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

dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix

5.0

✦ 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑺𝒖𝒏 𝑫𝒐𝒘𝒏 𝑴𝒐𝒕𝒆𝒍 ✦ 

(Thank you @prhaudio for the #gifted audiobook!)

𝙽𝚘𝚟𝚎𝚖𝚋𝚎𝚛 𝟷𝟿𝟾𝟸  𝙵𝚎𝚕𝚕, 𝙽𝚎𝚠 𝚈𝚘𝚛𝚔

✦ 𝙍𝙚𝙖𝙙 𝙞𝙛 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙡𝙞𝙠𝙚 : 
  • 80s vibes
  • working the night shift 
  • spooky suspense 
  • creepy atmospheric reads
  • parallel timelines
  • genre benders
  • Nancy Drew sleuthing 

✦ 𝙈𝙮 𝙩𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝𝙩𝙨 :
I LOVED 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘉𝘰𝘰𝘬 𝘰𝘧 𝘊𝘰𝘭𝘥 𝘊𝘢𝘴𝘦𝘴 last fall, and I have been anticipating this read all year! It exceeded all my expectations. St. James created the perfect blend of genres -  a supernatural thriller with a true crime feel & lots of 80s nostalgia. 

A determined young woman investigates her aunt's chilling disappearance from a haunted motel, uncovering sinister secrets.

I loved every bit of the creepy motel atmosphere, the parallel timelines between present day & 1982 - The tension was high & the eerie suspense was palpable. The writing was perfectly gloomy & atmospheric, I felt like I was working the caffeine fueled, nocturnal night shift. 

The audiobook was so well done with 2 narrators for each pov, making it super easy to follow. I definitely recommend adding this to your spooky TBR this season!

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