𝘛𝘩𝘳𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘳 • 𝘗𝘢𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘰𝘳𝘮𝘢𝘭 • 𝘔𝘺𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘺
𝘈𝘙𝘊 𝘗𝘶𝘣 𝘋𝘢𝘵𝘦: 5 March 2023

This was an unputdownable thriller. I had heard so many good things about Simone St. James and now I know why. The spooky, creepy vibes were on point. A series of murders on a deserted road in the middle of nowhere. A young newlywed couple with secrets. Flashbacks and visions. A haunted road. A deserted beach. A serial killer. Vivid scenes. The mystery kept me guessing for the whole ride down Murder Road. All will be revealed over time. I fell into the book and was right there with them in the car, driving down a deserted lonely road, to the middle of nowhere. I’m not usually a thriller reader but I will be adding Simone St. James’ prior novels to my TBR. I have heard great things about both The Sundown Motel and The Book of Cold Cases.

𝘈 𝘩𝘶𝘨𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘵𝘰 @berkleypub 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘨𝘪𝘧𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘤𝘰𝘱𝘺 𝘸𝘩𝘪𝘤𝘩 𝘳𝘦𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘦𝘴 𝘔𝘢𝘳𝘤𝘩 5!

𝘚𝘺𝘯𝘰𝘱𝘴𝘪𝘴 -
April and Eddie have taken a wrong turn when they spot what appears to be a lone hitchhiker. But not long after the hitchhiker gets into their car, they see blood seeping from her jacket. When she dies, April and Eddie find themselves in the crosshairs of the police as the cops finally have two witnesses — who easily become their only suspects.

Many thanks to @berkleypub and @netgalley for my #gifted (free) copy.

I am not a huge paranormal fan, but anything @simonestjames writes is a must-read for me. Her writing just pulls me in. I absolutely loved that this book was set in the 1990s. It was perfect!

Newleweds April and Eddie are on their way to a cabin off Lake Michigan for their honeymoon. Eddie accidentally takes a wrong turn onto Atticus Lane, and they spot a hitchhiker. They decide to offer her a ride but they realize she is full of blood, so they rush her to the hospital, but she doesn't make it, and now April and Eddie are suspects in her murder. This is definitely a page turner that I definitely recommend.

April and Eddie have their honeymoon thoroughly derailed when they pick up a young female hitchhiker who is bleeding profusely from a stab wound. They race to a nearby hospital, but it's too late to save her, and now April and Eddie are suspects in her murder. Something seems off in this town, as the detectives are eager to pin the crime on the young couple, but murders have been happening along this stretch of road for more than twenty years. Can April and Eddie figure out what's really going on in time to save their own necks?

Simone St. James is the queen of paranormal thrillers. I have yet to read one of her books and not love it! This one was, per usual, super gripping and kept me flipping pages to the very end. April and Eddie are well-developed characters for a thriller, and their backstories were interesting additions to the plot. Rose was probably my favorite character, and I loved her story and her ending as well. Overall, I loved this read, and I highly recommend it if you're into ghosts and thrillers!

A true Simone St. James style paranormal mystery that had me at the edge of my seat and at times a little afraid of the dark - just the way I like it 👻

Two dueling mysteries - the mystery of Atticus Line (aka Murder Road) as well as the mystery of April and Eddie and each of their sordid pasts. As witnesses to yet another victim in the long line of women missing along the road, they find themselves to also be the only suspects. Taking us on a hunt along with April and Eddie to find the truth behind the disappearances before they end up being accused themselves. This mystery ends up being deeper than expected, and with connections that seem a little too coincidental 👀

Simone St. James is one of my favorite mystery authors, and this book is right up toward the top of hers for me! I really enjoyed the plot, the characters, and the twists at the end. And the spook level of this one was just right to make me want to read with the lights on, making it all the more fun!

Thank you to Berkley Publishing Group and NetGalley for my eARC in exchange for an honest review! This one is out this week AND a BOTM add-on this month, I highly recommend for the mystery and paranormal lovers out there!

When I recognized this book as being authored by Simone St. James, I had to pick it up. I had read [book:The Sun Down Motel|45885644] previously and loved it. Also, I like to read stories about crime.

Description:
July 1995. April and Eddie have taken a wrong turn. They’re looking for the small resort town where they plan to spend their honeymoon. When they spot what appears to be a lone hitchhiker along the deserted road, they stop to help. But not long after the hitchhiker gets into their car, they see the blood seeping from her jacket and a truck barreling down Atticus Line after them.

