A review by sfbookgirl
The Sun Down Motel by Simone St. James

dark mysterious tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

I really enjoyed this book! I found it to be spookier than your average thriller and loved the good-old-fashion mystery storyline. The Sun Down Motel switches between two characters - Viv Delaney in 1982 and her niece, Carly Kirk, in 2017. Carly’s aunt Viv mysteriously disappeared while working at the Sun Down Motel in 1982 and Carly returns to Fell, New York to solve what happened to her long-lost aunt in the present-day 2017. 
 
I don’t normally enjoy the back and forth between two different characters and periods of time, but I loved trying to solve the mystery while reading about Viv’s and Carly’s experiences. If you’re looking for something spooky, you’ll find your fair share of ghosts and weird noises, but nothing so scary that it will keep you up at night. As the author Simone St. James says in the dedication, this book is definitely for murderinos. 
Expand filter menu Content Warnings