Night Shift Shadows

In 1982, twenty-year-old Viv Delaney arrives at the Sun Down Motel in Fell, New York, to work the night shift. The motel is isolated, eerie, and seems to pulse with secrets. Viv is running from her past, seeking independence, but quickly senses that the Sun Down is not as empty as it appears. The night is thick with fear, and Viv's intuition tells her that something is deeply wrong—especially after hearing about the murder of a local girl, Tracy Waters. As Viv settles into her routine, she becomes aware of strange occurrences: doors opening on their own, the smell of cigarette smoke, and the sense that she is not alone. The stage is set for a haunting and a mystery that will span decades.

The Vanishing of Viv

By the end of her shift, Viv has vanished without a trace. Her car, purse, and belongings are left behind, and no one seems to notice her absence for days. The police investigation is lackluster, and Viv's family—already fractured by divorce and distance—can do little. The Sun Down's reputation as a place where bad things happen grows, but the truth of Viv's disappearance is buried under apathy and the passage of time. The mystery of what happened to Viv becomes a dark legend in Fell, and her story is left unresolved for thirty-five years.

Carly's Obsession Awakens

In 2017, Viv's niece, Carly Kirk, arrives in Fell, driven by the unsolved mystery of her aunt's disappearance. Grieving her mother's recent death and disillusioned with college, Carly is determined to uncover the truth about Viv. She moves into Viv's old apartment, befriends her quirky roommate Heather, and begins to dig into the town's archives. Carly's fascination with true crime and her family's silence about Viv fuel her quest. She soon discovers that Fell is a town haunted by more than just her aunt's memory—there are other unsolved murders, and the Sun Down Motel is still open, still strange, and still dangerous.

Ghosts in the Halls

Both Viv in 1982 and Carly in 2017 experience inexplicable phenomena at the Sun Down: doors slam, lights flicker, and ghostly figures appear. The most persistent is the spirit of Betty Graham, a woman murdered years before whose body was dumped at the motel's construction site. Other apparitions include a little boy who drowned in the pool and a chain-smoking man. These hauntings are not just scares—they are warnings, desperate attempts by the dead to communicate the truth about what happened at the Sun Down and in Fell.

The Sun Down's Secrets

As Viv investigates the motel's history, she learns of a string of murdered women: Betty Graham, Cathy Caldwell, Victoria Lee, and Tracy Waters. Each was killed in a different way, but all were young, alone, and forgotten by the town. Viv becomes convinced that the murders are connected and that the killer is still at large. In 2017, Carly follows in her aunt's footsteps, discovering the same pattern and realizing that the Sun Down is the nexus of these tragedies. Both women are drawn deeper into the motel's secrets, risking their own safety to find answers.

Two Timelines, One Mystery

The novel alternates between Viv's and Carly's perspectives, each woman conducting her own investigation decades apart. Viv befriends Marnie, a photographer, and Alma, a night-shift cop, while Carly teams up with Heather and Nick, a troubled local with his own dark past. Both women use the tools available to them—Viv with phone books and legwork, Carly with the internet and archives—to piece together the truth. Their stories mirror each other, as both face skepticism, danger, and the supernatural.

The Dead Girls' Club

Viv and Carly refuse to let the murdered women be forgotten. They dig into the lives of Betty, Cathy, Victoria, and Tracy, uncovering how each was dismissed by police and the media. The women's stories are marked by loneliness, vulnerability, and the failure of those around them to protect or even notice them. Viv's empathy for the victims becomes a driving force, and Carly's research gives them a voice. The "dead girls" become more than statistics—they are the heart of the mystery and the reason for the haunting.

Hauntings and Warnings

The supernatural elements intensify as Viv and Carly get closer to the truth. Betty's ghost, in particular, is both terrifying and tragic, her rage and sorrow palpable. The ghosts are not random—they are trying to warn the living, to prevent more deaths, and to see justice done. Viv and Carly come to understand that the hauntings are a form of communication, urging them to act before it's too late.

The Salesman's Trail

Viv's investigation leads her to Simon Hess, a traveling salesman with a pattern of being near each victim. She follows him, gathers evidence, and even warns Tracy Waters's family and school, but her efforts are ignored. When Tracy is murdered, Viv is consumed by guilt and rage. She confronts Hess at the Sun Down, and in a moment of terror and self-defense, she kills him. With the help of Marnie and Alma, she hides the body and disappears, leaving behind a notebook detailing her investigation.

