Dark Roads is a tension-packed, emotional thriller that is overflowing with suspense from beginning to end. It’s the story of an infamous highway where hitchhikers disappear, and Hailey, who has lost her father to a car accident finds herself in the care of her young aunt and suspicious, creepy husband, Sergeant Vaughn. The highway is marked with photos and placards of the missing girls and the town is scarred by their loss,. When Hailey’s new friend goes missing, she knows she must disappear herself.

The story offers in-depth looks into the characters, their lives, sorrows, fears and loss. This not only creates an intense link to the characters, but makes the reader feel for them all the more deeply. Dark Roads is haunting, disturbing and unforgettable, and the twists and shocking turns will leave your heart-pounding!

Unpopular Opinion - I just could not love this book.

I felt for the characters but lacked a connection. The plot of a serial killer/rapist who primarily focused on First Nation young women was very compelling. Minorities clearly suffer from lack of attention, importance, etc. as well women. But I didn't feel this was the focus of the book.

Hailey's dad dies tragically in an accident - forcing her to move in with her aunt, her husband and young son. Vaughn is known in the community as The Ice Man - he becomes obsessed with Hailey; how she spends her time, her friends, etc. Sets a great, creepy vibe.
Hailey finds evidence of Vaughn victimizing not just her but also other young women in the community. She makes an anonymous call to another police officer and runs to hide in the woods.
A year later, Beth - one of the victim's of the serial killer/rapist, comes to town determined to solve her sister's murder. She becomes Vaughn's new obsession.

I appreciated the focus of young women who are often abused and victimized. But this book didn't hold my attention.

Alrighty, wowza! This was my first book by @chevystevens and I loved being glued to my Kindle for all the twists and turns! I'm a sucker for these types of stories and the author did it justice.

I buddy read with @shegabsaboutbooks (😍) and I swear we both had mental sticky notes in our minds with every turn of a page because the killer could have honestly been any character. Safe to now say that we were both wrong!

It begins as a thriller, turns into a murder mystery, and meshes with a strong survivalist plot. I couldn't ask for more. Could you??
I especially LOVED the Prologue & Epilogue and IMO those are pretty hard to 100% nail. This was a fast-paced book you will struggle with having to put down. I loved every character and their role in the chaos. Wolf was my favorite protagonist.

As always, at the end where I love to say all the hidden gems are spilled, Stevens goes into explanation that the idea behind her book was respectively inspired by The Highway of Tears in Northern British Colombia. Since the 1970's women have been murdered or gone missing, many cases still to be unsolved.

There are many "small town with big secrets" type books out there but this one was fantastic. If you haven't done so already, add this one to your Goodreads. Perfect summer night bonfire read!!

This was my first Chevy Stevens book and for me, it didn't quite live up to the hype that I've seen. I was interested in this book as it has similarities to the very real cases of the deaths of Indigenous women on the Highway of Tears in British Columbia.

Dark Roads is not a fast paced thriller. It's a slow burn. Sometimes too slow in my opinion. At one point, I was sure I had to be getting close to the end of the book and had only read about 50%. I enjoy strong female characters but a lot of things that both women did, seemed unrealistic. I experienced very real emotions in conjunction to one of the police characters. Boy, I'm still seething just thinking about how awful and manipulative he was.

This is also one of those books where you aren't really trying to guess anything, you're just trying to see how all the pieces of information fit. There was a bit of a twist but I had already guessed that. I also had some issues with the way things were written. Transitions were often abrupt so much so that I had to reread paragraphs to see what I had missed only to find out that I hadn't missed anything and that the author had indeed just gone onto something else without a signifying page break or anything. I did read an uncorrected proof so that could be the explanation. There were some sentences as well that seemed to have words missing.

All in all, I would give the author another chance but this one didn't really do it for me.

I loved this book and this author! We read it fir our bookclub and had a great discussion. The story structure (splitting the book into parts and changing the character focus) was unique and ratcheted up the mystery for us.

First, I want to thank Netgalley, St. Martin’s Press, and Chevy Stevens for allowing me to read and review a copy of Dark Roads before it’s pub date. I was so excited when I heard that Chevy Stevens was coming out with a new book because she’s an auto buy author for me. I’ve loved her others and this one did not disappoint.

