Nora Roberts has written over 200 books, so it’s easy to think you know exactly what you’re getting when you pick up a new one. You expect the romance. You expect the strong sense of place. But honestly, Come Sundown Nora Roberts hits differently because it’s surprisingly dark. It isn’t just a ranch story with a sunset on the cover; it’s a gritty, claustrophobic look at survival that manages to feel both expansive and terrifyingly small at the same time.
Most people come for the Montana scenery. They stay for the trauma. That sounds harsh, but it’s the truth of why this specific 2017 release continues to dominate book club discussions and library hold lists years later.
The Bodine Family and the Shadow of the Past
The story centers on the Bodine family, who run a successful resort ranch in Montana. Bodine Longbow is the woman in charge, balancing the books and the chaos of a family business. She’s classic Roberts—capable, smart, and a little bit guarded. But the real engine of the plot isn't Bodine’s burgeoning romance with Callen Skinner; it’s her aunt, Alice.
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Alice vanished years ago.
The family assumed she ran away. They thought she chose to leave them behind. In reality, Alice was taken. She was kept in a hole, abused, and broken for decades. When she finally finds her way back to the ranch, she isn’t a "long-lost relative" in the Hallmark sense. She’s a ghost. A living, breathing piece of evidence that pure evil exists just down the road.
This is where the book shifts gears.
Roberts doesn't shy away from the psychological toll of Alice’s captivity. It’s heavy stuff. If you’re used to her lighter fare, like the Inn BoonsBoro trilogy, this might feel like a punch to the gut. The contrast between the beautiful, open Big Sky Country and the literal cage Alice lived in creates this tension that never really lets up.
Why Come Sundown Nora Roberts Works as a Thriller
It’s the pacing.
You have these two parallel tracks. On one hand, you’ve got the daily operations of the ranch—the horses, the guests, the family dinners. It feels safe. On the other hand, you have the "The Silly Girl" chapters. These are the flashbacks or perspectives from the antagonist, and they are chilling.
Roberts uses a very specific kind of villain here. He isn't a mustache-twirling mastermind. He’s a pathetic, entitled predator who lives right in the community. That’s the scary part. It taps into that primal fear that the person waving to you at the grocery store might have a dungeon in their basement.
The romance between Bodine and Callen is there, sure. It provides a necessary breather from the darkness. Callen is a "prodigal son" type who returned to the ranch, and his steady presence helps ground Bodine as she deals with the discovery of what happened to her aunt. But let’s be real: the romance is the B-plot. The survival of the Longbow women is the heart of the book.
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Breaking Down the Setting
Montana isn't just a backdrop. It’s a character.
- The Wildness: Roberts describes the terrain with a level of detail that makes you feel the cold wind.
- The Isolation: You realize how easy it is for someone to go missing when there are miles of nothingness between neighbors.
- The Legacy: The ranch represents three generations of hard work, which makes the violation of that land by a killer feel personal.
Facing the Critics: Is It Too Dark?
Some readers found the transition between the romance and the kidnapping elements jarring. You’ll be reading about a nice family dinner and then suddenly you’re in the head of a serial killer. It’s a valid critique. If you want a "cozy" read, this isn't it.
However, the nuance Roberts brings to Alice’s recovery is what elevates the book. Alice doesn't just "get over it." She struggles with the light. She struggles with touch. She struggles with the fact that the world moved on while she was frozen in time. It’s a sophisticated look at PTSD that you don’t always see in mainstream romantic suspense.
The "Who Done It" Factor
The mystery isn't just about Alice; it’s about a new string of murders happening in the present day. Are they connected? Is there a copycat? The way Roberts weaves the past and present together is seamless. She drops hints, but they aren't obvious. You find yourself looking at every male character with suspicion, wondering if the mask is about to slip.
The resolution of the mystery is satisfying because it’s earned. There are no "deus ex machina" moments where a random character shows up to save the day. The Bodine family, particularly the women, have to find their own way to the truth.
Real-World Inspiration and Influence
While Come Sundown is fiction, it echoes real-life cases of long-term captivity that have captivated the public consciousness, such as the Jaycee Dugard or Michelle Knight cases. Roberts captures that specific brand of "survival guilt" and the difficulty of reintegrating into a family that has mourned you for twenty-five years.
Readers often compare this book to her other "darker" works like The Obsession or The Liar. It fits into that later-career stage where she’s willing to push the boundaries of the genre.
How to Get the Most Out of Reading It
If you’re planning to dive into Come Sundown Nora Roberts, keep a few things in mind. First, don't rush the beginning. The world-building is dense because you need to understand the family dynamics to care about the stakes later on. Second, pay attention to the minor characters. Roberts is famous for creating a "found family" atmosphere, and the staff at the ranch are just as important as the leads.
Lastly, be prepared for the emotional weight. It’s a long book, and it doesn't give you the "happily ever after" for Alice in a traditional way. It gives her peace, which is arguably more profound.
Actionable Takeaways for Readers
- Trigger Warnings: Be aware that the book contains descriptions of kidnapping, sexual assault, and domestic violence. It is significantly more graphic than many other Nora Roberts titles.
- Check the Publication Date: Released in June 2017, it’s often available in mass-market paperback or as a budget-friendly e-book, making it an easy pick-up for a weekend read.
- Look for Themes of Resilience: Use this book as a study in character arc. Notice how Alice’s silence is her initial shield and how she eventually finds her voice.
- Contextualize with Montana: If you enjoy the setting, Roberts’ Montana Sky (1996) is another classic that deals with sisters inheriting a ranch, though it’s much lighter in tone.
The enduring popularity of this novel proves that readers want more than just fluff. They want to see characters tested. In Come Sundown, Nora Roberts proves she can go to the darkest places of the human experience and still find a way to bring her characters back into the light. It’s a testament to her skill that a story about such horrific circumstances can feel, in the end, like a celebration of the human spirit.
For those looking to explore the deeper catalog of Roberts' suspense, this book serves as the perfect entry point. It bridges the gap between her traditional romance roots and the modern, gritty psychological thrillers that dominate the bestseller lists today. Grab a copy, settle in, and maybe leave the porch light on.
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Next Steps for the Nora Roberts Fan
To fully appreciate the scope of this story, consider comparing it to Roberts’ The Obsession. Both deal with the aftermath of familial trauma and the shadows cast by violent men. If you’ve already finished Come Sundown, look into the audiobook narrated by Elisabeth Rodgers; her performance adds a layer of grit to the Montana landscape that truly brings the Bodine ranch to life. For your next read, if you need something lighter after this heavy lifting, the Cousins O'Dwyer trilogy offers a supernatural reprieve that stays within Roberts' signature style of strong-willed heroines and deep-rooted family ties.