The Women Who Fought Back

The aftermath of Hess's death is a desperate scramble. Viv, with the help of Marnie and Alma, disposes of the body and erases her tracks. They are motivated by a mix of justice, fear, and the knowledge that the system would never believe or protect them. Viv assumes a new identity and vanishes, while the town forgets her. The women's actions are morally complex—they break the law, but they do so to stop a killer and protect themselves.

The Truth Buried Deep

In 2017, Carly's investigation leads her to the same conclusions as Viv's. She discovers Viv's notebook, hidden in the motel's candy machine, and realizes what her aunt did. Carly is attacked by Callum, the killer's grandson, but survives with the help of Nick and the intervention of the ghosts. The truth about the Sun Down, the murders, and Viv's fate finally comes to light.

The Confession and Aftermath

Viv, now living under a new name, comes forward to confess to killing Simon Hess after Carly finds the body. The police match Hess's DNA to the unsolved murders, exonerating the innocent men who were blamed. Viv faces the consequences of her actions, but her confession brings closure to the families of the victims and to Carly's family. The cycle of violence and silence is finally broken.

The Motel's Final Night

With the truth revealed and the killer exposed, the hauntings at the Sun Down cease. The motel, now condemned and falling apart, is finally demolished. The ghosts—Betty, the boy, Henry—are gone, their stories acknowledged and their need for justice fulfilled. The Sun Down's era of violence and secrets ends.

Justice, Grief, and Survival

Carly, Heather, and Nick move forward, changed by what they've experienced. Carly finds purpose in studying criminology, determined to help other forgotten victims. Viv faces her fate with dignity, her actions understood if not condoned. The women of Fell, past and present, are remembered not as victims but as fighters. The novel ends with a sense of hard-won peace and the hope that the cycle of violence will not repeat.

The End of the Sun Down

The Sun Down Motel, once a place of horror and loss, is bulldozed. Its destruction is both literal and symbolic—the end of a chapter for Fell and for the women whose lives were shaped by its darkness. The story closes with Carly and Nick looking toward the future, the past finally at rest.

Characters

Viv Delaney

Viv is a restless, intelligent young woman who flees her troubled family in Illinois for a new life in Fell, New York. Working the night shift at the Sun Down Motel, she is drawn into the mystery of a string of murdered women. Viv is both brave and vulnerable, driven by empathy for the victims and a need to make sense of the darkness around her. Her psychological journey is marked by isolation, guilt, and a growing sense of responsibility. Viv's determination leads her to confront the killer, Simon Hess, and ultimately to kill him in self-defense. Her decision to disappear and assume a new identity is both an act of survival and a sacrifice, as she gives up her life to protect others and keep the truth hidden.

Carly Kirk

Carly is Viv's niece, a college student whose life is upended by her mother's death and her obsession with her aunt's disappearance. Intelligent, resourceful, and emotionally driven, Carly is a true-crime enthusiast who refuses to let Viv's story be forgotten. Her investigation mirrors Viv's, and she faces many of the same dangers and doubts. Carly's psychological arc is one of grief, anger, and empowerment—she channels her pain into action, ultimately uncovering the truth and bringing justice to the forgotten women of Fell. Her relationships with Heather and Nick provide support and connection, helping her heal and move forward.

Heather

Heather is Carly's roommate in Fell, a local college student with her own history of trauma and insomnia. She is intelligent, eccentric, and deeply empathetic, sharing Carly's fascination with true crime and the town's dark history. Heather's struggles with anxiety and boundaries make her both vulnerable and strong—she is a survivor who finds purpose in helping Carly. Her friendship is a lifeline for Carly, and together they form a team that balances logic, intuition, and emotional support.

Nick Harkness

Nick is a local man haunted by his family's violent past—his father murdered his brother and tried to kill him. He returns to Fell, seeking closure and sleep, and becomes Carly's unlikely ally and love interest. Nick is guarded, loyal, and deeply scarred, struggling with guilt and insomnia. His relationship with Carly helps him find purpose and connection, and his knowledge of Fell's underbelly is crucial to solving the mystery. Nick's journey is one of redemption and healing, as he learns to trust and love again.

Marnie Clark (Mahoney)

Marnie is a photographer who becomes Viv's confidante and accomplice. She is tough, resourceful, and deeply aware of the dangers women face. Marnie's involvement in the cover-up of Simon Hess's death is motivated by a mix of self-preservation and solidarity. She is a realist who understands the limits of justice and the necessity of survival. Marnie's role as a witness, helper, and later as a guide for Carly is central to the story's resolution.

