The Hitchhikers by Chevy Stevens

 

It’s the summer of 1976 and Alice and Tom set out on the remote Canadian highways in their new RV, hoping to heal their broken hearts after a devastating tragedy.

They’ve planned the trip perfectly, taken care of every detail. Then they meet two young hitchhikers down on their luck and offer them a ride. But Simon and Jenny aren’t what they seem. They’ve left a trail of blood, destruction, and madness behind them.

Now Alice and Tom are trapped, prisoners in a deadly game, with nowhere to turn. As the tension builds, the lines blur, and the question becomes, In whose heart does evil truly lie? What secrets are Jenny and Simon hiding? And who will live another day? chevystevens.com

If you grew up in the early 80s like I did, television was full of “very special” episodes or films to caution the youth on the world’s dangers such as hitchhiking and bumming a ride in a stranger’s car.  But what about the reverse?  What if the hitchhikers themselves are the ones with sinister motives?

Chevy Stevens takes readers for one hell of a thrill ride with her latest novel, The Hitchhikers.  It’s not a surprise to the reader that Simon and Jenny are not the innocent couple they pretend to be when they are picked up by Tom and Alice.  However Stevens creates such a fully developed setting and characters within the first few pages that you’re screaming with everything inside you for Tom and Alice simply pass Simon and Jenny by and continue on with their trip.  Of course that would leave us with one very short story.  LOL   Once Alice and Tom discover who Simon and Jenny really are, Stevens pumps the gas and doesn’t let go.  When I watch any horror movie I’m always thinking about what I would do and how I would escape.  This book was no exception, I was in the driver’s seat with Alice, scared out of my mind but determined to survive.  There’s a couple more sharp curves on the road of Simon and Jenny’s story too.  Some I predicted, some really surprised me. 

This was the first novel I read by Chevy Stevens and it certainly won’t be my last.  She has a knack for great characters and storytelling.

I was fortunate enough to get an ARC of The Hitchhikers by Chevy Stevens thanks to the publisher St. Martin's Press via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. 

You can find your copies at your local bookstore, library or online shop.  Just don’t pick up any strangers along the way OK?

 For more information, visit the author's website linked above. 

 

 

The Academy by Elin Hilderbrand and Shelby Cunningham

 

 It’s move-in day at Tiffin Academy and amidst the happy chaos of friends reuniting, selfies uploading, and cars unloading, shocking news arrives: America Today just ranked Tiffin the number two boarding school in the country. It’s a seventeen-spot jump – was there a typo? The dorms need to be renovated, their sports teams always come in last place, and let’s just say Tiffin students are known for being more social than academic. On the other hand, the campus is exquisite, class sizes are small, and the dining hall is run by an acclaimed New York chef. And they do have fun—lots of parties and school dances, and a piano man plays in the student lounge every Monday night.

But just as the rarefied air of Tiffin is suffused with self-congratulation, the wheels begin to turn – and then they fall off the bus. One by one, scandalous blind items begin to appear on phones across Tiffin’s campus, thanks to a new app called ZipZap, and nobody is safe. From Davi Banerjee, international influencer and resident queen bee, to Simone Bergeron, the new and surprisingly young history teacher, to Charley Hicks, a transfer student who seems determined not to fit in, to Cordelia Spooner, Admissions Director with a somewhat idiosyncratic methodology – everyone has something to hide.

As if high school wasn’t dramatic enough…As the year unfolds, bonds are forged and broken, secrets are shared and exposed, and the lives of Tiffin’s students and staff are changed forever.- elinhilderbrand.com

 

Boarding schools are one of my favorite settings for novels.  I was disappointed when I heard that Elin Hilderbrand was “retiring” and wasn’t going to write any more Nantucket books.  They were always part of my summer reading.  Fortunately, she announced soon after that she had co-written a new novel with her daughter, Shelby Cunningham, set at a boarding school. 

The Academy of course trades the familiar beach vibes for fall season academic vibes.  Hilderbrand’s past work shone with immersive setting details and a cast of characters.  The Academy builds on those past strengths.  Hilderbrand credits Cunningham, who graduated from a boarding school with providing the inspiration for this work and these experiences definitely seemed to add to the details.  Although I sure hope Cunningham’s time at school was less dramatic.  I was drawn into this new environment from page one and quickly found myself wanting to visit Tiffin Academy and meet the vast group of characters from the faculty/staff to the students.  While most of the plot lines are resolved by the novel’s conclusion, there are a few unanswered which will presumably be answered in the follow-up novel due next Fall.  Hilderbrand also teased on her socials that it would be up to Cunningham to continue the story solo after the next installment.  After reading The Academy I think you’ll agree, this series should become an annual treat.

I was on the waitlist for The Academy from the local library with and estimated wait time of several months.  I just couldn't wait that long to read this and picked it up at the mall.  You can find yours at your local library, bookstore or online retailer.  For more information, visit the author's website linked above. 

 

 

She Didn't See It Coming by Shari Lapena

 

Bryden and Sam have it all - thriving careers, a smart apartment in a luxury condominium, supportive friends and a cherished daughter.

The perfect life for the perfect couple.

Then Sam receives a call at his office. Bryden – working from home that day - has failed to collect their daughter from daycare.

Arriving home with their little girl, he finds his wife’s car in the underground garage. Upstairs in their apartment her laptop is open on the table, her cell phone nearby, her keys in their usual place in the hall.

Except Bryden is nowhere to be seen. It’s as if she just walked out.

How can she have disappeared from her own home? And did she even leave the building at all?

With every minute that passes – and as questions swirl around their community – Bryden and Sam’s past seems a little less perfect, their condominium less safe, their friends, neighbours and relatives no longer quite so reliable . . . sharilapena.com

 

I was on the wait list for this one at my local library and boy was it worth the wait!  The story moved at a breakneck pace with twists at every turn.  Just when you thought you’d figured the whodunit out, another piece of the puzzle was revealed.   While this story was told through multiple POVs, it was easy to remember who was who thanks to well developed characters.  I won’t name names to avoid spoilers but one character was such as a masterfully diabolical sociopath that I hope the author brings this individual back in another story.  If you love great thrillers, definitely pick up She Didn’t See It Coming by Shari Lapena.  I will definitely be adding some of her backlist titles to my TBR list.

You can request your copy at your local library like I did or get it at your local bookstore or online shop. For more information, visit the author's website linked above.