Review by Jill Hedgecock
Those Girls (St. Martins Griffin, 2016, paperback, 400 pages, $17.10) by Chevy Stevens is a novel about three teen Canadian sisters, Jess, Dani, and Courtney, who make a life-altering mistake that leaves them fleeing from the law. The three orphaned sisters head for the Vancouver but run into trouble when their truck breaks down in a rural town named Cash Creek. With no money and on the run, they make the unfortunate decision to put their trust in two boys who promise to help them. The girls become imprisoned in an abandoned building.
Told initially from the perspective of the youngest girl, Jess, some passages are hard to take. The suspense is sometimes almost unbearable, but what carries the book is the bond between the sisters.
The girls eventually escape their imprisonment, and with the assistance of a caring bystander, they change their names and start a new life. However, Courtney (now going by the name of Crystal), who suffered the most egregious abuse from the boys, never fully recovers. Jess winds up pregnant and decides to keep the child, which sets up the second half of the book, which takes place eighteen years later and is told from the perspective of Jess’ teen daughter, Skylar. Skylar doesn’t know the truth about her father or the abuse her mother and two aunts endured as teens. Skylar is aware of Crystal’s self-destructive behavior but is very fond of her aunt. When Crystal decides to return to Cash Creek and take revenge, Skylar follows her into a dangerous situation, leaving the reader wondering if history will repeat itself.
This book is not for everyone. The abuse scenes are often written in graphic detail. But those who love a gripping, page-turning thriller will not be disappointed. I found myself drawn into the plight of these girls and charmed by their commitment to each other, even into adulthood. Theirs is a story of survival and the strength. Fans of Frieda McFadden, Lisa Jewell and Karin Slaughter will likely enjoy Chevy Steven’s latest edge-of-your-seat novel.
Chevy Stevens is the New York Times Bestselling Author of That Night. Still Missing also won the International Thriller Writers Award for Best First Novel. Her books, including Those Girls, which Stephen King called “incredibly scary,” have been published in more than thirty countries and optioned for film. Her seventh novel, Dark Roads, was released in 2021. Her new release, The Hitchhikers, is scheduled to be released in October 2025. She lives on Vancouver Island with her husband, daughter, and two dogs. Learn more through her website at chevystevens.com.
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