Supernatural Rage

The Sun Down Motel by Simone St. James

After reading Murder Road by Simone St. James, I wanted to give her other books a try. I really enjoyed the supernatural mystery of Murder Road so I was hoping something sinister lurked within this book as well.

In 1982, Viv Delaney is working the nightshift at the Sun Down Motel where things tend to go bump in the night. Doors open by themselves and transparent beings yell at her to run. Then one night she disappears, just like the other women who have gone missing in Fell, New York. 35 years later, Carley, Viv’s niece, travels to Fell, New York to find out more about her aunt’s disappearance. She’s determined to visit the Sun Down Motel and learn what happened the last night Viv was there. Slowly, she starts to uncover hidden secrets the motel has tried to keep hidden.

Wow! That was a very interesting read. It was a little slow building up to the climax but it was worth it. The dual POVs in two different timelines was at times confusing but really brought the story together.

⭐⭐⭐⭐
Review on Fable

The Sun Down Motel was a spooky murder mystery with dual POV’s that takes place in two timelines: 1982 and 2017. There are ghosts and a killer on the loose, all centered around the Sun Down Motel. While a little slow in the beginning, it all came together in the third act and the plot twist worked so well.

This was very much a female gaze type of book. We follow two women from two different timelines experiencing similar situations. They are both on the hunt to find out who murdered all these women back in the 1980’s in Fell, NY. We experience female rage not only from these characters but also by the ghosts inhabiting the motel. Carly and Viv work the night shit at this sketchy ass motel in the middle of nowhere, having to fend off creepy weirdos.

No one here tells the truth. Not ever.

Unlike The House Across the Lake, this “ghost” murder mystery combines both successfully. The supernatural element progresses the storyline and is not added as just a twist. I definitely recommend you pick this up if you want a horror mystery to keep you up at night. Below you’ll find the character summary, where you’ll get a sense of all the different people both Viv and Carly meet.

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Character Summary

When writing this character summary, I went back and forth trying to see if it was possible to make it spoiler-free. I’ve committed some details that pertains to the story. I will try my best to write ALL the characters mentioned in the book. I’ve categorized them by timeline:

1982:

Viv Delaney – missing, dreams of being an actress, works at the motel
Alma Trent – Nightduty cop
Marnie Mahoney – Photographer, hired to follow people
Jenny – Viv’s roommate
Janice – Motel manager
Jamie Blacknick – Viv’s friend, pot dealer
Robert White – Visits motel often
Helen – Visits motel often
Mrs. Bailey – Visits motel often
Simon Hess – Traveling salesman, visit motel often
Betty Graham – Deceased, body found at motel
Tracy Waters – Deceased
Cathy Caldwell – Deceased
Victoria Lee – Deceased
Henry – Deceased, heart attack at the motel

2017:

Carley Kirk – Viv’s niece, looking into aunt’s disappearance at the Sun Down Motel
Heather Atkins – Carley’s roommate in Fell
Eli Williams – Carley’s boyfriend in Illinois
Callum MacRae – Meets Carley in the library archives
Nick Harkness– Lives at the motel, helps with maintenance
Chris – Motel current owner