Sharons Bookshelf-Spooky Reads

The Grays of Truth

by Sharon Virts

Genre: Historical Fiction • Mystery • Thriller

Summary:

Winner of the 2025 International Book Award for Best Historical Fiction.

In Reconstruction-era Baltimore, members of the city’s elite are dying under mysterious circumstances. When Jane Gray Wharton’s husband dies unexpectedly, she initially has no reason to question his death. But after Jane and her daughter become gravely ill while visiting the same house just weeks later, she begins to suspect that someone may be poisoning members of her family.

Jane is a trained chemist and former nurse, but a history of delusion, loss, and institutionalization causes others—and Jane herself—to question what she believes. As the deaths multiply and her grip on reality begins to falter, Jane must determine what is real, who she can trust, and whether she can uncover the truth before it is too late. Inspired by true events involving one of Baltimore’s most prominent families, The Grays of Truth blends murder, mystery, and a haunting chapter of American history.

Why I recommend this book:

I’ll admit I’m a little partial to this one! I first discovered the story behind The Grays of Truth while researching my second novel, Veil of Doubt. As I delved into nineteenth-century forensic science, I stumbled upon the trial of Baltimore socialite Ellen Wharton—and once I began reading the court transcripts, I was hooked.

The case had so many of the elements I look for in a story: wealth, power, politics, multiple unexplained deaths, a botched investigation, early forensic science, and a cast of complicated real-life characters, each with a possible motive for murder. At the center of it all was a woman whose history made it difficult for others to believe her—and sometimes difficult for her to believe herself. What more could I want in a story?

Perfect For Readers Who...

Love historical mysteries inspired by extraordinary true events
Are fascinated by early forensic science and criminal investigations
Enjoy unreliable narrators who make you question what—and whom—to believe
Appreciate stories filled with wealth, power, scandal, politics, and murder

The Exorcist

by William Peter Blatty

Genre: Thriller • Horror • Paranormal

Summary:

Eleven-year-old Regan MacNeil is living with her mother, Chris, when her personality suddenly begins to change. Her increasingly disturbing and violent behavior defies explanation, and as doctors fail to find a cause, Chris becomes desperate for answers.

Convinced that something far more sinister has taken hold of her daughter, she eventually turns to two Catholic priests for help. What follows is a terrifying battle against an ancient malevolent force that will test their faith and demand unimaginable sacrifices. Originally published in 1971 and inspired by reports of a purported demonic possession in the 1940s, The Exorcist has endured as one of horror’s most infamous novels.

Why I recommend this book:

No scary book list would be complete without what I consider one of the most frightening stories of all time—The Exorcist. I first read it in middle school, and when my mother realized what I had read, she thought I would be scarred for life. She may have had a point!

If this story of a child seemingly possessed by a demonic force doesn’t scare the bejesus out of you, nothing will. And trust me, as terrifying as the movie is, it has nothing on the terror of the written word. More than fifty years after it was first published, The Exorcist can still make you afraid to turn off the lights.

Perfect For Readers Who...

Love classic horror that has stood the test of time
Enjoy stories about faith, doubt, and the supernatural
Want genuinely unsettling psychological and demonic horror
Aren't afraid of a book that may keep them up at night

The Other

by Thomas Tyron

Genre: Horror • Ocult • Supernatural

Summary:

Thirteen-year-old identical twins Niles and Holland Perry may look alike, but they couldn’t be more different. Niles is kind and eager to please, while Holland is daring, mischievous, and increasingly cruel. After the sudden death of their father, the boys spend the summer roaming their family’s ancestral farm in a quiet New England town while their grieving mother withdraws from the world around her.

As Holland’s pranks become increasingly sinister, Niles struggles to explain—or contain—his brother’s behavior. But beneath the seemingly idyllic summer setting, something far darker is unfolding, in a psychological tale that explores just how close innocence and evil can exist.

