Oooh this book is so creepy and suspenseful! I know it’s early in the year, but I’m predicting this will be in my top five of 2024.

Phoebe Sweeney is a young lady who gets some wanderlust and decides to get into #vanlife. She starts an Instagram account, “PheebsInWonderland”, and is documenting her solo journey through The Big Lap - a giant loop around Australia, starting and ending in Perth. We follow her Instagram posts/comments as the book goes on, and one commenter in particular posts some pretty creepy things…

After a few weeks, her posts stop and her family can’t reach her. Phoebe often goes off grid, but they’ve never gone this long without contact. The police get involved, but they come up with nothing - no traces of Phoebe, no sightings of her van, and no witnesses. It’s considered a cold case - just another woman gone missing in the massive state of Western Australia.

Her sister Katy, despite being someone who is scared of this kind of travel, decides to get a van and follow her sister’s social media posts, trying to find any clues or people who may know something. She begins her journey, but as she’s taking a break at the side of the road, someone sneaks into her van.

Beth (who calls herself Lily) is soon found hiding in the van, and after the initial screaming and shock wears off, Katy listens to her story- well, at least Beth’s version of her story. She says her name is Lily, and she’s an American who was also traveling around Australia, but she was attacked and all of her belongings were taken. She’s injured, she has no ID, no money, not even any clothes. Katy relents and lets “Lily” join her on her quest to find her sister.

The book is written from the perspective of three people: Katy, Beth and Wyatt, a 15-year-old boy with a troubled home life. His mother is also a #vanlifer who’s gone missing, and his big brother has been traveling trying to find her, leaving him alone with his angry father. All three of these characters are fantastic, and as the ending approaches, everything about them begins to fall into place.

The ending did get a little crazy, and that’s my only complaint about the book. It’s almost like every twist possible was packed in, and it used a trope that isn’t used often, but is pretty unbelievable. Other than that, this book is flawless. It’s pretty ignorant for anyone traveling (especially a female on their own) to do live updates on social media, and this is a cautionary tale…you never know who’s watching. Packed with breathtaking scenery and a thrilling plot, I loved this book! 4.5 stars, rounded up.

(Thank you to Minotaur Books, Anna Downes and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my review. This book is slated to be released on August 27, 2024.)

Red River Road was a very well written thriller with an Australian setting that had you feeling like you were there. I really enjoyed the twists and turns in this one, but it is on the slower side, I usually enjoy my thrillers to be faster paced.

I found this to be a page turner - completed in a few short sittings.
The lead is an unreliable narrator, and you glimpse part of the way through that the mysterious hitchhiker may be IN danger versus being the source of danger.
Also, it appears trouble is following the two girls around as multiple missing women cases weave together. There is loads of suspense which builds to a worthy - if not very far fetched - ending. Thanks NetGalley!

Thanks to St. Martin's Press/Minotaur Books and NetGalley for this ARC of 'Red River Road' by Anna Downes.

I hadn't heard of this writer but I enjoy Australia-set fiction and the setup sounded different and intriguing.

A mystery within a mystery or two set, secret after secret, in the cliched world of the vanlifers in Australia - people who travel around Australia (in this case the long coastal loop) living in their vehicles and with many of them trying to make a living as influencers as a sideline.

People go missing and this is the story of one troubled woman looking for her sister and encountering violence, more mystery, lies, friendship, and frustration.

This novel covers plenty of important topics: family violence - domestic, partner - the pressure of social media, the way that tourism is affecting the natural and build environment, mental illness, Aboriginal rights but wrapped up in a really clever and interesting narrative so it doesn't feel like you're being thumped over the head with them. It's very organic.

I like the way the ending was satisfying but was left ambiguous in many ways, although there was resolution not everything was tied up with a nice neat bow, reflecting the real world and real people.

I really enjoyed this.

Reading 2024
Book 83: Red River Road by Anna Downes

Another book I picked up on the special Read Now weekend on NetGalley. The pub date for this book is August 27, 2024

Synopsis: Anna Downes's extraordinary next thriller follows a woman desperate to discover what happened to her sister on a solo road trip through the Australian outback.