For decades women traveling on Cold Creek Highway have gone missing & no killer or abductor who has stalked the highway has ever been brought to justice. After Hailey McBride’s father passed, she was sent to live with her aunt & rude cop step uncle. Overwhelmed with grief, Hailey vanishes into the woods, rumored to be taken by the highway killer, who just killed another victim. Beth Chevalier wants to solve the mystery of her sister Amber’s murder a year after her death, putting a target on her back for the highway killer, just like her sister.

You guys, I loved it. In true Chevy Stevens fashion, she had me thinking I knew who it was the entire time and I was FOOLED. My jaw hit the floor because I really was not expecting it at all. I really love the dark aspect that comes out of all of Chevy’s books. The alternating POVs between both strong female characters was really great. It had me equally rooting for both Hailey and Beth. Yet another exciting Chevy Stevens that I loved!

This is why I love novels by Chevy Stevens. She never ever disappoints, and Dark Roads is just the latest success. Fair warning: it's a tough read. It's real and it's harsh from beginning to end. It's also a fantastic thriller about two young women and about a terrifying town. It all begins at Cold Creek Highway, which is a stretch of road covering hundreds of miles through British Columbia. Cold Creek Highway has claimed the lives of innumerable young women. It is a hunting ground for predators, and no one has ever been brought to justice for taking those lives. The prologue and epilogue moved me to tears.

Hailey McBride is the first young woman we meet. She was born and raised in Cold Creek by a mother, who died young, and a father, who was Hailey's best friend and teacher. After he is killed in a car accident, Hailey is sent to live with her aunt Lara, a darling niece, and Lara's scary husband, Vaughn. Vaughn is a police officer, and he terrifies Hailey with his bullying and controlling behavior. All she wants is to make it to 18 so that she can escape Cold Creek and Vaughn. After Hailey finds something sinister in Vaughn's man cave, she realizes that she just can't remain in his home any longer. Fortunately, her father taught her everything about living off the land, so she decides to disappear into the mountains, hoping that everyone will think she is just the latest victim of Cold Creek Highway. She leaves behind her best friend Jonny, who is the only one who knows where she is and why. She also leaves behind her girlfriend Amber, but it has to be done so that they can be together when Hailey turns 18..

While she is hiding out, Hailey comes across a dead body, and it's her girlfriend Amber. She's heartbroken but needs to stick to her plan. This is when we meet the second heroine of the novel, Beth. Beth is Amber's sister, and she is so grief stricken that she drops out of college and moves to Cold Creek in an attempt to understand what happened to her sister. She is the polar opposite of Hailey and completely out of her depth in a place like Cold Creek. Beth is also self-medicating with alcohol and prescription drugs, literally a victim-in-waiting. Naturally, Hailey and Beth eventually meet and join forces to try to bring down Vaughn who they both think is a killer.

Chevy Stevens' writing is so good that the reader feels as one with both Hailey and Beth. Her character development is superb, and Stevens brings Cold Creek to life, sordid as it may be. I devoured every word of Dark Roads, and it truly touched my soul. I wholeheartedly recommend it to all lovers of thrillers/mysteries/ suspense. (Also, a special shout-out to Wolf, a dog who adopts Hailey and helps keep her safe.)

Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for providing me an eARC of this special book in exchange for an honest review. Chevy Stevens never disappoints.

The small town of Cold Creek is the setting for the new thriller from Chevy Stevens. The town is shrouded by rugged wilderness and a serial killer that preys on young girls. The story centers around 17 year old Hailey who has recently lost her father and is living with her aunt, and her family. Her uncle is a police officer that thrives on bullying, and using his power to instill fear into the residents of the town as well as Hailey. The freedom she had when living with her father is quickly taken away and she is forbidden to socialize or go anywhere without his permission. Hailey quickly develops a plan to run away with the help of her best friend. The highway killer is still looking for his next victim so when Hailey disappears everyone assumes that she met the killer and is lost forever. Shortly after Hailey's disappearance another victim of the highway killer is discovered.
The victim's sister Beth comes to town looking for answers. Eventually Beth uncovers the same secrets that put Hailey in the killer's crosshairs.

This story is full of dark discoveries and a heart stopping finale that will keep you engaged up until the explosive ending. The main characters are damaged but are also strong and resilient. This story brought forth so many emotions, foreboding, fear, anger and despair to name a few.

