It has been quite a while since I’ve read a book by Chevy Stevens and this one did not disappoint! Definitely had a few twists and turns that I did not see coming.

Thank you for the opportunity to preview The Hitchhikers.
This is a very good read centered on two couples. To be fair, one is good and one bad.
Tom and Alice are on a vacation in their new RV thru Canada and the other on the run for a murder they allegedly committed.
What started as a nice escape from their home in Seattle turns into a nightmare for Tim and Alice. Simon and Jenny are in their 20s and Jenny is pregnant. They fooled Alice and Tom to take them along for a bit and then all he’ll breaks lose.
As the foursome travels along, bad things happen and Tom and Alice are sure their survival is not guaranteed.
Good read. Long in parts but a very good book. 4 stars

Chevy Stevens is masterful in creating relatable characters who are plunged into horrific circumstances. The Hitchhikers is a thrilling ride of tense terror when an American couple taking an RV holiday across Canada as a way of overcoming the death of their baby befriend a young couple who seem to be in need. That couple turns out to be killers on the run. The interplay of personalities as each couple tries to stay alive is utterly consuming. An unputdownable thriller.

this was my first chevy stevens book, and i have to say that while i didn't fully enjoy the direction taken by the plot in the hitchhikers, i will 100% go through her backlog to read more of her work, especially for the writing. it's fast paced, gritty, exactly the thing you need in a thriller to never even dare taker your eyes off the page because you want to read just a bit more. that said, some parts needed a bit more editing, i feel, to shave off moments that halted the plot a little too long.

i found the overall story left me wanting. all four main characters were somewhat shallow, and even when we finally got to jenny and simon's motivations beyond the obvious, it was too late to actually care about any of it or see them in a different light. it was clear early on that they were desperate and so very young, and the last very, very brutal piece of the puzzle didn't help clear things up for me, just kind of made me sadder for them and their circumstances. i would have loved to have simon's pov, to be honest, it would have given more depth to both his and jenny's situation, and the conflicting feelings towards alice and tom. in fact, the most enjoyable parts for me were the moments were they interacted sans violence, where we glimpsed at something that i think would have been really interesting to explore.

i'm a little uncomfortable about the ending, as well - i'm not going to go into spoilers, but the divide between the "good" couple and the "bad" one just feels too simplistic for such a complicated story. overall, an interesting read if you're into super tense, survival thrillers - just be sure to check the trigger warnings for this!

thank you to netgalley and st. martin's press for the arc!

I was so graciously given an ARC of this title.

This is my first read from Chevy Stevens and WOWOWOWOWOWWWWWWW!! I can confidently say I am a fan!!

The book kept me very engaged and had a nice fast pace. I would definitely recommend this book and would absolutely read it again.

It’s been advised by some very wise people to never pick up hitchhikers. This book is a solid reminder as to why.

Tom and Alice are from Seattle and after suffering a tragedy that left them devastated, Tom bought a Winnebago and they hit the open road, headed for the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal.

Tom is a coach and is warm and friendly. Alice is having a hard time getting back into the swing of things. When Tom sees a young man and a young woman walking down the side of the road with backpacks, not only does he pick them up, he lends them a tent for the night and feeds them.

Alice was suspicious when the couple introduced themselves as Ocean and Blue. She figured that they were just a couple of hippies until she saw their pictures in the newspaper the next day and discovered the boy’s name was Simon and the girl was Jenny.

Game. Changer.

The story is driven by complex characters; people being pushed to their limits and beyond. It’s not for the faint of heart. There is violence and chaos. Simon had no boundaries when he was crossed, yet he was tender and loving with Jenny and respected Alice, even though he forced her into some ugly situations. I never liked him, but there were times when I felt bad for him. That feeling never lasted long.

Jenny was so quiet and mousy. She never wanted to hear anything bad about Simon and calling him out or trying to stop him was a hard no.

As for Alice, she found strength that she didn’t know she had and found herself at the same time. I admired her from the beginning to the end. Heroes don’t always wear jockey shorts. Sometimes they wear bras.

There were some surprises and whopper twists that kept me glued to my Kindle and kept me at the edge of my seat. Despite everything that transpired, the ending was beautiful.

Easy easy five stars!

*I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Release date: October 7, 2025

The first half in of The Hitchhikers started off very strong. I loved the storyline and creepiness of a couple picking up these two hitchhikers while making a road trip across Canada in their camper in the 1970s. It was eerie, atmospheric, and propulsive reading. And then by the time I got to the second half, the writing felt disjointed. Almost as if I was reading two different books. The storyline struggled and I struggled as the reader. I would rate the first half as 5 stars, and the second half as 2 stars so I'm averaging out to give the Hitchhikers 3 stars. Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Chevy Stevens is one of the first authors that got me into reading, so I was over the moon when I saw that I got approved for the ARC!

*The Hitchhikers* by Chevy Stevens is an exciting and suspenseful story about Tom and Alice, a couple trying to fix their broken marriage after a tragic event. Their journey takes a scary turn when they pick up two hitchhikers, Ocean and Blue, who turn out to be more dangerous than they seem.

Stevens does a great job building tension, and you really feel for Tom and Alice as they face unexpected challenges. Their struggle to heal adds depth to the story, making you invested in their outcome.

I really enjoyed this book overall! Even though I saw one of the plot twists coming, it was still a fun read filled with surprises. If you like thrillers that keep you guessing, Definitely worth checking out!

4.5 stars - It would have been 5 stars for me if I didn't guess one of the plot twists, and if the ending was a little different

First, I would like to thank the publisher for letting me read an advanced copy of The Hitchhikers by Chevy Stevens. That said, I have been a fan of Chevy Stevens books for many years and eagerly await the publication of new books. I found this book to be quite predictable early on and without the twists and turns I was so use to.

