⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I loved this book. As with all of her books, the characters and story continue to take up residence in your mind long after you finish it. Her writing is beautiful, deeply complex and transportive.
_________________________________

This story is surrounding Cold Creek Highway, which stretches for 500 miles through the wilderness. It is notorious in the region because women have gone missing while driving or hitchhiking on this highway for decades. All of the cases remain unsolved….

HAILEY is broken and grief stricken. Her circumstances force her to disappear….

BETH’S sister, Amber was murdered in Cold Creek last year…

These two paths collide…..

This was a first from this author for me, and it didn't disappoint. What is scarier than a situation that can actually happen? The reality and suspense of this story holds you in it's grasp until the end. At several points I thought I knew the answers, but the twists had me shaking my head. You will continually root for Hailey and Beth and be shocked at the end.

[An aside: In the Afterword of this book, the author tells us that the story is very loosely based on a series of unsolved murders of women and girls along a strip of highway in British Columbia, Canada, a fact that made the story all the more chilling. She also tells us that the victims of those real-life crimes are predominantly First Nation women, a group that we know is exponentially more likely to become victims of crime that any other group in North America. If you've never done any reading on the subject of mortality and missing rates of this group of women, you should consider looking into it. A vastly under-addressed problem.]

This is the third novel by this author I've read and like Tana French, and Jane Harper, she manages to make 'place' as vivid a character as any of the people in her work. In this one, the wilds of the westernmost province in Canada features prominently, along with the rough, rugged and sometimes isolated lifestyle of the people who live in its small towns. It is against this backdrop that a young woman, Hailey, who has just lost her father and only parent has to contend with the unwelcome and uncomfortable attention of her aunt's husband. After becoming convinced that he may be the Cold Creek Highway killer, responsible for the murders of more than two dozen young women along a lonely stretch of road that runs through her town of Cold Creek, Hailey stages her disappearance, with the help of her best friend Jonny. While she is gone, yet another young woman is killed and this time it's someone Hailey had a close personal connection with.

This book was immersive and vivid, especially when the author was writing about the unforgiving terrain and the people who must live on it. I also appreciate the way she writes women. They are almost always troubled and "difficult" but also strong, independent and driven. And while they may be victimized, they are never victims. That pattern holds true in this book perhaps more so than in any of the others I've read. The romance at the center of the novel was also very unique as it was between Hailey and Jonny, best friends who have always been platonic, but whose love and loyalty give the reader as much or more satisfaction as any traditional romance trope could.

If I had one quibble with this book it would be that some of the, I guess one might call them "action scenes" were a little too detailed for my taste (which almost never happens to me, because I love detail) and sometimes read like choreographic detail for a movie rather than necessary texture for a novel. But in the final analysis, the story moved at a satisfying pace, the characters were well fleshed out, and there were a decent share of surprises, even when you might have thought you had the whole thing figured out. And the ending was surprisingly poignant, in a strange way paying meaningful tribute to women who have lost their lives through violence and to those they have left behind.

I recommend this read if you like thrillers that provide unflinching portrayals of the evil that people are capable of.

Audiobook note: I got the audiobook from Netgalley. It was pretty close to perfectly done. Never a false note. I almost felt like I was reading it myself, rather than listening to someone else do so. Excellent narrators.

This was ok!

A huge thank you to St Martins Press for my advanced copy of Dark Roads!

I don't really have too much to say about this one.
Dark Roads is my first Chevy Stevens book.
Three Stars may not be the best rating to some people but it is a good rating for me.
I listened to the audio and I would recommend it if you enjoy listening to books.
I thought Dark Roads was unique and I was invested enough to see how it would end.

Why This Book Lost Stars- I wasn't invested in the characters. For the most part its always Characters over Plot when reading a story. I have to care.

Overall- Dark Roads didn't blow me away but I will definitely give this author another try.

The Cold Creek Highway in British Columbia has been been the site of many vanishing young women over the years. Desolate and remote, it is the perfect spot for a predator to hunt his prey.

Hailey McBride has grown up in the region, and knows the area well. Her father taught her how to understand and respect the wilderness. However, after her father passed away, Hailey goes to live with her aunt, uncle, and cousin. Her uncle, a police officer, is a controlling man who is determined to keep an eye on Hailey at all times. It all starts to become too much for Hailey, and one day she decides to disappear into the mountainous terrain, certain that everyone will assume she is just another victim of foul play.

In the meantime, another young woman, Beth, arrives in town. Beth's sister, Amber, was a close friend of Hailey's, until she disappeared one day. Beth and her parents are desperate to find out what happened to Amber. While Amber was always independent, it is not like her to disappear without any word to her family. Beth takes a job at the diner where Amber used to work, and spends her free time investigating her sister's death.

With Hailey on the run and Beth searching for her sister, will either of them be able to solve the murder of the Cold Creek KIller?

