Member Reviews
My thanks to Net Galley for allowing me to review this book.
Haley McBride lives with her Aunt Lana, Uncle Vaughn, and cousin Cash after the death of her father. She works at a diner, and has a good friend Johnny. Uncle Vaughn is a cop that is very controlling in wanting to protect Hayley against the Cold Creek Killer who murders girls when their cars break down on dark roads. Amber Chevalier was a waitress and friend of Hayley who was a victim of the killer. Hayley discovers something horrid in her home, runs away, and goes to live in the wild to escape. Beth Chevalier, Amber's sister, comes to town, and gets a job in the diner to try to find out who killed her sister and joins forces with Hailey.
Book was just ok for me. I was surprised at the twist with the identity of the killer. My only issue is that it started off as a really good murder mystery, then it felt like Call of the Wild .
I want to start off by saying I really liked the writing style and flow of the story. There were times I could not put the book down, despite the story being predictable. This is the first book I have read by this author, whom I had heard rave reviews about. I had high hopes reading it and again the story was captivating despite being predictable, I just expected more.
I enjoyed this story of suspense and survival. Love the dog. ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair review.
I have missed Chevy Stevens so much! I was so excited to see that I was approved for this title! I think this might be my favorite Chevy Stevens book. I loved the story and I love how it was written. It was a little different then what I have come to expect from her and I think that is what made me love it even more.
This book is could be called a pyschological mystery but to be honest, I didn't even try to figure out what was going in the book, because I LOVED the story and just went along with the ride of the book. I dont want to summarize the book because that you can read anywhere. However, I don't want to spoil the book, since its not out yet.
However, as I said before, this is my favorite book of hers to date. She took such a chance on this book and you can tell she stepped outside her comfort zone by the characters alone. Everything she did worked. When I say I didn't want to put this book down., I mean it. I stayed up past midnight (huge deal for me) to finish the book.
Thank you St. Martin's Press and #Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review. I truly truly loved this book!
This is my first read by Chevy Stevens, and I’m very impressed. I have to think a bit and process this one before writing a full review but overall, I’m really impressed.
The last book I read by Chevy Stevens was, "Still Missing," and I thought it was excellent, so I was very excited to get my hands on, "Dark Roads." There is a lot to like about this book, especially the similar story of a true life event of girls over the years that have just disappeared along a highway and never seen again.
The story starts with, Hailey, a 17 year old girl who's mother has been deceased for a long time, and now her father has just died in a horrible automobile accident, so being under 18 she has gone to live with her only living relative, her Aunt Lana, her 5 young son Cash and Vaughn her husband. Vaughn is more than a bit overbearing and I thought the writer did a fabulous job in describing his character. I can see him plain as day, and he is seriously scary too. Hailey is a bit out of sorts and when she meets Amber who works in the diner and they become infatuated with each other. Soon Hailey gets tired of Vaughn trying to rule her life and she becomes afraid of him and decides that she is going to run away and everyone will just think she is yet another victim of the, "Highway Killer," who killed all those other girls. Hailey's friend Jonny (a male) are the best of friends and he helps her to hide away until she is 18.
Almost a year later Beth arrives in the town to attend a memorial for her deceased sister who was killed by the, Highway Killer. She is trying to figure out who killed her. Beth though has a bunch of challenges of her own, mainly popping Xanax and drinking bottles of vodka and then because she has no money she is sleeping in her car (that barely works) in a semi-park/camping area. WTH!? I found Beth to be annoying to say the least, but she is tenacious. She keeps trying while putting herself in situations that you can see are not safe situations. She seems like the perfect candidate for the, Highway Killer, because she is not comprehending the risk she is taking.
Overall I thought the book was very good but no where near her previous novel, Still Missing.
I want to thank Netgalley for allowing me to read a not yet released book for an honest review.
I've been a huge fan of Chevy Stevens for a very long time. I can't remember when I first discovered her books, but it didn't take me long to figure out that in an oversaturated genre, she is an absolute standout. Her newest novel, Dark Roads, is a chilling, complex and brilliant story with the dangerous Cold Creek Highway at its center. For decades, women have disappeared from this highway, some discovered dead and brutalized on the side of the road, and some just never found at all.
I feel it's best to go in without a synopsis beyond what the publisher has provided except to say that the opening Prologue was one of the most disquieting I've ever read and perfectly sets the tone for the rest of the book, and also, that I completely fell in love with Wolf, one of the most endearing fictional dogs ever. Notably, the author was inspired by the real Highway of Tears in Northern British Columbia to write this novel.
Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for providing me with an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.
Dark Roads is the first one I've read by Chevy Stevens and I was so drawn to it. This story grabs you from the start and you can't stop till you've finished it. Great characters and amazing story what more could you ask for, I can't wait to get a hold of another book by her.