Why I recommend this book:

I first read The Other in high school, and Holland Perry is one of those characters I have never forgotten. Like Damien in The Omen, he still sends shivers up my spine.

What makes this story so unsettling is the contrast between its idyllic New England setting and the darkness slowly revealing itself within it. It’s psychological horror that gets under your skin and stays there—which is probably why I still remember it so vividly all these years later. For a classic retro scare, The Other is hard to beat.

Perfect For Readers Who...

Love classic psychological horror
Enjoy idyllic settings with something sinister beneath the surface
Like unsettling stories about childhood and family
Appreciate slow-building horror that gets under your skin

A Southern Book Club's Guide to Slaying Vampires

by Grady Hendrix

Genre: Thriller • Horror • Fantasy

Summary:

Patricia Campbell’s days are consumed by family responsibilities and an endless list of chores, but her true-crime-loving book club gives her a much-needed escape. Then a handsome and mysterious stranger named James Harris moves into her Charleston neighborhood and turns Patricia’s predictable world upside down.

At first, James is charming and intriguing, but something about him doesn’t add up. He avoids daylight, has no bank account, and Patricia’s elderly mother-in-law insists she knew him decades ago. When local children begin disappearing, Patricia and the women of her book club start to suspect that a very real monster has moved into their neighborhood. The problem is getting anyone else to believe them.

Why I recommend this book:

Every Halloween reading list needs a good vampire story. You could always turn to Dracula or Anne Rice’s Interview with the Vampire for your bloodthirsty fix, but The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires is a wonderfully modern alternative.

I loved the premise of a group of Southern book club women realizing a vampire has moved into their neighborhood—and deciding they have no choice but to take him out themselves. What begins with plenty of dark humor and satire gradually becomes something genuinely frightening. A fun, clever, and seriously creepy read for All Hallows’ Eve!

Perfect For Readers Who...

Love vampire stories with a fresh, modern spin
Enjoy dark humor alongside genuine horror
Appreciate stories about underestimated women taking matters into their own hands
Like suburban settings where something monstrous hides beneath the ordinary

The Ruins

by Scott Smith

Genre: Thriller • Horror • Suspense

Summary:

Two American couples are enjoying a lazy beach vacation in Mexico when an impulsive decision takes them far from their resort. Along with new friends, they set out in search of a missing traveler who has ventured into the jungle toward a remote archaeological site near ancient Mayan ruins.

What begins as an adventure quickly becomes a nightmare when the group realizes they are trapped and something sinister is waiting for them in the wilderness. Isolated from help and facing an increasingly horrifying threat, their tropical escape becomes a desperate fight for survival.

Why I recommend this book:

What starts as a relaxing Mexican vacation slowly spirals into a nightmare beyond anything you could imagine. But what made The Ruins so terrifying for me was how invested I became in the characters. I genuinely cared about what happened to them, which made every new turn even more horrifying.

This was one of those stories I simply could not put down. The sense of isolation and mounting dread stayed with me long after I finished it—and it might just make you reconsider your next Mexican vacation!

Perfect For Readers Who...

Love survival horror and isolated settings
Enjoy stories where an innocent adventure goes terribly wrong
Like becoming emotionally invested in characters before putting them through hell
Appreciate mounting dread and a sense that escape may be impossible

Hearth Shaped Box

by Joe Hill

Genre: Thriller • Horror • Paranormal

Summary:

Aging rock star Jude Coyne has a fascination with the macabre and a collection of unusual artifacts to prove it. So when he discovers an online listing offering a dead man’s suit—along with the ghost supposedly attached to it—he can’t resist adding it to his collection.

Jude assumes the seller is a stranger and the ghost story is nothing more than a gimmick. He is wrong on both counts. When the suit arrives in a heart-shaped box, so does something far more sinister, and Jude soon finds himself haunted by a terrifying presence with a very personal reason for wanting revenge.

