After reading The Sundown Hotel, I was so excited to pick up another book from this author, and I'm pleased to say it didn't disappoint.

The story follows newlyweds Eddie and April, who are on the way to enjoy their honeymoon. However, on the way, they end up lost after taking a wrong turn, and on the route, they find a young girl who has been stabbed. Eddie and April drive her to the local hospital, but sadly, she doesn't make it, and both Eddie and April soon find themselves under suspicion of attacking her. To clear their names, they start their own investigation, but things get intense.

Murder Road is well written, but I did find the pace a little slow in places, but the tense atmosphere made up for the slow pace.

I did work out one of the plot twists quite early on, but it definitely didn't put me off from finishing the book.

One thing that I did find missing was the depth of descriptions. There were plenty of good descriptions, but they just lacked the depth, which I enjoyed very much in The Sundial Hotel.

I thought the characters were well done and thought they developed well as the book progressed. I have to admit there were a couple of characters I didn't like at the beginning, but by the end, I ended up loving them.

This was a great read, although not quite the horror I was expecting. I would describe it more as a murder mystery with a hint of paranormal elements.

I can't wait to pick up more books from this author!!

I would like to thank NetGalley and Michael Joesph, Penguin Random House, for my digital review copy (eARC). These are my honest and unbiased thoughts, and I am sharing them voluntarily.

𝐌𝐮𝐫𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐑𝐨𝐚𝐝 𝐛𝐲 𝐒𝐢𝐦𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐒𝐭 𝐉𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐬
𝐆𝐞𝐧𝐫𝐞: 𝐓𝐡𝐫𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐫
𝐘𝐞𝐚𝐫: 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟒 (𝐓𝐨 𝐁𝐞 𝐑𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝟐𝟖𝐭𝐡 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡)
𝐌𝐲 𝐑𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠: 𝟑.𝟓 ⭐️

Simone St James can pack a punch in a paranormal thriller!

I enjoyed this, especially because it was set in one of my favourite book eras, 1990s. I love it when the MCs have no mobile phone to help themselves.

It has eerie moments and fast paced moments too.

Recommend if you like-
-set in the 90’s
-murder mystery
-paranormal elements
-short chapters
-likeable MCs

I didn’t rate it higher as it was pretty predictable and there weren’t amazing jaw dropping twists BUT I enjoyed it and would recommend it someone wants to bump up their reading goal and wants a nice quick easy read!

Thanks to Netgalley & Penguin Random House for this eArc!

Out March 28th!

What’s your favourite book era?

#bookstagram #books #booksbooksbooks #bookstagram #bookstaghouls #bookstaghoul #thrillerbooks #horrorbooks #netgalley #netgalleyuk #netgalleyreviewer #bookreview #bookish #bookishcontent #books #ilovebooks #bookworm #booklover

A young couple headed on their honeymoon stumble upon an injured girl on a deserted road. A dangerous pursuit ensues and when they get to the hospital they find themselves suspects in her murder. But is this murder linked to others? And is a more sinister force at work?
April and Eddie are great characters, both with complicated backstories. The book started at great pace and then slowed significantly. I found myself craving more action. Unexplained murders have been happening on Atticus Line for years, and dark secrets in the town underpin them. The tale of The Lost Girl is embedded in the minds of the locals. An unidentified young woman found murdered in the 1970s.
The book is unsettling and will definitely appeal to fans of Dean Koontz. Creepy and atmospheric.

Murder Road was enjoyable for the most part.. I will try to review with as minimal spoilers as possible. I feel like the description provided on netgalley doesn’t accurately depict the book you’re getting - it's mostly solving some murders with a dash of supernatural (but really not that much), not run for your life because youre next thrilling horror. I expected more of an eerie atmosphere or frankly more death at least? The actual summaries on goodreads/storygraph paint a better picture, but I hadn't looked at them prior to requesting/reading.

As for the writing: it could do with another proofread, and there were some annoying inconsistencies (like which car was where for example). The book shifted tense annoyingly - ie it varied between the past tense from April's POV, like she was telling this story/writing it (with fourth wall breaks included), right alongside the present mystery/her present moment thoughts and questions. Information about April was hidden from us as though April didn't have all of it herself, but she did and was hiding it from other characters (not that it was surprising, although I'm sure it was meant to be). This got really annoying, especially the shift between 'what's going on, who killed her??' to 'haha I know what happens' and back again, with some flashbacks added in for good measure. If I had to read her rehashing the mystery again or that Eddie had 'gone too deep and she couldn't follow' one more time?! And did you know it was their honeymoon?? It's hard to miss bc they never say it /s.