My favorite thing about this book was the setting. Cold Creek provides a dark and sinister backdrop, perfect for this story. There were some tense moments of suspense, and the story was interesting. For me, though, it took a long time to capture my attention, and it also seemed like some of the storyline dragged. However, there were some great action-packed scenes and I wanted to keep reading to find out how the story would end.
I have read all of her books, so I jumped at the chance to read Dark Roads. The prologue with its references to the Highway of Tears in British Columbia and the ghost speaking immediately pulled me in--I have some background knowledge about the many unsolved murders and disappearances. I felt like this book had a double climax--just when I thought the killer had been eliminated the danger was not over. I found all of the protagonist characters to be extremely likable--especially Hailey and Jonny. I thought is was timely for a LGBTQ relationship to be included and I like how the relationship was explored. I was suspicious of the killer, but had not completely figured it out. This one was a page turner from start to finish!
This book is so tense! It definitely lives up to the ‘thrill’ part of ‘thriller’ - I kept having to remind myself to relax because this book was making me physically tense up! It’s well-written, perfectly-paced, and features a wealth of interesting characters. I noticed right away that this book borrows from real life - the Cold Creek Highway was based off of Canada’s ‘Highway of Tears’. Women (particularly indigenous women) have been going missing along that stretch of highway for decades. I think this makes for an interesting premise while also drawing attention to an often-overlooked, real-life issue.
This is a great book! The characters seemed so real and I loved the suspense. I wasn’t sure who the bad guy was! I highly recommend this book.
Whoa! Ms. Stevens did it again! I’m an emotional mess!
This is foreboding, dark, depressing, claustrophobic, disturbing story narrated by two unforgettable, traumatized, struggling young girls!
There are some stories leave their marks in your soul! This story is truly one of them. Especially the prologue and epilogue of the book wrench your heart, captivate your soul, make you cry! It’s sad, it’s real, it’s harsh, it’s ugly. It’s soul crushing.
Cold Creek Highway seems like a haunted place for young girls who turn into preys for ruthless serial killer. Never think about hitchhiking or being alone in the dark to attract his attention!
Most of the girls are already forgotten, only residues from their memories are missing posters hung on the several places of the town. Eventually those photos are torn and thrown away to be replaced by another girl’s photo.
Nearly half of the book: Hailey McBride tells her story: she recently loses her father at car accident. Her mother has already died a few years ago and for years her father was his best friend, partner in crime, only family she knows. Now she tries to adopt in her new life at her aunt Lara’s house. She loves her aunt and her lovely niece but Lara’s husband Vaughn is so adamant to turn her life into hell with his ultra protective manners, making her prisoner at his house! And she finds something at his study which makes her realize she’s in great danger and she needs to vanish to save herself!
She has to leave behind her best friend Jonny and her lover Amber who works at the diner behind. She thinks her outdoor skills help her to disappear easily in the Cold Creek wilderness. She stages her running away to deceive everyone she’s the victim of the highway killer so she can live in the woods till she turns 18! So a few months later: Vaughn will have no right to interfere in her life!
She already forms a friendship with her wolf. Everything seems fine with her till she finds a body left at the ditch!
And with this cue, another narrator starts to tell her story: Beth Chevalier, Amber’s responsible sister who studies law, moving to the town, suffering from grief. Yes, something happened to Amber and Beth has to find who killed her by befriending town’s people , digging out their secrets, putting herself in danger. That responsible, good daughter of the family turns into a fragile girl with delicate mental state, popping up pills like M&Ms, forming an intimate relationship with Jonny and her path eventually crosses with Hailey.
My thoughts:
The character analysis of the book are impeccably well crafted. You can easily empathize with those two girls who are polar opposites. Hailey : rebellious, independent, bike rider, tough, stubborn as Beth: suffering from guilt feelings eat her alive, self destructive, tough, smart, putting other people’s needs first.
The progression of the story was TOO SLOW but I still enjoy the back stories of the characters which helped me to understand their inner motives and form an emotional with them.
The identity of the serial killer was surprising and especially the last third of the book was like ticking bomb! For compensating the slow beginning, the author just kicked the gas and accelerated the speed with ultra high tension makes us bite our nails, jump up and down from our seats, give us adrenaline crush!
And she creates the hell of hateful villains!
I think I haven’t hated a character as I hated Vaughn for so long! What a despicable, disgusting, shameless son of a... okay you know what I mean! You fantasize five millions of ways to torture him during your read!
Overall: it’s effective, intense, thought provoking, well developed, fascinating reading! You shouldn’t miss this one!
Special thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for sharing this digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest opinions.
Dark Roads by Chevy Stevens is an intensely suspenseful novel that takes place in a fictional version of the Highway of Tears in rural British Columbia. Just like that area, the story’s Cold Creek Highway has been the location of many missing and murdered Indigenous women since the 1970s. The story focuses on two victims, Amber and Hailey. Amber’s lifeless body is bound on the side of the road weeks after Amber’s friend Hailey goes missing. Amber’s sister Beth comes to Cold Creek for the town’s annual memorial. Still devastated by the loss after so many months, she is determined to find out what happened to both Amber and Hailey.
