Thanks to Netgalley and St Martins Press fir the advance Kindle copy of this book.

The open road beckons.
A chance for them to reconnect.
Then they make a fatal mistake.

It’s the summer of 1976 and Alice and Tom set out on the remote Canadian highways in their new RV, hoping to heal their broken hearts after a devastating tragedy.

They’ve planned the trip perfectly, taken care of every detail. Then they meet two young hitchhikers down on their luck and offer them a ride. But Simon and Jenny aren’t what they seem. They’ve left a trail of blood, destruction, and madness behind them.

Now Alice and Tom are trapped, prisoners in a deadly game, with nowhere to turn. As the tension builds, the lines blur, and the question becomes, In whose heart does evil truly lie? What secrets are Jenny and Simon hiding? And who will live another day?

I have read previous books by the author all of which I didn't really enjoy. Sadly this book falls into the same category. It dragged on and I didn't like the storyline. 2.5 out of 5 ⭐️

I have been a fan of Chevy Stevens since the beginning & have read every one of her books… This one had a hold on me from the first chapter! The book is set in 1976 before cell phones were popular & social media was everywhere. We forget how things used to be when the only way to get your news was from the radio & newspapers, etc….
I loved the main characters, Alice & Tom & how down to earth they seemed to be. It immediately made me nervous when they got friendly with Blue & Ocean. I was constantly trying to get one step ahead of what was happening.
Chevy always has you guessing what will happen from the first few pages down to the last chapter… There were times I thought I had everything figured out & then she would throw another loop in.
I highly recommend this book if you are looking for a quick, fast paced, suspenseful read!! Its one of
my top 5 of the year so far!!

A youngish couple, Tom and Alive, take to the road in 1976 to rekindle their marriage after the devastating loss of their newborn child. The meet and befriend a very young couple, Ocean and Blue (AKA Simon and Jenny), who initially seem like a very young couple trying to find themselves. As it turns out, Ocean and Blue are being sought by the police in conjunction with the brutal murders of Jenny's mother and stepfather. The ”thriller” nature of the book begins when Ocean and Jenny basically take Tom and Alice hostage during a Bonnie and Clyde-esque crime spree. Throughout the story we see Jenny bonding more with Alice and seeing Simon as manipulative, overbearing and cruel. The basic story of naive travellers being manipulated and abused by evil doers is not original, although making the "bad guys” to be teenagers is a little different.

This was my first time reading a Chevy Stevens' novel and may be my last. It is not a bad book - it is reasonably well written with characters that develop over time. It just isn't my cup of tea. It seems a little slow at times.
Jenny's history ond motivation are doled out in pieces. We never get much of Simon's background. We do get to watch Alice become more assertive. In other words, this is a female oriented story since Tom and Simon only get the barest of background details. The ”surprise” ending wasn't surprising - it was predictable 25% of the way in. Some of the violence and sexual abuse may be triggering to some sensitive souls. Overall, this was a 3 star book in my opinion.

I do want to thank St. Martin's Press, Chevy Stevens and Net Galley for giving me the opportunity to read this ARC and provide my honest feedback.

A suspenseful tale set in 1976 Canada, where a couple's RV trip turns deadly after picking up two hitchhikers. Stevens masterfully builds tension, leading to a shocking twist. A chilling novel that keeps readers on edge.

Thanks so much to Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC.
What a great book!
I've always loved this author and this book was excellent!
CONSTANT action with twists and turns at every corner.
I SOBBED at the end.
Such a great book that I'll be recommending to everyone!

Overall the story dragged a bit for me. The story follows Alice and Tom who go on an adventure of traveling in an Rv to escape their personal tragedy. While traveling they befriend a young couple named Ocean and Blue. The two couples travel for a bit until Alice realizes Ocean and Blue are not who they claim to be. The young couple are on the run from their past and holding Alice and Tom captive.

The book is set back in 1976. We meet, Tom and Alice who are trying to save their marriage by heading out on an RV trip across the remote Canadian highways. I felt they had a wonderful marriage, they are just a little, understandably sad, that’s all. Their marriage doesn’t need saving, but the description on back of the book said they did! Along the way they meet Ocean and Blue, two hitchhikers. They are really Jenny and Simon. they are trouble. Killer trouble. Things get wild and there are twists and turns , some you see, and some you don’t see coming! There’s a lot of reading of maps, since no GPS, or cell phones, lots of snacks also! it was kinda refreshing to step back in time! This book was a decent thriller, and I enjoyed by first book by this author.

#netgalley

The hitchhikers-who-are-actually-murderous-psychopaths trope is well-worn, but having the aforementioned murderers be teenaged was a fresh take. The last 1/4 of the book was a slog, but nice ending.

8:55


ring


Thank you NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for
an honest review.


This review doesn't include any spoilers


First I'd like to mention a couple of trigger
warnings. You probably wouldn't pick up this book
without anticipating that there would be a certain
level of violence, so be aware of that and if you are
triggered by child sexual abuse you may want to
pass on this one as well.


The characterization is good with detailed back
stories for the primary characters. The story
format moves back and forth between the current
storyline and flashbacks, and that was handled
well. Both narrators have distinct voices and the
story was easy to follow even moving between
two characters current actions and memories, so
I have to really give the author credit for keeping
the story line pretty seamless even with that many
points of view.


The plot, however, is rather predictible, so this
wasn't a book that kept me on the edge of my
seat. With that said, it was still a well developed
storyline, and there are a few interesting twists.


In the end, it was a solid story, just not original
enough for me to go higher than three stars

Thank you #NetGalley #ChevyStevens #StMartinsPress for the ARC for an honest review.

