I have always been a fan of Chevy Stevens ever since her first book "Still Missing". I have anxiously been waiting on her new book since she hasn't written one since she wrote "Never Let You Go" in 2017. Thank you to Net Galley for allowing me to read and review her new book "Dark Roads".

Hailey McBride is a teenage orphan who has to go live with her aunt and and uncle in Cold Creek after the death of her father. Her uncle is a cop and is super creepy and is always checking up on her. He warns her of the Cold Creek Highway where women have been vanishing for years. When Hailey's girlfriend Amber is found dead in her car along the highway, Hailey is forced to retreat to the woods to hide as she feels she is in extreme danger herself due to her relationship with Amber. We then see Amber's sister Beth come to town to try and find out what happened to her sister,

I have to say that this book was disappointing to me. I found the relationship between Amber and Hailey to not be believable as they barely knew each other. I found all the situations that Hailey and Beth got in to were far fetched and head scratchers. I also guessed who the perpetrator was early on in the book.

I really wanted to like this book but it did nothing for me. I found it to be predictable and it dragged in some spots. It wasn't a terrible read, just not that engaging to me.

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for the e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Give me all the dark and twisty books. Chevy Stevens has done it again with Dark Roads.

Set in the fictional town of Cold Creek in British Columbia, the Cold Creek Highway is notorious for its murders and missing girls. Hailey calls it home and was brought up in the wilderness and how to use the land by her father, prior to his death. After he dies, she finds herself in the home of her aunt and her very intense uncle. After she makes a discovery about him, she vanishes into the mountains surrounding her home and uses her knowledge to survive.

After she disappears, the book fast forwards a year later when Beth arrives in town, and from there, the story takes twists and turns like crazy. I definitely did not see the ending coming.

Time for me to go read more from Chevy Stevens!

This was my first Chevy Stevens book and I’ll be reading more! Great storytelling while keeping you guessing. I was surprised by the ending and definitely fell for the red herrings! Even the dog, Wolf, was written so vividly!

First Chevy Stevens read and loved it. From page one I was hooked. I love a good suspense novel and this did not let me down. The determination of Hailey to survive her small town's horrible reputation of the Cold Creek Highway murders is astounding. I loved the character Johnny and his commitment to Hailey. Thank goodness for those people determined to expose the truth. A must read.

Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced reader copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I want to preface this review by saying that Stevens’ first novel, Still Missing, is one of my all time favorite books and just a masterpiece in my opinion.

This book fell so short of my expectations. The premise is a good, if not overly original one. Girls go missing on a dark highway and turn up dead. Hailey’s father has died, leaving her to live with her aunt and her aunt’s awful husband Vaughn. The reader hates him right away, and he’s way too obvious a choice to be the killer. When Hailey discovers that Vaughn has been taking secret photos of her and other women, instead of reporting it to another police department, confiding in her aunt, or her best friend, Hailey makes the inexplicable choice to live in a remote cabin in the woods. This plot takes up the first third of the book. Before escaping to her mountain cabin, Hailey also manages to fall in love with the killer’s next victim, Amber. This relationship was completely underdeveloped, and completely out of left field.

Then we move ahead to Amber’s sister, Beth, arriving in town. She is a wannabe lawyer and also apparently a survivalist in her spare time. Beth takes a job at the same diner where Amber was working at the time when she was killed. The killer is pretty easy to guess, simply by process of elimination. No one is likeable at all in this book, and the characters make such terrible, reckless decisions that it’s impossible to sympathize or care very much what happens to them. The only character that I liked was Wolf, the dog.

The epilogue, where Amber speaks from beyond the grave is just the icing on this very stale cake.

It took me a few tries to get involved in this book. Once I did, I could barely put it down. Although I had to put it down a few times in order to be able to process what I had read. This is an intense book that I will be thinking about for a while after finishing it.

Wow. My initial thought after finishing this book was that was one hell of a story.

I would describe it as it’s Where the Crawdads Sing meets The Lovely Bones.

