Dark Roads opens with a highly captivating prologue that not only piqued my interest but had me ready to silence my phone and binge the rest of the book in one sitting.

Unfortunately, while the initial prologue was strong, it felt like it took a hairpin turn from there—from thriller to YA—and my interest quickly dissipated. 😬

I preferred the first-person narrative of Hailey in the first part of the book but didn’t care as much for Beth’s, or the cross-over to third person.

Despite the dark, true crime-inspired storyline, I had a hard time connecting with the characters and found myself more interested in Googling the actual events it was based on.

I’ve seen some rave reviews for this one, so I’m sure this will be a hit for a lot of readers, it just wasn’t quite my cup of tea. 2.5 stars, rounded up to 3.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the gifted eARC!

I have been a fan of Chevy Steven's books in the past and I was thrilled to try this one out as well. I am happy to say I loved it! It had me riveted and I sped through it to find out what happened to Hailey. She is such a wonderful heroine and I loved her ability to take care of herself and her dog, Wolf. Beth proved to be an admirable co-protagonist as well, although I expected her to be much weaker than she was! Those who are sensitive to violence may not like this book, and my concern about the dog had me sobbing at one point. This book also contains voyeurism.

4.5 stars. I thoroughly enjoyed this book which I thought had a unique storyline. I genuinely didn’t know how it was going to end so couldn’t wait to finish it to find out. It was very creepy and atmospheric which just added to the whole storyline.

Holy cow Chevy Stevens has done it again,  this book was everything I hoped for and more. If you love a twisty, bingeable fast paced suspenseful read this is one you need to pick up.  It's also a coming of age story of love,  heart and loss.  Stevens has a wonderful way of weaving a story that it feels so real that you are right there feeling everything along with all the characters. 
I loved how Chevy got her idea from the hoghway of tears and other crimes that have lingered in her mind She took this and created a beautiful story yet made it into fiction or of respect for the victims,  family and rcmp.

For years, the women of Cold Creek have been told not to walk alone at night, or hitch hike along the Cold Creek Highway. Women disappear, or their bodies are found scattered along the dark stretch of road.
When Hailey McBride disappears, the town frantically searches for her. A few weeks later, Amber Chevalier is found dead. Now the town is on high alert.
Are they victims of a serial killer that has taunted Cold Creek for years? Is the killer living amoung the quiet little town? Hailey has the answers, they only need to find her...


Chevy Stevens is one of my top three favorite authors. She isn't afraid to go to the dark and uncomfortable places in the thriller genre. Her book, Still Missing, is the one book I recommend to anyone looking for a disturbing read.
Stevens newest book, Dark Roads, is not her darkest book. This makes it a great book baby step to ease into her other books. The book progresses slowly, building up the suspense and mystery with a cliff hanger in the first part, and a new narrative in the second. Normally I would lose interest with such a slow build, but Stevens is good at hooking the reader with a well told climb.
The good stuff explodes in the last few chapters. Though I guessed part of the twist, I was thrilled to find I didn't get the whole thing. Stevens sneaks in some last minute unsettling mental images, just before her reveal. It makes the all the anticipation worth it.
Chevy Stevens is an excellent story teller. If you just discovered her, this is a great first read.
Dark Roads comes out August 3rd. Add it to your tbr.

Hailey is living with her policeman uncle after her dad passed away. The situation turn downward and she goes into hiding. She never expected everyone would think she was a victim of the Highway Killer. Leaving a new romance and her best friend behind was not easy, but she just had to do it.
This one kept me interested until the end. I thought I knew who the "bad guy" was but I was wrong as least in part. I love it when a book surprises me.
This is my first book by Chevy Stevens and I will be looking for more.

Thanks to netgalley and St. Martin's Press for the arc

Actual rating: 3.5 stars

This turned out to not be quite what I expected, but I still enjoyed it. I went in anticipating that it would be a fast-paced book focusing more on the serial killer aspect. However, that's not the case. It's slower-paced and has more going on than just the serial killer (including some survivalist elements!). I think the author is trying to make us question the suspect since things seem to be immediately obvious, but then you start to wonder if that's meant to be misleading because it's almost too obvious. I had fun with this overall, and I did suspect some of what ended up happening.

This story is told in three parts with two narrators (Hailey and Beth). Part three is the most fast-paced and exciting as everything comes together. There were some very abrupt and confusing transitions at times, but I'm not sure if this is due to the formatting of the ARC I received.

Hailey is very outdoorsy and intense. She has lost her parents and just wants to try to live a normal life and do fun things. However, she has some barriers to actually being able to do this. I really liked her as a narrator even though she can be more brash. We do have some survivalist elements with her that I loved! We also get Wolf the dog with her. Wolf is by far the best character in the book, and I loved him so much. He's definitely a smart and faithful companion!

Beth is more naive and doesn't make the smartest decisions. However, I can respect where she's coming from and why she's doing what she's doing. She has a difficult journey, as does Hailey. Both of them are strong in their own ways. In terms of some of the side characters, I liked Jonny, Hailey's best friend. He's a nice guy and a very good friend. I liked how we get some dirt biking with him (and Hailey as well), but this could be hit or miss for some readers depending on how much you enjoy reading about dirt biking. Vaughn is a creepy jerk, and I hated him throughout!

