Cover Image: Dark Roads

Dark Roads

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Member Reviews

Thank you to Netgalley for the opportunity to listen to this one!

I'd actually give it 3.5 stars.

There is a highway in BC that you should never be on alone and Hailey's father has told her this numerous of times. As a matter of fact, her dad has taught her a lot and when she is left without him, all that he's taught her comes back to her.

When Hailey's father passes away she is sent to live with her aunt and uncle. Her uncle is a cop that bullies Hailey and when she can't take it anymore, she runs away or was she snatched by the highway killer? No one really knows.

But what happens, I can't tell you. You have to read it.

I didn't give it more than 3 stars because of certain issues that I can't get past but it was still a good read! Chevy Stevens will always be an automatic read. No matter what.

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Dark Roads was a suspenseful audiobook that taps into the fears of many young women (and their parents). The story ramps up until the reader is on the edge of their seat. Dark Roads kept me guessing, something I look for in a suspenseful read. Well done, Chevy Stevens.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and publisher for the opportunity to listen to this audiobook. The opinions in this review are entirely my own.

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I really enjoyed this book!

The idea that a highway where the ghosts of local missing girls haunt and watch over other girls is a creepy one, and a great setting for a story.

I found the Johnny character to be kind of phony and the relationships he has with the smarter girls seemed a little unrealistic. I find it hard to buy that they would have fallen for his charm. Still, for the most part, the characters are sympathetic and feel real.

The plot was great and the style made the book a very quick read. I've read one or two of Chevy Steven's other books and haven't been especially into them....but this one would definitely make me go back and try some more.

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Dark Roads is the second book I've read by Chevy Stevens. I have really enjoyed both! I plan to get caught up on all her books and she'll be on my must read list! I thought the pacing was great, the multiple narrators worked well and the plot moved along quickly. Great story and audiobook, I'd definitely recommend!

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This book was dark, chilling, and oh so good! I listened to it in a single day. I enjoyed the narrator as well. Definitely going to be reading more of this author’s work.

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This wasn't my favorite Chevy Stevens, but it still was a good book. Just when you think you know who the killer is, things change. It was a little sad for me, but it did have a happier ending.

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This was truly an outstanding thriller. The characters are well-developed ans interesting. The plot moves in a satisfyingly slow way. I felt legitimately engaged with these characters and the town/stretch of mysterious highway.

I read a lot of this genre, yet still felt surprised and was able to lose myself in the story as it unfolded. It’s beautifully written and I’m definitely going to be reading more from this author.

I’m so grateful to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for giving me this book in exchange for my honest review.

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This one started off so good. I was hooked and loved the narration, right up until part 2. It kind of slowed down with plot once Beth was introduced. While I enjoyed it I started to get bored, I would have prefered less interaction between Beth and Johnny.

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This was a really good thriller! And my first book by Chevy Steven's but it will not be my last.

I was hooked from the opening page. And I didn't figure it out. Which is always nice. It was unique, fast-paced, thrilling.

And I had the audio and I will say it was fantastic!

I also appreciate that the author wrote this to bring awareness to the number on unsolved cases there are involving indigenous women. She also based this off of a real serial killer although she changed a lot. So that makes the book even more interesting.

I would definitely recommend grabbing this book when it comes out August 3rd!

Thank you to Netgalley and MacMillan Audio for this ALC.

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It definitely isn't a book that you can fly through without thinking about it. This book is darker and deals with very hard subjects. I think this book needs a trigger warning for abuse and sexual assault. But I think the author did well in touching on the subjects delicately. But she also doesn't beat around the bush, there are some details of these actions to show the severity of what was happening without going into needless details. So because this is a prominent part of the book it definitely makes the reader stop, pause, and think. It stirs up strong feelings of disgust and longing for the abuser to be brought to justice.

I enjoyed the strong personality that Hailey has. Her difficult past has made her grow up fast and learn to deal with the situation around her. I like that she takes things into her own hands and doesn't idly sit by and let stuff happen to her. Of course, she still is a teenager and makes some dumb decisions like sneaking out to parties and getting himself into dangerous situations. But you also feel for her and can understand why she does the thing she does because she wants to get away from what is causing her distress.

