This book didn’t work for me.
The characters were unlikable, unrelatable and quite frankly- annoying.
I also didn’t buy the whole story’… why would MC just not say something???

I have never read a book that was both so good and so emotionally draining. I thoroughly enjoyed The Hitchhikers, but whewwww this one was BRUTAL. It was violent, traumatizing, and incredibly hard to sit with at times, but I refused to give up on it. That said, please take the TRIGGER WARNINGS seriously: this book includes violence, sexual assault of a minor, and child loss.

As other reviewers have pointed out, it's frustrating from start to finish, but if you push through it, I believe it’s worth it. I’m giving this one 4 out of 5 stars.

The story is set in the 1970s and begins with Alice and Tom, a grieving couple, taking a road trip across Canada in their RV. They're hoping for a break from reality after losing a child.

At a campsite, they meet two young hitchhikers, Ocean and Blue, and what starts as an act of kindness quickly turns into a nightmare. Now, this is during the peak Ted Bundy era, and here they are inviting strangers along like we’re not in the middle of serial killer season. What could possibly go wrong?

Blue (real name Simon) is a sadistic, manipulative monster. Ocean (Jenny) is a helpless, pregnant girl who’s emotionally stunted and disturbingly dependent on him. From there, the story spirals into an extended chase full of bloodshed, tension, and missed chances.

And that’s where my frustration came in. Alice had SO many opportunities to escape, and I just wanted to reach into the page and shake her. But at the same time, her reactions felt painfully real. That’s what made it all the more unsettling.

I loved the writing style and the way the POVs shifted between Alice and Jenny. But I kept wishing we could’ve seen inside Simon or Tom’s heads, too. That added perspective would’ve made the emotional stakes hit even harder.

The ending was a bit predictable, but it didn’t ruin anything for me. I was still fully locked in, and honestly? I’ll definitely be looking into more books by Chevy Stevens after this.

Thank you to NetGalley, Chevy Stevens, and St. Martin's Press for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you NetGalley and Sy. Martin’s press for the ARC!

This book is set in 1976 about a couple road tripping to the Olympics when they come across a young couple who are hitchhiking.

I was hooked from the first few chapters and could not put this book down! I the array of emotions I had during this book was 🤯. I loved how the ending tied everything all back together.

okkkkay, so you’re on this road trip with alice and her husband tom, who are trying to rekindle their flame. but of course, it all goes wrong. why wouldn’t it? get ready for an emotional rollercoaster. seeing motherhood through the eyes of both jenny and alice shows just how much you can’t judge a book by its cover. if you’re into hauntingly raw, survival-driven suspense, definitely add this one to your tbr.

Love Chevy Stevens. This book kept me engaged all the way through though I can’t say the ending surprised me. Guessing the plot twists didn’t ruin the book for me as I was drawn in by the character development and the random twists and turns this book took. The four main characters had qualities I can relate to people in my own life. I found myself rooting for a few of the characters and hoping for the demise of others. There were a few errors when I came to keeping the names so characters straight but they were nothing some simple editing wouldn’t fix. Overall I enjoyed this book, it is one I will recommend to others and think about for a long time to come.

This was a fast paced thriller.set in 1976 in Canada. The hitchhikers, Jenny and Simon are two teenagers hiking east through British Columbia. Alice and Tom have just bought an RV and are headed east to Ontario for the summer Olympics. Alice and Tom befriend the two kids and invite them to share their meal and campfire. It soon becomes apparent who Jenny and Simon are as they flee Eastward.

I enjoyed the story even though it was very violent.
Alice grew a lot as a person and I was rooting for her through the whole book. I kept thinking that in today’s world these crimes and the escape would have been a lot more difficult since there are cameras everywhere, we live a cash free lifestyle and we need ID for any doctor care or hotel.

Recommend to anyone looking for a good thriller. Thanks to Net galley for the opportunity to read and review this ARC.

The Hitchhikers was packed full of suspense. What a wild ride it was. Chevy Stevens grabbed and kept my attention throughout the entirety of this book. Some of the twists were pretty gruesome, but it just added so much depth to the story. Definitely worth the read! Thanks to Net Galley for allowing me to read this book early in exchange for my honest review!

It’s July 1976, just after the Bicentennial, and Tom and Alice have left Seattle in their new RV to embark on a cross-Canada road trip. Married for 16 years, they’re eager for a perfectly planned, relaxing getaway, especially after a recent tragedy.
Early in the trip, they encounter a young couple they’d seen walking along the highway. Introducing themselves as Ocean and Blue, the strangers are in need of a ride. Alice struggles to connect with the 19 year-old who is visibly pregnant, after dealing with miscarriages and fertility struggles of her own. But Tom enjoys the company and invites the couple to ride along with them.
But during a stop, Alice spots a shocking newspaper headline: the couple are actually Jenny and Simon, and they are wanted for the brutal murders of Jenny’s mother and stepfather.
What began as a peaceful summer escape quickly spirals into a violent nightmare. Held hostage in their own RV, Tom and Alice are forced to aid the couple in a string of crimes. Stevens captures what it would be like in the 1970s on a remote road trip as resources evaporate and tensions mount.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review. The Hitchhikers was a rollercoaster of a read, with a will-they, won't they, tension throughout the entire story. I'd highly recommend it for fans of thrillers or anyone taking a road trip soon!