Why I recommend this book:

No, it’s not the song by Nirvana, although it is about an aging rock star. The premise of Heart-Shaped Box immediately hooked me: a man who collects macabre artifacts actually buys a ghost on the internet. What could possibly go wrong?

Quite a lot, as it turns out. I loved how quickly what seems like a bizarre impulse purchase becomes something deeply personal and genuinely terrifying. Joe Hill created a relentless, visual story that played out almost like a horror movie in my head. A terrifying, cinematic read.

Perfect For Readers Who...

Love relentless supernatural horror
Enjoy a good old-fashioned ghost story with a modern premise
Like flawed characters forced to confront their pasts
Appreciate fast-paced, cinematic scares

The Omen

by David Seltzer

Genre: Thriller • Horror • Paranormal

Summary:

Jeremy Thorn and his wife, Katherine, have welcomed their young son Damien into what seems like an idyllic family life. But as Damien grows, a terrifying pattern begins to emerge. Fatal accidents, suicides, and inexplicable acts of violence seem to follow the family wherever they go.

As Jeremy searches for answers, he is forced to consider the unthinkable: that these horrifying events may somehow be connected to his seemingly innocent child. Damien is no ordinary boy, and the truth about who—or what—he really is may be more terrifying than anything Jeremy could have imagined.

Why I recommend this book:

No list of classic horror would be complete without The Omen. I first read it in high school, and Damien has been sending shivers up my spine ever since.

There is something uniquely terrifying about taking the innocence we associate with childhood and turning it completely on its head. All these years later, The Omen still haunts me. If you’re in the mood for a little retro scare, this one absolutely deserves another read.

Perfect For Readers Who...

Love classic horror that still delivers a scare
Enjoy supernatural stories centered on good versus evil
Like mounting dread and ominous coincidences
Want a retro horror read with an unforgettable villain

The Hunger

by Alma Katsu

Genre: Thriller • Horror • Historical Fiction

Summary:

Inspired by the true story of the Donner Party, The Hunger follows a wagon train of pioneers whose journey west descends into disaster. As dwindling rations, bitter quarrels, a disastrous route, and a series of mysterious deaths push the travelers to the brink, long-held secrets and suspicions begin to surface.

Then members of the party start disappearing, and the survivors begin to fear that their terrible misfortunes may be more than bad luck. Something seems to be stalking them through the wilderness—something dark, disturbing, and hungry. Blending historical fact with supernatural horror, The Hunger reimagines one of the most infamous tragedies of the American West.

Why I recommend this book:

Stephen King called it “deeply disturbing.” I call it horrifically delicious—no pun intended. Based on the true story of the Donner Party, The Hunger takes an already harrowing chapter of American history and imagines something even more sinister lurking behind it.

I love historical fiction that takes real events and makes you see them in an entirely different way, and Alma Katsu’s blend of history and supernatural horror did exactly that. Knowing the terrible fate awaiting the Donner Party only adds to the mounting sense of dread. A word of warning: Do not read this one after dark!

Perfect For Readers Who...

Love historical fiction with a supernatural twist
Are fascinated by the story of the Donner Party
Enjoy survival stories set in unforgiving landscapes
Like horror that explores what happens when people are pushed to their limits

The Amityville Horror

by Jay Anson

Genre: Thriller • Horror • Paranormal

Summary:

In December 1975, George and Kathleen Lutz moved with their family into a large house in Amityville, Long Island. They knew the home had a horrifying past: just over a year earlier, Ronald DeFeo Jr. had murdered six members of his family there. But the house—and its surprisingly affordable price—was too good to pass up.

Twenty-eight days later, the Lutz family fled the house, claiming they had experienced a terrifying series of unexplained and paranormal events. The Amityville Horror recounts their brief stay and the alleged haunting that became one of the most infamous—and controversial—supernatural stories in American popular culture.

Why I recommend this book:

If you love classic cult horror, look no further than The Amityville Horror. Yes, we’ve all seen the movie—but have you read the book?

