Tag Archives: Simone St. James

Murder Road by Simone St. James – a Review

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Murder Road by Simone St. James – a Review

 

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Description:
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.

 

 

Review:

Murder Road by Simone St. James is another one of her excellent psychological thrillers.  Murder Road takes place in the summer of 1995, centered between newlyweds April and Eddie. They are embarking on road trip to for their honeymoon destination, only to discover they had taken a wrong turn to Coldlake Falls; as they end up on a deserted highway called Atticus Line. On the dark road, a flash of lightning shows a woman slowly walking; they stop and offer her a ride, which she hesitates, but then accepts.  April notices blood on the girl, and they rush to find a hospital, to help the her; who in a short period dies. 

 Detectives Quentin and Beam show up at the hospital, and after being interrogated, they warn April and Eddie, not to leave town.  Instead of being good Samaritans, they now are considered suspects. Unexplained murders have been happening along the Atticus line for many years, and legend has it that a vengeful spirit roams the road, hunting for hitchhikers.  Rumors say twenty years ago, someone was murdered, unable to identify her, they name her Jane Doe, but legend calls her The Lost Girl.

Unable to leave, April and Eddie manage to have the owner of a B&B allow them to stay. At first Rose, was very weird, but in a short time, Rose opens up, and beings to help them, explaining the stories from the past. They learn more about the ghostly legends of The Lost Girl.  They also meet Beatrice and Gracie Snell, two teenage sisters, who are wannabe detectives, with lots of information about the missing people.  Truly, they were better then the detectives.  Both Eddie and April have their own secrets, which neither knew about; they both suffered from domestic abuse, adoptions, and personal drama.  As we reach closer to the end, there is a surprise that will reveal some things from the past.  Besides that, I really liked April and Eddie.

What follows is an exciting, dark, suspenseful and creepy mystery in both time periods, which kept me hooked to find out what happened.  Murder Road was an exciting and awesome mystery, with a slight paranormal element, as well as being chilling and captivating.  The mystery has so many surprises, which were gripping and horrifying at times; a page turner all the way. Simone St. James did an amazing job writing this captivating thriller. If you enjoy suspenseful thrillers with a ghostly background, you should be reading Murder Road.

Reviewed by Barb

Copy provided by Publisher

 

 

 

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The Book of Cold Cases by Simone St. James – a Review

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The Book of Cold Cases by Simone St. James – a Review

 

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Description:
In 1977, Claire Lake, Oregon, was shaken by the Lady Killer Murders: Two men, seemingly randomly, were murdered with the same gun, with strange notes left behind. Beth Greer was the perfect suspect–a rich, eccentric twenty-three-year-old woman, seen fleeing one of the crimes. But she was acquitted, and she retreated to the isolation of her mansion.

Oregon, 2017. Shea Collins is a receptionist, but by night, she runs a true crime website, the Book of Cold Cases–a passion fueled by the attempted abduction she escaped as a child. When she meets Beth by chance, Shea asks her for an interview. To Shea’s surprise, Beth says yes.

They meet regularly at Beth’s mansion, though Shea is never comfortable there. Items move when she’s not looking, and she could swear she’s seen a girl outside the window. The allure of learning the truth about the case from the smart, charming Beth is too much to resist, but even as they grow closer, Shea senses something isn’t right. Is she making friends with a manipulative murderer, or are there other dangers lurking in the darkness of the Greer house?

 

 

Review:

The Book of Cold Cases by Simone St. James is another one of her excellent psychological thrillers.  The story takes place in Claire Lake, Oregon and revolves around two POV’s; Beth in 1977 and Shea in 2017.

By day, Shea Collins works as a receptionist at a doctor’s office and at night, she runs a blog website called the Book of Cold Cases. Shea is obsessed with solving true crimes, especially since she was abducted as a child, and luckily managed to escape; she continues to be haunted by that memory. The man who attempted to abduct her, was caught and sent to prison, with a possible parole coming up; which makes her nervous.  

