Anna Downes has written her third, and perhaps finest, novel to date. RED RIVER ROAD gives readers a premise that may sound familiar, but believe me, it is anything but.

Katy Sweeney is taking what could be a deadly road trip across the continent of Australia in search of her younger sister, Phoebe. Always a free-spirited sort, Phoebe disappeared a year earlier just three weeks into her own Australian road trip. The alarming thing is that she completely vanished without a trace left behind, including her camper. The police have all but given up on the case, so Katy must take matters into her own hands. Along the way, she will meet up with other road warriors --- some good, some not so much --- and may not be prepared to face the truth.

"The suspense that Downes builds and the myriad surprises along the way elevate the story beyond your typical road novel, making it one of 2024’s must-read psychological thrillers."

When we join Katy on her mission, she is getting run off the road late one evening by a nameless and faceless aggressive driver who had been tailgating her. That same night, an unexpected companion has made her way inside Katy’s camper. Beth, who tells Katy her name is Lily, is injured from an attack and is quite scared. An American who refuses medical attention as she is in the country illegally, Beth says that she was choked by a man from whom she is on the run. It turns out she also is escaping a dark past that will rear its ugly head as the story progresses. Katy reluctantly agrees to allow Beth to tag along with her.

Downes utilizes text messages from Phoebe and various replies. A regular responder to her travel posts uses the tag lonewanderer66, and the responses get creepier and more ominous as Katy reviews them. For example, this individual asks Phoebe to send photos and expresses interest in meeting her at some point. Highly suspicious indeed!

A secondary narrative features teenagers Wyatt and Lucas, who appear to be young sociopaths in the making and will play a major role in Katy’s storyline.

The suspense that Downes builds and the myriad surprises along the way elevate the story beyond your typical road novel, making it one of 2024’s must-read psychological thrillers.