Gillian Flynn's Gone Girl shook the pillars of suspense fiction in ways I have not seen since Thomas Harris unleashed The Silence of the Lambs into the world. Writers latched themselves onto the domestic suspense subgenre like flies on the corpse of a serial killer.
I certainly haven't read all the books that followed, but so many writers tied themselves into knots in a literary game of Twister. Riley Sager, Sarah Pinborough, Jenna Rose are a few of the most egregious examples. Twisty thrillers, Kings and Queens of the Twist, convoluted plots, and hackneyed contrivances blew the minds of credulous readers.
One author who never played that game is Chevy Stevens. Her thrillers exist in a world of their own. I won't use the belabored description of 'singular talent' that gets thrown around far too often these days, but in her case it happens to be true.
Chevy's novels are gripping, surprising, and deeply human, without resorting to aspartame-schmaltzy happy endings.
The Hitchhikers is the first Chevy Stevens book in four years, which demonstrates that she isn't part of the assembly line creative typists who crank out book after book like burgers at a fast food chain.
Happily, The Hitchhikers was worth the wait.
It's the Summer of 1976, in Chevy's native Canada. American tourists Alice and Tom are abroad in an RV, taking their time and seeing the sights. A tragedy occurred in their recent past and they hope the trip will help them heal.
Alice and Tom see a young couple on the road, Simon and Jenny, bumming their way across the countryside. The kids are obviously in love and appear to be down on their luck. They seem like decent people who need a break, so the older couple pick the hitchhikers up and agree to take them along to a city. Big, big mistake.
Jenny is pregnant and it's quickly apparent that she is an abuse survivor. Simon's love for her is evident, but he has a sadistic streak and will stop at nothing help them find the happiness they seek.
Alice and Tom are held hostage and they are off on a perilous journey of violence and desperation. Tom is injured and suffering. Alice is terrified. Simon is angry, while Jenny is bewildered in her struggle between loyalty to Simon and a core of human decency.
The Hitchhikers barrels down the road at breakneck speed, only slowing down to give readers a respite from the suspense. Tom grows weaker, Alice more determined, while Simon stops at nothing in his foolhardy quest to find freedom. Jenny gradually loses trust in Simon, but she feels that any route she and the group take will lead to a devastating conclusion for her and her unborn child.
Many books of this type have frustrating conclusions. The Hitchhikers ends at a destination I wasn't expecting, but it is believable and satisfying. It's a bittersweet finale, neither completely happy or sad. A perfect resolution for the bad ride the characters were on.
Chevy Stevens gets better with each book and every one shows growth and increased maturity. She's one of the finest suspense writers working today. Take a chance and pick up The Hitchhikers. I doubt you'll regret the decision.
Written by Mark Sieber
I certainly haven't read all the books that followed, but so many writers tied themselves into knots in a literary game of Twister. Riley Sager, Sarah Pinborough, Jenna Rose are a few of the most egregious examples. Twisty thrillers, Kings and Queens of the Twist, convoluted plots, and hackneyed contrivances blew the minds of credulous readers.
One author who never played that game is Chevy Stevens. Her thrillers exist in a world of their own. I won't use the belabored description of 'singular talent' that gets thrown around far too often these days, but in her case it happens to be true.
Chevy's novels are gripping, surprising, and deeply human, without resorting to aspartame-schmaltzy happy endings.
The Hitchhikers is the first Chevy Stevens book in four years, which demonstrates that she isn't part of the assembly line creative typists who crank out book after book like burgers at a fast food chain.
Happily, The Hitchhikers was worth the wait.
It's the Summer of 1976, in Chevy's native Canada. American tourists Alice and Tom are abroad in an RV, taking their time and seeing the sights. A tragedy occurred in their recent past and they hope the trip will help them heal.
Alice and Tom see a young couple on the road, Simon and Jenny, bumming their way across the countryside. The kids are obviously in love and appear to be down on their luck. They seem like decent people who need a break, so the older couple pick the hitchhikers up and agree to take them along to a city. Big, big mistake.
Jenny is pregnant and it's quickly apparent that she is an abuse survivor. Simon's love for her is evident, but he has a sadistic streak and will stop at nothing help them find the happiness they seek.
Alice and Tom are held hostage and they are off on a perilous journey of violence and desperation. Tom is injured and suffering. Alice is terrified. Simon is angry, while Jenny is bewildered in her struggle between loyalty to Simon and a core of human decency.
The Hitchhikers barrels down the road at breakneck speed, only slowing down to give readers a respite from the suspense. Tom grows weaker, Alice more determined, while Simon stops at nothing in his foolhardy quest to find freedom. Jenny gradually loses trust in Simon, but she feels that any route she and the group take will lead to a devastating conclusion for her and her unborn child.
Many books of this type have frustrating conclusions. The Hitchhikers ends at a destination I wasn't expecting, but it is believable and satisfying. It's a bittersweet finale, neither completely happy or sad. A perfect resolution for the bad ride the characters were on.
Chevy Stevens gets better with each book and every one shows growth and increased maturity. She's one of the finest suspense writers working today. Take a chance and pick up The Hitchhikers. I doubt you'll regret the decision.
Written by Mark Sieber
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