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.

📖 Book Review 📖

📱🎧 “Red River Road" by Anna Downes

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
published August 27, 2024

I paired my kindle reading with the audiobook narrated by Maddy Withington, who did all 3 characters voices wonderfully. A thriller set in Australia when a woman goes missing on a solo road trip. Now Katy Sweeney is desperately searching for her lost sister Phoebe, by retracing her travel plans from a year ago. No witnesses, no DNA and no leads means the case is cold but Katy won’t give up. Phoebe left a map on her social media, but not many clues beyond that. Katy meets Beth who is willing to help her figure out what happened, while also running from her messy past.

Solo female travel can be very scary and humans are capable of some horrible things. The story started strong with twists and turns but the pace slowed and that is the reason I took a star off.

#somanybooks #readsomemore #audiobooks #bookstagram #bookrecommendations #readersofinstagram #readmorebooks #booklover #bookishlove #readersgonnaread #bookishaf

This one really kept me on my toes and made me guess throughout the time I was reading it, which is always a strong sign for a thriller for me. The fast pacing and short chapters worked well for me and the twists were great!

ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.

I’m a little backlogged with my ARCs but working diligently to get caught up. I really liked the premise of this book and the setting of van life in Australia was perfect and felt refreshing! There were so many mind blowing twists and turns, most of which I didn’t see coming! In a genre where lots of plots and storylines can start to feel old, this was definitely a breath of fresh air. If you like psychological thrillers and mysteries, be sure to check out this book!

The way that Downes wrote this story, imo, is brilliant. At first, Katy, following her missing sister Phoebe’s steps along her van influencer travels, is a lonely, self-isolating woman. Until she meets Beth, a woman on the run from someone she’s scared of. Together, they follow the bread crumbs of Phoebe’s travels using her social media posts as a guide but soon, they’re slowly unravelling a mystery that goes far beyond what either of them expected yet, brings things together in a wholly satisfying way.

I can’t recommend this one enough and Anna Downes will forever be an author that will be on my must-read list.
My thanks to Minotaur for this gifted DRC.

I had a difficult time getting into this book. Not sure why but ultimately it just wasn't for me. Maybe I will give it another try later.

3.5 stars

There are quite a few characters in here, and some go by more than one name, but it was pretty hard to keep track of who was who and what role they played. At about 70% we finally get pieces that allow us to know why that is and start knowing what is happening, the part that I am worried about is people sticking with it to get to that point. I would say to read it in chunks and not small portions in order to keep track of things and be immersed in the story. Van life is very intriguing and can be scary when you hear all the true crime stories, this was a great mix of being a story but feeling like it could be a true story.

Thank you to Minotaur Books and NetGalley who provided me with a e-arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Red River Road is a well-written, intriguing, and twist-filled mystery thriller.

The story follows a woman traveling across Australia in her van, determined to uncover the truth about her sister, a vanlifer who disappeared a year earlier. Along the way, she meets a woman with a dark past—a stranger on the run from an abusive boyfriend. Despite their differences, the two form an unexpected friendship and join forces to search for the missing sister.

I really liked the author’s writing. The plot is packed with suspense and surprises, keeping you hooked until the end.

I would recommend this book to mystery thriller lovers. I look forward to reading more from this author.

3.5⭐️

Thank you to the publisher for providing an eARC of this book via NetGalley for review.

This was kind of all over the place as it is narrated through different characters. It was good enough that I read the entire book but there were a lot of holes and sudden developments. Katy is looking for her sister and Beth is running from an abusive boyfriend. Their paths cross but things never seem quite right as the two continue their vanlife travels through Australia. There is a constant sense of unease hanging over the trip. A slow burning novel that was just a little too slow. The ending was the best part where things came together and finally made a little sense.

Copy provided by the publisher and NetGalley

this book was kind of all over the place, but overall it was a really solid thriller that I didn’t want to put down. it felt very horror movie-esque and I got so freaked out reading it alone at night 😂 the twist was pretty good and not super predictable, albeit a little messy. the entire book I found myself skimming Wyatt’s chapters because they felt kind of drawn out and unnecessary, but it ended up actually all coming together in a way I really liked. I definitely recommend this as a good spooky season thriller! thanks to @netgalley for the gifted digital copy ✨

3.5 Stars

I was looking forward to reading this book and I did enjoy it. It was a little confusing at times and slow with all the stops and the way the 2 female characters were acting as they seemed out of character to what I would think they would be doing. It all came together in the end but added a little to the confusion with how that all could have happened to the characters. I have a copy of The Safe Place that I will have to read soon.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this ARC for review.

Katy is searching for her sister, Phoebe, who disappeared while traveling solo camping in her van. Beth/Lily is a stowaway trying to escape her past and offers to be Katy’s companion and help in her search.

I listened to a lot of this one on audio but also read the book more so at the beginning to keep the characters straight, especially for the Beth/Lily chapters. It can get confusing sometimes but stick with it. The narration was great so I preferred that route the last half of the book.

As with previous Downes books, you can expect a lot of suspense and twists. I love how she wove these characters and plot together. It’s hard to trust anyone in this book. It’s atmospheric and gives off creepy vibes from start to finish. Well done and well plotted.

Many thanks to @minotaur_books and @macmillan.audio for the ebook and audio in exchange for an honest review!

I really enjoyed this! The suspense is well done and I had a hard time putting this down! This had me on the edge of my seat! I would highly recommend this! Special Thank You to Anna Downes, St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for allowing me to read a complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.

Another hit by Anna Downes! I have read all of Anna's books so far, and they continue to get better and better! Van life has taken over the internet (Tik Tok especially) and the premise of this book HAD ME. Take my interest in that and add it together with my love for a good dark thriller and there you have a five star read! Thanks so much to NetGalley for the gifted advance copy!

Katy Sweeney is determined to find her sister, Phoebe. A year earlier, just three weeks into a solo trip, Phoebe vanishes without a trace on Western Australia’s remote Coral Coast. The police can’t find any witnesses, there are no leads, and no DNA evidence, the case has gone cold. But Katy refuses to give up n her sister. Katy uses Phoebe’s social media as a map hoping to find her. She wonders if Phoebe was being followed. Who did she meet on her three days of driving? Katy meets Beth, a woman on the run from her dark past and the present. Katy thinks that Beth may be able to help her find Phoebe. Will they find Phoebe?

The novel is an excellent mystery. I enjoyed myself completely as it’s a thriller mystery roadtrip. I thought it went into the dark side of women traveling by themselves. At times it is a creepy novel. If you like mysteries, I do recommend this one.