dies on the way to the hospital. Local police are itching to peg the crime on them, but April (the wife) has a bad feeling there's more to meet the eye on the haunted road that keeps racking up a death toll. But how well does she know her husband? How well does she know herself?

"Murder Road' is quickly-paced and utterly engaging; I was instantly invested in April's story as her honeymoon was derailed by murder and belligerent local police. The supernatural element was done lightly, and the 1990s setting was pitch-perfect.

full disclosure: Despite the fact I read a ton of thrillers, this was my first Simone St. James book. I promptly ordered all of her to hers! It was SO good. Well developed characters with sketchy backgrounds--my absolute favorite. A newly wedded couple heads off on their honeymoon but somehow takes a wrong turn, and on a dark road on a dark night, they pick up a hitchhiker--one, they realize, who's badly wounded and dies the moment they get her to the hospital. This sets off a chain of events where they are suspects + investigators. Throw in a dash of psychological thriller + ghost story, and you've got a book I couldn't put down. I've already recommended this book to five people!

Unfortunately I didnt love this book, it fell a bit flat for me. I was really interested the whole first 1/3 and then it took an unexpected turn that lost me a little bit. However, I still think the story was well written and entertaining! This was my very first Simone St. James book and even though this one wasn’t up my alley, I still enjoyed the writing style and will read more from this author!

Murder Road has the nostalgia of the urban legends told in adolescence with a fully fleshed origin and resolution.
I enjoyed reading this book, there was murder, an urban legend, ghosts, and conspiracy theorist sisters.

Personally, I think that a lot of the story was pretty predictable-- as I guessed much of what was going to happen-- but it was still wholly enjoyable. It had good character development and an exciting and intense storyline that kept me hooked to the very end. Also, the Snell sisters! I love those girls, they are weird and concerning, but totally relatable to a true crime, conspiracy-loving girl like me! Rose is great too, at first I wasn't a fan, but she really grew on me and ended up being one of my favorite characters.