Chevy Stevens is one of my go to authors for suspense and thrillers. Being a Canadian, many of her books are set in Canada, with this one set in the Cold Creek wilderness in the interior of British Columbia. Residents have been warned about the Cold Creek Highway where hitchhikers and women whose cars have broken down have vanished never be seen again. Local teen, Hailey McBride, decides she needs to leave home when things become unbearable for her, so she takes to the Cold Creek Wilderness, hoping people will think she has disappeared. At the same time, Amber Chevalier, a waitress that has come to Cold Creek to live, is murdered. When her sister Beth comes to Cold Creek a year later for a memorial, she stays with a plan to find out who killed her sister. She gets a job at the local diner where her sister worked and gets to know her friends trying to solve the case. What she doesn't realize is that her snooping is putting her in danger.

Chevy Stevens has done it again, penning a perfectly-paced thriller. Dark Roads hooked me from the first page and kept me on the edge of my seat until the jaw dropping conclusion. The characters were all well developed. Hailey and Beth were both very brave and daring. Hailey knew how to survive in the wild as her father had taught her well. As we got to know her and her life before his death, it was quite emotional. I felt her pain and sorrow. Amber is a young woman, estranged from her family working at a local restaurant. Amber and Hailey become quite close, so when Amber disappears it’s the last straw for Hailey and she decides she has to disappear. Vaughn, her uncle she was living with was creepy. He was an alpha male who wanted everyone to know that he was in charge and had the power. He was an extremely unlikable character. He was hard to figure out, I wasn't sure if he was trying to protect Hailey, or if he had something else in mind. Jonny is Hailey's friend, a young, good looking guy who works with his dad repairing dirt bikes. Vaughn seems to have a vendetta against Jonny, but Jonny is helping Hailey to hide. Then there was Wolf, Hailey's dog. He was perfect for her companion and protector. They have some close calls with danger throughout the book. There were realistic relationships between the characters but the story really focused on the mystery.

This book has a lot of action and scenes in the outdoors with hiking, swimming, etc. The area was well described allowing the reader to become immersed in the story. This was a well-written and plotted story. I did not figure out who the actual perpetrator was until just before it was revealed. I thought I had it all figured out, but should have known better. There are some exciting action scenes in the second half which had me holding my breath, hoping for a good outcome. With just enough information to keep you guessing, the story held my attention to the end where everything wrapped up well. I enjoyed the author's notes that shared information about the actual highway in Northern British Columbia that this novel is loosely based on, all of the women, mostly indigenous, who have gone missing and their abductors never caught, which was her inspiration for this story.

A gripping mystery/thriller set in the small town of Cold Creek, British Columbia. The book is full of action and suspense as girls go missing and are found murdered along Cold Creek Highway. The murders never get resolved.

The writing is literary and descriptive. The author immerses you in the beauty and dangers of the area and brings it to life. I loved the strength and courage of the character Hailey. She was amazing. I also loved Hailey's companion Wolf, who was such a loyal and intuitive dog.

The build was slow, but picked up more after the characters and their relationships were fully established. The suspense was well-paced and the book surprised me - good surprises are always welcome!

The author's note at the end reveals that Cold Creek Highway is a real place where many girls have gone missing and their abductors never found. Not a place to hitchhike or travel alone.

Thanks to St. Martin's Press through Netgalley for an advance copy.

This was a great book! I was hooked from the prologue and the farther I read, the harder it was to put it down. I like how the book it’s split into 3 parts and how the prologue and epilogue come together. I have to admit, I didn’t know how was narrating the prologue until the epilogue…Make sure to read the author’s note at the end. Overall, I truly enjoyed this book.

Thanks NetGalley, Chevy Stevens and St Martin’s Press for the ARC!

I have read all of Chevy Stevens’ novels! I was so excited to see she was finally releasing a new book after what felt like forever. However, this was my least favorite book she has written; I would give it 3.5 stars. I didn’t connect with any of the characters and it made it more difficult to enjoy. I highly recommend other novels by Stevens’ such as, Still Missing and Never Let You Go (this was my favorite and I could not put it down). I rated both of these as 5 stars!