Review: Well, not sure this one was for me. It was slow, slow, slow. Thriller plots need to move along at a good clip for me. This was not that book. The characters were not likeable, which is not a deal breaker, but it adds to my meh feeling about this book. There was a creepy icky feeling about this book also and not in a good way. Love the cover though. My rating 3⭐️.

Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free, electronic ARC of this novel received in exchange for an honest review.
Expected publication date: Aug. 27, 2024
Anna Downes, author of “The Safe Place”, returns with her new missing person thriller, “Red River Road”.
Katy Sweeney’s sister, Phoebe, disappeared a year ago while on a solo road trip through the Australian outback. Even though no one has heard from her, and there has been no forensic evidence, Katy will stop at nothing to find out what happened to Phoebe. Desperate, Katy embarks on her own solo quest, following Phoebe’s exact itinerary, hoping that she will be able to collect her own clues. When Katy crosses paths with a young woman named Beth, who claims to be fleeing from danger, Katy takes pity and brings Beth along for the ride. Beth agrees to help Katy find Phoebe in exchange for the ride, but what both women discover about Phoebe, themselves and each other, is something neither of them expected.
“Road” is narrated by several characters; Katy, Beth, Phoebe and Wyatt (who we find out has a connection to the other characters, but not until later on in the story). The multi-protagonist format helps to build suspense, as the reader slowly learns more and more about our key players, including how they are all connected. There are a lot of plot lines that Downes manages to connect flawlessly, and by the end of the novel she has tied up all of the loose ends answered any lingering questions.
Downes manages to touch on some pretty wrenching topics in this novel, including intimate partner violence, sexual assault and mental health challenges, so for those who appreciate trigger warnings, well, just be prepared for some pretty heavy subject matter. That being said, Downes manages to cover these topics in a human and honest way, while still making the novel entertaining and unputdownable.
The twists and turns in this one are beyond unpredictable, and although I made a few educated guesses that came close, the truth to what happened to Phoebe was something I never saw coming. Although I have earmarked Downes’ novels for my TBR list, they seem to be ones that I never quite get to. So, though “Red River Road” was my first Downes’ novel, I sincerely hope it won’t be my last.

This was such an exciting read! I did not expect the twists and turns this book had in store. The book centers around Katy trying to find her sister who went missing traveling in a van across Australia. The perspectives of Beth (who has her own secrets that unravel in the book) and Wyatt (who has his own family drama that is uncovered) help build the unraveling mystery. Also, the book ended on a cliffhanger that surprised me. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

Thanks Netgalley for allowing me to read this book. Katy is worried about her sister. She's been missing for a while and no one has found her. This book grabbed my attention from the start.

I really enjoyed reading this book. It kept me guessing until the end. I will definitely read more from this author in the future. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I think my students will like this one and in particular the girls, will relate to the two main characters. Violence against women is a big theme as well as mental health issues and identity issues Lots to discuss and think about for adults as well as students. This book is going to stay with me

This is a slow moving, well written and intense book. We follow the story of Katy who is looking for her missing sister and Beth (Ivy) running from an abusive man, Together they look for Phoebe, dealing with lots of strange clues and dangers. Strange but believable ad scary How does Wyatt's story connect, Wyatt the brother of the abusive ex boyfriend. It all ties together. Hard to do this book justice in a review. 4.5

So many secrets! If you’re looking for a story that will keep you entertained, keep you in suspense, and keep you wondering…this is it! Red River Road by Anna Downes is an engrossing thriller that will keep you on the edge of your seat throughout! I loved it! Katy's quest to unravel the mystery surrounding her sister's disappearance on a barren Western Australian highway is a rollercoaster of adrenaline and intrigue. I've been trudging through a literary desert lately, each book blurring into the next with monotony. Red River Road cleared out the cobwebs with vibrant characters and great writing. My verdict? Give this one a read – you won’t be disappointed. Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher, and author, for an advanced copy. All opinions are my own.

This book was amazing! It kept me up late. The twist was perfect. I also really became invested in the characters and figuring out what happened to the missing sister.

Thank you to St Martins Press, Minotaur Books @Minotaur_Books and Netgalley @Netgalley for the e-arc. All thoughts are my own.