What makes this story especially unsettling is the real tragedy behind it. Ronald DeFeo Jr. really did murder six members of his family in the Long Island house before the Lutz family moved in the following year. What the Lutzes claimed happened after that has been debated for decades, but that only adds to the fascination. True haunting or not, The Amityville Horror still has the power to scare the hell out of me.

Perfect For Readers Who...

Love classic haunted-house stories
Are fascinated by horror connected to real-life events
Enjoy paranormal phenomena and unexplained occurrences
Like books that leave you debating what really happened

You Like it Darker

by Stephen King

Genre: Thriller • Horror • Mystery

Summary:

In You Like It Darker, Stephen King returns to the short story with a collection of twelve tales exploring fate, mortality, the supernatural, and those unsettling moments when ordinary life suddenly slips into something much darker.

From a psychic vision that turns one man’s life upside down to a grieving widower who receives a sinister inheritance, the stories move between the strange, the terrifying, and the deeply human. In “The Dreamers,” a Vietnam veteran takes a seemingly ordinary job only to discover that some corners of the universe may be better left unexplored. Throughout the collection, King blends psychological suspense and supernatural horror with his signature ability to find darkness lurking just beneath everyday life.

Why I recommend this book:

I love anything by Stephen King. I was in ninth grade, babysitting for a neighbor, when I found Carrie on the family’s bookshelf—and I was hooked. My favorite Stephen King novel, and the one that scared me the most, is Pet Sematary.

Perhaps that’s why I was so enthralled by “The Dreamers,” one of the twelve stories in You Like It Darker. Like Pet Sematary, it takes its protagonist beyond the point of no return, into a place where some things are better left unexplored. Stephen King has been giving me nightmares since ninth grade, and “The Dreamers” proved he can still do it!

Perfect For Readers Who...

Love short stories that pack a serious punch
Enjoy psychological and supernatural horror
Like stories that find darkness lurking beneath ordinary life
Appreciate Stephen King's mix of terror, humanity, and the unexpected

The Devil and Mrs. Davenport

by Paulette Kennedy

Genre: Thriller • Historical Fiction • Mystery

Summary:

Missouri, 1955. Loretta Davenport has lived a sheltered life as a wife and young mother, married to an ambitious professor at a Bible college. But when a local girl is murdered, and Loretta begins receiving strange messages and visions from beyond, her carefully ordered world starts to unravel.

While her husband, Pete, dismisses her experiences as delusions—and eventually becomes convinced she is under the influence of the Devil—Loretta finds support from a parapsychologist who believes her abilities are a gift. As her connection to the dead grows stronger, Loretta must uncover the truth behind the messages she is receiving while fighting to reclaim control of her own life.

Why I recommend this book:

Strange voices, eerie premonitions, and a killer on the loose—what more do you need? The Devil and Mrs. Davenport had all the ingredients for the kind of dark, atmospheric story that immediately pulls me in.

I was especially intrigued by the question at the heart of Loretta’s story: Is she really communicating with the dead, or is something else happening to her? Set against the expectations placed on women in the 1950s, the supernatural mystery becomes something more—a story about a woman learning to trust herself when the person closest to her insists she shouldn’t. This was a wonderfully Gothic and unsettling read.

Perfect For Readers Who...

Love Gothic mysteries with a supernatural element
Enjoy stories about women challenging the expectations of their time
Are intrigued by mediums, premonitions, and messages from beyond
Like historical fiction that explores the question of what—or whom—to believe

The Only One Left

by Riley Sager

Genre: Thriller • Horror • Mystery

Summary:

In 1929, the brutal murders of the Hope family shocked the Maine coast and gave rise to a chilling schoolyard chant blaming seventeen-year-old Lenora Hope. Although the police could never prove her guilt, Lenora was the only member of her family left alive, and she has remained inside Hope’s End, the family’s cliffside mansion, ever since.