Big thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for sending me an eARC in exchange for my honest review.

This story had a lot of suspense and memorable characters. it is told in three parts and the segue from part one to part two was abrupt and took a while to mesh in with the first part. There are missing girls from the highway and an intense cop who is policing in the small town. I only figured it out right before the reveal as there are a few suspects. Strong female characters and a dog sidekick make this a satisfying read.

Copy provided by the publisher and NetGalley

This was an exciting, thrilling, and unputdownable read!!

June 2018- Seventeen-year-old, Hailey McBride recently lost her father in a tragic car accident. Hailey was very close to her father. He taught her survival skills, and how to hunt and fish. Now Hailey’s moved in with her Aunt Lana, her six-year-old cousin, Cash, and her aunt’s husband, Vaughn. Her aunt is kind but Vaughn makes Hailey nervous. Vaughn is a Police Sergeant many call “The Iceman”. He loves to write tickets and he’s especially hard on young people, harassing them and busting them for the smallest infractions.

Hailey has a friend named Jonny. They have been best friends since she was eight years old. They fix their dirt bikes together and she loves watching him race. She even thinks he could go pro. Vaughn seems to have it out for Jonny and warns Hailey to stay away from him. Vaughn won't let her get a job and his rules are becoming unbearable. Hailey knows he just wants to keep an eye on her.

“Someone like you, a pretty girl without a dad, you have to be even more careful.”

When Hailey makes a horrifying discovery, she realizes she can’t live like this any longer. So she comes up with a plan.

Everyone who lived in Cold Creek knew about the dangerous highway. Parents warned their children about it and you couldn’t miss the billboard warning women not to hitchhike. You also couldn’t ignore the posters of the “victims with their sweet, hopeful smiles”. With no public transportation, these warnings still couldn’t stop those young women who were determined to run away or find a place to hang out with friends. Some went missing from the highway, some from local communities who were last seen at a party or walking home alone.

Cold Creek is one of the towns were several women had last been seen. The town is the last stop for gas and supplies for many miles. People had started to relax a little after several years had gone by without any murders.

That was a big mistake.

Now more photos are being added to the posters. It’s started again.

Who is the highway killer? Will they ever be caught?

I loved this book!

Chevy Stevens is a fantastic storyteller, and in my opinion, this was a terrific read. Well-paced and intense with many engaging characters. One of my favorite characters was a wonderful dog named Wolf. The author’s descriptions made it easy to picture this super-smart dog with his different colored eyes. A well-written story filled with plenty of action and suspense, I was gripped from start to finish.

Dark Roads is a captivating and twisted tale of murder and suspense. Don’t miss it!!!

I’d like to thank the publisher for providing me with a copy of this novel. All opinions are my own.

Chevy Stevens' thrillers are fast-paced and twisty, and Dark Roads is no exception. Cold Creek is a small town in Canada, with a history of girls gone missing. The story is told from the points of view of Hailey, a young girl trying to escape a tough family situation, and Beth, whose sister was a victim. The ending was a little dark and a little predictable, but I definitely sped through this one! Thanks to Net Galley and the publisher for an advanced copy in exchange for my feedback.

Today, I have an audiobook recommendation for the mystery and thriller fans. Canadian author, Chevy Stevens is back again with another chilling novel called Dark Roads. I’ve only read one other book by the author, and was extremely impressed by her writing. I even got my dad hooked on her books, and I’m pretty sure he’s already read a good handful of them. Dark Roads is a slow burning mystery that revolves around The Cold Creek Highway, and the numerous women who’ve gone missing in the area for decades. Sadly, no justice has ever been served for these women, and the abductor is still out there stalking his next victim. I was on edge the entire time, and bit my nails to the quick! I had a few predictions about the outcome, but was SO completely wrong, and totally blindsided by the turn of events. My eyes widened, and my jaw dropped as I listened to things unfold. The majority of the novel is set in the rugged wilderness, and even at a campground! This is honestly one of my very favorite settings. I love the outdoorsy feel, the creepiness, and spooky vibes! Stevens excelled at describing the dark and haunting scenes that took place. I do want to point out that there a few scenes of graphic violence against women that some may find disturbing. My stomach got a little queasy, that’s for sure. Please take the time to read the author’s note at the end of the novel. Stevens explains her reasons for writing this story, and how she was inspired by real crimes that occurred on the Highway of Tears in Northern British Columbia. The note was extremely eye-opening, and really put things into perspective. Dark Roads releases on August 3rd, so be sure to grab a copy next month. 4/5 suspenseful stars for this upcoming release!

