The Hitchhikers Chevy Stevens
Right Turn, Wrong Destination
While Chevy Stevens remains one of my “must-read” authors, this particular journey didn’t quite reach the destination I was hoping for. It served as a solid companion for a day of data entry, but it lacked the emotional depth I’ve come to expect from her work.
The story follows Tom and Alice as they trek across Canada in their new RV. When they pick up two young hitchhikers, a routine act of kindness quickly spirals into a nightmare. I’ll give the book credit: the initial twist caught me completely off guard, and I always appreciate a plot that subverts my expectations.
However, the momentum struggled to stay in gear. The characters felt one-dimensional; while they were haunted by “demons” on paper, those complexities were never fully explored, leaving them feeling more like plot devices than real people. This lack of development, combined with a repetitive middle act, dampened the impact of the finale. Had the prose been tighter and the character arcs richer, the ending would have really landed a punch.
It’s a decent “popcorn” thriller, but not Stevens’ best. I’m still a fan, but I’ll be looking for a bit more grit and a few more twists in her next release.
