Chevy stevens writes a thriller that haunts and keeps me up reading and thinking about her books for weeks. Her descriptive imagery for scenery adds dimension to novels.

My first novel by Chevy Stevens but definitely not my last. Wow!!

I loved the creepy atmosphere vibes that this story gives off, it is hard to find a book that is able to do that, but this one nailed it!


Thank you to St. Martin's Press for my copy of Dark Roads.

Dark Roads by Chevy Stevens

When I started this book, I felt like I was on a roller coaster ride but something happened as I kept reading, the ride fell flat and I jumped off.

This is a story based on an area called “Highway of Tears” where indigenous women have gone missing or murdered for decades. Based on that alone, this could be a good read for one who enjoys stories based on real life scenarios.

If I had to say why I didn't enjoy this book as much as I could have, it would be the slow pacing, being disjointed and I was lost at times. Also when one of the main characters, 17 year old Hailey fakes her death, it was a bridge too far for me. At the same time she is trying to figure out what happened to one of her friends by the name of Amber who is missing and that kept my interest even with the problems.

With that said, I would read other books by this author.

Rating 3

Linda C

This is my first Chevy Stephen’s book and I enjoyed her writing. This book will keep you on the edge of your seat, holding your breath and binge reading to get answers.

The first part of the book flowed very well, the middle part was a little slow but the end was very engaging and intense filled with twists and turns.

Chevy Steven's is an underrated literary genius! I cannot believe I haven't read her entire library! This book was amazing!

I struggle to rate books like this because I found it very affecting, but not enjoyable. It was very disturbing and really got under my skin, which I have to be in a very specific mood for otherwise it doesn't make for an enjoyable reading experience. The violence was often too graphic and I had to put the book down. I also found it very slow moving with a lot of back story, which isn't my preference. It wasn't until the last third of the book where I felt the action picked up. Once it picked up, it really did, but it was too little too late for me. It says something about the writing that I found it so disturbing, but it's one I'd only recommend to a very specific reader who prefers dark, slow burn thrillers.

My co-worker really likes this author so that is why I wanted to read this book. I liked it, but it's not my usual type of book. I may read the author's other books, but I would have to space them out. If you like mystery books, you would like this book.

QUICK TAKE: I realized upon starting this that if I’m going to read a mystery/thriller, I prefer it to fall into the police procedural category. Stevens did a phenomenal job building tension, and I definitely felt the “creep/ugh” factor of the villain(s), but the amateur sleuthing made it somewhat unbelievable. Also, the book talks a lot about the higher rate of violence against and/or unsolved murders of First Nations women, and therefore, I expected that to be more of a focus. Overall, it was an enjoyable, fast-paced read, and the audiobook was produced well. Read this if you enjoy remote locations, wilderness/survival, stray dogs that become family, and girls teaming up to stop a killer.

I have been a fan of Chevy Stevens since her debut. I look forward to her new books with the excitement of a kid approaching their birthday - Dark Roads was another winner!

I’ve read a few of her earlier books and really liked them. This one for me wasn’t good. I didn’t like anyone and the writing was meh.

I loved this book and it inspired me to buy all of the author's backlist. Read the synopsis or go in blind, but be assured it's an excellent book!

In British Columbia lies the Highway of Tears, a nearly 500-mile stretch of road made famous for its dark history of violence against women. For the last 50 years, women, many of them Indigenous, have been vanishing from the highway. Some victims are later found murdered, while others remain missing to this day.

Such is the inspiration for Chevy Stevens’s 2021 thriller release, "Dark Roads." Only instead of the Highway of Tears, her novel is set in the fictional town of Cold Creek, along the fictional Cold Creek Highway.

Two young women narrate the story – Hailey McBride and Beth Chevalier. Grieving the death of her father, Hailey vanishes into the mountains of British Columbia and is soon believed to be taken by the highway killer. Beth arrives in Cold Creek a year after Hailey’s disappearance, determined to solve the mystery of her sister's murder, the highway killer’s latest victim.

This being my first Stevens novel, I now see why she has a large fan base. "Dark Roads" captivated me from the very first page, and I sat on the edge of my seat throughout the entire book, unable to turn the pages fast enough.

I did, however, predict many of the twists, but the book is so good that not once did I grumble. I should also note that, as narrators, both Hailey and Beth are on the younger side – Hailey is in high school and Beth is in college – so readers may feel some YA vibes.

But if younger protagonists aren’t your thing, then how about those of the canine species? Because front and center in the story is Wolf, a lovable dog who will steal your heart whether you want him to or not. (Along with your hot dogs, bacon, and cookies.)

Overall, "Dark Roads" could not have been a more fantastic read. It’s gripping. Intense. Action-packed.

