I loved this book. I loved the perfectly captured 70's vibe from my childhood, including The Grass is Always Greener Over the Septic Tank, which was just EVERYWHERE, the clothing, and the subtle modesty. The loved the way Chevy Stevens showed us things rather than told us. She is a master storyteller.

The way the violence and drama amped up slowly made me realize I was holding my breath, waiting to see what Simon would do next. This book is brilliant. That twist? Yassssss.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for gifting me a copy. It is my pleasure to write an honest review.

THE HITCHHIKERS by Chevy Stevens
⭐️ rating: 7.5/10

read if you like:
🔪 killers on the run
🚙 road trips
👁️‍🗨️ hostage situations

summary:
If you want a book that’ll keep you on the edge of your seat, this is it. It follows Alice and Tom, a couple from Canada who buy an RV and hit the open road. At their very first stop, they meet Ocean and Blue—two seemingly harmless young runaways. But it quickly becomes clear that Ocean and Blue aren’t who they say they are. They’re actually Simon and Jenny, a pair of fugitives wanted for multiple murders.

Suddenly, Alice and Tom find themselves taken hostage, trapped in their RV with no way to escape. As they drive deeper into the Canadian wilderness, secrets unravel, emotions run high, and bodies start piling up. With no clear destination and danger around every turn, the question becomes: who will survive—and at what cost?

This book moves at a breakneck pace and keeps your adrenaline pumping. The characters are what make it so compelling—each with their own arc, flaws, and turning points. Simon is chillingly cruel, while Alice emerges as the true heroine, holding everything together in impossible circumstances. She navigates grief, fear, and the moral weight of survival with a quiet strength that anchors the story.

The entire novel is a tense cat-and-mouse game, filled with moments that will make you gasp, cringe, and want to scream. If books that feature frustrating decisions aren’t your thing, be warned—there are definitely some here. But they’re intentional and serve the emotional intensity of the story.

The writing is sharp, dramatic, and surprisingly heartfelt. The ending delivers a mix of angst, heartbreak, and relief. While it may not be a shock twist, it wraps things up in a satisfying, emotionally resonant way.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the ARC. Don’t miss this one when it releases on October 7!

Loved this book! It took place in the 70’s which is a fav of mine. I felt like I was in the race of my life. Thrilling !

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for this advanced copy in exchange for my honest review. The Hitchhikers was hard for me to put down. It was twisty, terrifying and heartbreaking and was easily 5 stars!

The Hitchhikers is a thrilling twisty turntable novel that keeps you guessing. It takes one terrible decision to the next to new heights leaving you wondering if anyone will make it out alive. Although done scenarios seem unlikely it’s a very satisfying read and the twist at the end was just wow . I did not see that coming. I would definitely recommend this book to a friend.

This is my first Chevy Stevens and it won’t be my last! While the characters were a bit flawed for me and made some dumb decisions, I found the overall plot to move along nicely and kept me interested! The suspense had me on my toes for a lot of this book and I couldn’t put it down wanting to know what happened next! Definitely an enjoyable and thrilling book! I will be purchasing a copy when it comes out for my shelf

This book was good but I found many scenes difficult to read. Perhaps I need to choose lighter reads for summer :). This definitely doesn’t change the fact that the story and writing were very good.

A chilling thriller from literary giant Chevy Stevens, The Hitchhikers, makes you wonder how much you should help others?
It is 1969 and Tom and Alice have set out on an RV trip though the Canadian wilderness. They need to reconnect after a tragedy that has left Alice depressed and withdrawn. The hope is to heal their fractured marriage while camping and seeing beautiful scenery. Along the way they meet two hitchhikers, Ocean and Blue, a young couple who seem innocent and lost. Tom invites them to travel with him and Alice to the next big town. The young couple aren’t what they seem. While in a store getting supplies, Alice sees a newspaper with the couple on the front page. They are actually, Jenny and Simon and are on the run for murdering Jenny’s parents.
This leads to an adrenaline filled roundtrip of survival and violence. Ms. Stevens does a great job with the back story and characters that allows you to feel their pain and angst and understand where they came from and how they got here. There were a few times I didn’t understand why Tom and Alice didn’t do more to try and get a away. The ending has a shocking moment I didn’t see coming.
This book kept me on the edge of my seat with the tension and danger. Note: There are a few graphic violence scenes that are hard to read.
Many thanks to NetGalley and St Martin's Press for the advanced digital copy

DNF.
The premise of the story was right up my alley, it sounded suspenseful and I liked the setting of the story. It quickly got repetitive 50% of the way through and I didn't want to bother to finish it. The characters lacked depth and were one dimensional, and felt like the author spent more time telling me than showing me. Wasn't a fan unfortunately. Thank you to Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

The hitchhiker was an interesting book. I took a bit to get into it, but once I got to the middle of the book, I felt like it moved too much quicker. I did feel like I could anticipate what was going to happen. And that was all disappointing.

ARC Review - wow this book was so good. It was thrilling and kept you on the edge of your seat.

Never pick up hitchhikers!

Highly entertaining!

I've read quite a bit from this author and I always enjoy the writing style and the way the stories come together. This one definitely kept my interest and was fairly fast paced, which made for a quick read. I really enjoyed the road trip through Canada, even though it certainly had its creepy moments.

There were definitely some moments in the story where I was frustrated with the characters and their decisions, but overall I thought it was well done. I won't be picking up hitchhikers any time soon, that's for sure!