Alma Trent

Alma is the only female police officer in Fell in 1982, relegated to the night shift and dismissed by her male colleagues. She is tough, principled, and compassionate, forming a bond with Viv and later with Carly. Alma's struggle for respect and her willingness to bend the rules make her both a protector and a participant in the cover-up. She represents the challenges women face in male-dominated institutions and the moral complexity of seeking justice outside the law.

Simon Hess

Simon Hess is the traveling salesman responsible for the murders of Betty, Cathy, Victoria, and Tracy. He is outwardly unremarkable—polite, neat, and forgettable—but beneath the surface, he is a predator who targets vulnerable women. Hess's psychology is marked by entitlement, lack of empathy, and a need for control. His ability to blend in and avoid suspicion is a commentary on how society overlooks danger in plain sight. His death at Viv's hands is both justice and tragedy.

Betty Graham

Betty is the most prominent of the Sun Down's ghosts, a schoolteacher murdered and dumped at the motel's construction site. In death, she is both terrifying and pitiable, her rage and pain fueling the hauntings. Betty represents the forgotten victims, the women whose stories are erased or ignored. Her presence is a catalyst for Viv and Carly, pushing them to seek the truth and break the cycle of violence.

Jenny Summers

Jenny is Viv's roommate in 1982, a night-shift nurse who is largely oblivious to Viv's struggles. Her inability to notice Viv's absence for days is emblematic of the isolation and neglect that allow violence to go unchecked. Jenny's later regret and guilt highlight the importance of connection and vigilance.

Callum MacRae

Callum is Simon Hess's grandson, a modern-day echo of the past. His fixation on his grandfather's disappearance and his pursuit of Carly bring the story's dangers into the present. Callum's instability and violence are a reminder that the legacy of trauma and evil can persist across generations.

Plot Devices

Dual Timelines and Mirrored Investigations

The novel's structure alternates between Viv in 1982 and Carly in 2017, creating suspense and allowing the reader to piece together the mystery alongside the protagonists. The mirrored investigations highlight the persistence of violence against women and the ways in which the past shapes the present. This device also allows for dramatic irony, as the reader knows more than either character at any given time, heightening tension and emotional impact.

Supernatural Hauntings as Metaphor and Motive

The hauntings at the Sun Down are both literal and symbolic. The ghosts represent the unresolved pain of the victims and the failure of society to protect or remember them. Their presence drives the living to action, serving as both warning and motivation. The supernatural elements blur the line between horror and mystery, emphasizing the psychological toll of violence and the need for closure.

The Unreliable Institution

Throughout the novel, the police and other institutions are depicted as indifferent, incompetent, or actively hostile to the concerns of women. This device underscores the necessity of women taking matters into their own hands and the moral ambiguity of vigilante justice. The failure of authority is both a source of danger and a call to action for the protagonists.

Foreshadowing and Recurring Motifs

The novel uses recurring images—doors opening, the smell of smoke, the flickering sign—to foreshadow danger and connect the timelines. These motifs create a sense of inevitability and reinforce the idea that the past is never truly gone. The repetition of warnings and the cycle of violence highlight the need to break free from history's grip.

The Hidden Notebook and the Power of Story

Viv's notebook, hidden and later discovered by Carly, is a crucial plot device. It serves as a record of the truth, a means of survival, and a bridge between generations. The act of writing—of telling the story—is both an act of resistance and a way to ensure that the victims are not forgotten. The notebook's discovery is the key to solving the mystery and achieving justice.

Analysis

The Sun Down Motel is a chilling, atmospheric exploration of violence against women, the failures of authority, and the power of female solidarity. By weaving together two timelines and blending supernatural horror with true-crime investigation, Simone St. James crafts a narrative that is both suspenseful and deeply resonant. The novel interrogates the ways in which women are made vulnerable—by isolation, by indifference, by the structures meant to protect them—and how they must often rely on each other for justice and survival. The ghosts of the Sun Down are not just scares; they are the voices of the forgotten, demanding to be heard. The story's resolution, with Viv's confession and the exposure of the killer, is both cathartic and bittersweet—justice is served, but at great personal cost. Ultimately, The Sun Down Motel is a testament to the necessity of remembering, of telling the stories that others would erase, and of fighting back against the darkness, both literal and metaphorical. It is a modern ghost story with a feminist heart, urging readers to see, to care, and to act.

Last updated: June 10, 2025