Dark Roads by Chevy Stevens

For decades, women have gone missing from or have been found murdered along the fictional Cold Creek Highway, in British Columbia. Five hundred desolate miles of highway where women hitchhikers and drivers with broken down vehicles have been preyed upon and the killer or killers never found. The story begins as we get to experience the brutal death of one of the victims, just another anonymous battered soul to roam the scene of unspeakable violence.

We then meet seventeen year old Hailey, having recently lost her only living parent and now living with her aunt and her despicable, cruel, cop step-uncle, Vaugh. Everyone is scared of Vaugh, as he throws his weight around town and Vaugh has his sights set on Hailey, never letting her have a moment to herself, actively doing his best to instill fear in her that there is nothing she can do or say that he won't know. Hailey longs for the past days with her father, who taught her to love the wilderness and all the survival skills she would ever need, as they had enjoyed time in the wilderness surrounding their town.

Vaugh hates Hailey's longtime friendship with Johnny, her best friend, and her newfound friendship with Amber, a waitress at the local diner. When Hailey finds evidence that Vaugh could be behind a lot of the bad that has gone on in the area, she fears for her life and flees to the hills. Townsfolk think that the serial killer has gotten Hailey although she had just wanted people to think she had run away. But maybe it's better this way, because Hailey thrives on her freedom, with a stray dog she names Wolf, a dog who adopted her and is her savior in so many ways.

A year after Hailey disappears, during which time Amber has been murdered in the manner of so many other young women, Amber's sister, Beth, comes to town, filled with a grief so overpowering that she's dropped out of college and lost her internship. Beth plants herself in the midst of danger, calling attention to herself as the sister of Amber and as someone who is going to ask questions and dig into secrets. It doesn't help that Beth gets through her days and nights by medicating herself with alcohol and prescription meds. There is little to protect her from bad cops and murderous predators.

This story, seen mostly from the perspective of Hailey and Beth, got under my skin. The sense of danger and that one wrong move could mean either one of them could be squashed by either the public monster, Vaugh, or the unknown killer, with one misstep, is constant. When violence does happen, more than once, it's shown in all it's horrible, painful, brutality. There are people who seem to care, such as Johnny, but can he and others be trusted? It's as if there is a huge black cloud over the area and it's got the law behind it, with nowhere to go to find an escape from the evil and death that is coming.

I wanted so much to be able to help Hailey and Beth but had to watch from the sidelines as darkness marched closer and closer. The bright spot in all of this is the dog Wolf, ever faithful, so very smart, the best friend a human could ever want. I'm so thankful to the author for taking care of Wolf and not allowing him to just be a plot device to move the story further along.

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

Dark Roads by Chevy Stevens tells the story of Hailey and Beth. Hailey is a teenager, living with her aunt and uncle in Cold Creek, British Columbia. Her father was killed in a motor vehicle accident and she was sent to live with her aunt, her aunt's husband (Vaughn, a policeman) and her little cousin. Hailey hates life with her new family. Vaughn is controlling and overbearing and borders on abusive to Hailey and her aunt. He follows Hailey around and tries to get Hailey's best childhood friend, Jonny, in trouble any chance he gets. Also, there have been a lot of murders of young women on the highway in Cold Creek. Hailey is warned over and over by Vaughn to avoid this road and not to go out at night. While at the local diner, Hailey meets new girl in town, Amber. She is beautiful and free spirited and is a waitress at the diner. As the girls get closer, Vaughn threatens Hailey and then soon after she finds a horrifying secret Vaughn has been keeping and she feels she has no choice but to run away.
The second half of the book is about Beth, Amber's sister. Amber is no longer with us. Beth moves to Cold Creek trying to find out what happened to Amber and also the other missing girls, Hailey being one of them. Beth befriends Jonny and sets about trying to find out what is going on in this creepy little town.
This book was so scary at times because of the situations the characters got themselves into. Jonny was a standout character and I really enjoyed reading about him. I liked Beth and Hailey too, but didn't agree with all of their actions. Definitely check this one out if you like mysteries, dual timelines, unreliable narration, and small town drama. Chevy Stevens does a stellar job of describing these small Canadian towns in her books. I had no problem imagining what everything looked like in this mountain town. I very much loved this book! Thanks to the publisher and Net Galley for the advanced copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

