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Murder Road

Name: Murder Road
Price: 19.00 USD
Availability: InStock
ISBN: 9780593200391

✍️ Simone St. James

Reader Score

4.6

(5 reviews)

$19.00 ~~$22.00~~ Save $3.00 (13%)

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📚 WHAT THE BOOK IS ABOUT

A honeymoon turns into a nightmare on a haunted road in this supernatural thriller.

The plot centers on April and Eddie, who become entangled in a series of gruesome murders after picking up a mysterious hitchhiker. Their journey from victims to suspects drives the narrative forward as they uncover the truth behind Atticus Line. The story blends contemporary romance with classic horror tropes, focusing on the couple's struggle for survival and justice. James uses the backdrop of Coldlake Falls to create a sense of isolation and dread. The investigation reveals layers of local history and supernatural influence that complicate their escape.

Key Themes

supernatural murders wrongful accusation haunted road

Literary Context

Set in July 1995, the book reflects mid-nineties anxieties about rural isolation and small-town secrets. It draws on American gothic traditions of cursed landscapes and historical trauma. The narrative engages with themes of trust and betrayal within the context of a deserted highway.

Simone St. James

📚 all books by this author (13) →

Difficulty

●● Medium

Recommended For Fans Of

Susan Hill · Daphne du Maurier

🕯️

Supernatural

🏛 Berkley Books 📅 2025 🌐 English 📔 Paperback ISBN: 9780593200391

📚 This Book in Collections

🆕 New Horror Books

📝 Description: Murder Road

A supernatural thriller follows a honeymooning couple framed for murders on a haunted road in July 1995. April and Eddie take a wrong turn while seeking their honeymoon destination and encounter a lone hitchhiker on Atticus Line. They stop to assist her, but the situation turns violent when they notice blood seeping from her jacket and witness a truck pursuing them. The hitchhiker dies at a local hospital, leaving the couple as primary suspects for the Coldlake Falls police. The narrative follows April and Eddie as they investigate the history of Atticus Line to clear their names. They discover that unexplained murders have plagued this deserted stretch of road for years. Their search reveals supernatural forces at work, threatening to expose dark secrets within the town. The story draws on gothic traditions of isolated roads and haunted pasts. This novel suits readers who enjoy atmospheric horror and mystery plots involving wrongful accusations. It may not appeal to those seeking lighthearted romance or fast-paced action without supernatural elements. James constructs a tense narrative where the couple must confront both human suspicion and otherworldly threats. The setting of Coldlake Falls provides a backdrop for exploring fear and survival against unseen enemies.

💎 Our verdict on Murder Road

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🩸

Horror Reads editorial team

Horror desk

Simone St. James constructs a tense narrative where the couple must confront both human suspicion and otherworldly threats in Coldlake Falls. The backdrop effectively creates a sense of isolation and dread, appealing to fans of atmospheric horror and mystery plots involving wrongful accusations. However, this novel may not appeal to those seeking lighthearted romance or fast-paced action without supernatural elements. The investigation reveals layers of local history that complicate the escape, offering a sophisticated take on classic tropes. While the blend of contemporary romance with gothic traditions works well for its target audience, readers expecting pure adrenaline or non-supernatural crime fiction might find the pacing deliberate and the tone too heavy for their tastes.

✓ EDITOR'S REVIEW

📖 Why choose it

📖

Why this book is worth reading

This book is ideal for readers who enjoy atmospheric horror and mystery plots involving wrongful accusations. April and Eddie’s struggle for survival against unseen enemies creates a tense narrative that confronts both human suspicion and otherworldly threats. The story offers a compelling blend of contemporary romance and classic horror, inviting audiences to uncover dark secrets within a town plagued by unexplained murders. Those who appreciate the exploration of fear and survival on deserted stretches of road will find this supernatural thriller engaging. It provides a deep dive into local history and supernatural influence, making it perfect for fans of gothic traditions and isolated settings where justice is hard-won against formidable odds.

⭐ Reader reviews

The starting rating comes from the team Horror Reads —

⭐ HorrorReads editorial review Editorial rating 4.5/5

★★★★★

Fans of atmospheric gothic horror and slow-burn mysteries will love this tale of wrongful accusation. If you prefer lighthearted romance or rapid-fire action without supernatural elements, this moody, tension-filled narrative might not suit your taste.

Reader rating

4.6

Based on 5 reviews

Sarah W.

May 20, 2026

Ordered it for Halloween and it came in time. Print is comfortable for late-night reading. The binding held up to being carried around for a week. My only quibble is that the middle third sags a little. Good, with the caveats above.

Katie D.

April 24, 2026

Finally got around to ordering this. The ending is bleak and honest, not a twist for the sake of one. The audiobook crowd will want the paper copy for the margins.

James S.

October 5, 2025

Arrived quickly and well packaged. Some chapters are hard to read in the best possible way. The atmosphere builds slowly and then does not let go. Highly recommend.

Amanda N.

July 23, 2025

Kept me up

Took a chance on it after reading the description here. Read it in two sittings; the second one ran past midnight. Highly recommend.

❓ Frequently asked questions

No. While a marriage forms the backdrop, the story is a supernatural thriller focused on survival and mystery, not romantic development.

The horror relies more on psychological tension and eerie atmosphere than explicit violence, making it unsettling rather than graphically gory.

📖 Who should read this

📜 Historical context

Simone St. James firmly plants this story within the rich tradition of gothic horror, leveraging the classic trope of the haunted, isolated road to generate dread. By setting the narrative in mid-nineties Coldlake Falls, she taps into the era's fascination with small-town secrets and folklore. The novel honors predecessors like Shirley Jackson, using a deserted highway not just as a setting, but as a character itself, where past sins bleed into the present.