Red River Road: A Novel

Whoa! Never saw that coming!? I LOVED this book and devoured it only a few sittings. Having read THE SAFE PLACE back in 2020 I knew I loved Anna's writing and once I saw it was about a vanlifer, I was hooked, having lived vanlife myself. It also takes place in Australia, and while there were a few words here and there that I admit I didn't get (being American), I have a deep love and interest in Australia, so it added to the charm of this book for me. 

The story follows Katy, a girl whose sister, Phoebe, disappeared while traveling around the Western Australian coast in her van and Katy is re-enacting her sister's trip in order to find clues to her whereabouts and try to find out what happened to her. Katy uses Phoebe's Instagram posts from her travels to follow in her footsteps where she looks for clues, talks to locals, fellow vanlifers, anyone who will listen to see if they remember Phoebe passing through. 

One day in her travels she is stunned to find a strange woman in her van, begging to let her travel along with her and very seemingly on the run from something she isn't talking about. Realizing she could use the help, being very much on her own and feeling out of place on this trip, together they team up to retrace Phoebe's footsteps as they continue following her previous path. 

This one came from out of nowhere! You know that moment in a book where you find out the twist and it just makes you want to re-read the entire book at that exact moment!? THAT was this book for me- I just finished and I already want to restart it!? I love the cover, the twists, and the locations! A story about brave, solo-traveling women, I was sucked in from page one and was blown away by the ending. Highly recommended!