In 1977, Beth Greer, who lives in alone in a huge mansion, very wealthy and only 23 years old; when two men were murdered during the night, with the same gun that killed her father, Beth is accused of the crime. They called her the Lady Killer, as one man claims to have seen her near the crime scene. After a major investigation and trial, Beth was acquitted, and no real evidence could be found, as she returned to her mansion, to be rarely seen.

One day, while at work, Shea is shocked to see someone from the past, who is in the office to meet the doctor. Face to face with the infamous Beth Greer, she asks if she could have an interview with her; and a few days later, Beth agrees to meet with Shea, at her mansion. Shea will learn quickly when she realizes the mansion is haunted, as she hears footsteps, water being turned on, draws opening, cold breeze of someone passing by, blood, and even seeing a young girl outside, enough the scare the crap out of anyone, and Beth was still sitting downstairs.  Make no mistake, this is a very scary, frightening story that had me holding my breath a number of times. 

Despite her being scared, Shea is determined to find out the truth of what happened 40 years ago, as with Beth Pov’s we learn all about how her father and later her mother who were murdered; not to mention who was behind the Lady Killer Murders.  During the flash back to 1977, we do meet this new suspect, who no one really knew anything about. 

What follows is an exciting, dark, suspenseful and creepy mystery in both time periods, which kept me hooked to find out what happened.  The mansion was very scary, as Shea found herself in a dark and dangerous place; to tell too much more would be spoilers.  The Book of Cold Cases was an intriguing story that was also a gothic thriller. If you enjoy suspenseful thrillers with a ghostly background, I suggest you read this book.

Reviewed by Barb

Copy provided by Publisher

 

 

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The Sun Down Motel by Simone St. James – a Review

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The Sun Down Motel by Simone St. James – a Review

 

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Description:
The secrets lurking in a rundown roadside motel ensnare a young woman, just as they did her aunt thirty-five years before, in this new atmospheric suspense novel from the national bestselling and award-winning author of The Broken Girls.

Upstate NY, 1982. Every small town like Fell, New York, has a place like the Sun Down Motel. Some customers are from out of town, passing through on their way to someplace better. Some are locals, trying to hide their secrets. Viv Delaney works as the night clerk to pay for her move to New York City. But something isn’t right at the Sun Down, and before long she’s determined to uncover all of the secrets hidden…

 

 

Review:

The Sun Down Motel by Simone St. James is another wonderful mystery thriller.  Having read her previous thriller, The Broken Girls, I couldn’t wait to read this book.  This was quite different then the previous book written by St. James.  It seemed more of a ghost story, and a bit creepy at that.  The Sun Down Motel was an old run-down motel that was plagued with mysteries and ghosts; with POV’s of the past 1982 and the present time of 2017, switching back and forth each chapter.

We meet our heroine, Viv Delany, who in 1982, arrives in this small sleepy town (Fell, NY) and decides to work as a night clerk for the motel to help pay for her to continue her trip to New York. In a short time, Viv begins to realize that not all is well in the motel, as she hears and sees ghosts many times each and every night.  Viv begins to suspect that these ghosts were either murdered, haunting the motel until the   dark secrets are revealed.  Viv takes it upon herself to try and find who is killing these people, though a photographer friend and the local night cop tell her to stop.  We see Viv go on dangerous tasks to follow some motel visitors, putting herself in grave danger; and eventually Viv herself will go missing.

In the present time of 2017, we meet Carly, our present-day heroine, who since her mother recently died, decides to try and find out what happened to the aunt she never knew. Carly takes the same job as Viv had, being a night clerk at the Sun Down Motel, which is much more run-down than years ago.  Carly too will begin to hear voices, doors opening, and even seeing dead people.  She begins to do her own investigation, and meets someone staying the motel, who also sees the ghosts.  There is another person who she meets in the library, who loves reading about those old creepy days.  I really did like Helen, a new friend for Carly, who also wants to help investigate.  Alma the cop, and the photographer were excellent characters back in Viv’s days, that will play a part in present day.

