I've read some Chevy Stevens before, and recall an overwhelming sense of danger. This one? Didn't really have that? IDK. When I was reading it, I was enjoying the prose and the pace, but the second I put it down I no longer wanted to pick it up. I think the journey of story just didn't have enough depth to hold my interest.

This was such a fun read. I was on the edge of my seat the whole time! Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for my honest review!

Interesting. I wasn’t that into the story but it was captivating enough for me to finish it. Sometimes I was on the edge of my seat but most of the time I was disconnected from the story

Holy moly!! What a wild ride this book was. I LOVED it all. Not one boring or slow chapter.

A lovely couple goes traveling in an RV and runs into a young couple who they think are just nice “hippies”. Soon after taking them in, they find out the young couple is on the run for a violent crime and as you’d imagine they become trapped with these criminals. How will they escape? How many people have to get hurt / killed along the way??

‼️As usual with Chevy Stevens books, please read the trigger warnings.

Big thanks for NetGalley, the author and publisher for this advanced readers copy in exchange for my honest review!

I’ve read a few Chevy Stevens books in the past, and what always appeals to me is that she is a Canadian author, and her books are Canada based. It’s not super often I find books that speak to home, so I’m always eager to get my hands on some.

This book was exactly as I anticipated it to be; exciting, albeit a bit far fetched; intense while also infuriating; interesting characters who were so annoyingly incompetent; and overall, a totally fine book that I enjoyed.

This book is definitely more thriller than mystery, and there really is no shock factor or ‘solve’ - which is totally fine, and I do actually appreciate the efforts made at exploring how ‘bad people’ and ‘bad choices’ are not perfectly synonymous.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a chance to read and review this arc.

I usually love the authors books but this fell flat for me. It was a DNF wanted plot seemed just overly contrived. I couldn’t get over the mistake in the beginning where she called the girl by her real name. Would not recommend……..
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What a fun book!!!! Seriously gave me a pit multiple times. I saw myself and my husband in alice and tom so when the crap started happening it was seriously horrifying. Being pushed off a bridge was not enough punishment for Simon. I needed him to suffer. Death was seriously too easy. He was INSUFFERABLE!!! Arrogant, horrible, stupid. Good for Chevy for making a seriously unlikable antagonist. I really hate this man. To go after the sweet old couple. Horrible.

Chevy Stevens is an auto-read author for me and her latest book did not disappoint. It was fast paced and I liked the different POVs. It played out like a movie and kept me wanting more!

This book would be the perfect summer read!! But for most readers, it will have to saved for next summer as the book won’t be published until the fall! I can picture Chevy Stevens’ fans sitting around their campfires, snuggled under their sleeping bags in their tents, turning page after page, completely invested in this story right from the very first page!

Many thanks to NetGalley and this amazing Canadian author for the opportunity to read an advance reader copy of this book!

I became hooked on thrillers in early 2024, and since I work in a library, I like to promote the authors I love, especially the Canadian authors!! When I began working at the library in 2022, I was not familiar with the name Chevy Stevens, and I assumed quite wrongly that Stevens was a male author! I have read two other novels by Stevens, both in audiobook format. The Hitchhikers was my first time reading one of her novels in text format. I have a feeling the audiobook will be amazing! The others were very well done.

The characters are so complex and well developed. The plot was like no other thriller I have read over the last year and a half! I find that if I read too many novels by the same author in a short period of time, the stories become predictable but this is not the case with Chevy Stevens. Each of her thrillers are completely unique! In fact, I have another one of her books ready to read on my Libby app right away, I enjoyed this one so much! Every summer, I also work weekends in a park store in a provincial park and THIS book is going to be talked about a lot with my customers! Books make for great conversation, it would be a dream if I had copies to place in the little free library that is situated right beside the store, on a pathway headed down to the waterfront! Since that isn’t about to happen; I will do my best to drum up some excitement about this book being released in October with both my library patrons and my park store patrons!

As a child of the mid seventies, the fact that this book takes place during that time really appealed to me as well! I loved reading about the towns I passed through when on a family vacation of my own as a child in the eighties. This book, in my opinion is about to take Chevy Stevens to a whole new level! I hope to see her popularity surge! Fast paced action, with villains you can’t help but root for just a little, victims that make you ask yourself how you yourself would handle this type of scenario if you came across it while camping across Canada! So well done!!! I feel like this one has potential to be my favourite read of 2025!!

This is my third book by Chevy Stevens and just like the others, I thoroughly enjoyed it! This book is wild to say the least. It got a visceral reaction out of me and I love when authors are able to do that! I’ve noticed that Chevy is able to write a heaviness and emotion into her books that sticks with you. I can’t recommend this author and this book enough! Can’t wait to revisit this when the audiobook is out!

Wow, this was a fun book to read! If you are looking for non-stop action, this is absolutely the book for you. Chevy Stevens has a way of making the reader feel genuine empathy for the characters, even the characters who seem to have few redeeming qualities. I had a hard time putting this down, which was surprising to me, as I don't generally love books that take place before the 1990s. . . . And while there were many tense moments and parts that made me feel a little down, it was still one heck of a good, fun book. It was the first I've read by Stevens, but I will look out for future titles. (And of course will be recommending this, in the meantime!).