The characters, young adults, are incredibly well-developed, flawed of course as youth are, but extremely likable. It’s often tough to tell the good guys from the bad. The story line is so gripping it makes it difficult to put the book down. On the other hand, because I was so drawn in, it was challenging to read without being overwhelmed by its believability.
I have not read Chevy Stevens before. The moment I started this book, I realized it was about the highway of tears. I’ve listened to various podcasts on this and I was terrified by it . As far as this story goes , it’s inspired from those killings.
The story is set in cold creek, where lot of women go missing on the highway. A killer is out but never caught by the police.
It follows two women Hailey and Beth . Hailey, who has escaped her house from her perverted uncle who is also a cop. And Beth , who is at cold creek to find her sister Amber’s killer , a victim of the Highway killer.
The characters are extremely well written. Both Beth and Hailey felt real. But the thriller part, was so drawn out. Almost nothing happened for most of the story and it moved pretty much in a flat pace. The ending wasn’t mind blowing either. Maybe it would have worked for Chevy Stevens fans.
I got this ARC in exchange for honest review . Thanks Netgalley.
I had stopped reading Chevy Stevens's books for a while, but glad I picked this one up. I thought I had it all figured out, but Chevy threw in a surprising twist. Definitely a page-turner and characters with depth that felt real. Surprisingly emotional, especially the end.
Thank you to the author, publisher, and netgalley for a copy of this ARC.
Thank you Netgalley, St Martins' Press, and Chevy Stevensfor allowing me to read this ARC of Dark Roads. This is the first book I have read by Chevy Stevens and now I’m ready to read more. The story was good, but the characters were better! I loved how the relationships were so vivid I cared about the characters and the relationships.
I thought the transition to Part Two was abrupt, and it took me a little while to get back into the rhythm of the book. I also would have appreciated a clearer timeline. Sometimes the next sentence was actually two days later, but the way it’s written I didn’t realize that until a paragraph later. Just a little off-putting to me. I enjoyed the writing style!
For years people have vanished on the infamous Cold Creek Highway, only to wind up dead days later. Having grown up in Cold Creek, Hailey McBride has heard these rumors and done what she can to not be the next highway victim.
But when she’s forced into a sticky living situation- she does the one thing she’s been warned against. She ventures alone into the woods where the killer is. Daring his wrath in order to get away from her home life.
Flash-forward a year later, Hailey is missing and a newcomer, Beth comes into town. Her sister was one of the latest victims, and she knew about Hailey. So she is willing to do whatever she can do find the killer, even if that means risking her life to uncover Cold Stone’s deepest secrets.
This book had me HOOKED. I literally couldn’t put it down, and even as I type this at 4AM I want more of it.
It’s one of those rare thrillers where you’re actually attached to all of the characters. You form a deep bond with them and their pain is your pain, and BOY do they go through a lot of pain and insanity.
With each turn of the page you’re anxiously awaiting what is going to happen next. It’s intense and you get to read different parts of the story, both storylines reeling you into what is going to bring you more fear and twists.
If you’re into thrillers, with characters that have a storyline that does more than just further the plot, then I highly recommend you check out this book. You are going to LOVE it...even if your heart rate may hate the pain you put it through
((Thank you Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for an ARC in exchange of an honest review
This was a fast-paced, exciting read! While some of it was a bit far-fetched, the author did such a great job of writing that I actually bought into it. I was very caught up in the mystery, the characters’ struggles (both physical and mental) and the evil that was lurking in plain sight. But this wasn’t just a typical murder mystery; it was a tale about friendship and loyalty. Of course, I loved Wolf, who was more human than dog and the best friend anyone could hope to find. Very good! Disclaimer: I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. Thank you NetGalley
For decades, hitchhikers and women have vanished along Cold Creek Highway. That’s just what Hailey wants people to take into account, after the recent death of her father she is forced to live with her aunt Lana and Lana’s husband Vaughn. The living situation becomes unbearable, so Hailey makes a plan to escape. She’s counting on people to think she’s fallen victim to a highway killer.
Almost a year after her sisters murder, Beth has failed out of school and lost her job, and she’s lying to her parents about all of it. She decides to travel to Cold Creek from Vancouver to attend a memorial for the Victims of the Highway, to try and gain some type of closure. Once there she feels compelled to stay, taking a job at the diner where her sister worked, Beth is determined to find Amber’s killer.
Dark Roads by Chevy Stevens played on all my emotions . I was frustrated with Hailey’s situation, I was heartbroken for Beth who’s life had completely fallen apart in the aftermath of her sisters death. I hated Vaughn for everything from his shady actions and his unbearable personality. What started out slow for me turned into quite a thrilling book, my mind was blown by the identity of the killer. Once again Chevy Stevens has left me thinking about her book, long after I’ve finished it.