Phoebe is a solo traveler and van life influencer, exploring western Australia in what is called the big lap. But in the midst of her travels, she goes missing. After a year of hearing nothing, her sister Katy gets a van and starts following her sister’s trail on social media, doing her own investigation.
I enjoyed following Katy on her adventure through different WA locations in search of her sister. I also enjoyed taking a look at what van life is like, since my knowledge on both fronts are really limited.
I found this book to be a bit of a slow burn, unfortunately, so it took me longer than usual to get into it and get through it.
I thought the different perspectives helped make the book more dimensional. Katy meets someone who is caught on a darker side of van lifing. We get to learn about Beth from her perspective as well as another character named Wyatt, whose mother went missing when on the road. We also get to see some of Phoebe’s social media posts.

I have completed this book but as it is published by an imprint of St. Martin's Press I will be withholding my thoughts until they respond to the boycott.

Red River Road is an atmospheric, intense thriller. The main characters have a multitude of issues - searching for a lost sister and hiding from attackers. The twist, turning story turns more and more bizarre as the story unfolds. Great for lovers of suspense stories.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the opportunity to read this ARC.

As a big Jane Harper fan, I was excited to dive into another Australian mystery novel. As the title indicates, this one unfolds mostly on the road in a van carrying two passengers: Beth, an elusive woman on the run, and Katy who is searching for her sister Phoebe that went missing a few months ago. Told in alternating voices and chapters, it becomes clear pretty early on that neither protagonists is who she says she is. To make matters worse, unsettling events unfold during their search pointing to a stalker leaving breadcrumbs of Phoebe's whereabouts. I thought this was a decent book with plenty of eeriness and overall sense of unease. The final reveal was disappointing to me, mostly because I think this theme/angle is a bit outdated for 2024. I'll be curious to read others' reviews to see if they felt the same way.

Whew- this was a whirlwind ride! A year earlier, Kate Sweeney's sister disappeared while doing a solo van trip around the Australian Coral Coast. Kate decides to follow the trip her sister made up until she disappeared to try and discover what happened. She uses her sisters Instagram account to follow. Her sister was a big influencer, and documented her trip on her feed.

This story is so well written. The pace is fast. There are many trailing events that the author brings together for a fantastic and somewhat eerie conclusion. The characters are so interesting. I felt I got to know each character- what motivated them, their fears, anxieties. I also really liked the build up in the relationship between Kate, "Beth", and eventually Wyatt. The tension racks up as Kay suspects she is being followed. I liked the grayish area of "Beth";s history, and was blown away when all was revealed! And- the ending makes sense! YAY!!!!!

The atmosphere was out of this world! I love to road trip and camp, but have never wanted to do it alone! Although the area was described beautifully, the author does a fantastic job of also adding a sense of darkness/creepiness. From suspecting she is being followed, to not knowing who to trust- this is a twisty, edge of your seat read! I highly recommend!!

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martins Press/Minotaur Books for this outstanding ARC! This is my honest review.

Complex and intense mystery that grabs on and won't let go. Lies within lies and secrets everywhere - just when you think you figured something out, bam! Definite must for mystery and suspense fans.

Red River Road by Anna Downes is a gripping tale of a road trip gone awry. This fast-paced suspense novel takes readers on a thrilling journey that culminates in a resolution that is both terrifying and shocking. Downes skillfully turns our expectations on their head, leaving us questioning everything we thought we knew.

I really enjoyed this thriller. It definitely kept me guessing - I never knew what character to trust or who was telling the truth. It had some surprises and a great twist at the end. Thanks to NetGalley for the digital ARC.

I do not plan on reviewing this book publicly because I DNF. It read like a very suspenseful thriller and I am certain that others may enjoy this book. For me, it was just not the style I like in mysteries. There was a lot of telling about the different characters and I prefer more description of thoughts and emotions and for characters to be revealed in their actions and conversations. Thank you for the opportunity to read the advance eARC. I really appreciate it even if the book was not right for me.

5 stars
This book was very entertaining from the jump. In this book you are following three perspectives, Katy a woman who's sister (Phoebe) has gone missing and she is trying to solve what happened to her, Beth a woman who was in an abusive relationship and is trying to stay safe, and Wyatt a young teen who's hearing/seeing things and struggling with his family dynamics. In this book, Katy sets off on van life trying to uncover the mystery of her sister's disappearance and ends up in a much bigger mess than she bargained for.
Overall this story was great from the van life portrayal, relationship dynamics, the characters, how the story ties together, and at tying in mental health related issues. Thank you to Netgalley and Minotour Books New York for providing me with the ARC of this book!

The blurb of this book initially intrigued me, but unfortunately, I found myself struggling to continue reading. The beginning was a bit slow and confusing, and by the time things picked up, I just wasn't invested in the overall storyline as it took a bit too long to pick up.