I was hooked from the prologue. We’re launched straight into the haunting story of one of the highway killer’s victims. From there it doesn’t slow down for a second. There are all of these easily lovable and hate-able characters that form a tight knit community where everyone knows everything about you. One of my favorite parts, there is a dog that is just perfection. All of the characters are well written, you’ll feel like you know them.
The mystery will keep you on your toes. In fact, there are several mysteries within the larger mystery; some I didn’t even see coming.

In short, Dark Roads just has so much to offer. A broad cast of characters, first love, survival, an amazing dog, mystery, and twists. Chevy Stevens did an awesome job creating a world you can completely immerse yourself in for a few days. There were moments that had me on the edge of my seat. I did NOT see the ending coming.
Excellent writing, highly recommend.

Thank you NetGalley and St Martin’s Press for providing me with an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review!

It was my buddy Jo, from Jo's Country Junction, who recommended Still Missing. I guess I can thank her for getting me hooked on thrillers and Chevy Stevens's books in particular. It was the book's description that really made me want to read it, even before I realized who it was by, but I almost feel like it gave too much away. After the death of her father, teenager Hailey McBride uses the notoriety of the Cold Creek highway to escape her controlling uncle. Women have been disappearing from the area for decades. Sometimes their bodies were found. Others disappeared without a trace. Hailey hopes that she'll be seen as just another victim of whoever was responsible and can escape her life. But that doesn't happen until well into the book. At times Hailey felt really young and I had to remind myself that she was just a kid so of course she was acting that way. I'm not sure if I've ever felt the loss of a character the way I did in this book.

I LOVE CHEVY STEVENS. Every single one has been a hit! The way she writes makes you really experience her characters feelings which makes the book hit harder. Dark Roads was told in dual POV but it worked so well here and the girls were so different, like complete opposites. The only complaint I can even think of is that Beth seemed way more immature than any of the other MC even though I believe she's a few years older? Or maybe she was written that way to amplify what the others were going through and how she had no clue. Who knows but this is a definate 5 star read.

The Cold Creek Highway is a dark and dangerous place. For decades now, women have vanished or been found murdered along this long, twisted stretch of road. Scarier still, the killer/s have never been found.

Hailey McBride has lived in Cold Creek her whole life. After her mother's death, Hailey and her father bonded over their love for the outdoors. When her father dies, Hailey's world is upended. He has been her rock, and now she's been thrown into a horrible living situation with an aunt she barely knows and an uncle who is domineering. Unable to cope with her loss and increasingly uncomfortable under the control her uncle (who appears to have secrets of his own), she runs away into the Cold Creek wilderness where she feels confident she can survive due to the survivalist skills taught to her by her father. The only downside is leaving behind her friends Johnny and Amber. Needless to say, Hailey is devastated when she finds Amber's body.

After Amber's death, her sister Beth visits Cold Creek to find out exactly what happened to her sister. Amber was estranged from her parents and fled to this rural community to escape. Beth doesn't understand the appeal of this creepy town and starts to become more and more uneasy the longer she stays. The residents of Cold Creek aren't what they seem, and some of them know more about these killings than they let on.

This is such an emotionally powerful read!
The first part focuses on Hailey. Her grief, pain and hopelessness is palpable. It hurt my heart to read all the things she has/is going through in her young life. I love how resilient and headstrong she is in spite of those things.

The second part focuses on Beth, who is also an emotionally powerful character. Her personal conflicts and internal struggles are so realistic and expertly realized. Through her story, we also come to know Amber better, which makes her death that much more difficult to accept.

Beyond the emotional depth, there were still so many things I loved about this book. I enjoyed the outdoor survivalist aspects as well as Hailey's relationship with her dog, Wolf. The landscape and imagery were so well done and really brought the great outdoors alive. I also love and appreciate the inclusion of First Nations and LGBT narratives.

This book was so well done and well written. If I had to say one negative thing it's that some parts of the story did drag on a bit. However, it didn't hinder me from enjoying this story . I recommend this book for anyone who enjoyed murder mysteries, thrillers and fictionalized accounts of true events (as this is inspired by the Highway of Tears).

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Chevy Stevens masterpiece. Five stars hands down. I have been waiting for this book for YEARS! The storyline was full of twists and turns and I was in the edge of my seat for the entire ride. Well done.