More than fifty years later, home-health aide Kit McDeere arrives at the decaying estate to care for the now elderly Lenora. Unable to speak, Lenora communicates by typing on an old typewriter—and one night offers to finally tell Kit everything about what happened in 1929. But as Lenora’s story unfolds, Kit begins to wonder whether she is hearing the truth and whether the seemingly helpless woman in her care might still be dangerous.

Why I recommend this book:

What could be more intriguing than an old, possibly haunted mansion and a decades-old murder mystery immortalized in a creepy children’s playground chant? The Only One Left had me hooked from the start.

I loved unraveling the mystery of what really happened to the Hope family alongside Kit, never quite knowing what—or whom—to believe. And with the crumbling Hope’s End perched high above the Maine coast, Riley Sager delivered twists that left me feeling as though I were hanging from the edge of a cliff—literally.

Perfect For Readers Who...

Love old mansions and decades-old murder mysteries
Enjoy unreliable narrators and stories where no one can quite be trusted
Like unraveling family secrets one revelation at a time
Appreciate twisty suspense with a Gothic atmosphere

King Nyx

by Kirsten Bakis

Genre: Historical Fiction • Horror • Mystery

Summary:

In the winter of 1918, Anna Fort accompanies her husband, Charles, to Prosper Island, a remote, frozen estate where he hopes to finish his book under the patronage of an eccentric millionaire. But when Anna learns that three girls have disappeared from a school run by their host, she becomes determined to find out what happened to them.

As Anna searches for answers, strange occurrences on the island begin to blur the line between reality and illusion. A mysterious figure in the woods appears to resemble a long-lost friend, while the return of Anna’s own psychological “troubles” makes her question what she can trust—including her own mind. Is Prosper Island haunted, or is something even more sinister behind the missing girls?

Why I recommend this book:

If you think it’s hard to escape a town’s secret past, imagine being surrounded by water as well as ghosts. King Nyx immediately drew me into the strange, isolated world of Prosper Island, where it becomes increasingly difficult to tell what is real and what might exist only in Anna’s mind.

I loved the dark, dreamlike atmosphere and the constant sense that something sinister was lurking just beneath the surface. As Anna searched for three missing girls, I found myself questioning her perceptions right along with her. This was the kind of unsettling story that kept me guessing—and even had me questioning what I believed.

Perfect For Readers Who...

Love dark, dreamlike Gothic fiction
Enjoy remote islands and claustrophobic settings
Like unreliable perceptions that blur reality and illusion
Appreciate mysteries involving missing people and possible ghosts

Small Town Horror

by Ronald Malfi

Genre: Horror • Thriller • Mystery

Summary:

Andrew Larimer has built a successful life far from Kingsport, the small town where he grew up. But when a late-night phone call from an old friend draws him home, he is forced to reunite with four childhood friends—and confront a past they have spent twenty years trying to leave behind.

The five share a dark secret about a night that changed all their lives, and now something is pulling them back together. As old memories resurface and talk of a curse begins to seem less impossible, Andrew discovers that his friends aren’t the only ones keeping secrets. Kingsport has some of its own.

Why I recommend this book:

It’s not just haunted houses that I find thrilling. In the horrifyingly dark Small Town Horror, five friends return to their hometown and are forced to face a past they thought they had left behind.

I loved the slow burn of this story. Just when I thought I understood where it was headed, another secret or twist changed everything—and suddenly I had no idea where the story was going. And that ending? I was blown away.

Perfect For Readers Who...

Enjoy slow-burn horror that builds to unexpected twists
Love stories about childhood friends reunited by a shared secret
Appreciate psychological horror that keeps you questioning what is real
Like small towns with dark histories of their own

The September House

by Carissa Orlando

Genre: Horror • Thriller • Mystery

Summary:

When Margaret and her husband, Hal, buy a beautiful Victorian home at a surprisingly affordable price, they soon discover why: it’s haunted. Every September, the walls drip blood, ghosts roam the halls, and something far more terrifying seems to be lurking in the basement. But while Hal has had enough, Margaret has no intention of leaving. It’s her house, ghosts and all.

