Thank you Libro.fm / Macmillan Audio, for the ALC and Minotaur Books, #partner for the advanced copy of Red River Road in exchange for my honest review.
Publisher: Minotaur Books / Macmillan Audio
Published: August 27, 2024
Summary:
Anna Downes’s extraordinary next thriller Red River Road follows a woman desperate to discover what happened to her sister on a solo road trip through the Australian outback.
Katy Sweeney is looking for her sister. A year earlier, just three weeks into a solo vanlife trip, her free-spirited younger sister, Phoebe, vanished without a trace on the remote, achingly beautiful coastal highway in Western Australia. With no witnesses, no leads, and no DNA evidence, the case has gone cold. But Katy refuses to give up on her.
Using Phoebe’s social media accounts as a map, Katy retraces her sister’s steps, searching for any clues the police may have missed. Was Phoebe being followed? Who had she met along the way, and how dangerous were they?
And then Katy’s path collides with that of Beth, who is on the run from her own dark past. Katy realizes that Beth might be her best—and only—chance of finding the truth, and the two women form an uneasy alliance to find out what really happened to Phoebe in this wild, beautiful, and perilous place.
Anna Downes takes us on a twist-filled journey into the dark side of solo female travel, in this gripping novel that explores what drives us to keep searching for those we have lost, the family bonds that can make or break us, and the deception of memory.
My thoughts:
This is the third book I have read by Anna Downes and I am most definitely a fan. I love that each of her books have been so different from each other and I could not wait to see what was in store for us in this latest one. And I have to say I was not disappointed. This is another addicting read that will keep you captivated from start to finish!
A road trip thriller through the western coast of Australia, this is the type of story that is sure to get under your skin! I loved that the setting is as much a part of the story as the characters are. This one is so haunting and atmospheric, full of secrets and twists that keep you unsure of what to expect next. While it is a slow-burn initially, it does pick up the pace towards the end for an ending that completely shocked me!
The suspense builds almost from the beginning and having Phoebe’s social media posts included added to that as we try to piece together just what happened. This book really kept me on my toes as there is that sense that all along, something is just not right. I definitely think this is the type of book that begs to be read again because I’m pretty sure there were clues given all along – I just didn’t pick up on them!
I love Australian crime fiction and Anna Downes is definitely one to watch in that genre. I cannot wait to see what she brings us next!
Audio thoughts:
This book was brilliantly narrated by Maddy Withington, who does a fantastic job giving each character their own distinct voice. Her pacing was just right, adding suspense and emotion to her voice as needed. And I loved the bonus interview included on the audio between the author and Sally Hepworth!