Katy is looking for her sister. A year earlier, Phoebe went missing without a trace on a remote, coastal highway in Western Australia. There are no witnesses, no leads, and no DNA evidence, all Katy has to go by is Phoebe’s social media to retrace her steps.

When Katy’s path collides with Beth’s, she realizes she might be her best bet at figuring out the truth. But some secrets need to stay hidden.


My favorite part of this book was that it was set in Australia. I think that it is such a vast area, and this book did a great job at highlighting some lesser-known areas through the #vanlife lifestyle. I also loved how vividly the book was written, even though I live on the other side of the world from Australia it felt like I was right there I also enjoyed the mixed media format, but the formatting left a little to be desired, I hope that is fixed in final publication. Now I didn’t find this to be an extraordinary thriller like the blurb touted it would be. Interesting yes, but not extraordinary. I didn’t even really feel that it was all that thrilling. For me thrillers are fast paced and pulse pounding, this book was a slow burn but yet the ending felt rushed which is a pet peeve of mine.

I do think that if you are looking for a slow burn mystery about vanlife, then this is the story for you!

Holy Moly! What did I just read?!?

Don't think I'll be doing a solo trip anytime soon!

Kate's sister, Phoebe, ends up missing after a solo van/camper trip in Australia. Kate becomes extremely determined to follow her sisters itinerary to either find her or to figure out what truly happened to her.

Along the way, Kate encounters Beth, who is escaping a situation of her own.
They join forces, and Kate helps Beth by giving her a place to stay and buying clothes, etc. while Beth exchanges the favor by helping Kate think of ways to find Phoebe.

Along the way, strange things happen to the girls, and it's all very scary. The past won't remain in the past, and eventually, it all unfolds in a shocking way. The ending was a mind f*ck. I'll certainly read more books by Anna.

This was so very good and so hard to put down!

I loved the whole concept of female solo travelers and vanlife. I loved all the descriptive language around the different scenery and places in West Australia.

The story captivated me right from the beginning. We have Katy, who is following the route her sister Phoebe had taken before she mysteriously disappeared. Katy is trying to find her.

Beth is on the run from someone and ends up traveling with Katy, promising to help her find Phoebe.

The way these two stories wove together was so intriguing! I had many different theories going and was blown away by the ending!

You definitely want to pick this one up if you are a fan of this genre.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review.

First time reading this author but not the last. Fast paced, interesting story. Thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book

I received a free copy of, Red River Road,by Anna Downes, from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Katy Sweeney's sister is missing. Phoebe wanted to live the van life in Australia. Can Katy and Beth (her new friend) find Phoebe, dead or alive? A good read, beautiful country, an enjoyable read.

"Red River Road" by Anna Downes takes readers on a captivating journey through the vast landscapes of Australia, where two seemingly lost souls embark on a road trip filled with unexpected twists and turns. Having enjoyed Downes' previous work, "The Safe Place," I eagerly delved into this Advanced Reader's copy, anticipating another thrilling read.

The story unfolds with a promise of something entirely different from what ultimately transpires. As the characters traverse the Red River Road, attempting to retrace the steps of a lost sister, the narrative gradually peels back layers of deception and hidden truths. Downes masterfully crafts a tale that keeps readers on the edge of their seats, challenging perceptions and reminding us that there's always more beneath the surface.

What truly sets "Red River Road" apart is its poignant exploration of human connection and the complexities of identity. Through the unlikely bond formed between the protagonists, the novel delves into themes of loss, redemption, and the search for meaning in life's most unexpected moments.

The ending of "Red River Road" is nothing short of brilliant, delivering a satisfying conclusion that resonates long after the final page is turned. Downes skillfully ties together the threads of the narrative, leaving readers both stunned and deeply satisfied.

An edge of your seat thriller that I couldn't put down!

Katy's sister, Phoebe, goes missing while traveling solo around the coastline of Australia. Deciding to take matters in her own hands, Katy uses Phoebe's Instagram account to trace Phoebe's last day and hopefully find clues as to what happened. Soon after beginning the journey, Katy meets Lily who has trauma of her own and is obviously running from someone or something.

This book had plenty of twists and turns and a level of creepiness to hold readers' interest. Would highly recommend to thriller fans!

ARC kindly provided St. Martin's Press in exchange for an honest review.