Wow great story! I love how fast paced it was and kept me reading until late. Chevy Stevens never disappoints!

5 stars!
Thanks for the copy!

The Hitchhikers is a great gem of a story. It actually could easily happen anywhere to anyone trying to innocently X press some kindness to strangers. Some of the middle of the story became a little redundant but, not so much that I wanted to quit reading. The ending had a nice twist and was wrapped up well.

I've read all of Chevy Stevens books, I'm a fan. They draw you in right away but holy cow this one was a wild ride! It was a bit frustrating at times because of the situation that Tom and Alice find themselves in. This was so well written that you can picture everything back in 1976 vividly. I don't want to add any spoilers but I will say Alice is one strong woman to endure all that she did! Highly recommend reading this, you won't regret it!
Thanks NetGalley for the ARC audiobook.

I have read almost all of Chevy Stevens’ novels. I was excited to see she had written a new one and couldn’t wait to read it. It was not a disappointment. Like her other books, she has great characters, even if flawed. Her character development brings you into the story and makes you understand the motives and experiences of even the villains. A couple on vacation by RV innocently meet up with a young couple hitchhiking. They help them get to the next town and then pay for their hospitality by experiencing violence and murder. Just when you think they will escape, something else happens and the nightmare continues. It is a hard to put down book that I really enjoyed.

Thanks @NetGalley for the opportunity to read this arc!

When I saw it was Chevy Steven’s I was so hopeful I would get to read it, because is one of my favourite thriller authors and bonus she’s Canadian as well!

It’s fast pace and it waste no time to get to the action and suspense, keeps you wanting to read more. The twist at the end I didn’t see coming. Granted this wasn’t my favourite Chevy Steven’s book I still really enjoyed it and would differently recommend it to others!

Enjoyable action thriller with a fun and exciting plot. I did find myself skimming towards the end because my attention was beginning to wane. The ending was a bit predictable.

The way the book started out I wasn't sure how the storyline would survive until the end of the book. Nonetheless, Stevens did a masterful job building in numerous well times twists that kept the story fresh and moving at a nice pace. American Express Travels Cheques! I had forgotten all about them and the process for keeping them safe. Nice historical fact that fit seamlessly into the primary storyline.

I had only one problem with the book and it wasn't anything Stevens could have prevented. In 1976 I was working in the Middle East and have no memories of the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal ... or the Winter Olympics in Innsbruck as well .There was no internet and no television access, so they have no reality in my mind. The only memory I have of either Olympics was seeing the ski jump in Innsbruck in the Spring of 1977.. That was the Olympics that was scheduled to occur in Colorado, my home state, but Colorado backed out in 1972 due to ecological pressures. That is a story for another time.

Thank you NetGalley for the free ARC of The Hitchhikers. Chevy Stevens is one of my favorite thriller writers, and this did not disappoint. I loved it. Fast paced and hooked me from the opening pages. I really enjoyed the journey of Tom and Alice. While I sorta knew how it would end, it was an exciting ride. Buckle up - this one is GREAT!

The hitchhikers is set in the 1970s. We’re following a married couple Tom and Alice as they travel in their RV from Seattle to Canada to watch the Olympic games. Alice and Tom have been going through some tough times in their marriage and both are hoping that this trip helps. Early on in the trip Tom and Alice cross paths with a hippie couple named Blue and Ocean, Tom invites them to share their campsite and have dinner, their stay turns longer and we soon realize that Ocean and Blue are not who they seem to be.

This book was SO fast paced, I could not put it down. The characters were so well developed, I was so invested on how this would end. 5⭐️
Thank you Netgalley for an advanced copy.

Let me first say I'm a fan of Chevy Stevens but this one just wasn't one of my favorites. I just found it hard to get into and kept thinking that Alice could have done something sooner to get away from then. I know I know then there would be no book but I just kept hating Simon and then Jenny for going along with him. It was kind of repetitive of what was happening until the end. I did however really like how it ended and it was exactly what I was hoping for!

Thanks to NetGalley and St Martin's Press for the chance to read!

I have been waiting for a new Chevy Stevens book! I could not put it down! Alice and Tom are on a camping adventure with their new RV. They encounter two hitchhikers that seem innocent and unsuspecting. However, Alice learns that their new guests are not who they appear to be and are very dangerous. The book takes off with twists and turns of how to survive.

It’s 1976 and Alice and Tom are traveling in their RV through Canada to get to the Olympics. They have had some marital problems and see this trip as a way to reconnect with each other. While stopping at a campground one night, they meet Blue and Ocean who are hitchhiking. They are so young to be on the road by themselves, the couple take pity on them and give them food and a place to stay for the night. The couple decide to give them a ride to the next city. While they are driving they stop at a store. Alice goes in and gets a newspaper and finds Blue and Ocean are wanted for murder and their real names are Jenny and Simon.

What I loved about this book was that you really cared about the characters. I was WORRIED about Alice and Tom! I had to keep reading to know if they were going to be ok or not. There were parts of the book that were slow but those parts just added to the suspense of what was going to happen next. Overall, this was a great read! Thank you NetGalley!