I recommend adding to your reading list! Thanks to the publisher for my early review e-copy.

I was really expecting so much more from Chevy Stevens as I have loved her previous works. This one was boring!

Really enjoyed this book. I thought the cover was good too, it drew me in to read the book. I thought the story was engaging and kept me wanting to read more.

I found it impossible to set aside "The Hitchhikers." This gripping and exhilarating novel kept me thoroughly engaged. Tom and Alice, an American couple, embark on a summer RV vacation through Canada. Their journey takes an unexpected turn when they pick up a young couple, initially adding a sense of adventure to their trip. However, what begins as a lighthearted experience quickly spirals into a nightmare, as two of the four travelers reveal their darker sides. The question remains: will everyone make it through this harrowing journey? A solid start to a thrilling tale!

I would like to extend my gratitude to Net Galley and the publisher for providing the ARC for my review. This reflects my genuine opinion.

Definitely a book worth reading, the story line is suspenseful and heartbreaking. The ending will definitely shock you!

In about 2012/2013 I picked up my first Chevy Stevens paperback book - Never Knowing. I loved it so much and found it so unputdownable that I binge read it through the night until 4am (perhaps not the wisest decision when my husband was out of town and I started to jump at every little sound, but I devoured it nonetheless). I especially enjoyed the slightly creepy extra element that a lot of the towns mentioned were ones near my hometown that I grew up around, which make her stories all the more real.

Later, in 2014, I was pretty sick and was hospitalized for 2 weeks. Chevy Steven’s Ebooks got me through that difficult time.

Most recently, I read Dark Roads, and I had deep admiration for how sensitively she handled the stories of MMIWs and the Highway of Tears, and change location names out of respect to those persons, which especially hit close to home as my cousin in law is an MMIW.

So to say that I got picked to read one of her ARCS is an absolute honour and privilege I do not take lightly. When I got approved - we were driving and I accidentally shocked my husband because I squealed so loudly with excitement!

Whilst (having 3 young kids now) I wasn’t able to quite binge it in 12 hours, However, I did binge it in under 48 hours - which is one of the highest compliments I can give it. Having two children with Autism and a young baby I don’t get a lot of spare time, but I used every second of it to be able to read and review this story right away.

Alice & Tom’s, and Ocean & Blue’s story, in true Chevy Stevens style, had unexpected twists and turns through to the end of the book. Again, deliciously twisted in the best possible way when towns and cities near my current home and former home are mentioned. Which is so much better than thrillers that are occurring in nameless towns when it literally hits close to home.

I couldn’t get enough of this story. Whilst I don’t want to give too much more away as I don’t want to give away any spoilers, I felt the characters to be mostly relatable, some were loveable, and the book teaches what people can be driven to/how they learn to cope when faced with severe trauma.

Thank you so much Chevy, the publishers, and NetGalley for the free ARC. 🥰🫶🏻

A thriller/horror/mystery with bits of hope sprinkled throughout? What a surprising mix of a story! Tom & Annie set out on an RV road trip to put the past behind them. They pick up a pair of young hitchhikers, fearing the kids might meet foul play. Turns out these two are responsible for at least 2 murders & a Topsy turvy tale of chaos, violence, and mayhem ensues.

Seeing moments of personal strength allows Tom & Alice to bond and grow together. The ending is a whirlwind that fits surprisingly well! Well done in every way!

Thank you to St. Martin's & netgalley for the ARC and the opportunity to review!

I started reading Chevy Stevens about 8 years ago and she's an auto buy for me! This one was good but not as great as others she's written. Definitely a good introduction to her work so if you like this one and want a little *more* read some of her older stuff.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an advanced copy!

Gripping, shocking, thrilling, thought provoking, heartbreaking, and hard to put down! Chevy Stevens took me on a wild roller coaster of a ride with The Hitchhikers! Whew! I had a hard time putting this book down as took me on a journey of emotions, thrills, chills, and danger! I loved the tension, the sense of danger, the dread, and how this book had me on the edge of my seat turning those pages as fast as I could read!!!

Its 1976 and Tom and Alice, are traveling in their RV hoping to not only mend their marriage after tragedy but to go on an adventure. They hope that this trip on a remote Canadian highway will bring them closer together. Unfortunately, it brings them into the path of danger.

Jenny and Simon are on the run and have left a trail of blood and devastation in their wake. They are a young, troubled couple who come upon Tom and Alice and see an opportunity to not only get transportation but to take hostages!

Holy Moly! This book had me feeling so many things. I felt sorry and had my fingers crossed for so many of the characters. The characters in this book went through so much before this book even started. Chevy Stevens does a great job of slowly telling readers the characters backstories making the characters feel more believable and real. Tragedy and pain affected all the characters in their lives. I went from disliking some of the characters to feeling for them and their circumstances. I thought the author nailed this aspect of the book.

Reading The Hitchhikers was like being on an adrenaline ride of survival. Be warned, there are some acts of violence in this book. As I mentioned this book put me and the readers through the ringer. Matching the violence and the quest for survival was the pacing which never let up. This book kept me on the edge as the tension, dread, and danger mounted. There were a few twists and turns along the way until a shocking moment at the end of the book - a moment that I never saw coming! I love it when that happens!

It has been quite some time since I have read a book by Chevy Stevens, and I am kicking myself. I forgot just how thrilling and shocking her books are!

Wonderfully written, well thought out, gripping, thrilling and hard to put down!