After four years, Hal abruptly disappears, and their daughter Katherine—who knows nothing about the hauntings—arrives determined to find him. With September just beginning, Margaret must search for her missing husband while keeping the truth about the house from her daughter. But as the hauntings grow more dangerous, it becomes clear that the house has secrets of its own—and it intends to keep them.

Why I recommend this book:

The cover of The September House says it all: a hauntingly beautiful Victorian that is, well…haunted. Given my love of spooky old houses, I knew this one was for me.

What I especially loved was the unexpected humor woven throughout the darkness. This creepy, complex story had me laughing out loud one minute and holding my breath the next—a combination I didn’t expect, but thoroughly enjoyed.

Perfect For Readers Who...

Love haunted-house stories with an original twist
Appreciate dark humor mixed with genuine scares
Enjoy complicated family dynamics
Like heroines who refuse to behave the way a horror story expects

The House of Last Resort

by Christopher Golden

Genre: Horror • Thriller • Mystery

Summary:

Looking for a fresh start, a young couple moves to Becchina, a tiny village in Italy, where they purchase an old house they hope will become their dream home. But from the moment they arrive, something doesn’t feel quite right.

As unsettling events begin to reveal the house’s dark past, their idyllic new life quickly turns into something far more sinister. What began as a chance to start over becomes a terrifying struggle to uncover the secrets of their new home—and survive them.

Why I recommend this book:

Did I mention I love spooky old houses? (Actually, I live in one!) So naturally, The House of Last Resort caught my attention. An old house in a tiny Italian village with a mysterious past was simply too intriguing to resist.

I love a story where the setting becomes almost a character itself, and this one delivered plenty of atmosphere, secrets, and things that go bump in the night. It was exactly the kind of spooky read I wanted to get lost in.

Perfect For Readers Who...

Can't resist a seriously creepy old house
Love supernatural horror rooted in a place's dark history
Enjoy atmospheric European settings
Like stories where the house itself feels like a character

The Guest List

by Lucy Foley

Genre: Mystery • Thriller

Summary:

On a remote island off the coast of Ireland, guests gather for the glamorous wedding of a rising television star and an ambitious magazine publisher. Every detail has been carefully planned, from the designer dress and luxe party favors to the dramatic island setting.

But beneath the celebration, old resentments, jealousies, and secrets begin to surface. Then someone turns up dead. Cut off from the mainland and surrounded by people with reasons to hold a grudge, the guests are left with a chilling question: Who among them wanted someone at this wedding dead—and why?

Why I recommend this book:

Speaking of creepy settings, The Guest List reminded me of a line from the Eagles’ “Hotel California”—you can check out, but you can never leave. A wedding at an ancient castle on a remote Irish island already had all the ingredients for the kind of atmospheric mystery I love.

Add a group of guests harboring secrets and resentments, an isolated setting, and a murder, and I was hooked. This creepy whodunit kept me guessing and delivered plenty of chills along the way. It was also one of my Read with Sharon book club picks, and a wonderfully unsettling one to share.

Perfect For Readers Who...

Love locked-room-style mysteries and isolated settings
Enjoy whodunits with plenty of suspects
Like stories filled with secrets, grudges, and shifting suspicions
Appreciate atmospheric mysteries that keep you guessing

Mexican Gothic

by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

Genre: Historical Fiction • Gothic • Mystery

Summary:

After receiving a frantic letter from her newlywed cousin begging to be rescued from a mysterious doom, Noemí Taboada travels to High Place, a remote mansion in the Mexican countryside. The glamorous young debutante may seem an unlikely detective, but she is smart, determined, and not easily frightened.

