A young woman on a solo van trip has disappeared

Phoebe Sweeney, a beautiful and free-spirited young woman, decided to live “the van life” and sets off solo to do the Big Lap, traveling around the edge of Australia. She sets off from Perth and begins posting about her adventures on Instagram under the name “pheebsinwonderland”, with photos of the beautiful sights, safety tips and bits of wisdom shared with her followers. And then she vanished. With the year-long investigation into her disappearance closed due to lack of information Katy Sweeney is desperate for answers and decides to recreate Phoebe’s trip herself, asking questions and looking for clues along the way. Her trip gets off to a less-than-auspicious start….an encounter at a campsite with a strange man has frightened her and sent her driving off into the night, after consuming perhaps a few too many glasses of wine. Her memory is foggy, and she knows she probably is in no state to drive. Then a vehicle seems to be following her and she evades them by going off the road. She leaves the van briefly, sure that she saw something or someone (could it be Phoebe?), and when she returns to the van and gets back on the highway she realizes that there is a young woman in the back of her car….a young woman who is disheveled and bruised and clearly frightened, who begs Katy to take her along with her. She introduces herself as Lily, although the reader will discover that her name is really Beth, and Katy decides to let her stay and help her in her search for Phoebe. It turns out that Phoebe is not the only young woman to go missing in the area….is there a serial killer on the loose? Who is Beth really, and from what (or who) is she running? Giving your trust to the wrong person can be the last mistake you make on the road, and both Katy and Beth may discover the truth of that the hard way.
For the record, even before reading this book I would never be the type of person who would set off on a solo adventure like this….and nothing I read here would change my mind on that score! But there are so many people who would, and do, just that, drawn to the adventure and the sights and in this day of social media influencers the prospect of drawing a following. With the real-life US case of Gabby Petito very much in my mind, I read the Insta posts of Phoebe and the thoughts and plans of Katy with a tinge of horrified fascination. As Beth’s backstory becomes clearer, and a connection between that and (maybe?) what happened to Phoebe becoming a possibility, what has happened and what dangers are in store also start to make their presences felt. What can a missing adventurer and a teenaged boy named Wyatt have in common? The reality of violence against women is a sad truth and one that has been around for a long time, as are the effects that the violence can have on others in the victim’s orbit. With everyone a suspect and an unreliable narrator in Katy, there is more than one mystery going on. As much as I wanted to shake some sense into Katy and even Beth, I could not stop hoping that the truth would come out and that they would survive the process and carve out a better future for themselves. Perfect for readers of Sara Ochs, Araminta Hall and Rachel Hawkins, Red River Road will take you on a nail biting trip into the world of van life and the desire to break free from the chain of fear. Many thanks to NetGalley and St Martin’s Press/Minotaur Books for allowing me early access to this dark thriller.

Australia has always been on my bucket list but I could never solo travel there. I think I have always seen Australia as an isolated wasteland and this thriller kind of gave me that vibe. Missing women, a sister traveling to try to find her sister, and another woman attempting to escape her life. I enjoyed this one more than I thought I would. It had quick chapters and all of my guesses were 100% wrong. As the story unfolded, I couldn’t put it down. The audiobook helped because I really liked the narrator. While I liked the audiobook, I think I would have enjoyed reading it a bit more because there were quite a few characters and POVs that may have been easier to keep track if I read the physical. Overall, a great way to end summer and start spooky season.

Red River Road ☾𖤓
by Anna Downes
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5/5 stars!!

Red River Road takes you on a wild ride through the stunning but eerie Australian coast. Katy's on a desperate search for her missing sister, Phoebe, who vanished while touring solo. Along the way, she picks up Beth, a girl with a mysterious past, and the two face creepy clues and shady characters. The book mixes gorgeous scenery with a nerve-wracking mystery, and while the ending might feel a bit over the top, it's definitely a twisty thrill ride. If you like psychological thrillers with a dose of adventure and a dash of the uncanny, this one’s worth checking out.

Anna Downes did it again! I love her books for their plot twists and this was no exception! It started off a bit slower, but ended up having really nice pacing for most of the book and it was a great story overall. :)

I'm a sucker for any story set in Australia, and the premise for this one was intriguing. It took a bit for me to get into the story with multiple POVs jumping into the action. However, it didn't take too long to get acclimated. There were times I thought I might not continue, but the story ended up coming together in an unexpected and satisfying way.

Thank you to #NetGalley and #MinotaurBooks for a free copy of #RedRiverRoad by Anna Downes. All opinions are my own.

