The Sun Down Motel

This book had me hooked from the beginning. I was invested in all the characters, even the ones that didn't seem to move the story along. The way the author writes has you intrigued every chapter. I do have to say I wasn't fond of the ending and I still have some questions about it. Other than that I think if you are looking for a good thriller mystery this is your book !

I'm writing this review with such a heavy heart. The synopsis screams DEBBIE, READ ME! The cover screams DEBBIE, READ ME! The end result screamed ZzzzzZzZzz.

The story is told from two POV's across two different timelines. Usually not a problem for me....unless I'm bored to death apparently. Viv ( past) and Carly (present) are so similar that more than once I forgot who's chapter I was reading. Or it read like the same chapter back to back. Not even the ending saved it for me.

What makes this all the sadder is that The Sun Down Motel itself is quite creepy. The descriptions there were deliciously eerie and atmospheric. But that wasn't enough to stop me from putting this book down numerous times before finally finishing it.

What a few of the more negative reviewers, I believe, have failed to grasp is that this book is neither ‘horror' nor ‘true crime' (it's fiction, after all). It is, however, a great example of paranormal mystery. Was it scary? No, but it wasn't intended to be. Was it creepy in places? I'd say yes. But we also need to remember the ‘real' monster in this story is living and breathing, not necessarily the ethereal occupants of the motel.

I've read some complaints about the shifting of points of view, from Viv in the past to Carly in the present. Okay, so you don't like that approach. That's fine. But I see no reason to discount the story entirely based on your personal preference and give it a negative review. Honestly, the shifts in points of view quite simply worked. And they worked very well to weave the over-arcing story together in a fun and dynamic way.

If I had any complaints (as a few have mentioned already) is that it seems Ms. St. James spends a little too much time describing the clothing and hairstyles of every character every single time they appear in a scene. I get the need to the supply descriptions of hairstyles and clothing when establishing the differences in fashion between 1982 and 2017, but once or twice is really all you need. I got to where I'd skip the descriptions of people entirely (which in a mystery novel could potentially be an issue if something they're wearing is a clue). This foible, however, is personal preference on my part and doesn't take away from the story.

In truth, this is my first St. James novel and I was thoroughly impressed. It was a great mystery with great atmosphere and with great paranormal presence. It did what a book of this kind is intended to do: let me veg out for a while and escape from day to day life while entertaining me thoroughly. Absolutely enjoyed this book!

I was all set to love this. The haunted, lonely motel setting really appealed to me. I also enjoyed the concept of two people working on solving the same mystery, Viv back in the 1980s (my favorite decade), and her niece Carly picking up the trail in recent times. It started out great and then got boring as heck.

This is a trite story about a serial killer with predictable twists. The ghosts are loosely tied to the main story but otherwise they don't add much other than atmosphere. I would have liked a little more haunting in this haunted motel. There wasn't much to enjoy in terms of the one-note characters either. They displayed nothing more than a surface set of personality traits. (Alma: tough, Marnie: cynical, Viv: brave, Carly: curious. Put all four together and you've almost got a real person.)

There was a lot of unnecessary repetition of information: after Viv solves part of the mystery in the '80s, we then see Carly discovering it again, resulting in plot points being restated. There had to be a better way to convey that Carly had caught up with Viv's discoveries.

The author's take on the '80s didn't ring true for me. The writers version of the 80s didn't evoke the period at all. It was also distracting that multiple characters were incredulous about the notion of a female cop. Even in the pop culture of the late '70s (and probably earlier, this is just as far as my first-hand memories go) there were female cops. I know pop culture isn't reality but it frequently reflects it and sets up what we expect to see.

But it was those words Jenny has said 'don't go on the jogging trail'. words of wisdom from one girl to another. like it could happen again.

Decent and comfy book if you're into the supernatural (specifically ghosts) and murder mystery. I do like that the characters frequently use the libraries (usually for the archives section). Its a kind reminder that libraries are very important, I can't stress that enough. Admittedly, I even learn a few things what a library can provide (besides books) and in which area of a typical library layout that one can find an archive section. There's also many references to horror literature that the characters read (mostly Stephen King) and movies that were popular in the 80s. The writing does very well to hook the reader into the mystery of the missing Viv Delaney and to find out her fate.