At High Place, Noemí encounters her cousin’s unsettling new family and a house that seems to have a life of its own. As disturbing visions of blood and doom invade her dreams, she begins uncovering a history of violence, madness, and long-buried family secrets. The deeper Noemí is drawn into the strange and seductive world of High Place, the more uncertain it becomes whether she will ever be able to escape.

Why I recommend this book:

Who doesn’t love a haunted house on Halloween? Silvia Moreno-Garcia doesn’t disappoint with this wonderfully dark Gothic tale set in a remote mansion in the Mexican countryside.

I was immediately drawn into the eerie world of High Place, where the house itself is only the beginning of what Noemí has to fear. With family secrets hidden behind its walls, disturbing visions, and a heroine determined to uncover the truth, Mexican Gothic delivered exactly the kind of seductive and terrifying story I love for spooky season.

In fact, I included Mexican Gothic in my list of scary books to read for Halloween that I put together for People Magazine.

Perfect For Readers Who...

Love Gothic fiction and sinister old houses
Enjoy smart, determined heroines
Appreciate lush, atmospheric settings
Like stories where family secrets and the supernatural intertwine

Murder Road

by Simone St. James

Genre: Mystery • Horror • Thriller

Summary:

In July 1995, newlyweds April and Eddie take a wrong turn while driving to the resort town where they plan to spend their honeymoon. On a deserted road called Atticus Line, they stop for what appears to be a lone hitchhiker—only to discover that she is badly wounded. Before they can get her to safety, a mysterious truck comes barreling down the road behind them.

When the hitchhiker dies, April and Eddie become the prime suspects in a series of unexplained murders that have plagued Atticus Line for years. Determined to clear their names, they begin digging into the town’s dark history and soon discover that something supernatural is at work on that lonely stretch of road—and they may be its next victims.

Why I recommend this book:

After The Sun Down Motel, I knew I wanted to read more of Simone St. James’s wonderfully creepy stories, and Murder Road did not disappoint. A young couple, a wrong turn, a deserted road, and a town with a dark history—it had all the ingredients for the kind of haunted tale I love.

What starts as a wrong turn quickly becomes something far more sinister, with no easy way back and seemingly no escape from the secrets surrounding Atticus Line. St. James once again gave me that perfect mix of mystery and supernatural suspense that keeps me turning the pages—and looking over my shoulder.

Perfect For Readers Who...

Love creepy road-trip stories and wrong turns
Enjoy mysteries surrounding unsolved crimes
Like supernatural suspense mixed with a murder investigation
Appreciate stories about small towns hiding dark secrets

The Sun Down Motel

by Simone St. James

Genre: Mystery • Horror • Thriller

Summary:

In 1982, Viv Delaney takes a job as the night clerk at the Sun Down Motel in Fell, New York, while saving money for a move to New York City. But there is something deeply unsettling about the motel—and then Viv mysteriously disappears.

Thirty-five years later, Viv’s niece Carly arrives in Fell determined to find out what happened to the aunt she never knew. Her search leads her back to the Sun Down Motel, where little seems to have changed since 1982. As Carly begins investigating Viv’s disappearance, she finds herself drawn into the same dark mysteries—and supernatural forces—that haunted her aunt decades earlier.

Why I recommend this book:

Simone St. James is one of my favorite modern-day writers of haunted tales, and The Sun Down Motel was the book that first introduced me to her work. I discovered it while my husband and I were traveling across the country, and the cover immediately reminded me of a 1960s rendition of Alfred Hitchcock’s Bates Motel.

A few chapters in, I was already thinking twice about where we overnighted for the rest of the trip! I loved the combination of mystery, atmosphere, and the supernatural, and I’ve been a fan of Simone St. James ever since.

Perfect For Readers Who...

Love mysteries told across two timelines
Enjoy haunted places with dark histories
Like strong female characters determined to uncover the truth
Appreciate stories that blend crime, mystery, and the supernatural