Red River Road is a thriller that follows Katy Sweeney as she embarks on a desperate search for her sister, Phoebe. Phoebe, a solo traveler and social media influencer, has mysteriously disappeared, and despite the case being closed without any leads, Katy is determined to retrace her sister's steps to find her. But in a world of social media, phone trackers, can anyone completely disappear?

This book is gripping, keeping the reader on edge with its alternating perspectives from three different characters. The varying viewpoints not only provide clues but also create a sense of intrigue and suspense, sometimes leaving the reader as puzzled as Katy herself.

The setting is perfectly crafted to enhance the story's tension, drawing you into the eerie atmosphere that surrounds Phoebe's disappearance.One of the most fascinating aspects of the book for me was the ending, where the author skillfully integrates the Internal Family Systems (IFS) modality. Seeing the characters' internal parts work within the narrative was both unexpected and thought-provoking, adding a layer of psychological depth that resonated with me.However, I did find myself wishing the pacing had been a bit faster.

Overall, Red River Road is an excellent read that I highly recommend, especially for those who enjoy thrillers with psychological twists.

Thank you to Minotaur Books for providing this captivating book.

Content Warnings: Mental illness, sexual assault, domestic violence, stalking implied and mentions of abuse

As a person that travels in a campervan I thought for sure I'd dig this but the pacing is so dreadfully slow that I was completely bored and struggled each time I picked this one up. I also never connected with any of the characters. And the resolution? No thank you. This one was a big miss for me. Bummer!

Wow! What a ride - no pun intended! Anna Downes has a winner with this thriller! I thoroughly enjoyed the descriptions of the setting - a road trip through the remote Australian outback. But the unfolding of the story itself was what won me over. The tension seemed to never let up and the character development of Katy and Beth was very satisfying. No spoilers but both characters turn out to be very surprising. And I also enjoyed the secondary character of Wyatt although we didn’t get to see him as much. The writing style and format was great with the social media posts breaking things up a little and adding interest. And of course, hearing the story from both Katy’s and Beth’s POVs kept me engaged and constantly wondering how the story could possibly conclude satisfactorily but the ending really left an impact on the concept of solo female travelers.
I was glad that the author included a note about the very real issues that she addressed such as solo female travelers being regarded differently than male “adventurers” and partner violence.

I've read and enjoyed other books by this author and look forward to more. This one is outstanding.

A story that kept me guessing about some things but also knowing who the main character was, or was not, as the case may be.

Katy is the on a road trip trying to find her sister who went missing a year earlier and the cops gave up searching for. She does not believe that Phoebe is dead. She's convinced that she met with problems and just wants to find her and bring her home. She mets quite a few people along the way but none seem to know anything about Phoebe. She encounters some scares along the way and meets a girl who seems to desperately need her help.

Beth escaped a violent encounter with her boyfriend while they were on a road trip. He started out loving and attentive but that quickly starts to disappear as his violent side comes to surface. He's says mean and cruel things and hits her. They are a team of thieves but it seems to be him who makes the cash and her who does most of the thieving. They take valuable items but are still broke for the most part. They have to stash the items and then someone picks them up and puts money into her guys account. Beth finally gets away from him but is afraid to tell anyone what he did. Or she's forgotten that he did it.

This book takes you to a few beautiful places. Very descriptive and realistic. It's one that keeps you guessing and wondering who is doing what. Who leaves the stones outside. Who left the notes. Who are the people commenting on Phoebe's Instagram posts. The one getting angry. Private messaging her. What really happened to Phoebe and where is her van.

This is the story of van life and young women traveling alone. Going on a road trip alone in Western Australia. The many sides of meeting people. Getting to know strangers. Making friends. Coming to terms with losses.

I enjoyed this book. It kept me turning the pages all the way through the Author's Notes. Be sure and read that. It's very interesting.

Thank you #NetGalley, #StMartinsPress/MinotaurBooks, for this ARC. This is my own thoughts about this book

Five big stars.

This might be the first book I read that takes place in Australia. It’s told in the POV of the three different women . I will say it was a slow burn and it made it hard for me
To fully become invested. Overall it was okay, just took some time to get into it .

“Red River Road" is a gripping, atmospheric thriller full of unexpected twists and turns. The story is told from the POVs of Katy, Beth, and a teenage boy named Wyatt. It was a bit of a slow burn, but once everything started to come together, I could not put it down. I loved the atmosphere and setting in the remote Australian Outback. It had such an eerie vibe. When the big twist was revealed, my jaw dropped. I wanted to reread the entire story to find the clues I had missed. This was my first Anna Downes book, and I will definitely be reading more.

