Really good book. Had twist and turns i didn't see coming. Normally I have a book figured out in no time, not this one. Keep me wanting more from the first page. A great read.

Chevy Stevens delivers a charged thriller with The Hitchhikers. The premise is chilling (especially for us kind-hearted campers), and the emotional weight of the story stays with you. I was hooked from the beginning and flew through the final chapters.

The middle portion dragged a bit for me. While I understand the fear and trauma the characters were experiencing, I found myself frustrated at times thinking, why aren’t you trying harder?! It became a little repetitive and slowed the momentum.

What really stood out, though, was the emotional gut punch at the end. Once the full story unfolds and you learn who all is truly “responsible,” it hits hard and forces you to reframe everything you thought you knew. A powerful, haunting twist that elevates the entire book.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for this eARC in exchange for my unbiased review.

This is a wild story that left me thinking. I am still pondering this one a month later. What would I have done in this situation?



*************spoiler alert************

Number one - I am married to a man that would definitely have given the young couple a ride/place to stay without thinking of the possible consequences or consulting me. I am the jaded one that would have no way given these young folks a ride but would give them some food and have sent them on their merry way.

Number two - Would I help to commit crimes because my husband is a hostage or find a safe way to save us both? I like to think I am good in a crisis and a critical thinker.

For these reasons, this one has stayed with me. Who really knows what they would do until they are in that kind of life or death situation?

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for my unbiased review.

This book was NOT a slow burn. It didn’t take long for Stevens to push the throttle down. Hard.
Fast paced and tense, it’s a quick and easy read.

I did feel like there was some plot holes in the beginning. Whatever tragedy happened to Alice and Tom was easily figured out but should have been stated fully and not casually implied. Either tell me or save it for the final twist.
Overall I would recommend this book.

Thank you for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Chevy Stevens has been on my favorite shelf since she released her first book.
The Hitchhikers is another great read that will keep you turning page after page.

The story moves along well with few shocking moments but that doesn’t take away from the story.

You will love to hate a few characters and cheer for others.
This is a story you would expect from Stevens. Good solid story.

There's certainly something to be said for the warning: don't pick up any hitchhikers! This is a very suspenseful, and scary story. Expecting a simple slam-bam in your face story it certainly is not. Alice and Tom are a tormented couple who decide to go on a road trip to forget certain memories that have stunted their relationship. Along the way, they pick up a young couple (Jenny and Simon) who seem to be innocent enough but it's not really what it seems. This is a young couple on the run and from that point on, Alice and Tom find themselves in a nightmare with nowhere to turn and help in sight!

This is certainly an on the edge of your seat thriller filled with twists and turns and seemingly with no salvation in sight for Alice and Tom. I found myself catching my breath at every corner, every turn on the freeway. #The Hitchhikers and # NetGalley for the AC! At least I can breathe easy now!

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?

A chilling, twist-laden ride to the final page, THE HITCHHIKERS is that rare novel that will break your heart as well as hold you in suspense. The author of the classic thrillers STILL MISSING and THOSE GIRLS has delivered her next breathtaking novel.

Ohhh I so wanted to love this more than I did. I found myself struggling to get through the first 2/3 of the book. I wasn't expecting the descriptive violence and it was frustrating to not know what happened to several of the characters. I really enjoyed Still Missing but this just didn't hit the mark.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for my ARC!

A solid character-driven thriller, full of twists and turns. The characterization is the greatest strength of this novel, with every main character feeling fleshed out and real. These main characters are not standard archetypes, rather a collection of intricate people with complicated motivations. The first hundred pages or so dragged on for me, but once the story picked up it was tough to put down. Overall, this is a solid slow burn thriller with great characters and enough tension throughout to keep the reader intrigued.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC of this book.

DNF…. I just was not intrigued by the story. I could kind of see where it was going, and I wasn’t interested in going there. I also was not a fan of the writing, it was a case of “show me don’t tell me.”

Chevy Stevens has been one of my favorite authors through the years, but this story has a few flaws that I am most surprised she let fly.
As always, she hits the creepy factor right off and gets you pulled in, but unfortunately, I feel she missed the depth that I always expect from her.
The concept of the story is good; certainly makes you rethink camping and picking up hitchhikers. It is the level of the characters’ action that I was most disappointed in. The main characters were wimpy, and the story was very frustrating with their inaction. Also, the police were no better, complete ineptness. The timeframe of the story was not discussed so to say the least I was most surprised when it was $20.00 to fill up an RV and you carry cashier’s checks for $100.00 for a multi week trip.
At one point I even looked again to make sure this was written by Chevy. I will give it 4 stars, if you overlook the stuff that could have taken place and just accept what happened, the story does keep your interest.
This is my own opinion expressed in this review. Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press.

Review: 4 stars – The Hitchhikers by Chevy Stevens

Thank you to the author, Chevy Stevens, and the publisher for the ARC copy of The Hitchhikers, which is set to be published on October 7, 2025. As a longtime fan of Stevens’ gripping, emotionally intense thrillers, I was excited to dive into this one—and it absolutely delivered.