One thing that kind of left me underwhelmed is the person who did it. The ending was fast-paced and heart-pounding. The ending had me on the edge of my seat, holding my breath because one second of a misstep (literally) meant life or death. So, I have no complaints about the ending but simply the person who did it. I was a little surprised at the person who did it but I would have liked to have some more shocking reason for this person to do it. It made little sense for why said person was the murder, other than him or her being a sick crazy lunatic.

Throughout the full book, there is only one person that is focused on being the perpetrator. There is little evidence or clues to keep you guessing who has done it. The investigation into finding the person was not a big part of the book. The main core of the book was just Hailey living in the wilderness trying to escape her uncle and Beth trying to make a living in this small town while trying to overcome the tragedy of her sister's death. There is some snooping around done by Hailey to find incriminating evidence against the person who she is determined to be the killer. So basically, what I didn't like was when you found out who did it there was nothing to tell you that that person had done it. There was no lightbulb moment where clues fit into place, at least for me.

I also felt like this book was a pretty slow burn. it has to come back to the characters already having in their minds who they seem to have done it, so there are no pieces to fit together and gradually reveal shocking information that keeps you hooked on reading. Like I said most of the book is them trying to live with the situation they are in.

I also found that there at points the storyline got a little chaotic. Some things were overly exaggerated which made it a little unbelievable. There were random tragedies thrown in that didn't feel like it marinated and blended with the rest of the story.

Both romantic relationships in this book were very forced and unrealistic. It just seemed like the author wanted it to happen and so made it happen without any cause or reason. They fell in love right away without having even really talked before and then suddenly were madly in love. I personally feel like all the romantic relationships needed to be let out in this book.

The audiobook is narrated by 3 different women and all of them did really well at instilling the right emotion at the right time. I did speed up the book as they talked slow, but I find this true with almost all audiobooks. It was easy to listen to and follow along and their voices fit well with their character.

I know some people really loved this book, but I went into this book expecting something and then got a lot of what I didn’t want. Some might love it but I didn’t find much enjoyment in reading this book.

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Hailey and her dad were awfully close. He taught her how to survive in the wilderness, so she knows how to shoot, fish, build shelters, and protect herself. She is living with her aunt and husband Von who is a policeman. She loves her aunt and son Cash, but Von controls them all and Hailey believes he is hiding something. For her own safety, she prepares to leave and live in a shelter she has fortified. This is a great adventure and a mystery. I admired Hailey and her determination to protect herself and bring Von to justice. Von is someone you love to hate, and you keep reading to make sure he gets what he deserves.

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The listened to the audiobook version of this book and found the story to be spellbinding, horrifying, and arresting. The author wrote the story, scenes, and characters in a way that grab you and don’t let you go. The narrator(s) we’re perfect. Overall the fictional take on the highway of tears felt like it was handled well and offered a, fictional, conclusion rather than the open-ended terror of which it was based.

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I love Chevy Stevens. This book was very suspenseful! The cast of narrators fit really well with the different character points of view that were developed in the novel. This book will not disappoint Chevy Steven's fans- and will keep most readers up - into the late night to finish this one!

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I could not listen to Dark Road fast enough! Chevy Stevens is the master of taut, intense psychological thrillers. I thought I had this one figured out from the beginning, but I was so wrong.

When Hailey McBride's dad dies, she goes to live with her aunt who is married to the overbearing police chief in town, Vaughn. Vaughn is overbearing and abuses his power in the worst ways, trying to shrink Hailey's world to their family alone. When Hailey discovers something truly terrible (and awful and creepy) about Vaughn, she knows her life is in danger and decides she needs to run away. But when her road bike is found on the side of the road, along with her phone, it appears that she's been killed by the serial killer who stalks Cold Creek's long, isolated road between the town and the lake--a place from which several young girls have been taken, tortured, and killed.

I don't want to give too much away about this book because I think it's one of those stories that's way better to go into without knowing too much. I loved so many of the characters in this book--and one of the big surprises for me was how much I fell in love with a side-character, who just happens to be a dog. Wolf took this story to the next level for me, and was so needed as a relief from some of the heart-wrenching storylines. And that epilogue? Chills. It made me teary and I adored it. It was just the ending we needed after everything we'd been through with Hailey and Beth.

