Author: Simone St. James
Published: 2024
Rating: 5/5
April and Eddie’s honeymoon has gone horribly wrong. On their way to a resort town in Michigan, they take a wrong turn onto a rural road and spot what they think is an average hitchhiker. Until they see the blood.
Ushering the injured young woman into their car, the honeymooners begin heading toward the local hospital only to be pursued by a truck that seems bent on stopping them from reaching help. Unthwarted, Eddie and April deliver the woman to the hospital, but she unfortunately doesn’t survive.
No good deed goes unpunished, and Eddie and April soon find themselves in the cross-hairs of the local police who treat them as prime suspects in the murder of the young girl. Eddie and April set out to investigate the murder of the young girl – and several other strange murders along the same backcountry road over the years – to clear their name.
What follows is a face-paced, twisty plot that feels like a true crime novel mixed with a classic haunting ghost story. Fans of St. James will find that this novel is less focused on the supernatural than her previous works, and the supernatural elements seem less foreboding than before. However, readers who enjoy thrillers and true crime more than horror will absolutely love this book, and find that the sprinkling of supernatural horror is perfect for their tastes.
The characters in the novel are also well crafted; the young couple start out as your average newly weds but we get glimpses into more complicated backstories throughout the plot. The main detective investigating the murders feels cliche in a sense through most of the work, but ultimately delivers a satisfying surprise at the end.
Ultimately, Simone St. James’s Murder Road will take you on a joy ride and have you speeding through the pages to the end.