*The Hitchhikers* is a psychological thriller set in the summer of 1976, where Alice and Tom, recovering from a tragedy, embark on a road trip through the Canadian highways. Their journey takes a dangerous turn when they pick up two hitchhikers, Simon and Jenny, who are hiding dark secrets. As the couple becomes ensnared in a deadly game, the tension escalates, blurring the lines between good and evil. Trapped with no escape, they must confront the truth of who these strangers really are and what they are capable of. A gripping and emotional ride full of twists, this novel explores the chilling consequences of one fatal mistake.

Four and one-half stars

Review of Uncorrected Digital Galley

In the summer of 1976, Alice and Tom Bell are recovering from a devastating loss. They’d been in Seattle for the Fourth of July bicentennial fireworks; now they are driving through Canada, stopping at RV parks along the way. As they come into Hope, they see a young couple walking along the side of the road.

An accidental meeting between Alice and the young girl ends up with Tom inviting them to stay at their campsite for dinner. The arrival of bikers on the nearby beach yields an invitation to stay in a tent at the Bells’ campsite. And when Ocean and Blue [hippie names, Alice thinks] ask for a ride to the next town, Tom and Alice readily agree to take them the seventy or so miles to Lytton.

But Alice and Tom have no idea that the young couple [Jenny and Simon] are not at all what they appear to be nor do they know just how much things are about to change.

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This story, told from multiple points of view, is both tense and emotional; it introduces readers to characters that tug on heartstrings even as their actions cause heartache. One of the strengths of the narrative is in the relationships between the characters; the undercurrent of tension that builds throughout the unfolding of the story keeps readers invested in the telling of the tale.

The story has some unexpected twists that are likely to surprise the reader as the compelling tale plays out in ways the reader will not suspect. The story evolves into a taut thriller, leaving Tom and Alice wondering if they will die along the Canadian roadway. Suspenseful, compelling, and unputdownable, this is one story that will keep readers caught up in the story until the final page has been turned.

Highly recommended.

I received a free copy of this eBook from St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.
#TheHitchhikers #NetGalley

This one kind of reminded me of Intensity by Dean Koontz. I could not put this down, I had to know how it ended. The ending is very sad, and it broke my heart. The characters are both likable and equally easy to hate.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for providing me with this ARC.

This was my first time reading a Chevy Stevens novel, and I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed it. I went in expecting a solid thriller, but what really stood out to me was the emotional depth between the characters.

There's definitely suspense and tension, but what made the story memorable for me was how well Stevens develops the relationships. She strikes a great balance between the darker, more intense moments and the emotional core of the story, which kept me engaged the whole way through.

I'll definitely be checking out more of her work. The Hitchhikers is a compelling blend of heart and suspense; perfect for readers who like their thrillers with a little extra emotional weight.

I cannot even put into words how much I loved this book but I’m going to try. I started reading Chevy Stevens books a few years ago and she never disappoints. Edge of your seat, heart thumping type of read. I was trying to wait closer to the release date to read it but I just couldn’t. Another masterpiece in a thriller form.

The Hitchhikers by Chevy Stevens

The Hitchhikers is a compelling and suspenseful thriller. Upon meeting Ocean and Blie at a campground, Alice and Tom begin an intense adventure with the young couple.
When Alice discovers that Ocean and Blue are really Jenny and Simon, Alice confides in her husband that the couple is also wanted for murder. Thus, the nightmare begins.

The pacing in the story builds with intensity, as the young couple takes Alice and Tom on a maniacal road trip while trying to escape the law. Simon and Jenny’s deplorable behaviors are revealed through acts of cruelty and violence.
Since Alice is the protagonist un the story, you experience deep insight to her emotions and feelings. You get a sense that Alice feels sorry for Jenny,
The story is intense and raucous, and I love how suspense builds throughout the book.
As the journey comes to its end, the ending is perfect. The ending was truly unexpected, yet very satisfying.

There were a lot of things I liked about this book. I liked that it was 1976 so there was no GPS, cell phones, etc. It made the story more interesting because they had to follow maps, listen to the radio, and read newspapers for information. I liked Alice and Tom - and it didn't seem to me like their marriage was failing... it just seemed like Alice was struggling with depression. (and understandably so, you'll learn in the book)

The story was predictable and I found myself forced to pick it up a few times to get through it. It was fine.

This is a thrilling ride. It definitely will keep you turning the pages. I am a fan of Chevy Steven’s work. I did not see the twist coming! Thanks to net galley for the chance to review the arc.

Have I read all of Chevy’s books? Yes. While it’s been a while since her last book as soon as I saw this book I was so excited and even more excited to receive an advance reader copy from NetGalley.
Chevy didn’t disappoint with this novel. She came back with a compelling story that often makes you wonder what you would do in this situation, would you continue to be someone who was submissive in or fight back risking everything? The way this story is told, your often left feeling sorry for both women of the story…. Asking yourself again how you could be so sympathetic to someone who is sooo Evil.