There were some editing mistakes but once those are fixed this is the perfect thriller. I’ll go so far as to claim it this years thriller of the year for me.

Great story. Inspired by real life events. I enjoyed the duel story line and how it all connected. A story about strength and survival in a family, and on your own. Hailey learns her uncle is taking immoral photos of underage girls. After some snooping and puzzle piecing, she and her best friend Johnny come to the conclusion that her uncle is the highway murderer. Beth comes to cold creek after her sisters body is found. She and Johnny become friends, and a little more, while Beth is also determined to find Ambers killer. A smart thriller that will keep you guessing. Read the authors note at the end.

I received an ARC of this novel from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I absolutely loved this book. I knew I would as Chevy Stevens is my favorite suspense writer, and I’ve been anxiously awaiting her next book. I loved this story with its alternating perspectives, and felt that the main characters were all well fleshed out and generally believable. I also enjoyed being shocked at some plot twists, and satisfied by others that I somewhat expected. Stevens does a great job of keeping the suspense high and the mystery going. Highly recommended to anyone who enjoys thrillers, as well as books about personal growth, overcoming obstacles, and persevering through seemingly impossible situations.

Long time lover of all things Chevy Stevens! I sped through this and found it impossible to put down because I HAD to know how this was going to turn out. Absolutely breath taking. I love being an early reader but can’t wait to talk about this book with someone and I don't want to spoil ANYTHING in this review because I am so excited to say that I did not figure out the ending and that always makes me really happy! Ok, so when the story starts- we have a prologue of ghosts- yep, that's right- these are the victims and then the prologue ends and we meet Amber and Hailey who are at the beginning stages of a relationship. Hailey has recently lost her father in a car wreck and she is struggling to living with her aunt and her husband, Vaughn, a local cop referred to as the 'Ice Man." Vaughn seemed to take things to a malicious level so Hailey decided to run away and live in the mountains that her father loved, while also keeping a close eye on Beth as she worked at the local diner, and keeping her distance from Vaughn. Suddenly, tragedy strikes again and someone Hailey loves dearly is killed, this time at the hands of the Highway Killer.

So here are some things: we get a narrator shift in the midland I did enjoy the contrast. The focus on the forgotten girls is integral to the story and I loved how the details were sprinkled throughout. I felt like this was much faster moving in the second half, but the whole book was great and the buildup necessary.

This was my first book by Chevy Stevens and I’m glad to add her to my list of thriller authors to follow. Dark Roads is a novel loosely based on the Highway of Tears in Canada. Since the 1970’s, many women, including First Nations women, have either been last seen or found murdered there. The fictional Canadian town of Cold Creek where the story victims lived is not a place to move to, but a town to run away from.

I could hardly put this book down for roughly the first forty per cent of the story. It offers a fantastic read about a strong and relatable heroine named Hailey, a sexy hero, a villain worth hating, a dog we’d all like to adopt, and suspense to spare. There is also lyrical writing so touching I highlighted certain paragraphs.

But then–the incredible read about Hailey that had me hooked–suddenly switched–to an entirely new story about a woman named Beth. Although Hailey and Beth are connected by the town of Cold Creek and its characters, I felt like I was reading an entirely different book. And Beth is not as easy to like as Hailey. Her reckless behavior in a dangerous town had me shaking my head in dismay like a worried mother. Fortunately, as the story continued and the characters merged, all was well. The ending, too, was satisfying.

There was, however, a problematic bit of story construction causing a frequent lack of smooth transition from one scene to another. If I had to guess, I’d say the story blocks were written by the author on separate days and/or at different times with a view to inserting transitions later. Since I read an ARC of the book before it was copyedited, I can only assume corrections will be/have been be made and the transitions or scene breaks inserted in the final edit.

I was happy to read Dark Roads and found it compelling and thought-provoking. A recommended read. Many thanks to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for providing an ARC to read and review for my honest opinion.

I absolutely love reading Chevy Steven's books. I feel like I am part of the story and she is talking straight to me telling me a story. So easy to follow along with her in the stories that she writes. Chevy Stevens is definitely back and has hit a homerun once again with Dark Roads.

