Red River Road

By Anna Downes
** Publication Date 27 August 2024 **
4.5 stars

Whoa. What a twisty, turny crazy novel. This book had more unexpected moments than I ever could have imagined.


Katy Sweeney has hit the road in a van conversion on a quest to find her missing sister, Phoebe. Phoebe had planned to do the ‘big lap’, a trip around the perimeter of Australia. Phoebe’s trip began in Perth, but ended somewhere near Ningaloo. That was the last that Phoebe was heard from. Now Katy is trying to recreate Phoebe’s trip, to try to find any information that the detectives may have missed a year ago.


Beth found herself in a relationship that was far less than what she expected. When things go very wrong, she finds herself hiding in Katy’s van. Together they become friends and investigators, trying to piece together what happened to Phoebe. Bit by bit, we find out more and more about Beth. And bit by bit, Katy’s obsession becomes more strange, especially when frightening notes and messages begin appearing in the van.


Add in Wyatt and Lucas Cleary, brothers whose mother disappeared in a van many years ago. She was never found, as happened with other vanlife women as well. Wyatt is a teenager, and Lucas just happens to be Beth’s ex. 


The web keeps getting more tangled, until it all untangles at the end. Don’t miss it.


Truly one of the best and most unexpected novels I’ve read. The whole background makes me want to fly off to Australia (even with all it’s deadly critters.) The characters are so well written that you almost think you know them. But the tricky part here is, does anyone really know any of them? 


Excellent read. Impossible to put down.