What follows is an exciting, dark, suspenseful and creepy mystery in both time periods, which kept me hooked to find out what happen, of course I made sure to keep the lights on.  To tell too much more would be spoilers.  The Sun Down Motel was an intriguing story that was also a gothic thriller.  If you enjoy suspenseful thrillers with a ghostly background, I suggest you read this book.

Reviewed by Barb

Copy provided by Publisher

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The Broken Girls by Simone St. James – a Review

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The Broken Girls by Simone St. James – a Review

 

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Description:
Vermont, 1950. There’s a place for the girls whom no one wants–the troublemakers, the illegitimate, the too smart for their own good. It’s called Idlewild Hall. And in the small town where it’s located, there are rumors that the boarding school is haunted. Four roommates bond over their whispered fears, their budding friendship blossoming–until one of them mysteriously disappears. . . .

Vermont, 2014. As much as she’s tried, journalist Fiona Sheridan cannot stop revisiting the events surrounding her older sister’s death. Twenty years ago, her body was found lying in the overgrown fields near the ruins of Idlewild Hall. And though her sister’s boyfriend was tried and convicted of murder, Fiona can’t shake the suspicion that something was never right about the case.

When Fiona discovers that Idlewild Hall is being restored by an anonymous benefactor, she decides to write a story about it. But a shocking discovery during the renovations will link the loss of her sister to secrets that were meant to stay hidden in the past–and a voice that won’t be silenced. . . .

 

 

Review:

The Broken Girls by Simone St. James is my first book by this author.  When I started this book, I wasn’t sure what to expect.  Upon completing this book, I now have to research more about St. James, as I loved The Broken Girls. 

This book revolves around two different time periods, and two POV’s.  The first POV is set in 1950, where 4 young girls are sent by their family to Idlewild Hall, in Vermont.  The boarding school is a place where troubled girls are sent, and we meet Katie, Roberta, CeCe and Sonia, who become roommates.  The school is rumored to be haunted, where both students and teachers fear a ghost called Mary Hand.  We watch and learn about these girls, their lives, their fears, and how they ended up in the dismal spooky Idlewild.  Katie is the strong and beautiful one, CeCe is a follower and Roberta is smart.  Sonia is from Europe, and has no family. 

In 2014, Fiona Sheridan is a journalist, who has grieved for 20 years the death of her sister, who was murdered on the grounds of Idlewild, which is now decaying and closed.  Her sister’s murderer is in jail, but Fiona cannot get past the questions of why her sister’s boyfriend, who still claims his innocence, would murder her.  When Idlewild is purchased with the plan of renovating the school, Fiona’s journalistic mind plans to research and find evidence to help her solve the old murder.   Along the way, a body is found in the well, and the death took place in 1950, which has Fiona also researching that death.  Is there any connection to the two deaths 64 years apart?

This was a terrific suspenseful, dark and at times scary story that had me on the edge of my seat.  Once you get to the half way point, there is no putting this book down. There are so many secrets between both sides, as we go between both pov’s, with the death of the girl in 1950 bringing some things together.  The twists and turns, with an amazing surprising finish were so well done by St. James.  Fiona will find her life in danger, as she continues her investigation into both era’s. 

To tell too much more would be spoilers, and you really need to read this book from start to finish.  St. James not only has created a fantastic amazing Gothic thriller, but she also gives us some wonderful characters that we will not forget;  Fiona, the 4 girls in 1950, Fiona’s boyfriend, the Edens, the Ghost and the villain.

The Broken Girls is an awesome and exciting mystery, that had a slight paranormal element that was done very well, giving this a chilling gothic feel at times.  The mystery has so many surprises, and I fully loved how this ended.  Simone St. James did an amazing job writing this captivating thriller.  I suggest you read this book..now.

Reviewed by Barb

Copy provided by Publisher

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