When the hitchhiker dies at the local hospital, April and Eddie find themselves in the crosshairs of the Coldlake Falls police. Unexplained murders have been happening along Atticus Line for years and the cops finally have two witnesses who easily become their only suspects. As April and Eddie start to dig into the history of the town and that horrible stretch of road to clear their names, they soon learn that there is something supernatural at work, something that could not only tear the town and its dark secrets apart, but take April and Eddie down with it all.

My Thoughts:
This story held quite a few surprises as April and Eddie's honeymoon turns into a nightmare. These unexplained murders happening on the same road with the supernatural legend surrounding them was creepy. Why weren't any of these murders solved? The story kept me engrossed and flipping the pages to see what would happen. The story has a creepy vibe - especially with the paranormal elements. The characters are well drawn and the plot moved at a good pace. I will certainly be looking forward to the next book St. James creates.

Thanks to Berkley Publishing Group through Netgalley for an advance copy. Expected publication on March 5, 2024.

I was instantly drawn into this storyline but after a few eye roll moments I knew that I was going to be annoyed if I continued. The repeated "something has happened to me but I'm not going to say what it is" references by the female MC were to frequent. The "this couple has secrets" aspect was annoying too because of course this couple is going to have secrets--they've only known each other a couple months!

this is going to be short and sweet because the less you know before going into it, the better.

It's horror-ish
It's a thriller
It's bingeable (and yes I did binge it in 1 sitting)
and it is creepy AF

THIS is what a thriller should be like when it is marketed as a thriller. Not what I've been seeing lately where it's suspense (and then I get disappointed when I read it)...this is a good old fashion, keep the hairs at the back of your neck up, don't read at night thriller.

Loved it. Best Book I read in February

Chills! Absolute to-the-bone chills!😬

It’s 1995 and April and Eddie are on their honeymoon after a whirlwind romance. They just knew they were meant for each other. Perhaps a bit bent, yet fit together like peanut butter and jelly. They’ve booked four nights at a small lakeside hotel in Michigan. Road trip!

After waking from a nap during the car ride Eddie informs April that they’re hopelessly lost on this seemingly deserted road. No cars in sight. But up ahead is a lone woman walking along the side of the road. Being genuinely good people they cannot just drive past her.

Pulling off the side of the road to check on this mysterious wanderer they quickly realize something is seriously wrong. She’s covered in blood! Can they somehow find a hospital and get her help in time? Is the person responsible still close by?

I love how the storyline takes place in the 90’s. The author adds enough realistic detail to place you in that decade without bombarding you with so much 90’s trivia that it distracts from the story.

As with all books by Simone St James there’s a supernatural element to her storylines.👻Perhaps this book displayed that the most out of all her books. But not to worry my fellow scaredy cats! If I can get through this one you will too! (Just keep the lights on) JK!😉

But seriously, this book did give me spine tingling chills! Hope it does the same for you!

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group

Another spooky paranormal thriller from Simone St. James! And this one was pretty terrifying. I listened to the audiobook and as the narrator would whisper, I would literally get chills. I found when I was home alone I didn't want to go into the basement by myself in case the lost girl was waiting down there! I really liked the main character April and the side characters Eddie and Rose. They all had compelling back stories that affected their current situation. The story was truly enthralling and I read it in just a single day. Highly recommend this one if you've liked Simone St. James previous works!

Thank you to Penguin Random House and NetGalley for my gifted digital advance reader copy.

Simone St. James is BACK with her new novel, MURDER ROAD, set in the mid-90s. Newlyweds April and Eddie are driving to their honeymoon destination, a remote resort town, when Eddie takes a wrong turn. As they attempt to navigate back to the highway, they discover a hitchhiker and offer her a lift. When the woman gets into Eddie and April's car, they realize she is seriously injured. They bring her to a hospital where she later dies. Proving that no good deed goes unpunished, April and Eddie become the focus of local law enforcement who believe that the couple murdered the woman. Desperate to clear their names, April and Eddie realize that the unnamed hitchhiker is not the only person to have fallen victim to violence on Atticus Line.

Simone St. James books are always a treat, and this one was no exception. This one has it all in spades- mystery, supernatural elements, small town drama, and 90s nostalgia. It's kind of (and I mean no offense to Mr. Sager) everything I wished SURVIVE THE NIGHT was. St. James had me hooked from the start and I raced along to the conclusion, eager to solve the mystery of creepy old Atticus Line along with April and Eddie. I think some of the reveals were predictable, but I was still able to suspend disbelief and enjoy this one.