There is suspense and horror- the feminine horror; the kind that comes from just being a woman. Often young girls are told not to travel at dark, don't go to places alone or always bring a buddy with you and don't accept rides from strangers. There are many times the book will remind you of those fears and the fictional murders that serves as a cautionary tale as if the tragic fates can happen again to anyone. It's scary how one can easily be one of the murdered or missing victims simply by being at the wrong place at the wrong time while the monster lurks in the shadows without you even knowing. Anyone can be a Viv Delaney; Go to work only to never be seen again.

While I like the book, I did have some gripes about it. There's so much of the main character being written as "not like other girls" that is constantly being rubbed in my face and certain social media sites (Reddit, Twitter) that made me groaned whenever I see those names in ink. Additionally, there is a very weird age gap between the main character (who is 20 years old) and the other character who is 29...that is all I will say. Lastly the plot twist that was there in the town all this time without the main character even noticing.

I've steered clear from “Mystery/Thriller” books as of late. But it feels so good to pick a couple of them up every now and again because its always just a joy to enter into some silly little scenario of a read. These books never require much brain power on my end and it really immerses me that way. And I love when I get pulled in and can't wait to turn over to the next page to see what happens.

Because I don't find myself reading much in this genre I do not have valuable critics regarding this one. I thought it was fun, with a great atmosphere.

I love Simone St. James books! This one might be my favorite. The Sin Down Motel is a powerful character with a tragic history. The 1982 parts feel very accurate as well. There is just a touch of romance that makes you feel happy for our main characters. Every character is unique and memorable, Alma, Marnie, Jamie, Betty, Nick, and of course our 2 narrators. Even Janice and Chris are memorable. Simon is probably in the top 5 of the creepiest, most hated characters I have ever read. So well done!

Dit was onverwacht en ik weet eigenlijk niet of dit nu goed was of niet.
Het genre van dit boek is heel moeilijk vast te pinnen. Het is deels mysterie, deels thriller, deels een paranormaal griezelboek, deels een familiedrama en deels een romance. Hierdoor vond ik de verhaallijn onsamenhangend.

Er waren wel veel goeie elementen, zoals bijvoorbeeld de atmosfeer, vooral in het begin. Maar de impact hiervan werd wat teniet gedaan door de overmatig vele rode haringen, die vooral achteraf bleven knagen, en de anticlimax van een ontknoping. Hoe het vergaat met het motel op het einde vond ik dan wel weer een heel mooie metafoor.

If I had to describe this incredible whirlwind of a book in one word it would be intensely unsettling. I read most of it late at night, since that's when I have the most time to read after putting the kids to bed, and I was stressing and on edge the whole time, afraid something would jump out at me or break into the house. I have read other books that were suspenseful and really creepy in that way before to give me goosebumps but they paled in comparison. It was like a ghost story on crack and I absolutely loved it. I am only sad that it took me so long to finally get to this book because my TBR shelf is exploding at the moment. Only advise I have, try not to read it alone at night because even if you will get scared, you won't be able to stop reading this novel.

First of all, The Sun Down Motel is a story that follows dual timelines, that from the perspective of Viv, a woman who disappeared from her shift at the Sun Down Motel one night a long time ago, and the other one from the present day eyes of Carly- Viv's niece. Carly is determined to find out what happened to her aunt, no matter what, even if the motel and answers are a lot more than she bargained for. This plot was terrific and I loved that it had so many layers to it, just when I thought I had figured out one layer, I would realize that there are tons more where that came from. It was one of the most suspenseful novels I've ever read and the phrase “keeping you on the edge of your seat” really takes on a whole new level with this book and story. It's hard to put into words just how thrilling this book really is, read it for yourself to find out!

Secondly, the characterization was top notch. As I've mentioned in previous reviews of mine, I like complicated people doing messed up things for various dark and twisted reasons and this book delivered in that area like nothing else. We really got into the heads of the two main heroines of the story and even though they made a lot of questionable choices, it was hard not to like them because they were very relatable and bluntly put- human. No cookie cutter characters in this novel, no these people felt so real that it made my anxiety even worse because I was afraid right along with them as the novel unfolded.

Finally, the writing style is terrific. It's not overly simple with short sentences and overly simplistic vocabulary but it's also not too complicated to understand and follow along with the story either. I really grew to love St. James' writing style and will be diving into the other book I have by her very soon. She is definitely an auto-buy author for me now. And those dual timelines were really just masterfully done and it wasn't confusing whatsoever.

In conclusion, this book is a must read for all thriller lovers alike! It's hard for me to imagine someone not loving it since it delivered on such a high level for me and made me understand that I do love ghost stories, if they are done well. If you're looking for a thrilling rollercoaster of a novel that will keep your heart beating at an accelerated pace, this book is definitely for you. Highly recommend!