The first part of the book, we get to know Hailey. Hailey's mom died when she was young and her father has raised her on his own since then. The information we get from Hailey, her dad taught her well and trained her on survival skills that might come in handy one day. Hailey has recently had to move in with her aunt and her husband because her dad had an accident and died. Hailey is not fond of living with her aunt because of her husband, Vaughn.

Vaughn is a sheriff in the county they live in and where women have been known to come up missing on a certain road in town. He warns Hailey to stay away from that road and to not be on it by herself. Of course, Hailey is a teenager that doesn't want to listen.

Hailey and Jonny are friends and have been for some time. When Hailey moves in with her aunt, Vaughn tells her to stay away from him and always seems to be out to get Jonny. Hailey still sneaks around to see him and doesn't know why Vaughn is out to get him. Jonny is actually a really good kid, but Vaughn does not seem to think that at all. Once day Hailey meets Amber and is enchanted by her. Hailey thinks that this is the one that she has been waiting for. Amber and Hailey don't get many days together before she decides that she has to get away from Vaughn when she finds some unexpected evidence.

The second part of this book will take you through some rough times for Hailey and you will get to know more about the Dark Road and how the women come up missing and being killed. I don't want to give anything away because reading it through at the moment is so much better! Such a great read from Chevy Stevens! I can't wait for her next book, hopefully it is not as long as this one was!!

I voluntarily read and reviewed this book and all opinions are my own. Thanks to Netgalley, the publisher and the author for an advanced copy of this book! Awesome read!

Orphaned following her father’s tragic death, Hailey McBride moves in with her Aunt and her overbearing police officer uncle. Feeling unsafe in her new environment, Hailey embraces the survival skills her father taught her over the years and runs away, despite knowing a killer stalks nearby Cold Creek Highway.

Beth Chevalier learns someone murdered her sister, Amber, and returns to Cold Creek, desperate to reveal the killer and bring him to justice. Soon after, her path crosses Hailey’s, and she eventually realizes they have a few things in common—grieving Amber, a local heartthrob, and the search for the Cold Creek Killer.

Relatively suspenseful, if not somewhat predictable, the novel clips along at a satisfying pace. While I found the spiritual concept refreshing, some may find the epilogue a bit jarring. Applying the treatment throughout would have provided a more cohesive result.

Chevy Stevens.. where have you been all my reading life?? You are INCREDIBLE!

Dark Roads was my first Chevy Stevens novel and definitely will not be my last. Suspenseful until the very end. This book has characters you love and others you hate. If you’re an outdoorsy person, you’ll definitely love this book. Chevy goes into grave details about every single breath, step, feeling, and action of her characters while keeping the reader guessing until the very end.

If you’re sensitive to too much detail or certain true life crimes such as rape, murder, or danger then this book is not for you. You’ll be completely engrossed into the true aspects of each of those unfortunate horrific details. This author gives you fear, hope, love, anger and all of the emotions in regards to the characters and their stories. Ride along with Jonny on his dirt bike, stare at the lake with Amber, hike through the woods with Hailey, think of all of the ways you want to smother Vaughn for being a jerk, and most of all hold your breath while you’re learning each person’s fears.

This novel has it all and it is so engrossing that you can’t put it down. I hope you’re ready to call in sick to work, because you have to find out what happens next! Great job, Chevy Stevens and thanks again NetGalley for an ARC.

The only thing I would recommend to do differently without giving away any spoilers (which is why I gave this a 4 out of 5 stars) is to go into more details about the actual killer, give more closure on how people are connected to it. I felt that with all the details in setting and character build up that there needed to be some more in terms of the wind down.

This book was a great page turner. The author did a great job creating a creepy setting that made all of the mysterious things believable. There were some twists and turns and the story was told from different viewpoints but not in an every other chapter kind of way . I found the characters genuine and loved the dog!!

This is going to be one of my top recommendations for suspense-lovers this summer! Tension, suspicion, a beautiful yet rugged setting, and characters so well written they feel alive. It's going to be tough to forget this one.
Thanks so much to St. Martin's Press, NetGalley, and the author for the chance to review this advance digital copy.