April and Eddie are just trying to get to their honeymoon spot. But then they pick up a hitchhiker and everything changes in an instant. Soon, they realize the hitchhiker is bleeding, and a mysterious truck is following them.

The Coldlake Falls police immediately suspect April and Eddie, but the couple knows there must be more going on here. There’s a legend surrounding that road, and they are determined to figure out the truth.

I always enjoy St. James’ books-she does a great job of mixing human nature, mystery, and the supernatural and paranormal. This is definitely a creepy eerie read, with a powerful ending. I would recommend this book, and St. James’ other books as well.

Simone St. James once again deliver a thrilling ghost story, this time centering a couple on a honeymoon and ghosts not contained within a house. I love the unusual aspect of a couple who loves each other and works together throughout the novel. The antagonist couples in so many thrillers today is exhausting and played out. Simone St. James gave us something fresh. As a GenX person, I also loved the setting and revisiting not just the aesthetic of the 1990s, but the sense of isolation that came with the extreme independence we had as a generation. We had life skills, but struggled to connect with others or process our own feelings. She captures that so well. Highly recommend!

This was so good and SO creepy!! This book grabbed my attention from the start and held it the entire way through. I was thinking about this book when I wasn’t reading it and couldn’t wait to dive back in when I had the chance. It takes a lot for thrillers to creep me out, but this one did and made me lose sleep. This story kept me on the edge of my seat, had my heart racing, and gave me the chills while waiting to see where it would go. The only thing that kept this from being a 5-star read is that there was one thing I felt like didn’t get answered towards the end.

✨ supernatural thriller that will creep you out and make you want to sleep with the lights on
✨ blending of paranormal elements with reality
✨ complex, multi-layered characters
✨ VERY interesting/unique mysteries that all end up being connected
✨ cold case
✨ a book you can easily binge in a few sitting - fast-paced & short chapters

Simone St. James is the queen of thrillers and I stand by that. Murder road was exceptional, i could NOT put it down for the life of me. I had to know what happened.

I really enjoy Simone St. James’ work. This one felt like a classic ghost story with a little bit of a twist. Eddie and April are on their honeymoon. April didn’t expect to get married but she loves Eddie and doesn’t mind that they are going to a tiny resort in a town no one has heard of for their honeymoon. After taking a wrong turn they come across a woman walking on the road looking confused. They convince her they can take her to the nearest hospital so she gets into their car, and then they realize she has been stabbed and is bleeding badly. The girl dies and April and Eddie are the prime suspects. But quickly they discover this isn’t the first hitchhiker to die and they become obsessed with solving the original murder. I liked that this story was set in the 90’s so there were no cell phones or google so the mystery took some work to get solved. This was a fun story. I didn’t find the twists as twist as I wanted, but the haunted feeling was dead on.

Simone St. James is one of those atmospheric authors of creepy tales that I love. Y’all know I’m the biggest wimp when it comes to scary so she is just about the most I can handle before I’m calling my mama. 😂 This story was no exception. She starts the book off with a bang and I was immediately thrust into terror. 😆 I was pretty much on the edge of my seat the whole time. I was not successful in figuring out the whodunnit but I enjoyed the journey. I did have some questions about the ending but overall this was a page turner!

Murder Road is out 3/5/24 so be sure to pick it up in pub day and let me know what you think! I also recommend the audio of this because the narration contributing to the creepy factor!

Newlyweds on their way to their honeymoon, come across a woman on the side of the road. When they pick her up she has been stabbed and dies before they get her to the hospital. Instantly, Eddie and April become the prime suspects.

The storyline contains a lot of suspense with a few twists and turns. Enjoyed the mystery, not necessarily the science fiction thrown in. Overall, great novel, kept my attention and I couldn’t put it down.

I really enjoyed this story. The chapters were short. The pacing was steady but I did feel some parts in the middle were a little bit slow. I do like the way everything was resolved. I didn't expect that twist at all and I legit gasped. This book would be a great spooky season read.

I think this is the third or fourth title by this author I have tried. They just don't do it for me. The twists seem too obvious and the whole will it be a paranormal cause or not is just wearisome. Almost horror? but comes across more of a caricature of the genre. This author is just not for me.

Who is killing the hitchhikers on Atticus Line and will our honeymooning couple be their next victim ? Or will they solve the mystery and clear their name ?

With a blend of supernatural elements and suspense, this gripping tale with unexpected twists will have you turning those pages late into the night !