This book had all the elements I’ve come to love in her writing: a compelling mystery, emotionally complex characters, and a dark, rural setting that adds an extra layer of tension. The Hitchhikers is fast-paced and addictively readable, with just enough grit to keep you on edge without becoming overwhelming.

The alternating perspectives and tight plotting worked well here, and the storyline had some truly chilling moments. While a few twists were easier to spot than in some of her other novels, the execution still made for a satisfying ride. It’s the kind of thriller that keeps you thinking about what you’d do in the characters’ shoes long after you’ve finished.

Overall, I had a great time with this one—very much in line with what I expect (and love) from a Chevy Stevens novel. Fans of Still Missing and Never Let You Go will definitely want to add this to their list.

I really enjoyed this one! The 70s setting paired with a slow burn thriller really made this one play out like your favorite nostalgic thriller movie while reading. The only reason I am rating it 4 stars is because it is the slowest of burns and at times it felt like it dragged along. However it didn’t hinder me wanting to pick it up and read it because I was dying to know what was going to happen next. It is full of twists and turns that I didn’t see coming, I had a good time reading it and I am glad I gave it a chance.

I was really loving the 70s summer hitchhiking aspect of this but after a while the book seemed to drag (as most hostage situations do). The further in I got the more I enjoyed Jenny’s past POVs into her and Simon’s life. A part near the end did surprise me and I enjoyed the ending.
I’d recommend if you like slow burn thrillers.

The plot of the Hitchhikers initially drew me, but the frustration I felt throughout this book made it difficult to continue reading at times. I felt frustration with the characters lack of attempts to save themselves, the repetitive nature of the situations they found themselves in, and even the way the characters interacted with one another. Overall, this story fell flat for me, and I would not recommend to others.

Get ready, because this one's quite the tense ride.

Chevy Stevens never fails to write books that keep Menon the edge of my seat, snap my heart in half and sometimes go to some pretty dark places.

In The Hitchhiker's, the story takes place in Canada. A couple (Alice and Tom) decide to take a much needed road trip together in their RV across the west coast and they could not have even imagined what was in store for them along the way.

There were many times I was ready to toss my Kindle across the room or my neighbors could probably hear my reactions through our shared wall over some of the decision making made throughout the entire story but I was locked in and could not put the book down.

This is going to make the perfect fall read when it releases to get you in the mood for spooky season.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for giving me the opportunity to read this prior to release in exchange for my honest review.

Gripping, atmospheric, and full of twists

Chevy Stevens delivers another chilling thriller with The Hitchhiker. I’ve only read one other Chevy Stevens novel (Dark Roads) and this one read very differently for me. From the eerie small-town setting to the escalating tension, this story pulled me in quickly and kept me turning the pages. The suspense builds steadily, with enough red herrings to keep you guessing. I appreciated the strong female lead—flawed, determined, and real—and the way Stevens explores themes of trauma, trust, and survival.

At times, it was frustrating that there weren’t more earnest escape attempts—it felt like certain moments could have pushed the urgency further. A few plot points also felt a bit convenient, and the pacing dipped slightly in the middle, but the final act more than made up for it with a satisfying payoff.

If you're a fan of psychological thrillers that blend mystery with emotional depth, this one’s worth the ride. Not quite a 5-star for me, but a solid, compelling read.

I usually like this author, but this one was a little one note and over the top in the quick turn around of evil the hitchhikers suddenly become. Not for me.

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

On the remote Canadian highways in 1976, Tom and Alice set out to heal their fractured marriage.
An RV, a new beginning, and the hope of recovery after a devastating tragedy.
Then they meet two young hitchhikers,
Ocean and Blue—a seemingly innocent couple who aren’t who they seem. . . .
They are Jenny and Simon.
And they have left a trail of blood, destruction, and madness behind them.
Now Tom and Alice are trapped—prisoners in a deadly game, with nowhere to turn.
But as the tension builds and the lines blur,
the question becomes, In whose heart does evil truly lie?

I am a big fan of Chevy Stevens! She has a knack for making you root for even the bad people at times and seeing the humanistic side of a person doing bad things. Her stories are raw and emotional. The Hitchhiker's was emotional, frustrating, sad, happy, and exhausting all in one. I will agree with others that it does start out slow and infuriating at times, but stick it out...it's a quick read and I think the ending is worth it!!

Expected publication
October 7, 2025 by St. Martin's Press

It took me nearly two months to finish this book, which is not the experience you want in a thriller. First, let me get the obvious out of the way and say that the cover of this book is painfully ugly, but I picked it up anyways because I enjoyed Dark Roads and have heard good things about Stevens' other books.

But I had so many issues with this book: the writing here was overly simplistic, and despite some traumatic character backstories, I still felt like the characters were flat with virtually no development over the course of the book. The pacing was totally off - the climax happens shockingly early, and the basic ups and downs of the plot don't change much throughout the rest of the novel. Each new scene is the same group dynamics playing out over and over again. I think Stevens wanted this to be a high-octane thrill ride, but I think it would have been much more effective as a cat-and-mouse game with more suspense than violence. Overall, a bit of a disappointing thriller.