“This place is dark.”
“Some of us like the dark. It’s what we know.” “
The Sun Down Motel masterfully blends a mystery thriller with spooky horror to create a perfect page-turner that keeps you hooked right till the end.
The novel revolves around a young woman, Carly, searching for her aunt Vivian who has disappeared 35 years ago during her late-night shift, working at the reception in The Sun Down Motel. Carly manages to get a job at the same Sun Down herself in order to try and find an answer. Soon Carly discovers the Motel is hiding many more sinister secrets than she could imagine.
The Sun Down Motel combines all the elements of a perfect thriller; the dark, spooky atmosphere, the multiple strong female characters, an intriguing plot, and the excellent pacing of the story. The story has many supernatural elements, but it was more a mystery rather than a horror story. The supernatural elements never overshadowed the mystery part but they rather added another dimension to the story.
The story is narrated in 2 timelines: The past covering Viv’s story and the present covering Carly’s story. The alternating timelines work beautifully, like each chapter acting as a missing part of the jigsaw puzzle, completing the picture bit by bit.
There are times when the events feel repetitive (especially the scary parts) which make the two timelines confusing. The book could have used more scares which I felt were lacking in the middle. Also, given the buildup, the ending felt rushed and a bit tame. Given all the supernatural elements and mystery, I expected the ending to bit more explosive. The characters were mostly well developed including the other female supporting characters too. In fact, most of the characters in the book are strong female characters, each playing their part to perfection.
Overall, The Sun Down Motel is an excellent thriller. There are several twists and turns that will keep you hooked. This book is thrilling, atmospheric, and unnerving. If you love reading mystery thrillers with a supernatural twist, this is one book you should definitely read.
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