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shellkay 's review for:

The Sun Down Motel by Simone St. James
4.5
dark mysterious tense medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Another spooky, atmospheric mystery/thriller by one of my favorite authors in the genre. The sense of foreboding & the creep factor of the motel are superbly developed. It did bug  me, though, that the sign repeatedly was described as blue & yellow, but the cover shows a red & yellow lit sign.
Dual timelines: 2017 Carly & 1982 Viv (Carly’s aunt she never met, who oddly disappeared after working as the front desk clerk at the seedy roadside motel in Fell NY) In the present, Carly follows the exact same path (right down to the job) to practice her true crime sleuthing interests & her family mystery. 
The traveling salesman gave quintessential horror movie vibes, with his sociopathic behavior & image. Perfect Fall/Halloween read, complete with ghosts.
A few minor issues: almost too similar storylines, motivations felt unjustified for the risks, & just not as seamlessly written as The Broken Girls- my top read by the author.