The Sun Down Motel by Simone St. James

Rating: 4 of 5 stars
Pages: 336 pages
Published: February 2020

I don't even like ghost stories or the paranormal, but I absolutely loved The Sun Down Motel by Simon St. James. It was my first book from BOTM club, and it did not disappoint. I devoured this book every free moment I had over the course of six days. I would have finished sooner, but alas I have a full-time job.

The book vacillates between 1982 and 2017 where Carly, in the more present time, is working as an amateur sleuth to solve the mystery of her aunt who, Viv, who vanished without a trace more than 30 years earlier. In her attempt to find the truth, Carly takes on the life that her aunt lived those many years ago in a town that really hadn't changed as much since the 80s. The atmosphere is spooky, and the hotel that both Viv and Carly work(ed) at is the center of a lot of paranormal activity.

The author did a fabulous job of creating suspense, mystery, intrigue, and fear with her literary devices. I would be lying if I told you I didn't get a little uncomfortable reading some of the passages. The writing was so engaging that there were times when I had to close the book because I was home, alone, at night. My only criticism is that, even with the decades time difference, I sometimes had difficulty discerning if I, as the reader, was reading about what happened in 1982 or 2017. Each chapter did have a label at the beginning that identified the time period and perspective (Viv's or Carly's), but once I turned the page and was deep into one chapter I'd sometimes forget. This may have been intentional by the author to demonstrate how the town of Fell, New York was still stuck in the past.

Recommendation: Overall, I enjoyed this book and think that my new BOTM membership will be well worth the money paid. I don't even like ghost stories ... until I did. Thanks to BOTM and Ms. St. James for opening me to a new genre!

Until next time ... Read on!

Regardless of whether I purchase a book, borrow a book, or receive a book in exchange for review, my ultimate goal is to be honest, fair, and constructive. I hope you've found this review helpful.