The Sun Down Motel by Simone St. James Summary

The Sun Down Motel tells parallel stories across two timelines: Viv Delaney working as a night clerk at a haunted roadside motel in 1982, and her niece Carly Kirk investigating Viv's mysterious disappearance 35 years later in 2017. Set in Fell, New York, this atmospheric thriller combines supernatural elements with a serial killer mystery as both women uncover dark secrets about murders connected to the motel.

Simone St. James is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author known for blending historical settings with supernatural suspense. Her notable works include The Haunting of Maddy Clare (which won two RITA Awards), The Broken Girls, The Book of Cold Cases, and Murder Road. She spent twenty years working behind the scenes in television before becoming a full-time writer and lives outside Toronto, Canada.

The Sun Down Motel is perfect for readers who enjoy atmospheric thrillers with supernatural elements, dual timeline narratives, and strong female protagonists. Fans of true crime mysteries, Gothic suspense, and haunted location stories will find this book particularly appealing. It's ideal for those who appreciate authors like Ruth Ware or Grady Hendrix and readers who enjoy mysteries that blend real-world danger with paranormal phenomena.

The Sun Down Motel is widely praised for its gripping atmosphere and masterful sense of place that keeps readers engaged from the first page. Simone St. James expertly weaves together supernatural horror with true crime elements, creating compelling mysteries in both timelines. The book's strong character development, particularly the parallel journeys of Viv and Carly, combined with its page-turning plot twists make it a standout thriller.

Viv Delaney discovered that traveling salesman Simon Hess was a serial killer murdering women in Fell and staying at the Sun Down Motel. In 1982, after confronting Simon with help from Betty's ghost, Viv stabbed him in self-defense and got him to confess to multiple murders. She then disposed of his body with help from coworkers Marnie and Alma, changed her identity, and lived in Fell under a different name for 35 years until Carly discovered the truth.

The Sun Down Motel is haunted primarily by Betty Graham, whose body was found at the construction site right before the motel was completed. Betty's ghost becomes agitated whenever serial killer Simon Hess stays at the motel because he murdered her. Other victims also appear as ghosts, with doors opening and closing on their own and mysterious occurrences happening during night shifts, particularly when Simon visits.

The dual timelines mirror each other as both Viv (1982) and her niece Carly (2017) work the same night shift at the Sun Down Motel and investigate the same serial murders. Both women experience identical paranormal phenomena and follow similar investigative paths separated by 35 years. The timelines converge when Carly discovers Simon Hess's body, ultimately leading to Viv revealing she's alive and reuniting with her niece.

Simon Hess is the primary antagonist, a traveling salesman who murdered multiple women including Betty Graham, Cathy Caldwell, Victoria Lee, and Tracy Waters in Fell, New York. He frequently stayed at the Sun Down Motel after committing his crimes, which triggered supernatural disturbances from his victims' ghosts. Viv killed him in self-defense in 1982, and his grandson Callum MacRae later confronts Carly when she discovers Simon's remains.

Carly Kirk travels to Fell in 2017 determined to uncover what happened to her aunt Viv, whose disappearance haunted her deceased mother. She takes the same night clerk position at the Sun Down Motel and, with help from roommate Heather Atkins and love interest Nick Harkness, pieces together connections between multiple murders. Her investigation leads to discovering Simon Hess's body and ultimately reuniting with Viv, who reveals the truth about the 1982 killings.

Viv saves Carly from Callum MacRae (Simon's grandson), who dies while pursuing them. Viv confesses to killing Simon, leading authorities to reopen cold cases when DNA evidence links Simon to multiple murders. Viv is taken to prison but her actions are revealed as self-defense against a serial killer. The haunted Sun Down Motel is demolished as Betty's ghost finally destroys it, while Carly and Nick begin dating and planning their future together.

The Sun Down Motel uniquely combines dual timeline storytelling with supernatural horror and true crime investigation. Unlike standard thrillers, it features authentic ghost encounters that drive the plot rather than serving as mere atmosphere. Simone St. James creates a haunted motel that functions as both setting and character, with spirits actively helping solve their own murders across decades. The small-town atmosphere of Fell, frozen in time, adds Gothic eeriness rarely found in contemporary thrillers.

The Sun Down Motel explores themes of justice delayed, intergenerational trauma, and women protecting each other across time. The novel examines how small towns hide dark secrets and how violence against women often goes ignored by authorities. Supernatural elements represent the refusal of victims to be forgotten, while the dual timeline structure emphasizes how unresolved crimes ripple through families and communities for decades. Female resilience and the courage to confront evil are central throughout both timelines.