Honestly, this book didn't do it for me. It was about 100 pages too long, and really lacked any sort of excitement or suspense. I struggled to make it through to the end, and found myself not really caring what happened to the characters. My advice....if you are new to Chevy Stevens, check out "Still Missing." You can't go wrong with that novel....amazing!

Thank you Netgalley and publisher for the opportunity to read and review this ARC with my honest feedback.

This is the second book by this author that I've read. I enjoyed the story, kept me engrossed from beginning to end with very little slow points. The characters were mostly well created and believable, it not a tad too atrocious (but hey there's really people that are like this). The setting was well done and I could picture most of it in my head while reading, especially the forest area. Overall I enjoyed the story and would recommend for a quick read, though the content is not light at all.

So, my take on the book having skimmed and skipped parts of the first half of the book. The storyline minus the relationship was well written and was very suspenseful with a crazy twist. I was very surprised at the twist. I probably give her another chance and will check out another book by the author.

I absolutely love Chevy Stevens! This book did not disappoint, The story was suspenseful and twisted with wonderful relatable characters.

A hard one to put down yet sometime I had to just to catch my breath. In Dark Roads, we meet Hailey who lives with her aunt and uncle after her father passes away. Cold Creek Highway is the scene of many disappearances of young women over the years. When Hailey runs away from the uncle who is a major creep and bully, she hides in the woods, hoping to find out who exactly is snatching these young women and leaving them for dead. I thought I had it all figured out....until I didn't. Excellent book.

Hailey, who had been living with her dad in Cold Creek, is traumatized. Her dad died in a car accident and she is living with her aunt Lana, her young cousin and brother-in-law Sgt. Vaughn. Hailey doesn’t like Vaughn, he is a police officer who comes off more as a bully. He is constantly checking on Hailey and telling her to stay off of the Cold Creek Highway. He stands too close to her and makes her feel vulnerable. There are billboards with photos of all of the young women who have gone missing and notices warning young women not to hitchhike or travel the highway alone. The Cold Creek Highway is a long stretch, 500 miles long, through the thick wilderness of British Columbia. Amber is a young woman, estranged from her family working at a local restaurant It’s pretty much the only restaurant in this small town. Amber and Hailey become quite close. When Amber disappears it’s the last straw for Hailey and she decides she has to get out of her aunt’s house! SHE HAS TO BECOME INVISIBLE! The plot started out a bit slowly for me but quickly picked up pace nearing the halfway point. The writer does a great job of getting the reader into the story and holding your breath during some of the scenes where there is a chase or things happening. One year later, a memorial is being held for all of the missing girls and Beth, Amber’s sister, has come to town. Beth decides to stay, gets a job in the same restaurant where her sister worked and is trying to figure out who was responsible for what happened to her Amber. This part of the plot felt a bit weak, it was hard to believe that she would want to REPEAT her sister’s last weeks. There are quite a few memorable characters, most notably Jonny, a young, good looking guy who works with his dad repairing dirt bikes. Vaughn seems to have a vendetta against Jonny. There are some exciting action scenes in the second half which had me holding my breath, hoping for a good outcome. Lots of scenes in the beautiful outdoors, hiking, swimming, etc. The area was well described and I felt immersed in the story.

This is my first book by this author and I am hooked. Chevy Stevens is a fantastic storyteller and in my opinion, this was a terrific read. Well-paced and intense with many engaging characters. One of my favorite characters, a wonderful dog named Wolf. The author's descriptions made it easy to picture this super-smart dog with his different colored eyes. A well-written story filled with plenty of action and suspense, I was gripped from start to finish. I received a copy of this book through NetGalley in exchange for a review. My thanks to St. Martin's Press and to Chevy Stevens for the opportunity.

I was completely enthralled with this Thriller!

Great characters – a couple that I absolutely loved and a couple that I absolutely hated. That’s what great writing allows, the ability to love and hate the represented characters.

The story line was interesting with a couple of twists and some unexpected events. I could see this as a movie in my mind. One where I would just turn off all the lights and get lost in the story for 2 hours straight. So good!

I highly recommend this one and the narrators for the audiobook did a wonderful job. 4.5 stars!

Thank you to #StMartinsPress and #NetGalley for making this book available for review. All opinions expressed are my own.

I LOOOVED THIS BOOK. AAAAHHH. God, where do I begin? First of all, I actually listened to the audiobook, and the narrator is *perfect*. The story itself pulled me in so many different directions and it was hard to predict where it would go, which I loved. At times, I would think X, but then it turns out to be something else. The pacing builds up from slow to lightning fast, and it kept me hooked from beginning to end. It's also really atmospheric, to the point where I could almost feel the cold, refreshing mountain air around me. Would definitely recommend this.

I love a good suspense novel and this one kept me guessing. Add in amazing characters and it's impossible not to get sucked in.