Part amateur sleuth story, part ghost story...all around entertaining. I liked this book a lot more than I expected to after reading some of the other reviews. The two timelines and the mystery aspects of the book kept my interest, so I read through this one really quickly.

In this story, 20 year old Carly has come to Fell, New York to uncover what happened to her Aunt Vivian, who mysteriously disappeared from the Sun Down Motel in 1982. Fell is an odd town where young women tend to go missing or wind up dead. Both Viv and Carly get sucked into the mystery of the Sun Down Motel and all its secrets. I enjoyed reading about their amateur investigations, even if some of it seems a bit unrealistic. It was fun to watch them discover the details and play along with their sleuthing.

The ghost story aspect of this book is well done. It has just the right amount of creepiness without going over the top. The ghosts of the Sun Down Motel are injected into the story just often enough to make it interesting without consuming the whole story line.

Overall, I feel this story is well crafted and enjoyable to read. If you like a good mystery disappearance and a bit of creepiness, this book is for you.

Rating: 3.88 leaves out of 5Characters: 4/5 Cover: 3.5/5Story: 3.5/5Writing: 4.5/5Genre: Horror/Mystery/ParanormalType: AudiobookWorth?: YesHated Disliked It Was Okay Liked Loved FavoritedThis book was a great mystery/thriller book. As for horror... I would give it a 1/5. Nothing had me feeling chills or scared to sleep with the light off so I was disappointed there but I was really on the edge of my seat. It was an easy read and glad I put it on my horror road trip list!

This one. If you're going to read a murder mystery ghost story, this is the one. It's just so good! Every hour I wasn't working or sleeping in the last 30ish hours were spent reading this book. I loved it.
I loved the ghost aspect, the mystery aspect, the fact that because there were two characters and timelines, there were also two major climax scenes. I couldn't make my eyes move through the words fast enough. I called Callum as soon as he entered the book, but it was all just so well laid out. I want a sequel telling of the 35 years Viv was hiding in plain sight. The amount of genres that were packed into this book is insane. Even an adorable romance.
I already want to read it again to catch the clues I missed in the earlier chapters the first time through.
I have a question though, who pushed Viv in the amenities room? Betty or Henry? I guess I do have to reread it. Oh darn~

The atmosphere the author creates is excellent, the darkness, the loneliness, the smells all come together well. The pacing is good, but it does slow down halfway through, luckily things start moving along again afterward. Many of the relationships felt superficial, and the changing point of view made things confusing for me at times. If you're expecting to get scared or expecting monsters, this will disappoint you. If you enjoy things such as the paranormal, mysteries, crimes, and amateur sleuthing, you'll love this book.

Thirty-five years ago Vivian Delaney disappeared. She checked into her night job at the Sun Down Motel, and never checked out. Carly has always wondered what happened to her aunt as no one in the family would speak of what happened. After Carly's mother passes, she decides to take it upon herself to retrace her aunt's footsteps and see if she can discover what really happened.

Little does Carly know that evil is waiting at the Sun Down Motel...hovering...breathing. Will Carly be able to find out the truth of what happened to her aunt? Or will the evil lurking in the shadows overtake the truth and keep Carly in the dark.

OK so it takes A LOT to scare me or even creep me out. While this didn't scare me it definitely brings on the creepy chills. I worked as a night auditor at a local hotel and while nothing nefarious ever happened it was very uneasy so I FEEL this read

Snooze-Fest: “Sundown Motel” Falls Flat!

“Warning: if you're looking for a horror book that'll keep you up all night, trembling with fear, keep looking! ‘Sundown Motel' by Simone St. James is a ghostly disappointment that'll put you to sleep faster than a glass of warm milk.

The characters? Meh. The plot? Basic. But hey, at least the ghosts... wait, nope! They're just as boring as everything else in this book! I mean, what's the point of having ghosts if they're not going to do anything remotely spooky or interesting? It's like they're just there to decorate the pages with their eerie presence, but ultimately, they're about as scary as a kitten with a ball of yarn.

I was expecting a chilling tale of murder, mayhem, and supernatural shenanigans, but what I got was a snore-fest that failed to deliver on even the most basic horror elements. If you're a fan of predictable, unengaging stories with boring characters and ghostly no-shows, then ‘Sundown Motel' might be the book for you! But if you're looking for actual scares and excitement, keep searching. This one's a dud!”