Audiobook Review: The Hitchhiker by Tanisha Stewart
The Hitchhiker
Series: The Red Series
Author: Tanisha Stewart
Narrator: J.R. Mason
Published: August 21, 2025
Audiobook: 3 hours 59 minutes
Reviewed By: Jessica
Dates Listened To: October 23-25, 2026
Jessica’s Rating: 4 stars
Book Description:
They call it stranger danger for a reason… The Hitchhiker is a pulse pounding psychological thriller by the bestselling author of Everybody Ain’t Your Friend and The Quiet Ones series.
When Vanessa Thompson agrees to fly across the country to meet her online crush, she never imagines she’s walking straight into a killer’s trap. Kidnapped and tortured by a sadistic predator, Vanessa endures unspeakable horrors as the clock ticks down on her survival. With only seven days before her captor’s deadly countdown ends, every breath could be her last.
As investigators search for a woman who seems to have vanished without a trace, Vanessa faces a desperate battle against time itself. Trapped in a nightmare where hope fades with each passing hour, she must find the strength to outsmart a monster – or become another missing person who never makes it home.
Jessica’s Review:
The Hitchhiker was the third novella in The Red Series I listened to by Tanisha Stewart, and so far, it is my favorite! The Hitchhiker is fast paced and disturbing as Hell! It does not come off as a novella, but it was also a complete story in the span of just a four hour listen. Please note that there is some graphic violence/ torture that might be disturbing to some readers.
This novella gives a word of caution to “Stranger Danger”! And I find this a bit ironic coming from the reviewer who just last month did a ‘Stranger Photo Session’… The Hitchhiker is also a cautionary tale of being careful of just who and where you meet your ‘online friends’ or ‘online romance partner’.
So much happens right from the beginning of this novella and yet again, Ms. Stewart goes in a direction I would never have anticipated! We have Vanessa who flies across the country to meet her online crush/relationship of over two years. And she ends up in a terror situation. The past also comes into play with the characters, and we see just how the past affects the present.
J.R. Mason returns as narrator and she did a fantastic job. This was one narration that worked for me! In addition to her narration there were again sounds effects which also enhanced the story. The only negative I experienced also occurred in The Babysitter audiobook regarding editing: Some chapters ended and immediately the next chapter started without the narrator seemingly taking a breath. Fortunately this did not happen for every chapter.
I did have an issue with the title of the novella, as hitchhiking was not a part of the story. There was a very small part where there were car issues, and Vanessa getting picked up. For me a different title for this novella would have been better.
I do want to listen to more of The Red Series. Since these are novellas, I will have to wait until they are on sale as I don’t want to use an Audible credit for a short listen. I will also look at other novels that Ms. Stewart has written.
I am very happy that the Facebook algorithm introduced me to Ms. Stewart’s writings!
Audiobook Review: The Student by Tanisha Stewart
The Student
Series: The Red Series
Author: Tanisha Stewart
Narrator: Edwin Andrews
Published: July 11, 2024
Audiobook: 3 hours 00 minutes
Reviewed By: Jessica
Dates Listened To: October 22-23, 2026
Jessica’s Rating: 2.5 stars
Novella Description:
Nicholas always strived for perfection, but he never could measure up to his mother’s unreasonable demands. His hopes of passing the prerequisites for the pre-med program at the prestigious Plankton University are dashed when he fails out.
He has almost lost hope, but maybe he can find it in psychology?
Until he encounters Professor Jackson. For an introductory class, her standards are way too high. As time wears on, Nicholas feels like he’s in over his head. His mother doesn’t know his secret, Professor Jackson won’t let up on his grades, and sooner or later, the walls will come crashing down around him.
Maybe Nicholas can reason with Professor Jackson. Maybe he can make her see his point of view.
Maybe they can come to an agreement about his grades?
Because the only other alternative is to kill her.
Jessica’s Review:
The Student just did not work for me. We have two povs in this novella: Nicholas and Professor Jackson.
Nicholas’ ultimate goal is pre-med and he signed up to take Professor Jackson’s introductory psychology class. Nicholas strives for 100% perfection, anything less is failing. And he receives a 90 on a test and this is not good enough for Nicholas. He becomes increasingly unhinged, to a detrimental fault. He is determined to receive a high A, at any cost.
We also have Professor Paris Jackson who is dealing with a few issues: a recent break up where her significant other lied to her on serious issues. She is also dealing with a lack of respect from her superior. Whenever emails are sent her superior addresses her as Paris versus the Professor, which she has rightfully earned.
With a downhill descent from Nicholas, it just doesn’t make sense as to just why a 90 is not good enough. So many times, he mentions he is failing. This is his mindset in that he IS failing. The listener then experiences his childhood, and we come to understand Nicholas’s issues. But then the situation he puts himself and Professor Jackson in is an extreme.
The execution of this story just didn’t work for me. I think we might have needed to go deeper into fully understanding Nicholas’s thinking. I kept thinking “You aren’t failing!” I did like the ending, as it was satisfying. If this had been the first of Stewart’s novellas I had listened to I don’t think I would have listened to the third one that I was able to get on Audible for free.
Purchase Links:
Amazon US
Amazon UK
Audiobook Review: The Babysitter by Tanisha Stewart
The Babysitter
Series: The Red Series
Author: Tanisha Stewart
Narrator: J.R. Mason
Published: November 21, 2025
Audiobook: 3 hours 58 minutes
Reviewed By: Jessica
Dates Listened: October 8-9, 2026
Jessica’s Rating: 4 stars
Audiobook Description:
Hell hath no fury like a mother scorned …
When Sariah Simmons accepts a week-long babysitting position for the affluent Rodwell family, she sees it as the perfect opportunity. But behind the pristine walls of their suburban home, she discovers disturbing signs that something isn’t right.
Caroline Rodwell, a traveling nurse, keeps everything under strict control. Her husband Richard maintains their picture-perfect image. But basements hold secrets, and perfect families often hide the darkest truths.
As Sariah digs deeper into the Rodwells’ world, she realizes she’s not the only one harboring dangerous secrets. In a high-stakes game of deception where lives hang in the balance, the truth could destroy everything – and everyone – in its path.
Jessica’s Review:
Tanisha Stewart’s author Facebook page popped up on my feed and I looked her up. She has written The Red series among her other novels. The Red series is a series of standalone thriller novellas that can be read in any order. I also saw there were three available for free on Audible, so I grabbed them and listened to all three. I started with The Babysitter.
There are sound effects which enhanced the listening experience for me. I always enjoy immersive listens. I did have one issue with the narrator: She did not distinguish between the two povs of Sariah and Caroline; so there were times I had to go back to catch whose pov each short chapter was from. Another issue seemed to be the editing: One chapter ended and immediately the next chapter started, seemingly without a breath in between. And when there was a twist, sometimes a listener just has to have some kind of break to take in that twist before going on to the next chapter. This was for every chapter.
Otherwise, I really enjoyed this novella! It was suspenseful and I wanted to get to the end to find out just what was going to happen! The direction the novella goes in was very unique and unexpected! I will just say that everyone has secrets and the way the past and present come together for a conclusion, it was brilliant for me.
I was very happy to have found this novella for free on Audible!
Purchase Links:
Amazon US
Amazon UK