A review by yvo_about_books
The Vacancy in Room 10 by Seraphina Nova Glass

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

4.0

Finished reading: July 9th 2025


“The only thing I could see on the dusty horizon was the word HELL lit up in orange and yellow, which seems appropriate once you get to know the area.”

I usually enjoy whatever Seraphina Nova Glass writes, and I've been working my way through the last pending titles on her backlist (except for one book I won't read as it mentions active cheating in the blurb). The Vacancy In Room 10 is the final of her more recent books I wanted to read, and I loved the sound of the premise with that motel setting. And this turned out to be such a successful popcorn thriller for me! Sure, you will definitely have to suspend your disbelief as some of the twists are pretty out there, but I personally didn't mind as the story worked on an entertainment level. I do have to say that The Vacancy In Room 10 started out slower than expected, and it took me a little while to get used to all the characters and get a proper feel of what is going on. Once I did though, I was hooked. The story is told switching between the POV of Anna and Cass, and it was interesting to watch the story unfold through the eyes of both women. The star of the show is without doubt the motel setting though, and while the majority of the side characters were definitely caricatures, they did add a little something extra. My favorite of the bunch is little Sinatra of course! As for the plot itself: there are multiple angles in play, meaning plenty of twists, secrets and moments of suspense... Especially the second half can get pretty over the top, but as a popcorn thriller The Vacancy In Room 10 is still very satisfying. I can't deny that I could have done without the cheating element in both POVs, and the fact that the majority of the male characters are terrible is a bit cliche, but those are just minor blips in what was otherwise a very entertaining ride despite the slower start. 
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