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

A road-trip novel that takes readers on a chaotic and nightmarish journey across Western Australia, where we follow Katy Sweeney, a woman searching for her missing sister who vanished a year earlier during a solo van trip. The police have seemingly given up, but Katy is determined to retrace her sister’s steps to uncover any clues. Alongside Katy's story, we are introduced to two additional perspectives: Beth, whose journey soon intersects with Katy’s, and Wyatt, whose mysterious narrative unfolds gradually.

This novel defied my initial expectations in the best possible way. I anticipated a traditional, clue-based mystery but instead encountered an evolving, atmospheric psychological thriller that left me bewildered most of the time, unsure of what was happening.

The novel’s pace is slow, particularly throughout the first 70%, which I didn’t mind. The author's vivid descriptions of the Australian outback and the intriguing character of Beth kept me engaged. However, I struggled to connect with Katy, finding her somewhat standoffish and her investigative methods (or lack thereof) frustrating.

In the last quarter of the book, the pace accelerates with a series of relentless reveals, making it impossible to put down. I finished the book in just a couple of days and thoroughly enjoyed it. While there was some over-explanation towards the end, the compelling story made it easy to overlook. Overall, it's a captivating and enigmatic psychological adventure set in Australia.

Red River Road is a book I had to walk away from after reading it. I needed to decide how I felt about it. There is something eery about the Australian wilderness. The book is very selfaware on that note. So many of the Australian horror stories, true and fiction, are referenced or paid homage to. And who doesn’t feel for someone looking for their missing loved one?

Katy is out looking for her sister. Phoebe disappeared on a solo van tour up the Australian coast. I have to start with the coast. I want to go there myself. Maybe even get lost for awhile. It is immediately evident that in spite of the beauty, something is wrong here. Katy has lost time. She wonders if every person she meets along the way met her sister. She wonders if any of them followed her. If any of them hurt her. Luckily for her, Phoebe was (of course) documenting all of this on social media. I mean, did it even happen if you don’t post it on Instagram? (Answer:yes, but not everyone knows that. Shhhhh).

Beth is also out on the coast, but for different reasons. She also seems wrong. She is hiding things and running from someone. Katy needs to decide if that will get in the way of finding her sister. Somehow, she is convinced, Beth can help her find Phoebe. She feels it.

There was a lot of bait and switch here. When I finished it felt like the ending tried to do too much. Now that I’ve given it some time to settle, it seems a little less so. We, the reader, are being constantly mislead. That made it unsettling. Do you like to be unsettled?

I really enjoyed this novel and thought the epilogue really tied it all together beautifully. The tension ratchets up as the novel progresses. You experience the story from Katy, Beth and Wyatt's POV. Katy is looking for her missing sister, Beth is on the run, and Wyatt? Well he's lonely. A novel about solo female travel and female safety, memory and how it works (or doesn't), and what family bonds mean, this was a well-plotted read.

"Katy Sweeney is looking for her sister. A year earlier, just three weeks into a solo vanlife trip, her free-spirited younger sister, Phoebe, vanished without a trace on the remote, achingly beautiful coastal highway in Western Australia. With no witnesses, no leads, and no DNA evidence, the case has gone cold. But Katy refuses to give up on her.

Using Phoebe’s social media accounts as a map, Katy retraces her sister’s steps, searching for any clues the police may have missed. Was Phoebe being followed? Who had she met along the way, and how dangerous were they?

And then Katy’s path collides with that of Beth, who is on the run from her own dark past. Katy realizes that Beth might be her best—and only—chance of finding the truth, and the two women form an uneasy alliance to find out what really happened to Phoebe in this wild, beautiful, and perilous place."

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press/Minotaur Books for the free ARC in exchange for my honest review. All opinions expressed herein are my own.

Red river road

Phoebe is a social media influencer documenting her trip to Australia when she goes missing. There are no leads, just her social media promoting safe solo travel, that obviously turned unsafe.

Her sister, Katy, takes matters into her own hands as she goes searching for her sister. During her journey, Katy meets Beth. This story is from the POV of Katy and Beth both, which is nice to break up the story and keep pacing going. Beth, disguising as Lily, convinces Katy to let her come on the journey with her to search for Phoebe. Through the journey, Beth’s POV revisits her past and what to share with Katy when she continues to ask about her story and why she is traveling alone.

We also get the POV for Wyatt. Wyatt’s story involves his brother who lived with him in a home where his mother has left the home. Wyatt has hope she’ll return, but is finally told that she disappeared and didn’t abandon them like he thought. It’s unclear when the timeline occurs with the story and his story is the most confusing.