A couple sets out to save their rocky marriage by setting off on a getaway with just the two of them. When they decide to befriend another couple in need, only to find out they are wanted for murder, the crazy begins.

This is told from the pov of both women and is an exciting tale of trying to survive a nightmare no one could have prepared for. I feel like I should have saw it , but I didn’t see the ending coming.

The Hitchhikers had a good storyline, but for some reason I really struggled to get through this one due to the pacing. Chevy Steven’s fans will love it, and still getting 4 stars, just wasn’t the one for me I suppose!

Not my favorite chevy stevens book but it still kept me hooked. I do wish the suspense of alice and tom knowing about Jenny and simon would have drug on just a little more before Jenny and Simone realized they were onto them because it started to get a little unbelieveable that it went on as long as it did without the cops catching up to them but I still loved it. Can't wait for her next one!

I had a lot of emotions during this book. First and foremost: frustration!! There were maybe 800 times when I was thinking “Now’s your chance, dooooo somethiiiiinnnng.”

But now that I have finished, I have to remind myself that I haven’t been in Alice’s situation…maybe I would overthink every possible opportunity too (though I doubt it).

Overall, I enjoyed the book. Occasionally I felt it got a bit slow. I was not-so-patiently waiting for some scenes to just hurry up and get by. But I was dedicated to finding out how everything played out for Alice and gang (though I was a tad discouraged not to have seen any mention of Ruth and William at the end).

I did guess one part of the ending- it felt obvious/fortuitous from the get-go. The next part of the twist should have been the easiest part to figure out but oh well, my spidey -senses were dulled by an active camping trip and an unfortunate cold I managed to pick up during this read.

I especially felt that character development was excellent- sometimes I find myself reading the narrator’s words and other times I find myself really reading them (if that makes sense). This was one of those times.

Overall, I would recommend this book. I loved that it took place in the 70s (not much hitchhiking and endless trust in strangers going around these days). Thank you to #NetGalley and #StMartinsPress for the early arc of the #thehitchhikers.

The Hitchhikers
Chevy Stevens
Release Date: October 7, 2025
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press
The Hitchhikers transported me straight back to 1976 in the most vivid, immersive way. From the setting of the Olympics to the prices at thrift shops and grocery stores, every detail felt authentic and alive. Rotary phones, hitchhiking culture, hippies passing joints on the roadside—Chevy Stevens captured it all. I was hooked from the very first page.
The story follows Tom and Alice, a couple on a road trip, who cross paths with Ocean and Blue, two strangers camping under the same summer sky. What begins as an act of kindness soon turns into something far more dangerous. Tom and Alice couldn’t have known that their friendly gesture would thrust them into the lives of two young people fleeing a violent, chaotic past—leaving behind a trail of unpredictable chaos and death.
Told through dual points of view—Alice and Jenny (a.k.a. Ocean) —the novel explores the inner lives of two strong women, each shaped by their own trauma and survival. Their voices are raw, compelling, and heartbreakingly real. I loved the way their backstories were slowly revealed, adding tension and emotional depth as the story unfolded. It reminded me that life is like a chess game: every move is a reaction, and the past always has a way of catching up.
What stood out most to me was the unshakable suspense. Stevens expertly weaves a psychological thriller that is not only chilling, but deeply human. The realism is partly what makes it so haunting—the fear and vulnerability of hitchhiking in the '70s, inspired by real-life dangers, feels both distant and disturbingly familiar.
If you're a fan of character-driven thrillers with immersive settings and emotional weight, this one delivers!

This was more dark than suspenseful. The most suspenseful part was when the gun goes flying in the air. Whose hands will it end up in?! You guessed right, the bad guys. I found it a little slow to get going and overall was just a little lackluster. There were definitely some “you idiot” moments.
I’ve enjoyed Chevy Stevens books but this was just okay to me.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an honest review!

This is the first book I read from this author and now I want to read her entire backlist. This was such a wild ride that kept me entertained the entire story through. There were no slow spots and the momentum of this story keeps going and going. I kept thinking things would slow down but nope, another twist. This would make an amazing movie! If you're in a readings slump this will pull you out of it. I loved how this ended and how it all wrapped up. I highly recommend this thriller!

This was so unexpected and good at the same time of you like suspense and the mystery of what’s coming next. This was so well written that I was on the edge of my seat ready to know how this ended

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC opportunity!

Wow wow wow. This was so good. I believe this is my first book by Chevy, but it definitely wont be my last.

The writing was so good and very descriptive in the parts we needed it to be. The two hitchhikers were written to be so cold blooded. The pacing was good, and it holds your attention.

My only complaint is i wish there had been more twists or something that really just left us in shock and awe.

I love Chevy Stevens’ books and was thrilled to get to read this one. It was fabulous! I finished it in 2 days, because I had to find out what was going to happen next! The backstory of the characters is very descriptive and telling as the story unfolds with Tom and Alice’s lives changing forever when they meet Simon and Jenny. You will be taken along for this very fast ride, with twists and turns, and deep emotions. I absolutely loved it. All readers are in for a real treat!

I was ECSTATIC to receive this novel as an arc. One of my favorite authors and I get to read it before it's out? I cannot tell you how much I enjoyed this thrill ride. I can't believe an RV set could keep you on edge as this does.

Tom and Alice are camping across BC trying to get away from some difficult times. They end up picking up Jenny and Simon. Two hitchhikers. They say their names are ocean and blue. They seemed so nice at first. What are they hiding?

You will be on the edge of your seat whipping through this book to see what's happening. The only reason it took me two days was because I had to work.

Thank you SO MUCH to NetGalley and the publisher for the absolute pleasure of this arc