The narrators did great. Brittany Pressley is one of my favorite narrators, so I knew I was in good hands with her. And the other two were wonderful as well. They really embodied the girls' voices.

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CHEVVVVVVVYYYYYYY!!!! I'm so excited that one of my favorite authors is back! Everything Stevens writes is gold. Dark Roads is certainly not my favorite of hers, but is a solid return to writing. The suspense was there, as well as strong character development. However, I figured out who the murderer was pretty early on, and was hoping for more of a twist. If I had read this first, I probably would've been more impressed, but she set the bar pretty high with Still Missing, Those Girls and Never Let You Go. Regardless, Chevy Stevens is a master storyteller of "girls getting in trouble" and she's done it once again with Dark Roads. 3.5 rounded up to 4 stars.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for an ARC of this audiobook in exchange for my honest feedback.

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It was a slow burn. I got bored for a bit, because it was a slower of slow burns. There’s a lot of history and also survivalist jargon that didn’t help me with the development of the characters or the story. However, once everything was established, it flowed decently. The pacing was a bit off until the last 10%.

I got frustrated with Hailey and Beth several times in the story. They are younger women, so some of their actions or vices just frustrated me to no end. Hailey girl, you gonna get caught you keep hip hopping back into town. Beth. Beth. You need a clear mind if you’re going to find answers for Amber. Regardless, their flaws made them that much stronger and determined. Their grit was everything, just like Wolf. I just want an entire story on Wolf.

The cop, Hailey’s uncle, is named Vaughn. I couldn’t help but think of Vince Vaughn in Domestic Disturbance. He was all I could think about. Just like the movie, he just radiates trash persona.

The narrators were wonderful. I honestly didn’t realize there were 3 different narrators, they worked so interchangeably well! I think the authors note in regard to The Highway of Tears . I was thankful there was a touch of homage paid to the many of indigenous women whom have vanished from The Highway of Tears in the epilogue as well.

Overall, I enjoyed Dark Roads and felt the ending was very satisfying. I don’t know if I would have stuck it out, however, if I just had it from the library of purchasing it. Just know this is a very slow burn. Thank you so much Macmillan Audio and St Martin’s for the gifted copy!

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Great thriller with a purpose. The author aims to shine a light on the high murder rate among indigenous/First Nation women in Canada. And in the process, she tells a pretty compelling story as well. Definitely worth the listen.

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Full review will be posted on August 3rd

First read/listen by Chevy Stephens and won't be my last!! I enjoyed the audio certain on this book.

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Wow! 4.5 stars. My first Chevy Stevens novel & definitely not my last. This novel was inspired by the Highway of Tears, an actual highway in Vancouver, B.C., where young women have gone missing for many years.

Young women have been disappearing from the Cold Creek Highway for decades. No one has ever been brought to justice.
Hailey McBride calls Cold Creek home. Her father taught her to respect nature, how to live and survive off the land, and to never travel the highway alone. Now he’s gone, leaving her a teenage orphan in the care of her aunt whose police officer husband uses his badge as a means to bully and control Hailey & the rest of the town. Overwhelmed by grief and forbidden to work, socialize, or date, Hailey vanishes into the mountainous terrain, hoping everyone will believe she’s left town. With help from her best friend, Jonny, (and her pup, Wolf), Hailey lives off the land until she can turn 18. Rumors spread that she was taken by the highway killer—who’s claimed another victim over the summer, one very close and dear to Hailey.
One year later, Beth Chevalier arrives in Cold Creek, where her sister Amber lived—and where she was murdered. Estranged from her parents and seeking closure, Beth takes a waitressing job at the local diner, just as Amber did, looking for clues as to what could have happened to her. But Beth’s search for answers puts a target on her back—and threatens to reveal the truth behind Hailey’s disappearance.

*Special thanks to McMillan and NetGalley for an early e-audio version and an e-arc*

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I just love this author. Stevens does such an excellent job telling stories, she's an auto buy for me.

The narrators were good, I was able to keep each character separate. I enjoyed the way they told the story; it just adds to the book when you have more than one.

The story line was entertaining, I was hooked from the start. If you enjoy a murder mystery with a twist then buy this book!!

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