Red River Road by Anna Downes
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Told via three different perspectives, as well as expertly-placed mixed media elements, Red River Road is a gripping and suspenseful Psychological Thriller that successfully kept me on my toes throughout.
I had the pleasure of Buddy Reading this one with a friend, and we were guessing and throwing out theories the entire time. I loved how Downes put this one together.
We learn about Phoebe, an up-and-coming Travel Influencer, whose solo vanlife trip along the coastal road of Western Australia was followed by people all over the world. That is until the day she goes quiet.
Phoebe has disappeared without a trace. We hear about these types of things all the time, but it was still shocking and sad for those who followed, knew Phoebe, or even loved her IRL.
Katy is on a solo van trip of her own. Following Phoebe’s social media posts, Katy is desperate to find her. It’s during this journey that her path jarringly crosses with Beth’s, a woman on the run, full of desperation of her own.
As the two get to know one another, Beth realizes who Katy is; Phoebe’s sister. Katy realizes that Beth’s knowledge may be the key she needs to reach her goals.
The two agree to work together and travel together, getting Beth farther away from her past, and Katy closer to finally finding Phoebe. At least that’s what they hope.
We also follow Wyatt, a boy who lives with his brother and father in the same remote area through which our two women are traveling. How is Wyatt connected to this story?
You’ll have to read it, because there’s no way I’m telling.
Full of Anna Downes’s signature twists and turns, Red River Road reads like a Road Trip Gone Wrong movie come to the page. It’s my fave from this author to date.
Once I started, it was nearly impossible to stop. I had to know what was happening. I had so many theories over the course of this, I even began to suspect myself…
Downes keeps her chapters short, and the inclusion of the mixed media made this story even more intriguing. It was like watching a giant puzzle come together.
Each consecutive chapter added one more piece to the bigger picture. I was reading this so fast. I had to get to the bottom of what was going on.
I loved meeting both Beth and Katy. They were so interesting, and while I was captivated by both of their stories, I didn’t trust either of them. I kept expecting betrayals and backstabs. I just did not know who to trust.
The conclusion was wild and IMO, readership will be divided on how this ends. For me, I really enjoyed it, although there were some details I got a little confused on towards the end.
I’m pretty sure it is just me though. As in, I missed something as I was rushing through, because I am left with a couple of lingering questions, or things that I think I understand, but am just not 100% sure on.
With this being said, this is one of those rare Thriller/Suspense stories that I would actually read again.
I know Thrillers tend to be best appreciated the first time round; like, once you know, you know. In this case though, I actually would like to reread this knowing the ultimate outcome from the start.
It’s a detailed story, with great character work and a lot of different layers. I think I would appreciate the skill it required for Downes to pull this off even more upon reread.
I had a fabulous time with this. The setting was exciting and the twists were off the charts. I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys a fast-paced Travel Thriller. Also, I highly recommend the audiobook format!
Thank you to the publisher, Minotaur Books and Macmillan Audio, for providing me copies to read and review. I can’t wait to see what Anna Downes comes up with next!!!