Killer on the Road

Harper is a typically teenager who just doesn’t get along with her mother. So she does the only logical thing and runs away. Her plan to hitchhike across country is spoiled when her friends and her ex-boyfriend pick her up on their way out of town. On the road however the group suddenly becomes the target of a serial killer thought to be a highway legend.

I want to point out that the physical version of this book is part of a “double feature” that includes The Babysitter Lives. You might remember I previously reviewed that one when it was only available as an audiobook. If you still haven’t read it, this is a great combo of books to own.

This book was short, but wow was it adrenaline-packed! It just takes off running and doesn’t stop.

I really liked every character in this book, but it didn’t start that way. Protagonist Harper was a bit annoying when we first met her, but that comes off as intentional. She’s a very typical teenager who thinks she knows better. Harper and her mom push each other’s buttons. But as the plot progresses, Harper definitely goes through some important character development. The rest of the supporting cast was just as well developed. Each person brought something that really worked for the ensemble.

The action and danger were really accentuated by the fact that the whole thing takes place along a long stretch of highway. For me, this falls into the “one room/scene” category I love so much. (Though full disclosure, there are a few stops along the way, so it very loosely counts.) The author really paints a vivid picture of the horrors the characters go through while on the road. It is TENSE the entire time, and the characters really have no idea who to trust. This is the villain’s domain, and he lets them know it at every opportunity.

The end was interesting, though just a wee bit ambiguous. I didn’t necessarily find this a bad thing. There is a sense of “what do you think happened” that goes along with this, and to be fair, I’m not sure what outcome I prefer or that I thought would make the most sense. If anything, it makes for a great discussion topic with others who have read it.

This was a fantastic read that keeps you on the edge of your seat the whole time. By the time you get to the end, you are blindsided by a great twist that, in hindsight, you should have seen coming all along.

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