The Hitchhikers is not for the faint of heart. If you’ve read Chevy Stevens before, you know to expect that. But wow, The Hitchhikers is relentlessly violent and painful. The entire time I read, I wondered when the violence would come to an end… brace yourself because it doesn’t till the final pages.

Alice and Tom are a sweet, suburban American couple on a roadtrip in Pacific Northwest Canada to see the Olympics. At a camp, they meet a young couple who call themselves Ocean and Blue. Tom, gregarious and warm, offers them a ride. And things go way south. Ocean and Blue are actually Jenny and Simon, on the run for murdering Jenny’s mother and stepfather. Alice and Tom become held hostage on an epic road trip, which becomes a violent rampage.

This is painful reading from start to finish, with a tiny ray of hope at the end. It’s good, but for me, a little too long on the violence. I debated skipping to the end, but persevered (truly) to the finish. Recommended, but only if you “like” this kind of thing. Trigger warnings for just about everything you can think of.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thanks to Net Galley for the ARC! Chevy Stevens delivers a gripping story in The Hitchhikers, full of suspense and unexpected twists that kept me on the edge of my seat. The plot is dark and mysterious, pushing you to wonder what’s coming next. There are moments of real tension that make it hard to put down—perfect for fans of intense thrillers. That said, some parts of the story felt a little rushed, and I wished the characters had a bit more depth to truly draw me in. A few scenes lacked the emotional punch I was hoping for, which made it harder to fully connect with their journeys. Still, if you enjoy stories filled with secrets and surprises, this book offers plenty of those. Overall, it’s an entertaining read with exciting moments, but it didn’t quite reach the top for me. Three stars—a solid pick for thriller lovers looking for a quick, suspenseful escape.

A suspenseful read with an unexpected twist at the end. Alice and Tom are on vacation in their new RV trying to reconnect after the loss of their unborn baby. This loss is one of many they’ve experienced and it’s dealt a blow to their marriage. One day they come across a young couple that they feel sorry for and invite to their campsite. This sets the stage for a nightmare for Alice and Tom. The couple , Simon and Jenny, are very young and they are wanted for the murder of Jenny’s mother and step father. Once it seems that Tom and Alice are suspicious, Simon badly beats Tom and the couple become hostages in their own motor home. As they try to travel across Canada, they leave a trail of destruction in their wake and it seems like there is no way out for Alice and Tom. A desperate move by Alice finally brings things to a head.

Chevy Stevens is one of my favorite authors, and her newest book does not disappoint. The plot will keep you guessing from the beginning to the end. The characters are vividly described and well put into the story.. If you enjoy suspense then this is the book for you.

2.5 ⭐️ This book starts off so great, it is gritty, sometimes gory, great 70s setting and reminiscent of an old school horror movie but about halfway through it becomes very repetitive with no new action, consequence or movement of the storyline. By the time I got to the final act, I was very bored and knew exactly how this would play out. It was an extreme struggle to get to the finish line and it took me almost 2 weeks to finish. Once I got to the middle I stopped caring about any of the characters because it was fairly obvious and cliched on how it would end. Overall, pretty bummed by this book since it started with so much potential only to fall way short of my expectations. This does not bring anything new to the psychopathic hitch hiker story, it’s all been done and sadly this wasn’t done very well.

Thank you, NetGalley for giving me permission to read this book early. This book had me hooked from page 1. I enjoyed that the book went between Alice and Jenny’s POV. I couldn’t put this book down. The plot kept me so interested and I couldn’t get enough. There were so many twists throughout this book but, the BIG twists happened towards the end and my jaw was on the floor. I didn’t see any of it coming. This one is probably Chevy’s best book that I’ve ever read. If you’re a thriller lover, YOU HAVE TO READ THIS BOOK when it comes out in October! 🧡

Set in the 70’s, the story follows the horrific acts of two wayward lovers, set out to find a new life for themselves far away from the hell they came from. When a nice, unsuspecting couple on an out of country trip stops to help them, they escalate and fall apart all at once.

I absolutely loved this book! I’m a sucker for books set in a better time and that’s exactly what this was. The nostalgia is always fun for me! I was hooked from the beginning and read through so quickly that I was disappointed when it ended! If you’ve read Chevy Stevens before, you’ll love this one! I’ll be thinking about it for years to come, just like I do with Still Missing.

Well wow! What a unique read!! I actually genuinely liked this one! 4.5 stars!
Just missing something to really make it stand out but man! I won’t be forgetting this one anytime soon. I thought I knew how it was going to go, but then people were dropping dead left and right! I can’t believe how it all got summed up, like wow! I don’t think I could ever do what Tom and Alice did…

Chevy Steven’s always writes with what appears ease as her stories are easy to read as they unfold. Her characters are so well developed that I didn’t know whether to root for the good guys or the bad guys. The last line was everything!

Desperation is a dark road is the tagline to Hitchhikers by Chevy Stevens and it couldn’t be more correct. The year is 1976 and Alice and Tom are taking a trip to reconnect and save their relationship. Blue and Ocean are a young couple struggling to make it on their own. Alice wants to help them and offer to let them hitch a ride. What we soon learn is Blue and Ocean are truly Simon and Jenny and they are running from the bloody scene they left behind. The hosts become hostages and the tension is palpable as they travel across Canada. Every encounter with a stranger will find you at the edge of your seat. Stevens is a master of setting a scene and this novel is no different! Fast paced and deliciously dark! A must for any thriller fan to add to the TBR

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.’

