Genre: Mystery, Thriller
Series: N/A
Audiobook
Publication: February 18, 2020 by Penguin Audio
Source: Personal Library
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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…
Damn, this book was good. Without a doubt better than any TV or movie running right now on Hulu or Netflix. In my continuous endeavor to read outside my genre I stumbled upon The Sun Down Motel on the internet and was immediately captivated by the synopsis. I’m all for creepy supernatural unsolved mystery thrillers.
The Sun Down Motel spans thirty-five years and two generations. The story is narrated by Viv Delany, a young adult working at The Sun Down Motel in 1982 and Carly Kirk, Viv’s niece in 2017. When Viv went missing in 1982 without a trace, it left an indelible mark on her family. Years later, her niece Carly looking for answers travels to Fell, New York hoping to learn more about the aunt she never met and her disappearance.
I’ve never been a fan of flashbacks/forwards, but St. James made it work flawlessly. I didn’t have any issue following the different timeline or narrator. Readers follow both protagonists in their search for truth. And the biggest enigma of all; What exactly happened to Viv Delany in November 1982? I loved that both narration was a self contained story as the novel began but as the story unfolded you couldn’t mistake the eerie similarity between the two women and how Carly’s path started to mirror her aunt’s. St. James sprinkled clues throughout the entire book from the past to present then eventually weaving both timeline together for an explosive and shocking ending that I didn’t see coming. It was satisfying and pure genius.
Without going into spoiler territory, The Sun Down Motel deals with triggering topics such as the sexual harassment/abuse, mistreatment and prejudice that constantly plague women. As a women myself, I’m well aware of the fears and concerns women have on a daily basis on just being out in the world alone. That any time and any place it can go left and become dangerous. This book shows us that. Despite the times, whether we’re in the early 80’s or late 2000s… not much has changed. The potential for danger is still there, lurking beneath the surface. St. James encapsulates those feeling perfectly.
As I mentioned before, there’s a supernatural element to the novel. However, it was subtle enough to not overwhelm the story nor categorize it as ‘paranormal fantasy’. It was a harmonious balance to the mystery. I had the pleasure of listening to this as an audio-book and the cast was fantastic. It delivered on the chill factor with goosebumps and spine-tinges. Caution if reading/listening a night.
All in all, The Sun Down Motel hit all the high notes and exceeded my expectations. One of my top reads so far this year. I highly, highly recommend checking out The Sun Down Motel, it won’t disappoint!