The inspiration behind this story is actually a real life highway in Canada where several women have been murdered. I had no idea about this, so it was simultaneously interesting, sad, and horrifying to learn about.

I think I would have enjoyed this more had I gone in with adjusted expectations (the slower pacing and not focusing just on the serial killer). I still had an enjoyable time with this though and would recommend it!

Content warnings for violence (including sexual violence), serial killers, and child porn

My video review can be seen on my booktube channel (around minutes 6:27-10:34 of this video): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-BicKorpByQ

No one ever wakes-up thinking I’m going to die on a dark road tonight - prologue. Inspired by true life events, along a 450 mile stretch of highway, in British Columbia, this fictional thriller grapples with the deaths of women in a remote logging community.

Stevens vividly captures the towns rural facade amidst the backdrop of the wilderness terrain. It is an eerie setting with woods, back roads, trails and a highway where women don’t comeback alive. The atmospheric undertones are weaved throughout the pages making the reader question the obvious.

My favorite character in the book is Wolf, the scene stealing dog. Don’t we all wish for such a loyal companion?

Dark Roads is a suspenseful thriller with twists and turns. Stevens indicated this is the hardest book she has ever written, and the one she is most proud.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martins Press for the complimentary copy for an honest review.

Brilliant writer and another amazing book. I couldn't put it down. I thought I knew what was going on.... then I was blindsided and taken on a completely different ride. 5 Stars.

I stayed up way too late last night finishing this book, and it was 100% worth it.

Divided into three parts, Part 1 focuses on Hailey, a 17-year-old who has lived in Cold Creek her entire life. She recently lost her father and is now living with her aunt and her creepy, controlling uncle who, unfortunately, is also a cop. When Hailey discovers something horrible about her uncle, she runs away to the mountains.

Part 2 fast forwards one year and is all about Beth, whose sister Amber was one of the young women killed along the Cold Creek Highway. She visits the town for a memorial and ends up staying and searching for answers to her sister’s death.

I won’t say much about Part 3 because it would contain too many spoilers, but this was the part that kept me up way past my bedtime. There is a great twist (that I did not see coming) and a satisfying conclusion.

And because I can’t finish this review without mentioning them… Jonny (Hailey’s best friend) and Wolf (the stray dog she meets when she runs away) were my favorite characters and the unsung heroes of this story.

Highly recommend reading this book when it’s published next week (August 3rd)!

When I started reading, I got hooked pretty quickly. The book started off interesting and continued to keep me interested. There were a couple of slow times, but they didn't last long and were pretty quick to get through. However, the ending seemed so quick and thrown together. I will say that I have liked other books by Chevy Stevens more than this one, but if you are looking for a quick thriller type of book, this would work! Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for a digital arc of this title.

Tried and tried but just couldn’t fall in love with this.... I realize I’m probably in the majority here but couldn’t find enough redeeming qualities to this tale to complete it. May try again soon but for now, I’ll say, “No thank you - I’ll not have one now”.
Thanks for the ARC opportunity!

Wow! This thriller is so fast paced and suspenseful, I had to remind myself to breathe! The story, so masterfully written and twisted, had me reading non-stop into the wee hours of the night.
The well thought out plot veins in many directions - the history of the town, the missing girls, the town residents, corruption - then comes back around for a stunning reveal! When I reached the end of the book, it took several minutes for me to process what I had read.
I don't want to spoil the story with a book summary review. But I will say there are parts so horrifying that the author noted "story may trigger disturbing memories in victims of crime" and provided a counseling referral.
This heart pounding, adrenaline inducing dark thriller is the perfect read for psychological crime fans.
*Thank you St. Martin's Press, NetGalley, and Chevy Stevens for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I’m not quite sure what I want to say about this book. The storyline was great. And honestly very important. I was really enthralled and read it fairly quick as I needed to know how it ended. I needed to know who was responsible.

But. I had major issues with some plot holes that just kept bothering me. And a little issues with the ending.

The Cold Creek Highway has become the prime hunting ground for a ruthless killer. For decades young woman has gone missing. There are billboards with their faces on them. Look. Remember.

Hailey McBride grew up in Cold Creek. Her late father taught her to respect nature and how to live off the land. After his death she went to live with her aunt and her police officer husband, Vaughn. She loves her aunt and cousin, but Vaughn makes her life miserable. He is controlling, rough, and secretive. Feeling unsafe, vulnerable and uneasy she decides to leave. She hopes people will know she left town, but rumors soon circulate saying she was a victim of the Cold Creek Highway killer.

Beth Chevalier arrived in town one year later after Hailey went missing. Beth's sister, Amber was murdered there they year before. Beth is looking for answers and seeking closure. She sets up camp and even gets a job as a waitress where Amber once worked.

On the surface, Cold Creek appears to be a nice little town. But there are ghosts there. Townspeople warn each other: don't go out alone, don't hitchhike, don't be on the highway alone, tell people where you are going, etc. Sounds like pretty sound advice for everyone but it holds a deeper meaning in Cold Creek.

