In Red River Road, Katy Sweeney is searching for her missing sister, Phoebe. Katy embarks on a solo van trip across Australia following in Phoebe’s footsteps. During her trip, Katy meets Beth and both women appear to have questionable pasts. They form an alliance to find Phoebe while traveling around Australia together.

Suspicious things begin to happen that make both women question their safety and the motives of those around them.

This is the third novel by Anna Downes I’ve had the opportunity to read. The pacing of this novel was a little bit slow for my taste and the ending was a bit far fetched. I also struggled to keep track of which character was narrating and whether it was past or present time. I enjoyed the descriptions of all the destinations in Australia.

Thank you to NetGalley and Minotaur Books for the opportunity to read an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest feedback.

This book has some great twists and had me reading way too late into the night! It’s atmospheric, creepy, disturbing and ultimately heartbreaking. The three different POVs were a bit much in the beginning, but as the story unfolds, I began to see the connections. While I did suspect some characters, I also did not see the major twist coming. Absolutely love the setting.

A solid, twisty, and fast paced thriller that kept me on the edge and turning pages.
The first I read by this author won't surely be the last
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

I recently read Red River Road by Anna Downes, and it was an exhilarating journey from start to finish. The novel masterfully combines suspense, mystery, and richly drawn characters, all set against the evocative backdrop of Western Australia’s Coral Coast.

The story follows Katy Sweeney, who embarks on a solo road trip to retrace the steps of her sister, Phoebe, who vanished a year earlier during her own journey along the same route. Katy’s determination to uncover the truth leads her into a labyrinth of secrets and unexpected alliances, particularly with Beth, a fellow traveler harboring her own hidden past. As they delve deeper into the mystery, the line between reality and deception blurs, culminating in revelations that are both shocking and thought-provoking.

Downes’s writing is both atmospheric and gripping, capturing the vastness and isolation of the Australian outback while maintaining a taut narrative that keeps readers on edge. The characters are complex and relatable, each grappling with their own fears and motivations, which adds depth to the unfolding drama.

Red River Road is a compelling read that I highly recommend to fans of psychological thrillers and mysteries.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Katy is on the road looking for her missing sister, Phoebe, when she finds a stowaway sleeping in a bunk of her motorhome. Instead of kicking her out, Katy accepts her as a traveling companion.

Lily/Beth is also on the run. She'd taken up with a charismatic vanlifer named Lucas, with a dark side. After one too many violent outbursts, Lucas forces Beth out. Beth, using Lily as her new name, agrees to help Katy in her search for Phoebe.

Anna Downes is one of my go-to authors for un-putdownable suspense, but I struggled with this book. I had a hard time getting into it, and honestly couldn't keep the two protagonists straight. However, I did put down the book for a few months before picking it up to finish it. I still look forward to the next Anna Downes book even if this one was disappointing. #RedRiverRoad #NetGalley

First book by this author and it will not be the last.

This book had me hooked from page 1 i absolutely was engaged with the characters and loved the writing.

The end i was not expecting but that is the best in a book when you think you have everything figured out and then you don't.

Thanks NetGalley for letting me read and review.

Katy sets out on a road trip in Western Australia to find clues about her missing sister's disappearance. The story gets twisty and interesting from there full of beautiful descriptions of breathtaking scenery across Australia. There's SA, mental health, and murder. Lesson: trust no one, not even yourself!
Thank you, Netgalley, publisher, and author for the ARC.

This book was really compelling. I was hooked in completely. I even googled the locations they mentioned because the descriptions sounded so incredible. The ending kind of threw me for a loop but I’d still recommend this.

Thank you Minotaur and NetGalley for the eARC of Red River Road! All opinions in this review are my own.

I enjoyed Anna Downes' The Safe Place so I was excited to read another thriller by the same author! It took me a little bit to get into Red River Road, but once I did, it was so intense! You are never quite sure who is telling the truth and what is going on until it is all revealed at the end!

This was a good book. Throughout the story I was kept guessing and did not expect things to go as they did. They are a few story lines and the reader has to figure out how they are connected.
3.5 stars

Katy is searching for her sister who disappeared a year ago while on a solo trip in her van . Katy retraces her trip along the coastal highway in Western Australia. On the way she meets Beth who is dealing with her own problems. Together they continue the journey. Lots of twists, turns and suspense. Did not see the twist at the end coming. Look forward to reading more from this author.

Really liked this. Thought I knew some of the twists but guessed wrong. Couldn't put it down. Would read more by this author.

I really enjoyed this road trip thriller! It kept me Guess and now I want to do an Australian van trip ..only without the creeps and murder

This is not a poorly written story however I am finding it to be really slow. I'm not connecting with the characters or the storyline. There are plenty of positive reviews so check those out if the synopsis interests you. DNF 60%

I wasn’t able to review this book before it’s publish date but now that I have read it I am giving it 4.5 stars.

Atmospheric…
Katy Sweeney is a woman with a mission. She is desperate and determined to find her sister. Phoebe seemingly vanished on a solo trip through the Australian outback and her disappearance is now, officially, a cold case. Katy, however, is not about to give up. A twisting and turning tale brimming with suspense, deftly drawn characters and a hugely atmospheric backdrop.

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📚 (Audio)Book Review 📚

Thank you @netgalley for the audiobook arc by @anna_downes_writer

This book takes place in Australia on a road trip in a camper van. It follows two women - Katie, who is looking for her sister (Phoebe) who went missing on this same road trip trail, and Beth, who has gotten herself into some trouble and is trying to figure out her next move in life. Katie takes Beth in and together they try to retrace Phoebe’s steps in a hope to find her or at least what happened to her.

I love that this book was written in multiple POVs. For a long time the reader has no clue why the third POV is a young boy named Wyatt.

The author really led me around to where she wanted me to go in this mystery. Sure, I had theories. I always do. But I never saw the ending coming. The book was well done, had great character development, and a good mystery to solve. And it was set in Australia which is a place I’ve never been so that was a lot of fun!

If you’re looking for an adventure and some mystery, with female friendship mixed in, pick this one up!

This was such a good book! The twists were unexpected and the short chapters made me want to keep going. I loved that the author incorporated “can life” in this as that has become more popular and I haven’t read a thriller with that premise yet

Set in the Australian outback. A woman looks for her missing sister in this twisty suspenseful and atmospheric tale. The story suffered from some pacing issues and a few coincidences that were a bit out there but overall it was an interesting story

This Australian thriller was a struggle for me I loved the concept of the plot but the pacing was tough for me, I enjoyed the beginning but the middle was pretty slow paced and I had a hard time keeping focused. I also think me not liking the characters didn’t help either. The end picked back up but at that point I was already annoyed by most of the characters. It also felt like there was to much going on for me at the same time the different names and POVs were confusing at times. I did enjoy the idea though and would consider reading this author again. I would like to thank NetGalley and the publishers for a chance to read this book for an honest review.