Thank you @berkleypub and @prhaudio for the free #gifted book.

 

A dark stretch of highway.  A string of murdered hitchhikers.  An old urban legend.  

 

April and Eddie had plans for beer and scrabble along the shores of Lake Michigan.  Instead, they find themselves in a much more harrowing game.  One where they must prove their innocence.  And one where they aren’t sure who the opponent really is.    

 

Cinematic and full of atmosphere, St. James perfectly depicts the ominous roadway and derelict lakeside town.  A strong sense of foreboding ruminates through the storyline and each scene is painted with dread.  

 

But it’s also full of 90s nostalgia.  From Seventeen Magazine to Blockbuster Video, I was transported back to my youth.  And references to the OJ trial and Tonya Harding provided an easy timestamp for technology and police procedures.  But my favorite mention: the obsession over Princess Diana.   

 

St. James is a master when it comes to portraying the line between the seen/knowable and the paranormal.  I found myself questioning each detail.  Imagination?  Ghost?  Trick of the senses?  Something not yet explained?  Even halfway through this one, I found myself totally unsure how it would unwind, which made the ending that much more satisfactory.   

 

Sun Down Motel remains my favorite by St. James.  But this one proved to be a fast paced, entertaining read. And I’ll be the first in line for whatever she writes next.  

 

🎧 As always, Brittany Pressley’s narration is pitch perfect.  It encapsulated the tension and creepiness while also giving our main characters distinct voices.  Her depiction well hones the mood of the story and of the characters.