The Book Report #113
Episode #112
The Book Club Edition #7
I joined a book club, and this was the book chosen in April 2026.
The Sun Down Motel by Simone St James
The book
This book was first printed on 18th February 2020 by Berkley, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC.
I do not own a physical copy of the book but a digital copy instead. This copy has 332 pages and includes an About the Author section and an advertisement with a link to Penguin Books, so if you feel like it, you can buy some more books.
What Did I Think?
Caryl’s mother has recently died. Caryl’s family have a secret that she has been wondering about her whole life. The secret is about her aunt, who disappeared in 1982. Everyone believes she is dead, but no one talks about her.
Viviane has walked out on her family; she thought she was going to New York. But due to a pervy old man, she ends up at a motel in the little town of Fell. The year is 1982. The motel is called the Sun Down, and it has its own secrets, and the town of Fell would like to keep them that way.
In 2017, Caryl had had enough of the secrets and went to Fell to find out the truth. The story follows two women who are searching for answers. But they are separated by decades.
They both work hard to find out the truth about a series of murders while Caryl slowly finds out what has happened to her aunt. But there are residents of the town who know but would rather you keep your mouth shut and stop digging into things that are of no concern to you.
This is an even-paced mystery that includes the supernatural. The ghosts of victims who died in the motel hang around, not to cause harm. But to try to let the world know that they are there for whatever reason. Can Caryl find out what happened and solve the puzzle of her aunt?
A rare find where I truly enjoyed this story. It felt like an old film from the original time period of Viviane, the late 70s and early 80s. A story I could add to my collection.
Would I Recommend?
Yes, this is a rare story where all of the little pieces just fit into place, including the slightly unnecessary story of the nephew. It nearly worked, but it could have been left out. But the story as a whole just worked and worked well. I’m surprised it hasn’t been turned into a movie yet.
It was a refreshing read, something different to my usual reads. So if you get a chance, add this to your list.
Please give this book a go.
Would you like to purchase your very own copy?
You could try these online stores: Amazon UK/USA and Waterstones. AbeBooks UK/USA, Barnes & Noble, or eBay UK/USA.
Alternatively, you could try your local bookshop or even your local library.