I’m thrilled to have received this ARC through NetGalley. The Hitchhikers was so good and another book I enjoyed reading. It was filled with twists and turns. I would highly recommend this to friends who love suspense as much as I do. I also recommended this to a good friend whose genre is romance novels but after hearing me talk so much about it, she has it on her TBR list!

3-Star Review: The Hitchhikers by Chevy Stevens
Thank you NetGalley and St Martin's Press for the ARC!

The Hitchhikers delivers a gritty, unsettling story set against the backdrop of the 1970s—a setting I really loved and thought was captured well. The dual POVs from Alice and Jenny add depth and help keep the narrative moving, even when things get a bit bleak.

That said, I struggled to connect with the characters. They felt unlikable and distant, which made it hard to stay emotionally invested, even as the stakes rose. The story definitely gets violent, but that didn’t bother me—in fact, it fits the tone of the book and the dark subject matter.

Overall, while I appreciated the atmosphere and structure, the lack of likable or compelling characters held this one back for me. Still, fans of gritty thrillers with a vintage feel might find it worth the read.

This book had me intrigued from the first page. It made me feel anxious in a good way. I have read several of Chevy Steven's books and I highly recommend this book.

The Hitchhikers by Chevy Stevens was a unputdownable book of twists and turns. Just the title alone gave me chills and the book does not diappoint. A thriller set in 1970, traveling in an RV when the only comunication with the outside world is a newspaper and radio...and then you pick up hitchhikers. It did not disappoint!

The Hitchhikers by Chevy Stevens

5⭐️

Anything by Chevy Stevens is an auto read for me. Her books are always a solid read.

The story was told by 2 POV, Alice and Jenny.

Alice and her husband Tom stumble across 2 seemingly harmless hitchhikers (Blue/Simon and Jenny/Ocean) but soon found they’ve made a big mistake that soon turns them into hostages when the learn the hitchhikers are on the run.

Thank you so much for the wonderful ARC!

When reading the description of this book it sounded like a good suspense story. While reading it I didn't feel sucked in nor were there any surprises in the story. It did have some good bits but wasn't really for me. I will definitely be looking into the author's other books to see if this one was a fluke or if I am not a fan of the writing style.

I really wanted to love this book, but it wasn’t my fav.
The main character was pretty unlikable and I knew the ending was coming.
While it was packed with action and questioning how they would get out of this mess, it was just repetitive.

Alice and Tom are out in their new RV to travel Canada and work on rebuilding their relationship when they meet a young pregnant couple at a campsite. While they seem friendly Alice finds out the complete opposite and their relaxing travels soon become their worst nightmares.

This story is told from 2 POVS, with lengthly chapters.

Thanks NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC!

A fast-paced thriller set in the 1970s filled with suspense and action, or so I thought. The premise sounded interesting, a couple traveling in a foreign country in the 1970s (a time when they would have been cut off from easy communication, relying on the newspaper or watching TV for information) who come across a pair of hitchhikers lying about their identity and are on the run after committing a gruesome murder. I was in! However, none of the characters were likeable. I wasn't invested in either of the female characters (the POVs we get). Alice was a tad more likeable than Jenny. I wish we could have gotten some POV chapters from the male characters not Tom who was easily forgettable, but the unraveling and desperation of Simon would have been a great addition. The pacing was more medium in the first 50% but definitely picked up in the next 25% and then just went off the rails. I will say the eating scenes really took away from the suspense, and it feels like there were a lot of them. This book could have been about 25% shorter overall, with shorter chapters ending with more suspense, and it would have really worked better for me. The setting was perfect, the author did a fantastic job. Overall, it was a 3.75 ⭐ book that was just average for me. Thank you to Net Galley, St. Martin’s Press, and Chevy Stevens for this eARC.

Thank you, Netgalley, and the publisher for the opportunity to read The Hitchhikers by Chevy Stevens.

I was so excited to see a new release coming from Ms. Stevens! I've enjoyed all the others by her that I've read. The Hitchhikers was no exception. Tom and Alice set off in their RV across Canada on a road trip to the Olympics. They have been having a rough few years dealing with miscarriages and, finally, the loss of an infant son. While at their first campground, they meet Blue and Ocean, a young couple who harbor dark secrets. By the time Alice has out together who the couple are, it is too late to get away. The journey cross country continues with Tom and Alice being held hostage by the couple, leaving a path of destruction in their wake. How will this nightmare end...honestly, call me a bit twisted, but I felt this tale of terror had the best happy ever after! Things revealed toward the end of the book were heartbreaking 💔 I enjoyed this read very much!

I’ve been eagerly anticipating Chevy’s new release—she’s been one of my favorite authors. So when I received an advance copy, I was thrilled. Unfortunately, this book didn’t quite meet my expectations. I found myself underwhelmed. The characters felt frustrating and hard to connect with, the plot felt repetitive, and the story offered little in the way of backstory or depth to truly draw me in. Sadly, it also felt predictable, which made it hard to stay engaged. It pains me to say this, as I’ve loved her previous work, but this one just didn’t resonate with me. If you haven’t read any of her books, I highly suggest Still Missing and Those Girls. Thank you to the author, NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to read and review this book.

Chevy Stevens is an auto read/buy for me! When I was contacted by St. Martin's press to read this ARC I seized the day moved it to the top of my list!! I have been anxiously awaiting her latest book. This didn't disappoint. Hitchhikers kept me waiting more I had to find out what happened. I did yell at the characters from time to time but overall I enjoyed this book alot!