I LOVED Still Missing by Chevy Stephens so when I saw this on NetGalley it was a no brainer to request it. Being from Toronto, Canada I love supporting Canadian authors and Ms. Stevens makes it so easy because I love her writing.

This book was so atmospheric it was like Northern British Columbia was a character itself. I really loved the descriptions of the flora and fauna, not to mention the weather and nature in general. Who'd a thought a mystery novel set in the British Columbian North could read so poetically? I couldn't help but fall in love with the character of Hailey McBride, she was just so damn feisty and strong even after everything she'd been through...or maybe because of it...as was Beth.

The book is very intense and suspenseful, the narrative is brisk and natural. The storyline keeps you wanting to turn the page and the characters believable. After about half way, you wonder where it's going from there but there are some neat twists still to come. I can't wait for whatever Chevy Stevens produces next, if it half as good as this then it will be well worth a read.

Dark Roads is a haunting read. One town seems cursed along a certain highway where young girls disappear. The story is told from two angles: Hailey and Beth. Both are victims of two pernicious villains that are revealed in small increment throughout the story. The first villain is easily revealed but the second one was more obscure. I liked Wolf and Hailey the best as characters. Jonny is a good egg and a great friend to desperate people in need. Chevy Stevens has written a dark, shadow story that will make you look twice when approaching your car in the darkness. It’s a read worth checking out.

So I did a terrible thing and read some of the reviews for this on goodreads before reading the book. I was curious about the one and two star ratings because all the books by Chevy Stevens that I have read have been pretty dang good. One review really stood out to me saying that you know exactly who it is right in the beginning and so I kind of felt like that took the mystery out of it for me during the reading of this. However, come to find out that maybe that person didn't quite finish the book because there was a twist that I hadn't really anticipated and the truth actually made the originally thought guy turn out to be even worse.

Chevy has a way of really bringing to life the atmosphere with her writing. I just felt dark and gritty the whole time reading this. It reminds me a lot of Gillian Flynn's writing but with better written characters. I did find myself losing interest through part of the book because Beth is just....ugh. She reminded me of when you are watching scary movies and you are yelling at the actor what not to do and then they do exactly that. Well...that is Beth in a nutshell. Now Jonny on the other hand. Whoooo buddy!!! I am not used to having book crushes during thriller/suspense books but let me tell you....when in doubt, throttle it out!!

This book was a solid 3.75 stars probably really close to 4 stars. Had I not let other reviews cloud my judgement, I feel I would have enjoyed this book a little bit more. Chevy Stevens will forever hold a spot on my favorite authors list regardless of what other people say about her books.

For decades First Nation girls have been murdered on the Cold Creek Highway. When 17 year old Hailey’d Dad dies, she is forced to move in with her Aunt Lana and her husband Vaughn also known as the Iceman. Vaughn is a hard-ass police officer in Cold Creek and he has decided to really limit Hailey’s freedoms in the name of “her own good.” Vaughn get more and more controlling of Hailey, even going so far as threatening to arrest her best friend Johnny if she doesn’t stop hanging out with him. Hailey decides to run away, she thinks that her outdoor skills will help her disappear into the Cold Creek wilderness, and she counts on people thinking that she was the victim of the killer.
One year later, Beth Chevalier arrives in Cold Creek to attend a memorial for the victims of the highway. Beth’s sister Amber had been murdered the previous year. Beth is suffering and using pills to mask her pain. Then she gets a job at the same diner Amber worked at and hopes to solve Amber’s murder. But she will find it is a thicker plot than she imagined.
The story drew me in, I had to know Hailey’s fate and of the killer she suspected was truly the killer or just an asshole. I couldn’t stop reading or thinking about this book.

*I received this book as an Advanced Reader's Copy (ARC) through NetGalley. I received this copy free in exchange for my honest review.*

DARK ROADS
BY CHEVY STEVENS

I was at the end of reading, "Still Missing," which I had bought when it was first published but was urged to read it by my friend Kim and had read an excerpt of Chevy Steven's latest novel called, "Dark Roads." I was intrigued by the sample of "Dark Roads," so I was excited to see it on my dashboard. I loved both books by this Author although they are totally different which is the mark of a talented writer in my opinion. This one is hauntingly beautiful as it describes the vast terrain of the setting in such lush and vivid descriptions I could visualize the landscapes of the deep woods that block out the sunlight by the canopies of trees and streams still untouched by man. Anybody that loves nature will savor the prose and imagine themselves as part of the story.