“Dark Roads” is an atmospheric, character-driven novel that grips the reader and doesn’t let go until the very end. For decades, women have been disappearing along the fictitious Cold Creek Highway in British Columbia. When Hailey McBride disappears, she is assumed to be yet another victim of the Highway Killer… but this small Canadian town has more than its share of dark secrets and dangerous inhabitants.

There’s a lot of good in this book – strong female characters, with Hailey in particular a fierce and independent protagonist. Her canine sidekick, Wolf, is a great character in his own right too. And Chevy Stevens’s ability to set a scene is second to none – I felt completely immersed in the beautiful and desolate Canadian wilderness.

Without a doubt this is a captivating novel, but a couple of things kept this from being a five-star read for me. First, although not billed as young adult, there is a distinct YA feel to this story. Second, some of the transitions between scenes are a bit jarring, with little hops in time that are left for the reader to intuit. Neither of these things would stop me from recommending this great book, but I found them occasionally distracting.

Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for providing me an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

"Dark Roads" by Chevy Stevens is one heck of a wild ride! Set in the small town of Cold Creek, the book focuses on the lives of two young women. Hailey McBride, reeling from the death of her father, makes a horrifying discovery, forcing her to take drastic measures to save herself. Beth Chevalier, whose sister is found dead on the notorious Cold Creek highway, comes to town looking for answers and winds up finding more than she ever expected.

The progression of the story is a bit slow, but I was never bored. I enjoy a slow burn and the writing style was perfect for the story. The plot was intriguing and kept me turning pages to find out what happened next. The characters were well-developed, and I found myself relating to them, especially to Beth. The "big reveal" came as a shock to me; rare is the thriller where I don't figure out the big twist way before it happens! This is definitely a dark book and parts of it were difficult to read. The atmosphere the author creates is ominous and disturbing.
However, it's a great read and thriller lovers will eat this one up!

Many thanks to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for the privilege of reading an advanced digital copy of this fabulous book in exchange for my honest review. "Dark Roads" is my first book by Chevy Stevens, but it definitely won't be my last!

Dark Roads is a thrilling mystery about daring young women who persevere through hardship. Hailey grew up in Cold Creek, a small town in Northern British Columbia. Her father taught her to survive in the wild, so when he passed away and her new step-uncle tried to control her life, Hailey disappeared into the wilderness to survive on her own. A year later, Beth travels to Cold Creek after her sister is found murdered there, and takes a job as a waitress so she can get a feel for the town and try to figure out what happened. Both of the main characters as well as many others (even a very smart wild dog) are complex and interesting, and that alone would have kept me intrigued, but the mystery of what happened to the women who have disappeared unfolds in a suspenseful and surprising turn of events I did not see coming! I have enjoyed other books by Chevy Stevens but this one truly blew me away, I think it's her best book yet!

I grew up in BC too, and have followed the heartbreaking story of the Highway of Tears in Northern BC in the news, where many Aboriginal women have gone missing and their crimes have remained unsolved for decades. The parallels between the fictional Cold Creek Highway in Dark Roads and the Highway of Tears are not accidental, and the author addresses this both before and after the story. I felt this added to an already great suspenseful story to make it even more compelling and relevant.

