I’ve loved other books by Chevy Stevens, but this one was just ok for me. I found myself skimming most chapters and wanted to just get to the end.

I found the story to be slow-paced and predictable. While the characters were well developed, I didn't feel fully invested in their stories even though I was still able to empathize with them. Overall, I was a bit disappointed with this book. I would still recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a good suspense novel.

Thank you Netgalley, Macmillan Audio and St. Martin's Press for the gifted book!

Over the years many young women have gone missing from along the Cold Creek Highway. Hailey McBride calls Cold Creek home. She knows the stories and rumors that swirl around those missing girls well. But her father taught her how to survive along the highway and in nature. But her father has passed away and now she's stuck living with her aunt and her bully of a police officer husband. When Hailey goes missing, it's just assumed that she's the latest victim of the highway killer.

The summer after Hailey disappears, Beth shows up in Cold Creek to hopefully get some closure on her sister Amber's murder. As Beth digs for answers, she finds more than just information about Amber, but Hailey as well. And all may not be as it seems.

Once I was into the story of this one I was swept away and had to know what happened. Divided into three parts: Hailey pre-disappearance, Hailey's disappearance, and Beth's search for answers, this book starts as a slow burn, but ramps up the speed as you proceed through the sections. By the end I was consuming this book as quickly as possible to get to the resolution. The narration of this one really brought the tension of this story to life. If you are looking for a quick, immersive and skin tingly thriller, pick this one up.

I have made it a goal this year to get caught up on my old Netgalley arcs that I’ve neglected for too long. I’m slowly but surely clearing them out. I can now cross Dark Roads off that list.

This is a thriller that will keep you flipping the pages. I don’t like to give too much away when I discuss a thriller synopsis. I don’t think I could do this one justice if I tried. So I won’t. Just know that this book is filled with twists and turns that will have you desperate to find out what is going on.

I loved the formatting of this book. It’s told in three parts. The first is told by one character, the second by another, and in the third part they alternate. I feel like this was a clever way to keep the reader engaged throughout the book. There was one antagonist that I couldn’t stand. I just wanted to punch him in his smug fictional face. I love when an author can evoke that type of emotion from me because its not always easy for me to hate a character while still wanting to finish the book. Now I need to read all the books by Chevy Stevens because this one hooked me so completely.

The beginning was really slow and felt a little YAish (vs a thriller), but then it picked up about 20 percent into the book, and it sucked me in! Overall a really good story.

Chevy is an auto read for me. This book was even better than the last of that’s even possible. I stayed up way too late to finish this. I almost called out of work! My heart was racing the entire time. The prologue and epilogue were chilling to the bone. I don’t want to say too much to give anything away. It you better hold on, this is one hell of a ride.

I was hooked from the first page. Chevy Stevens is truly masterful at pulling you in and keeping you hooked until the last page! I loved Beth's character and the mystery about her sister. Really, really gripping!!

Dark Roads is inspired by “The Highway of Tears” in British Columbia which is a stretch of highway that runs from Prince George to Prince Rupert. It is along this highway that many women have gone missing or have been found murdered, especially Indigenous women. Many of the cases have gone unsolved.

Chevy Stevens tells the fictional story of Cold Creek Highway and similarly women have been going missing for decades. After Hailey McBride’s father dies, she goes to live with her aunt and her husband Vaughn. Vaughn is slimy from the beginning. He’s a cop that will do what he wants and uses his authority to get what he wants. Hailey finds herself being more isolated and restricted and when she starts discovering secrets about Vaughn she thinks she might be in real trouble.

The highway, in many ways becomes a character in the novel. People know it can be deadly and take precautions. So when Hailey disappears, it is assumed that she has become the victim of the highway killer.

This novel started off so strong. I was hooked by the end of the first chapter. There were some characters that I knew right away I wouldn’t like them and they probably wouldn’t redeem themselves. It was in the second part that it didn’t hold my attention in the same way. There were times I wasn’t even sure what was going on. I thought it was going to end a couple times, but it kept going. I was surprised by the twist, but there were things in the story that could have been tightened up a bit.

Overall the book is worth a read and has a compelling enough story to want to know what is going to happen.

DNF @ 20%

I just could not get into this one and I am not sure if it is just me or the book. I know her uncle was to add suspense but I just couldn't get past the abuse. Thrillers are very hit or miss for me with my anxiety and this one was just not working so I set it aside

Stevens has such an amazing talent for weaving a story that I’m desperate to keep listening to! The characters are so well-developed and fascinating. I just could not wait to find out what happened next!

I was really excited about the book because it seems like a good mystery. However, there were many dark and disturbing things that made me uncomfortable. Thus, this was not my cup of tea.

After the passing of her father in a tragic car accident, seventeen year old Hailey is adjusting to living with her aunt and controlling uncle (Vaughn). Vaughn is a police officer in their small town and is controlling and shady at work as well which earned him the nickname of “The Iceman”. He prides himself on being especially hard on young people, harassing them and busting them for the smallest infractions. Hailey’s best friend is Jonny who also enjoys riding and workin on dirt bikes. Vaughn disapproves of their friendship and often tries to stir up trouble.

A major highway runs through the Cold Creek and over the year several young women have been murdered. Warnings to not hitchhike are posted around the town since Cold Creek is one of the towns in which several women had last been seen. The town is the last stop for miles. Several years have passed with no murders, so people had started to relax and put their guards down. Then young women start disappearing again and Hailey has pieced some clues together and has suspicions.

I have always been a fan of Chevy Stevens’ novels and this was no exception. It was a fast moving psychological thriller. It kept me up late and night because I always wanted to read just one more chapter. The twists and turns kept me second guessing at the suspect and motive. A great read that I highly recommend!