This is more of a slow burn, character driven story, which I loved. Stevens creates such a vivd atmosphere - you feel like you're in this rural part of British Columbia - and knowing that book is based on actual events makes it that much more chilling. I was uneasy the entire time I was reading and I mean that in the best way! Can't wait to read more from this author.

I've been a big Chevy Stevens fan since reading Still Missing a few years ago. This latest book definitely did not disappoint. Like all of her books, it's dark and twisty, entertaining and thought-provoking. At the heart of it are two young women who have a third in common. Hailey is a native of the Cold Creek area. Beth's sister, Amber, was one of many young women murdered in the area in recent years, all murders that have gone unsolved. Beth moves there to get a sense of the area and what may have happened to her sister there. Hailey is a teen who had befriended and admired Amber, and has struggled since the murder of Amber and the death of her beloved father. Through it all we aren't quite sure who the actual villain(s) may be, and the tension is well-drawn-out, as it as been with all her books. All in all, well done. As usual.
Thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for providing a copy for an unbiased review.

An interesting and often well written book, DARK ROADS is certainly a book to read if you need a compelling, interesting read for your spare time. However, I will admit that the book often dragged on and I sometimes found myself at a loss for what might pull me in and what might compel me to finish the book or move through the rest of the (slightly massive) novel that Stevens has written--rather well, but still lacking at times in different ways (story, complex narrative, intriguing mystery are all only sort of here) but still, it's a good book and a fun read.

This novel, based on a true story, put me outside my reading realm. I don't usually read these books, but this one drew me in because of the claim to be based on a true story. People doing the unthinkable, those who claim to be one thing and turn out to be another and stretching the limits of survival.

It took me a while to get into it and it was not a fast read for me, but I stuck with it and in the end, found that it had held me in it's web!! Sometimes it's well worth stepping outside your box and exploring the other world out there!!

For many years, women have disappeared along Cold Creek Highway. Occasionally a body is found, but most times there is no closure for the families of the missing. And what's even more disturbing is that no one has ever identified any of the perpetrators of these crimes.

Hailey, a lifelong resident of Cold Creek, is devastated by the loss of her father, who taught her everything she knows about respecting and surviving off the land. She is miserable when she is forced to move in with her aunt and her controlling husband, who just happens to be a sergeant with the local police. Hailey feels stifled by her new surroundings and is not allowed to spend time with her friends at her favorite places. Unable to deal with the strict rules and her new living situation, Hailey decides to run away and go off the grid. The residents of Cold Creek assume that Hailey is another victim of the killer who lurks along the highway, especially after Hailey's friend Amber is found murdered. Amber's sister, Beth, arrives in Cold Creek to try and solve her sister's murder, but her presence also may lead to the truth about Hailey. And Hailey is definitely not ready to be found.

First, I'm a huge fan of Chevy Stevens and will always read anything she writes. Second, I want a Wolf in my life!! OK, moving on.... Dark Roads is a suspenseful read with some twists I did not see coming. Just when I thought I had everything figured out, I found out that I was so wrong! I really enjoyed how this book was written and the point of views used. What made this thriller so scary is that it could definitely happen in real life (make sure to read Stevens' letter to the reader at the end). And I'm not going to lie, that epilogue made me a bit teary. If you're a fan of Stevens like I am, you won't be disappointed with Dark Roads!

Let's just get into the basics of the novel, a stretch of remote highway in Canada where women go missing by the dozens. The girl at the heart of this story has ties to those who have been abducted murdered and also has suspicions about who is behind it. It really did grab me by the synopsis and even more the first page but unfortunately as I continued the story became a bit stale for me and the characters were duller than I'd like.
Full review to come on YouTube.

This was your basic thriller/suspense novel. There were girls who were being murdered and suspicious adults. You could tell very early on who the bad guy was, although there was a slight twist that I didn't expect coming that was enjoyable.
The dog was an excellent character who I cared deeply for. I wish there were other characters that I cared as much for though.
Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity to read this ARC.

When it comes to instilling dread in her readers, Chevy Stevens is the queen of tension. Every word in Dark Roads comes with a fear factor, taking the reader along for a story that won’t soon be forgotten. The novel is based on the Highway of Tears in British Columbia, where more than eighty women and girls have disappeared, never to be found. In the book, it is called Cold Creek Highway. The story is narrated by Hailey, a seventeen-year-old whose parents are deceased, who has been taken in by the local cop and his wife and Beth, who moves to Cold Creek to search for her sister’s killer. The highway and the lives alongside it are the main subjects here. The characters, good ones and bad ones, are fascinating and multi-faceted. Not much else can be revealed and I highly recommend you read Dark Roads for yourself. A thriller written by Chevy Stevens is time well-spent. Thank you to St. Martin’s Press, NetGalley and the author for an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.