The Author went into a very different direction with the plot than what I envisioned from the prologue and the excerpt that I read. I thought that this was going to be darker than it was and I loved it just as it was written. It is a mystery more than a thriller which added to its beauty.

I didn't like the character of Vaughn who uses his badge to threaten innocent people and was deeply suspicious of him from the very beginning. I never expected Mason whom owns a diner and gives jobs to young women in need to be capable of what he does. I enjoyed how the plotting and characterizations were executed and won't forget about this one for a long, long time. Five Stars all of the way and one that I am already recommending.

Publication Date: August 3, 2021

Thank you to Net Galley, Chevy Stevens and St. Martin's for providing me with my ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

#DarkRoads #ChevyStevens #St.Martin'sPress #NetGalley

Dark Road by Chevy Stevens
Pub date Aug 3, 2021 by St. Martin's Press, Macmillian Audio

Do you know that feeling, when you stumble across that rare author that you've never read before, who is writing thrillers as dark and twisty as your black little heart wants them to be? I'm having that feeling right now about Chevy Stevens. This was the first book I've read of hers, but it definitely won't be the last. I'm hooked and I want more.

The Cold Creek Highway stretches for nearly 500 rugged and isolated miles through British Columbia. It's known as a prime hunting ground for predators. For decades, young women traveling this road have gone missing - motorists and hitchhikers, residents and travelers alike. And no killer or abductor has ever been brought to justice for these crimes. Hailey McBride is a lifelong resident of Cold Creek who was raised by her father as a survivalist. On frequent camping trips we him, she learned to know and love the land, how to respect the wilderness and live off it if necessary. After she tragically loses her father, Hailey is a teen orphan who is forced to move in with an aunt whose overbearing police officer husband is notorious in the area for using his badge to bully and intimidate. He wants to dominate Hailey's every move and forbids her from working or socializing. Hailey is suspicious of his motives and is afraid to continue living under his thumb. She vanishes into the wilderness, hoping everyone will believe she's run away. Rumors spread that she has become yet another victim of the highway killer.

This book was fast paced with tons of action and lots of twists and turns. The POV alternated between several narrators to keep propelling the story forward. I was thinking the plot was headed in one direction, when suddenly everything flipped to start racing in a different direction. The plotting was tight and intense. There were villains that were terrifying and made my skin crawl, and no one was above suspicion. I loved the capability of the independent female characters - they were willing and able to take care of themselves. All the victim-blaming that the female characters experienced felt very real.

The premise of this story is a huge issue in Canada and important topic to tackle. It was inspired by the true story of the Highway of Tears murders. Hundreds of indigenous women and girls go missing every year in Canada without a trace. It's a real life terror that isn't getting enough attention. More efforts need to be made toward stopping the predators, rather than blaming the victims for being alone on a road or enjoying camping in the wilderness. It was a well-written book with a very interesting plot that I enjoyed immensely. I tackled this book as a dual read, simultaneously reading the galley and listening to the audiobook. The audiobook was narrated by Angela Dawe, Brittany Pressley and Isabella Star LaBlanc. It was quite well done and these readers gave real, authentic voices to the narrators of the book. This book is coming out on Aug 3. Thank you so much to Netgalley, St. Martin's Press and Macmillian Audio for providing me with an advance egalley and audiobook in exchange for my honest opinion.

Review of Dark Roads by Chevy Stevens


I have loved every book I’ve read by Chevy Stevens. This one was no exception snd may be my favorite. It drew me in right away and the ending was so fast paced my heart was pounding!

Hailey has lived in Cold Creek her entire life. In the opening of the book, she is living with her aunt and her husband named Vaughn (a mean, bullying police officer) and their son. Her father had fairly recently passed away after a car accident. On the highway, for years girls have been vanishing and often ending up dead. Hailey discovered a very dark secret about Vaughn and goes on the run. Then the killer strikes again and takes another victim. (I will not name for spoiler purposes) Beth, the victim’s sister comes to Cold Creek, one year later to discover the truth about her sibling’s death and immediately steps into immense danger.

