The Sundown Motel

The Sun Down Motel follows two timelines - one in 1982 with Viv Delaney working as a night clerk at an upstate New York motel, and one in 2017 with her niece Carly Kirk investigating Viv's mysterious disappearance from that same motel. The two women's parallel stories converge as they each uncover dark secrets about the motel and the town of Fell, NY. Both Viv and Carly take night shift jobs at the Sun Down, separated by 35 years but united by their determination to solve a series of unsolved murders of local women. The motel itself becomes a central character, with its flickering lights, strange sounds, and unexplained phenomena that suggest supernatural forces at work. This dual-timeline ghost story combines elements of supernatural horror, true crime, and mystery as it explores themes of justice, family legacy, and the ways violence against women haunts communities across generations. The novel asks what price must be paid to uncover buried truths and what forces - natural or supernatural - might help or hinder that revelation.

Readers describe this book as an atmospheric ghost story that alternates between 1982 and 2017 timelines. Many note they finished it in one or two sittings, unable to put it down. Readers appreciated: - The creepy, tense atmosphere of the motel setting - Strong female protagonists in both timelines - The satisfying connection between past and present mysteries - Effective blend of supernatural and true crime elements Common criticisms: - Slow pacing in the middle sections - Some plot points remain unresolved - Character decisions that seem unrealistic - Too many similarities to the author's other works Ratings: Goodreads: 4.0/5 (200,000+ ratings) Amazon: 4.4/5 (22,000+ ratings) LibraryThing: 4.1/5 (2,000+ ratings) One reader noted: "Like if Scooby Doo grew up and got real dark." Another said: "The ghosts were scarier than the humans, until they weren't."

Home Before Dark by Riley Sager A woman returns to investigate her father's claims about supernatural events in their former house, uncovering connections between past murders and present hauntings.

The Broken Girls by Simone St. James A reporter investigates the ruins of a haunted boarding school where her sister died, revealing connections between a decades-old murder and recent disappearances.

Security by Gina Wohlsdorf The grand opening of a luxury hotel becomes a night of terror as staff members face an unseen killer while being watched through the building's security cameras.

Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia A socialite travels to a remote mansion to investigate her cousin's claims of supernatural horrors, becoming entangled in the dark history of an English family's mining empire.

The Little Stranger by Sarah Waters A country doctor becomes involved with a once-grand family in their decaying mansion, where unexplained events suggest a malevolent presence connected to class dynamics and social change.

🌙 Simone St. James wrote this novel after being inspired by vintage true crime books from the 1970s and 1980s that detailed cases of missing women. 🏨 The author specifically chose 1982 as one timeline setting because it was before the widespread use of cell phones and DNA evidence in criminal investigations. 👻 The novel combines elements of supernatural horror with traditional crime fiction, a signature style that appears in several of St. James' other works. 🔍 The dual-timeline structure (1982/2017) reflects real-world cold cases where unsolved mysteries are reopened decades later due to new evidence or investigative techniques. 📚 The book debuted as an instant New York Times bestseller and was selected as a Book of the Month Club pick in February 2020.