I had an advanced copy of both the ebook and audiobook of this book. The narration was excellent- great expression and intonation.

The audiobook got confusing at times with the same voice for all point of views and flipping timelines. Overall, I feel the book was well paced, exciting, and kept me guessing.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the advanced copy on exchange for an honest review. Out now !

I was impressed with how solid this mystery was. I was a bit worried at the big reveal but it actually felt plausible and I liked seeing how everything fit together.

Out now! Big thanks to the publisher for the early copy to read and review <3

I liked this quite a bit! The setting was stunningly described. The characters are so mysterious. And the whole book has this overarching sense of foreboding as we reach the conclusion.

The descriptions of the Australian setting were beautifully written. I felt like I could see the beauty (and danger) of the Red River Road (lol) and all the places along the way. I also liked the way the characters were presented. There is a sense of "who can I trust/ believe" that propelled the story. First, we want to think Kate is just out looking for her sister but later doubt is cast. And then there is Lily/ Beth. She straight up tells the reader she is lying about almost everything about herself. But why? And is the reason good enough to actually want to root for her? There's a third main POV of Wyatt, a "kid" (I call anyone younger than me a kid, haha, it's the 'old' lady in me) with a rough home life and his relationship with his brother and father. At the very beginning his POV seemed soooo super random. It all comes together.

The big twist was a wild one, so buckle in for that if you choose to read. Over the whole story is this sense of unease/ suspicion/ foreboding as we go along with Kate trying to find out what happened to Phoebe. As we get more answers, more questions, and they get closer to the end of the trip, the sense increases until that final blowout moment where our character's stories cross.

I'd recommend this if you love:
-descriptive and beautiful settings
-mystery of a missing woman on her #vanlife adventure
-mixed media (Phoebe's social media posts and comments)

📱Red River Road📱⁣
⁣⁣
⁣Genre- Thriller. ⁣
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⁣Length- 384 pages. ⁣
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⁣My thoughts- If I had to sum this book up in one word- I’d probably call it weird! ⁣
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⁣Katy is searching for her sister, Phoebe, who disappeared the year before while solo traveling- leaving only her social media as evidence of her journey. On the road, she encounters Beth- a young women on the run from a shady past. ⁣
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⁣On the positive side, I really enjoy books set in Australia. Red River Road felt very atmospheric and creepy. It’s an engrossing story with lots of twists, turns and a few unreliable characters. Unfortunately, this one unfortunately was a bit too much of a slow burn and the end left me scratching my head. ⁣
⁣⁣
⁣Overall, this one is fine. Three stars! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⁣
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⁣Thank you to. @netgalley and the publisher for an ARC of Red River Road. It is out now!

Travel addict, #vanlifer Phoebe is posting daily on instagram about her current solo exploration along the coast of Australia. Then as quickly as she started her trip, she disappears. One year later sister Katy follows her sister’s traveled route to find her. Along the way she finds stranger Beth (who’s on the run) hidden inside her van, and they team up to find Phoebe. Narrated by Katie, Beth and Wyatt, whose mother vanished, their stories slowly reveal how each of their fates are interconnected. Anna Downes writes exceptionally well by the great depth she gives her characters passing those same feels on to readers.. 1-you never feel safe, 2-at certain points are scared to death, 3-you can’t trust anyone. The atmospheric setting was perfection. If you enjoy unreliable characters with edge-of-your-seat suspense this is the book for you. It’s one wild ride that ended with many unexpected AND unbelievable crazy twists that I literally had to reread for it to register. I absolutely loved the SHOCKING wrap up (tell-all so to speak) involving ALL the characters. WOW. 4.5 stars — Pub. 8/27/24

I received an advanced copy from the publisher through NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Many thanks to NetGalley, St Martin's Press Minotaur Books, and Macmillan Audio for gifting me both a digital and audio ARC of the new book by Anna Downes and perfectly narrated by Maddy Withington. All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 4.5 stars!

Katy is looking for her sister, Phoebe. A year ago, Phoebe vanished without a trace while on a solo van life trip along the coast of Western Australia. Using Phoebe's social media as a map, Katy retraces her steps, looking for clues. She meets Beth, who is on the run, and realizes that Beth may help her find the truth.

Whew - this is a great thriller but be patient with it, because all is not what is seems! Told from the POV of Katy, Beth, and Wyatt, along with social media posts, Downes leads you down a twisty path. A look into the dark side of solo female travel, you won't know who you can trust or believe. It's creepy, especially Wyatt's story, and will leave you guessing for sure. Loved the Australian setting!