I can't say much about the reveal of the killer without spoiling it but the main mystery was SO OBVIOUS and then there's just a nice random person who's never been mentioned before the end to tie everything up in a bow. Except there's still questions. I also desperately need Trish to have an MRI - why did no one get her an MRI?? Tell her to go to the doctors?? Anything? (Leaving her alone bc she seems fine is not the happy ending you think it is). Otherwise, a lot of the mystery was easy - everyone they spoke to told them something, clues were found easily, and there's a lot of people willing to help these two strangers accused of murder - sleuth sisters, a woman with a not great bnb business, ghosts, you name it. It all just went a little too smoothly (although I doubt their bowel movements did, their diet did not seem great - I think there was 1 salad and 1 banana (covered in ice cream)). And WHO just leaves a house open for anyone to use and never checks on it?

I think if this was sold to me as a murder mystery, maybe I'd enjoy it more, but it's not what I was expecting. The inconsistencies in writing were annoying but not a complete deal breaker. Overall, I just wanted more. Other than the character who popped up at the end, it was all really obvious and I guessed the crux from the off. If you like murder mysteries with a supernatural element, that's 90% focused on past murders, then you will probably like this. I wanted blood and terror. I wanted desperate survival. A trend of merciless killings, with maybe a gorey opener. Not 'oh hitchhikers have been killed on this dark tree-lined road for decades and sometimes there's a light in the trees that is a ghost'. I just wanted more.

Thank you to netgalley for the arc.

Definitely my favourite from this author so far! Enjoyed the supernatural elements and was just the right amount of creepy-that dark room scene especially. Also really enjoyed some of the side characters as well - Rose and the Snell sisters.

Thank you to net galley for providing an ecopy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

“The oldest and strongest emotion of mankind is fear, and the oldest and strongest kind of fear is fear of the unknown”
― H.P. Lovecraft, Supernatural Horror in Literature

It’s July 1995, and newly weds April and Eddie Carter are travelling to their honeymoon destination, but they take a wrong turn and end up lost on a dark and lonely road late at night. Ahead of them, a woman is picked out by the beam of the headlights, and it’s clear that she’s in some kind of trouble.

Eddie stops the car, and when the woman gets in, she’s absolutely covered in blood - and this folks is only the beginning of a long and terrifying story that will have April and Eddie question everything they have ever believed in!

I have to say that this was a really creepy story - the kind of unsettling story that’s told around a campfire on a dark night, far away from civilisation, the wind eerily moaning through the treetops. If you enjoy a touch of the supernatural with your murder mysteries, then you’ll love this one. Join April and Eddie on their ride from hell - if you dare!

This book was fantastic! I absolutely loved the fast paced thrill ride some of the scenes took me on and I found myself wanting to pick it up and carry on so often! Just to find out what The Lost Girl's story was.. and I wasn't actually convinced she would be who she was in the end! But as soon as the story started to unravel a bit more, I loved how it came together.
There were a couple of dangling threads that I would preferred to be tied up, hence the 4 stars.

Definitely will be looking out for more Simone St. James going forwards! 📖

I've heard such incredible reviews of this authors books. So when I saw this on NetGalley I just had to request it.

I thought this book was so good. It follows Eddie and Eddie who are traveling to a cabin for their honeymoon. They unfortunately take a wrong turn and end up on Atticus Line. They come across a woman walking alone at night. They decide to give her a lift, only to then realise she has been stabbed. They rush her to the nearest hospital and unfortunately she dies and they are the number one suspects.

They end up trying to solving numerous crimes that have happened on Atticus Lane whilst also trying to prove their innocence.

This book was so fast paved, the supernatural.element was chilling. I was gripped from the first page, it was extremely twisty towards the end and the story line was really gripping. It did feel like a muder mystery to me.

I highly recommended.

Thank you to Netgalley and the author for sending me an e book version of this book.