I was sucked in right away. I immediately felt for Hailey and having to live with a domineering man like Vaughn. I understood how she felt she needed to get away. I rooted for her, worried for her and was relieved when she is chosen by Wolf (dog).

Throughout the book there is a sense of unease. It's there, just below the surface, rippling like the water of the lake. There is an undercurrent of danger. Wait for it, listen to the whispers of the ghosts warning you -that there is a killer out there; be careful...….

I enjoyed how the story unfolded and was surprised at some of the twists and the reveal. This is not a scary book but there are some scary get-your-heart-beating scenes. Reading this was like watching a movie for me. I enjoyed the pace, getting to know the characters, watching as they did their best to live their lives, to survive and to flourish. I had that this-is-not-going-to-end-well feeling at various points of the book.

Stevens has done it again with this tension filled book. Survival is the name of the game in this book. People survive in various ways - survive off the land, survive by keeping your head down, survive by following the rules, survive by numbing yourself from pain, and survive by doing whatever it takes.

I was fully engaged in the story and enjoyed how Stevens broke up quieter/slow scenes with action.
Just when the characters feel like they can stop, take stock and breathe deeply, something happens.
This kept me on my toes. I also enjoyed how she showed grief and how losing someone affects an individual. She also explores friendship and loyalty. Overall, an enjoyable book that kept my interest and did not disappoint!

I look forward to Stevens next book! The Author's note is not to be missed. In in she provides her inspiration for writing this book.

Captivating, tense and hard to put down!

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.

I had a hard time with this book. I anticipated a dark serial killer thriller, but this book felt more like a YA fiction book.

The beginning of the book is about Hailey's new life with her aunt Lana and uncle Vaughn since her father has died in a terrible car crash. This part of the book read like thriller and was pretty good. Once the book went to the second part which is based on Beth, things got pretty bland and slow for me. Nothing really seemed to happen. Then in part three, the chapters switch between Hailey and Beth. Things got better towards the end, but it took too long to get entertaining.

I think I had the hardest time with the two main characters. I felt like I was reading an angsty YA novel which does nothing for me.

I did find the plot very interesting and then finding out the author tried to bring to light this similar issue that is happening in Canada, it make it even more intriguing. I just wish there were more thrilling activity throughout the book.

Thanks Netgalley and publisher for the digital copy in exchange for my honest review!

4 stars. Hailey is living with her aunt and uncle after her father passes away. Her aunt and uncle are more strict than her father, and her uncle is up to something. As a police officer, her uncle Vaughn has access to info relating to a slew of missing women’s cases. Hailey has her reasons to escape and investigate. Twists and turns In true Chevy Stevens fashion. Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Dark Roads is a enthralling book. It is set in a town with a stretch of highway where a lot of girls have gone missing. Hailey had just lost her remaining parent and is now living with her aunt and her husband, The Iceman, in this town.

There is so much I want to tell you about the book but that would spoil it so I won’t. I loved the plot and that it was told from a few main characters POV. The story goes so much deeper than the description. It is simply a wonderful book. I had a really hard time putting it down. The author’s writing is very descriptive ask you can picture and feel what the character is going through. When someone falls into a cold stream, you feel cold with her. I highly highly recommend this book!

All the stars for Chevy Stevens' latest thriller. I loved her Still Missing, but Dark Roads might be my new favorite novel by Stevens. There are some pretty hefty trigger warnings associated with this novel - kidnapping, murder, voyeurism, but despite those I really did enjoy it.

Chevy Stevens presents us with another fabulous read - dark, twisted, suspenseful, with likable young protagonists, Dark Roads has everything I was looking for! This compelling read kept me turning pages so quickly that I finished it in one day.

There is a Canadian Highway along which young women have gone missing for decades. Some of their bodies have been found murdered, other families are still waiting for closure. It is against this dark, forboding background that Stevens sets her novel.

Hailey McBride lives in Cold Creek. Her mother died early in Hailey's life, but her relationship with her dad was what every girl hopes for. An outdoor lover, he taught Hailey to love it as well, and they spent much time enjoying the mountains, lakes, and fields surrounding them. Orphaned when he was killed in a car accident, Hailey goes to live with her aunt and her second husband, Sgt. Vaughan of the RCMP. Vaughan (known as the Iceman) loves to control, bully, and scare Hailey. Unable to have any semblance of a normal life with Vaughan always at her, Hailey decides to take off.

A year later, young Beth Chevalier arrives in Cold Creek. Her sister Amber lived —and where and was murdered there. Beth just wants to feel close to her sister again, and find out what happened to her. She soon finds herself under the ever-watchful eye of Sgt. Vaughan and doesn't like it. Will she be able to find the closure she needs without putting herself in danger?

The is a well-done atmospheric read with a big creepy, chill factor. I enjoyed it immensely and think others will too.

My thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for allowing me to read and ARC of this book which is scheduled to be published on 8/3/21. All opinions and any errors expressed in this review are my own.