It’s safe to say this is an amazing thriller and one you will want to read. It comes out August 3!

Disclaimer: I am not good at writing reviews. I usually stick with “read this book!” or “well, it was okay I guess.” So, please bear with me as I go along.

Dark Roads is a suspense thriller featuring Hailey McBride, a badass 17 year old grieving a huge loss and trying to figure out her new life and Beth, a young woman also grieving and needing answers. As well as few characters that will either support the two women or try to bring them down. And a doggie.

Written in three parts, we get to hear the voices of Hailey and Beth clearly. Both take chances that lead them down dangerous roads all in the name of answers and truth.

Dark Roads is well written with neatly laid out plot points. I quickly rooted for Hailey and Beth and hoped for justice and vengeance against the others. However; there were moments of disbelief at the actions of people that are still quite young (ages 17-20ish) but maybe that’s because I can’t fathom having done [those actions] when I was that age.

So, in other words … “read this book “

Thanks to NetGalley, Chevy Stevens, and St Martins Press for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion. This will be published on August 3 2021.

** Thank you NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest opinion. **

This author is one of my favorites so I was very excited to read this book. This book is very suspenseful and there are many twists throughout the story. The chapters are very long and very descriptive. I did not enjoy how descriptive it was at times and found myself skipping through those pages. Overall it was a great storyline that really kept my attention and had a very big twist at the end.

✨ The Title/Cover Draw:
There was a lot of pre-release buzz for this. Since this was a new to me author, I wanted to experience one of her books for myself.

💜 What I liked:
The story was told following 2 girls: one who disappeared and one who was searching for clues regarding her sister’s murder. The idea was very intense and the ending was surprising.

😱 What I didn’t like:
The pacing was quite off for me. This is probably something that isn’t an issue for others, because this author is quite popular. But for me it just didn’t flow as quickly as I expected. There were a lot of descriptions which I liked, but there were some things that left me wondering as well.


🚦 My face at the end: 🐺 (IYKYK)

💭 3 Reasons to Read:
1. Intense situations and action scenes
2. Sinister characters
3. Dog with personality!



🕧 Mini-Summary:
Hailey stages her disappearance after dealing with a perverse guardian situation as Beth comes to town to look for clues regarding the death of her sister.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Received from Netgalley.

Foreboding, ominous, and heart wrenching. A perfectly executed mystery/thriller that I couldn’t put down.

I found my chest tight and my breathing shallow. This intense mystery captivated me and took me on the daring journey with these brave women. With every trauma Hailey and Beth experienced, I physically felt their fear, anxiety, and boldness.

I love a strong female protagonist. And with this story, you get not one but two kickass females. Hailey and Beth are nothing alike, yet they share a common bond. It was easy to relate to both and to empathize greatly with their situations. Even in moments that I questioned their choices, I was deeply invested in their stories.

While this is a wild ride, it isn’t exactly fast paced. I would consider this a slow burn with lots of backstory and plenty of insight into the characters’ thoughts and motives, and it worked incredibly well for me. The characters were painted with a depth that kept me invested in their outcomes.

Sometimes I forget the extent of evil that exists. Books like this help me remember. Vaughn is the perfect villain… Repugnant. Vile. He evoked immense loathing. And while he is not real, he is based on actual monsters. But don’t be deceived. He’s not the only one.

But what really deserves a spotlight…the execution of the prologue and epilogue! They are works of art! It’s not just that they perfectly drew me in and left me fulfilled (They did!). It’s the way they are intertwined. The thread at the beginning of the book is masterfully connected to the one tying up the ending of the book, and it was extraordinarily satisfying.

The author’s note at the end shouldn’t be missed. This novel is a work of fiction. But it is based on real events along the Highway of Tears in Northern British Columbia where women have been murdered or gone missing since the 1970s. Just as Stevens paints this highway as a “desolate road haunted by the lost souls of women who search for the answers to their deaths,” so does the actual Highway of Tears.

This thought provoking, adeptly executed mystery/thriller is not one to be missed!

Thank you Chevy Stevens, St. Martin’s Press, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review an advanced copy of this book.

I don't think I've read many books set in Canada so this was a nice surprise. I think it was a little too literary for me and so that kind of dulled it down for me but I did enjoy it.