Review:: The Sun Down Motel by Simone St. James

Author: Simone St. James
Publisher: Berkley
Publication Date: February 2020

The secrets lurking in a rundown roadside motel ensnare a young woman, just as they did her aunt thirty-five years before, in this new atmospheric suspense novel from the national bestselling and award-winning author of The Broken Girls.
Upstate NY, 1982. Every small town like Fell, New York, has a place like the Sun Down Motel. Some customers are from out of town, passing through on their way to someplace better. Some are locals, trying to hide their secrets. Viv Delaney works as the night clerk to pay for her move to New York City. But something isn't right at the Sun Down, and before long she's determined to uncover all of the secrets hidden…

I have been having good luck with ghost stories lately and I am happy to include The Sun Down Motel among them.  The story follows two timelines: The past where, Vic ends up in the small town of Fells and works at the Sun Down Motel to earn money.  She finds that strange things are going on at the motel.  And the present, where Vic's niece Carly has come to Fells to investigate the disappearance of her aunt Vic back in 1982.

This is one of those books that not knowing a lot about it  is best.  Talking too much plot would give away key points.  I will say that this book is creepy, scary and definitely one to keep you up reading into the night.  I loved the setting of the creepy run down motel. I also loved not knowing if things that were happening were real or paranormal. The characters were interesting.  I found that Carly and her aunt Vic were a lot alike. Both were strong characters who weren't afraid to try to get to the bottom of what was happening. Even knowing Vic goes missing, I found myself tooting for her.  I loved the combination of mystery and paranormal.  I also loved the twists at the end.   I highly recommend this one!