Review: The Hitchhikers by Chevy Stevens

The Hitchhikers by Chevy Stevens
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I was provided an ALC and ARC of this book via Netgalley, all opinions are my own.

Set in the 70s, Tom and Alice set out on a road trip to visit the beauty of Canada's wilderness on their way to the Olympics in an effort to reconnect and heal after a tragic loss.  They Americans have planned their stops and activities at various RV parks and campgrounds and National Parks, purchased an RV, and have their tickets for the Olympics secured.  During their first stop they run into a young couple who appear to be hitchhiking, and in a kind gesture invite them to dinner and use of their spare tent for the night.  Tom being hospitable offers to give the couple a lift to their next stop.  Alice doesn't get a great feeling from the teens, but she decides to let it go for now as she's been trapped in a state of depression for a long time.  At a quick stop for gas Alice discovers that their passengers are on the run from the law and not who they claimed to be.  This puts Tom and Alice in danger and instead of a fun sightseeing vacation sets them on a dangerous flight from authorities with two very unstable teenagers.

This is told mainly from Alice's perspective, but we also get insights from Jenny, the pregnant teen who's boyfriend is holding Tom and Alice prisoner in their RV.  From Jenny we learn how she and Simon met and why they are on the run together.  We learn why she is so loyal to him and about her messed up home life, and her lack of knowledge about the world.  From Alice we get all of the tension about being held at gunpoint while her husband is injured and constantly threatened by a crazy teenager who is scared of being caught, but also has also unlocked his violent side and wants to protect Jenny in his own irrational way.  This is action packed, violent and gruesome at times, and the tension remains high throughout the book.  Alice plays her part to keep herself and Tom alive, but she is always looking for a way to escape, while trying to convince Jenny that Simon is not a good person.  The ending was unexpected.

This is my first book by the author and I very much enjoyed it,  I'm looking forward to reading more from the author!

View all my reviews