This was an interesting read that started out as a murder thriller and turned into a ghost story. The main characters, who both have difficult back stories, end up lost on a road where they find a critically ill woman who’s been stabbed. When she dies the police see Eddie and April as suspects. She’s not the first woman to die on the murder road.
The following investigation reveals secrets they have kept from another and secrets within the community that have been kept for decades.
It was an enjoyable read and I liked the supernatural aspect which is unique. I will definitely look at this author again.
Thanks to Michael Joseph, Penguin Random house and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
#MurderRoad #NetGalley

This was an interesting read that started out as a murder thriller and turned into a ghost story. The main characters, who both have difficult back stories, end up lost on a road where they find a critically ill woman who’s been stabbed. When she dies the police see Eddie and April as suspects. She’s not the first woman to die on the murder road.
The following investigation reveals secrets they have kept from another and secrets within the community that have been kept for decades.
It was an enjoyable read and I liked the supernatural aspect which is unique. I will definitely look at this author again.
Thanks to Michael Joseph, Penguin Random house and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
#MurderRoad #NetGalley

I like this writer but I always tell myself I won't read anymore. She freaks me out haha . Great story and chilling. Not for the faint hearted. There's something awful about empty roads at night. When you get lost. Plays on fears familiar to everyone. Yup - a good one. I will remain behind sofa with music on for some time however

It all started with a honeymoon, a wrong turning and a hitchhiker. Then they find them selves involved in a murder investigation. Though they are much more involved than I ever could have imagined. I was addicted to this book and read it in one day. I really enjoyed it and would like to read more from this author.

Arc review 👻

4.5 stars

This got me out of my book slump 🎉

Okay, omg. I’m so so excited and happy that I kindly received an arc copy on netgalley!

Simone st James is one of my favourite thriller authors. The stories get me EVERYTIME! This is up there as one of my favourites alongside “the sundown motel”.

This is a creepy thriller set in the 90s, a couple just married are travelling on their honeymoon when they get lost and end up on a road that is know for being haunted by The Lost girl….

I was soo freaked out the entire time, I couldn’t stop reading.

Highly recommend this when it releases, I had such a fun time reading it!

First of all I would just like to thank NetGalley, Simone St. James and Michael Joseph for an ARC of "Murder Road” in exchange for an honest review.

This was such an intriguing premise and I do love a good ghost story. This is a hauntingly tense thriller/horror, with an abundance of murder mystery.

I enjoyed this book. The plot was well executed and the actual horror elements delivered the creep factor that I went into this hoping for. It kept me guessing until the end and there are multiple red herrings to lead you astray throughout.

The end fell slightly flat for me and I found some plot points to not be integral or relevant to the ongoing narrative. However, it doesn’t change the fact that this is a solid thriller that will constantly keep you on the edge of your seat and second guessing everything that you’ve read.

I would definitely recommend this to thriller/horror fans in need of a good ghost-centric mystery.

This book was creepy and strange and had me hooked! It's not very often books gibe me the jumps but this one had a couple of moments! Well worth a read!

I was pretty excited about this book and it started off quite good but I soon lost interest. It was too slow for me and I guess it built up the atmosphere but it didn’t work as well. Not for me.

I am a big fan of this author so I had high expectations of this book, and I am happy to say that I wasn't disappointed. The book is set in the 1990's, and starts with newlyweds pulling over to help someone on the side of the road on a deserted highway en route to their honeymoon. Things go badly awry from there. The writing was pacy and it's a cracking story which swept me along, I read it in one sitting. I would recommend this for readers who like a hefty dose of the supernatural .

I'm a huge fan of this author and this is the best book yet! I flew through this, was utterly captivated from the first page, brilliant well paced page turner!

I was eager to dive into "Murder Road" by Simone St. James, drawn in by the supernatural and spooky horror premise. Unfortunately, I found the writing somewhat immature, forced in its attempt to capture the 90s vibe, ultimately falling flat. The advanced reader copy I received as an e-book had missing letters, particularly the letter 'F,' making it challenging to decipher words and hindering the overall reading experience. As someone with a criminology background, the portrayal of police officers in the book did not align with my understanding, possibly due to my legal knowledge. While this book might not have resonated with me, I will continue exploring Simone St. James's other works, as I have enjoyed them.

I want to thank NetGalley and the publisher for this advance copy, I appreciate it.

First of all I would like to say congratulations to Simone on her new book! Regardless of my opinions or views on a book, I am always amazed at authors creativity and ability to write- it is something that I could never do!

I really hate to say this but I just did not enjoy this book unfortunately 😔 I loved the premise and was super excited during the first 20%, but after that it fell quite flat for me personally! This definitely felt more like a slow burn book which wouldn’t have been an issue at all had there been a bit more atmosphere and a bit more of a creepy build up. I did unfortunately struggle to get through this and, by the end, I just didn’t care. I also did not feel any sort of connection to the characters, although I did enjoy the small part of learning about their backgrounds.

Although a strong premise, this book just isn’t for me! However, I will be certainly be reading more books by Simone St James and I have already purchased The Sun Down Motel which I am very excited for!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for the Arc, it is very much appreciated 🫶🏼