Even though it’s been a solid decade since I’ve read it, I remember absolutely consuming ‘Still Missing’ by C.S.
So this book surprised me. But unfortunately, it wasn’t in the way that I’d assumed it would.

I hate to say it, but The Hitchhikers felt like a feeble attempt. There was no nail-biting thrill, no mystery or intrigue. No fun or anticipation. Plot was weak and the characters were weaker. Zero believability, for me at least and heavy on fluff & filler. In a nutshell, it was just a roadtrip of violence, brutality, imbecilic decisions and behavior.

Around the 88% mark is when the book seems to reveal a little meaning, insight, depth & history. But it came off as deficient, likely because it was a little too late.

None of this is easy to say because I’ve always loved CS. So I truly hope this was a one-off.
Of course, it may be just me that’s the problem. I’m not sure.

I am grateful for the opportunity nonetheless. Big thanks to NG and St Martin’s Press for this arc in exchange for review.

Pub: 10.07.2025.

What a thriller of a book ! 1970’s setting.
Be careful who you talk to would be the motto !

Alice and Tom, a pretty typical married couple are off for a camping vacation in the RV. One of them strikes up a conversation with “ocean” and “blue”. The younger couple could use a ride.

From that point on a whirlwind of violence as they are kidnapped and set out across Canada in search of money .
It’s a great story with a bit too much graphic violence , in my opinion, but the book works well.

It kept me up late reading to try to figure how this will end . The was satisfying I’m happy to say. Great character details
Thanks. Enjoyed the book

3.5 stars!

A super twisty thriller with complex and mostly grey characters that truly keep you guessing on who you can root for, or if you can root for them all the time. Are people really evil, or are we all capable of bad things when we or the people we love are pushed to the very edge?

I genuinely enjoyed reading this book, and once I got into it I found myself not wanting to put it down. I liked the individual characters, especially Jenny and Alice, and found myself rooting for both of them. Now, to get into a few pros and cons.

For pros, I really think the book was paced well. I never felt like I didn’t understand what was going on due to plot holes, nor did I feel like the plot was dragging at any point. I was immediately interested in the story and wondering how it would derail, and enjoyed myself every step of the way. I think that each character was distinct and their actions made sense with the personality they were written with.

My only con for the book is at times there are inconsistencies of what each character should know. For example, if people are using a fake name and they are called by their real name that the other characters haven’t learned yet.

Overall, I very much enjoyed the book, and would read more by this author in the future! Thank you NetGalley for access to the ARC in return for my honest review.

This was my first Chevy Stevens novel and I definitely enjoyed the writing style, and storyline. I loved the creativity that was used.

This novel started very descriptively painting a great picture and stage for the novel. I was immediately engrossed in the camping/RV lifestyle utilized in this book. I felt like it was pretty relatable and definitely felt to have a 1970s vibe.

I was not prepared for all the twists and turns this novel took, but it was not an easy book to put down. I really loved this one and kept flipping pages rather than doing anything in life I needed to!

Highly recommend this novel to the fans of slight thrills. Check trigger warnings though!

This is a great book. My first of this Author. Plan to read other books. I am grateful that I was able to read this in advance.

I have read a couple books from this author that I have enjoyed, so I was excited to get this one. What a ride! I liked the unique plot with the RV aspect because we are RVers. Thank you for the ARC, and I think this author has become an automatic read for me!

Yet another good read by Chevy Stevens. thanks to netgalley and the publisher for the advance reader copy.

The Hitchhikers was my first Chevy Stevens book. I will say that I really enjoyed the writing style! I am interested in reading more of her work now and will be adding others to my TBR list!

The story itself kept my interest all the way through. I did like the multiple POVs as well. I don't honestly know if it was the writing or my reading preference, but the different settings and atmospheric descriptions were definitely in my wheelhouse. There were a few small twists thrown in, which was a nice touch. The narrative did drag on a little in the middle, but it wasn’t monotonous. The ending was definitely interesting, but fitting.

I would make sure to read the trigger warnings and there are some graphic parts. If that doesn't bother you, then I would definitely recommend giving The Hitchhikers by Chevy Stevens a read!

I want to thank St. Martin's Press, NetGalley and Chevy Stevens for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

I adore this author but I could not get through this. It felt very slow to me, almost repetitive as the story along the road dragged on.

I really liked the way this one started. Tension, action, and drama were steadily building and I was very curious to see where things would go. Unfortunately, they started going VERY dark and gruesome, and in a way that felt repetitive and obligatory rather than one in which things continued to build toward a resolution. I stuck with it, as I kept hearing about the book and how fabulous it was, but must confess that I started skimming about 25% in and just kept doing so until the end. This one wasn't for me. It felt like it was dragging the horror out rather than progressing toward a conclusion, and the horrible nature of the eponymous hitchhikers made that painful. I have not had much luck with Chevy Stevens in the past, frankly, and suspect her writing style and my reading style just don't mesh. This one wasn't for me...