I received this book from the publisher through Netgalley for review and all thoughts and opinions are my own.
I must admit, at first I was concerned with how this renowned author would handle the parallel to the real and horrible cases in western Canada on the road that has led to so many missing First Nations women. I need not have worried. Chevy Stevens has written a thriller that respects the true crime cases and brought light to the dark places. Hailey is every girl who knows something just isn't right and wishes she could find a safe place. Beth is every girl who wants answers for the loss of a sister or friend to murder. We are drawn in and find our place with the characters in one way or another. This gripping thriller caught me from the first chapter and didn't let go until justice was served. Keep shining a light on the darkness of evil deeds, Chevy Stevens.

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for a gifted copy of Dark Roads by Chevy Steven's. All opinions are my own.

Dark Roads started out super creepy and made me think twice about reading late at night in the dark. Cold Creek Highway is famous for missing girls. Locals know the stories all too well and no one wants to be near the highway alone.

The book is divided into three parts. Part one is about Hailey. Hailey grew up in Cold Creek and knows all about the missing girls. She has recently become a teenage orphan and had to move in with her aunt's family. Part two is Beth's story as she travels to Cold Creek to try to find answers and closures for the loss of her sister. Part three can be a surprise...no spoilers here.

I enjoyed this one. It's perfect for a suspense reading mood.

General Fiction (adult)
Mystery & Thrillers
Women's Fiction
Release Date: August 3, 2021

This book just didn't work for me. Hailey, an orphan after the recent death of her father, lives with her aunt and her new (and evil) stepfather. She runs away to escape him, leaving everyone to believe that she's missing or murdered. This made this character pretty hard to love--lots of people left behind cared about her, but she doesn't really seem to care. While she's in the midst of her hiding out, she comes across a body of someone she cares about. She steals a dog and it hangs out with her. The drunken sister of the murder victim starts nosing around, and then there's a pretty unbelievable ending. I almost abandoned this one several times, but kept hoping it would get better. It didn't. I think this just not the author for me.

For some reason this Chevy Stevens novel did not hit the mark for me. This is a murder mystery about Indigenous Women in Canada who have been murdered and their cases have remained unsolved. The story starts out with one young girl who goes missing and then moves on to her sister’s efforts to find her killer. The story was a bit slow at times and the suspense scenes were not believable at all. I have enjoyed some of the authors previous novels so perhaps it just my frame of mind at this time. I see that many other reviewers have loved it.

Thank you Netgalley for the early copy of Dark Roads.

This was my first book by this author, so I had no expectations for it.

I must say the book was interesting and the plot was intriguing however it was overly descriptive and too long at times. I felt that maybe the details were a bit too much, I got bored after awhile.
Generally I love fast paced thrillers but this one was just a bit hard to get through because of the writing.

I’ve been a fan of Chevy Stevens’ writing for years, and I’m so glad she has released another wonderful novel that was worth the wait!

Dark Roads by Chevy Stevens is set around Cold Creek Highway, where women have gone missing for decades. It is a thriller told through the viewpoints of Hailey and Beth, and even though it is not a locked room setting, it certainly feels claustrophobic and very unsettling at times. This is one of those books that you read and have a feeling of dread as you turn the pages because you’re afraid of what will occur next, but in a good way.

Dark Roads has some very unlikable characters, but it also contains courageous female protagonists and a wonderful canine character that stole my heart and seemed so real in my mind as I was reading.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an ARC of Dark Roads in exchange for my honest feedback!

This is my first book by Chevy Stevens and I can safely say it will not be my last! I went in not knowing the plot, but had seen a lot of good reviews, so gave it a shot and I'm so glad I did. I immediately took to the main character, Hailey, and became invested with her problems. She had a run of bad luck which landed her living with her aunt and her husband, Vaughn. She quickly found that Vaughn, the local policeman, was not who he seemed and had to make a decision to save her life. I liked how the book had 2 strong, female narratives and how they alternated. This is a book that I will be recommending when it is released in August! I also liked how the book ended with a note from the author about detailing how the book was inspired by the Highway of Tears, Overall, a great read, with twists I definitely did not see coming!