Holy cow! I am so glad I picked up this dark thriller. It will fill you full of terror and anger as you follow two young women–strangers tied to a murder victim–who track down the predator who is terrorizing a lone highway in Canada.

Heather McBride is a free spirit who has lost her beloved father. Now forced to live with her aunt and her creepy, bully cop uncle, her life is filled with dread as she avoids a controlling sleazebag who is bent on destroying her and her best friend.

Beth Chevalier is in the town her sister was murdered trying to find out the truth. What she finds is a string of lies, coverups, and danger that puts a target on her back.

I love the fact that there are two women heroines in this book. Heather is tough and very self-sufficient as she plans her disappearance to flush out the person she thinks is behind the killings at Cold Creek. After finding another victim (who is a love interest) dead along the highway, she ups her game to get justice. Beth is a law student who is out of her league in Cold Creek as she arrives broke and homeless. Determined to find out why they haven’t found her sister’s killer in over a year, she starts investigating the murder herself only to put herself in danger and find she has a suspect, but she can’t prove it. The connection between Heather and Beth is hostile at first, but they look out for each other. Beth keeps Heather’s secret and Heather protects Beth more than once from her recklessness. I like Heather’s grit and savviness as she lives off the land with her beloved pet dog, Wolf. However, as Beth points out to her, Heather is holding her best friend, Jonny, back by his loyalty to keeping her secret and keeping her safe. Beth is a drunk and an addict and stupidly getting drunk alone at night with a predator hanging around is just plain idiotic. She has baggage with high expectations from her religious parents and is lost without her only sibling who died a gruesome death. Both Heather and Beth grow from their experiences and come together in an extremely thrilling climax full of twists and turns where justice is finally served.

Pick up this book! It’s a compelling and captivating read about allegiance, determination, and vengeance for victims who cannot tell their own stories.

Thank you to Ms. Stevens for giving me the opportunity to read this book with no expectation of a positive review.

This was a DNF for me. I’ve heard good things about this book and I usually love this author, but there was something about this one that I just couldn’t get in to. I tried to push through but was unable to finish.

I can't believe this is the fist Chevy Stevens book I have ever read. Where has she been all my life?

I loved the description of the Canadian scenery and her character development is excellent. I was definitely more of a Hailey fan than Beth, but it all worked together perfectly. Beware of some triggering content for some, but it is an extremely entertaining experience overall.

*Thanks to Netgalley for the advanced copy in exchange for an unbiased review.

Chevy Stevens is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors!

Dark Roads keeps you on the edge of your seat the entire time. The twists and turns that Stevens writes are so brilliant. Just when you think you have figured it out…everything gets flipped upside down.

Dark Roads
By Chevy Stevens

Cold Creek, a small town on a stretch of Canadians 500 mile highway where women go missing. Hailey McBride lives in cold creek & lost her dad. She now lives with her aunt, nephew and her aunts new husband Vaughn, a police officer in the town. He is creepy, cold and won’t let Hailey do anything. Halley ends up leaving to live in the woods and befriends “Wolf”, the 2 colored eyed dog. Everyone presumed that Hailey was taken by the highway killer.

Beth, comes to Cold Creek after her sister, Amber, was murdered to get answers. Beth gets a job at the cafe where Amber worked and lives out at the lake campground. Vonn is almost stalking Beth, but why? And what really happened to Hailey?

I have to admit, I enjoyed this story more than I thought I would. This being the first story of Chevys I have read. It was easy and quick to read.

Thank you to St.Martins Press and NetGalley for the advanced copy on return for my honest review.

I have seen many mixed reviews of this book so I wasn't sure what to expect when I started it. I fall into the category of "I really liked it"! I was not entirely expecting the outcome, but I can't say what I was expecting without giving anything away, sorry. The pace was perfect, moved along quickly but gave enough detail and character development so you got a good feel for everyone and were able to have feelings on things that were happening to them. I really liked the information on missing Indigenous women at the end; I have been learning more and more about this phenomena and am hopeful that there will be more coming to light to find these women and bring them some justice and their families some closure. This was my first Chevy Stevens and will not be my last, I like her style and didn't find her to be gory or gross, at least not gratuitously.

Traveling With T’s Thoughts:

Chevy Stevens does not disappoint in Dark Roads. It’s a story that is dark and twisted…. and oh so good!

What I liked:

The cover. It really went with the book.

The escalating tension in the book. It kept me flipping pages.

The ending! Oh so good!



Bottom line: Chevy Stevens is an author I will always look to see when her next book will be releasing. She does evil characters and girls in peril stories very well!

DARK ROADS – by Chevy Stevens - WOW!

‘The Cold Creek Highway stretches close to five hundred miles through British Columbia’s rugged wilderness to the west coast. Isolated and vast, it has become a prime hunting ground for predators. For decades, young women traveling the road have gone missing … Hailey McBride calls Cold Creek home. Her father taught her to respect nature, how to live and survive off the land, and to never travel the highway alone. Now he’s gone, leaving her a teenage orphan in the care of her aunt whose police officer husband uses his badge as a means to bully and control Hailey.’

I love a book that immediately hooks me in, my attention set full throttle as I ride out the twists and turns of the narrative, never knowing where the story will take me, and honestly, I wouldn’t want it any other way.

DARK ROADS checks all the boxes–I Highly Recommend!

‘“Wild roses are tough. You can mow them down to the roots or set them on fire, and they’ll still come back.”’

Thank you, NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press, for providing me with an eBook of DARK ROADS at the request of an honest review.