And I will forever remember it as the book that made me a Chevy Stevens fan.


My sincerest appreciation to Chevy Stevens, St. Martin's Press, and NetGalley for the digital review copy. All opinions included herein are my own.

I love dark books. Especially when you add in a dose of creepy. Exactly the feels this book gave me. Author was amazing at writing an engaging book. This is my first book by this author and I am so pleased with his writing. Fabulous thriller

British Columbia’s Cold Creek Highway has long been a road less traveled, literally. A largely dark and desolate path, many young women have gone missing while traveling along the highway. Some girls whereabouts remain a mystery, but the bigger mystery is who is behind the evil doings.

Locals from the town know all about the highway’s sinister reputation, especially young girls who’ve grown amongst harsh warnings of horrible fates should they get careless. Hailey McBride is one of those young woman, warned for years by her caring father to avoid danger.

Then the unspeakable happens and Hailey’s dad dies, leaving Hailey the misfortune of having to move in with her aunt and her husband, Vaughn. While her aunt and nephew are fine, Vaughn is an egotistical cop that gives Hailey the creeps. As his control over Hailey tightens, she uncovers some information that confirm her worst suspicions. Left with no privacy if she stays, Hailey is forced to fake her disappearance in order to flee. After all, rebellious teenage girls like Hailey going missing all the time.

While Hailey struggles to survive in the wild we are introduced to Beth, the sister of another recent casualty of the highway, Amber, linked to and discovered discretely by Hailey. Beth secretly travels to Cold Creek looking for answers, hoping to avenge her sister’s death. But Beth’s naivety is no match for the truth, or what the highway has in store for her.

Based on unsolved tragedies that occurs on a real road, Highway of Tears, Dark Roads is a an atmospheric page turner, nature itself playing a major role in this story. The REAL hero in this story though is Wolf, the dog who adopts Hailey early on. The book alternates between each girl’s inner dialogue as they are each alone a lot through out the novel. While I did predict the ending, that didn’t make the journey any less interesting. I did, however, want more out of the wrap up that was given.

I loved this book and I absolutely love this author. After reading this, I researched the author and read all of her other books. I also purchased all of them for the library. I have had a wonderful time recommending them!

I loved this book! Thank you for the ARC. Unfortunately, I didn’t realize that I wasn’t leaving reviews on netgalley and was solely sharing on Instagram. My apologies. Huge fan of this author! I actually received the tangible copy. Trying to clean up my netgally account.

Dark Roads is the first Chevy Stevens book I have read, but it won’t be the last.

The story grabbed me quickly and kept me intrigued all the way through. Told from a dual POV, I found myself slightly more engaged with Hailey’s story than by Beth’s. This might have been because Hailey was introduced first or that Beth is not quite as likably and sympathetically presented.

I was surprised by the ending as I was sure I had the mystery solved. I was wrong!

This gripping story covers many aspects of life. Whether it’s grief, depression, sexual predators, addiction, friendship, or LGBTQ themes, each topic is well-handled.

The book is well-written with nicely developed characters. The richly described settings make it easy to imagine you are right in the scene. I swear I could smell the woods and dirt bike exhaust.

It’s important that you pay particular attention to the prologue and epilogue of this story. They tell a story unto themselves. The author’s notes tell of the true stories her book is based upon, including the discrimination against indigenous females from the area.

A twisting thriller that left me guessing until the end. The final reveal came a little out of nowhere but the characterization made it worth it.

Dark Roads is one of those stories that stick with you even after you have finished it. This was an exceptional thriller and it’s been such a long time that I have actually been excited and looked forward to reading a thriller and Dark Roads brought those feelings back to me.⁣
⁣
Reading this you go through so many emotions that Chevy really knows how to pull at your heart-strings. I loved reading the E-ARC so much that I am looking forward to when it comes out so I can have it proudly Displayed on my shelf.⁣
⁣
This is a novel that will have you instantly hooked from the very first page. If there was only one novel that I could recommend to my followers it would be this one! I definitely would love to see Dark Roads get made into a movie.⁣
⁣
Also the epilogue was such a tear jerker and just beautifully written and I thought it was such a great way to end the story. I also really liked that her inspiration came from the Highway of Tears.⁣
⁣
Overall keep an eye out for this one and definitely grab yourself a copy when it comes out. I promise you, you will not be disappointed!

This story grabbed my attention from the start. The pace of this book is great, and it flows really well making the perfect combination for a quick read. Stevens fleshes out her characters so that you can have a great emotional connection to them. It puts you into the story and makes you root for them. This book is character-driven which makes the great character cast even more necessary. Overall, a great mystery-thriller and would recommend it to others.