I did find myself wanting to finish this book, as some of the experiences and events were fascinating and kept me turning the pages, eager to uncover what was happening next. Yet, I often found myself confused with some of the details and although I can see why the author kept a lot of things vague to produce an air of mystery, it felt a bit too vague at times.

The pacing in the first half was particularly challenging. It felt like a puzzle with pieces that didn’t quite fit together until much later, which made it difficult to form a connection with the characters and the plot. The buildup, though eventually rewarding, required more patience than I anticipated.

Despite these challenges, there were moments of brilliance. The author's ability to craft vivid scenes is undeniable. There were passages that truly shone, offering glimpses of the potential the story had. For readers who enjoy a slow burn and don’t mind a bit of initial confusion for the sake of a rich, detailed payoff, this book might be a gem. In the latter half, when the storyline began to click into place, I did find myself more invested. The plot twists and character developments added layers that were compelling. The ending provided a satisfying resolution that almost made up for the slow start.

Overall, while this book wasn’t entirely my cup of tea, I can see its appeal. It has the potential to captivate those who appreciate a complex, slowly unfolding narrative. I do hope it finds the right readers who can fully appreciate its unique style and intricate plot. If you enjoy a story that challenges you to piece it together and rewards patience with depth and emotion, this book might just be worth your time.

This was a twisty, page turning, psychological thriller. I loved it and couldn't put it down. It's incredibly atmospheric taking place in Australia, and the reader struggles to trust our two MCs. I really appreciated the dual POV, and the storyline had me hooked from the beginning. (A woman takes time off to explore Australia solo and her Instagram posts of her adventures suddenly stop, her sister begins investigating to find out what happened to her.) Thank you NetGalley and Minotaur Books for the digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

From the blurb I really thought this book was going to be a great fit for me but unfortunately I found myself struggling to get through the first half of this book. The beginning was a bit slow and confusing for me and by the time things got more interesting I just wasn't that invested in the overall storyline.
While the writing style wasn't for me personally I do hope this book finds its intended audience.

"Red River Road" is a surprisingly good slow burn of a mystery.

Katy Sweeney is determined to find her sister, Phoebe, who disappeared a year ago on Western Australia's coral coast. With little to go on besides Phoebe's social media posts, Katy's journey is filled with tension and eerie encounters. Along the way, she meets Beth, a woman on the run, adding complexity to her search. The book is atmospheric and unsettling, providing a creepy vibe throughout. The narrative includes multiple points of view, enhancing the story's depth. Although the book has a slow burn pace, it remains engaging, keeping readers intrigued. One major plot twist is predictable, but the story still offers surprising moments. "Red River Road" is well-written and could be a great candidate for a movie adaptation.
I would love to see more from Anna Downes
4 stars

I found myself absolute lost in this book. A captivating tale with unforgettable characters. Strongly recommend. Will pick up her other books.

Gave this one a try based on the excerpt in the Minotaur Sampler, but it didn't hold my interest as much as the other two I read from that sampler.

Thanks to Minotaur and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read an advance copy.

3.5 rounded up to 4.
I really liked the overall premise of this book and loved read about Australia and vanlife. The beginning is pretty slow and it took me a little bit to get into it. The twist was pretty big one for me where I was in shock. I don’t feel like the ending was really done well though. When talking about Pheobe and her relationship with Lucas and Wyatt it was hard to know the timeframe of what was happening. Almost needed like a disclaimer of before and after. Overall some gaps but a good mystery book

This story intrigued me and I couldn’t wait to dive in and give it a read. I have mixed feelings after reading. It is fascinating the experiences and did keep me reading wanting to know what was happening. I also found it confusing at times and found my mind moving. I really enjoyed another story so I will continue to give this author a shot with each release. Grab this one and check it out for yourself.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!

This was a great read overall. We follow two women who have troubling pasts as they try to work together to find a missing person in Australia. I enjoyed the setting and I was hooked right away. I also liked the inclusion of all the Instagram posts throughout the book. I thought these added to the story in a unique way. Parts of the book were confusing to me though—mostly because of the several various names (I won’t say much else to refrain from giving spoilers). I also didn’t like the slow burn of the novel. There were parts that dragged in the middle, but I did love how things were wrapped up in the end! And that final line!! Overall, I would recommend this one, especially those who like slow burns!

Thank you to NetGalley, Anna Downes, and Minotaur Books for allowing me to read a free ebook in exchange for an honest review.

This was more of a thriller and less of a mystery than I was expecting. Given the beautiful cover and the travel content, I expected the book to have great descriptions of the Australian Outback scenery. Many places are mentioned but the descriptions are a couple of words or a sentence. The primary reason I picked this title is that I wanted to "see" the scenery through the author's words.. The back and forth between the main characters left me often confused rather than curious. All in all, I decided to stop reading at 19%.

If thrillers are your go-to genre, you may enjoy this book more than I did but if you want something deeper, keep looking.