Murder Road
by Simone St. James
Summary
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 Review
This was my first book by this author, and I had heard great things about her work, especially her use of supernatural and paranormal elements, which I absolutely love. However, this book was a bit of a letdown for me. I was expecting more ghostly and spooky scenes, as well as more thrilling moments.
I loved that this story is set in the mid-90s, and I enjoyed all the cultural references from that era. It evoked a strong sense of nostalgia and was a wonderful trip down memory lane. Additionally, the absence of the internet, cell phones, and social media, due to the time period, felt refreshing and added to the charm of the story.
The plot was intriguing, but the pace was slow, and it felt quite repetitive. It seemed like I was reading the same things over and over without much progress in the story. I was hoping for more action and suspense, but there was a lack of buildup. By the time we reached the big reveal at the end, it felt disappointing and underwhelming.
However, I still enjoyed the story, and it kept me guessing throughout. I was intrigued enough to keep reading, and the spooky moments did manage to feel creepy.
The characters were likable, but they didn’t undergo much development and felt a bit flat to me.
The book includes some mild language but no explicit spicy scenes.
Overall, I liked the book but am eager to explore other works by this author. I’ve heard her backlist is stronger than this one. If you’re a fan of the author or find the plot appealing, I recommend giving it a try, but keep your expectations low.