Roadshow

by Nikki Ervice

272 pages, Hardcover

Expected publication November 10, 2026

Reviews

[Chelsea Knowles · Rating 3 out of 5]

*Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance reader copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.*

Roadshow follows Annie who wears a dog mask as she dances at Club X. Her act leans towards burlesque and she is known as Dog-Faced girl. This isn’t her ideal job but it is a way for Annie to show her love for dancing. Annie receives a letter from her estranged mother in the post saying she is dying so she knows she has to go back to Alaska where her mother is. Annie’s mother left her when she was only a few days old so she was raised by her workaholic father. She is nervous to properly meet her mother but knows she must. Annie decides to drive to Alaska and work at dancing and stripping at clubs she finds on the way to Alaska. The journey isn’t simple though and Annie’s attempts at making money don’t go well but she will do anything to make it to her mother.

This book is written well and this author has a way with words. Each word felt carefully chosen by the author and I think the writing really stands out in this book. I easily connected with Annie and generally this was an enjoyable book to read. The dancing/stripping element was interesting to me and I would have liked that to be a bigger element in this book. I struggled to connect to Vera but I found the ending to be very emotional. I would recommend this book if you like slow, introspective novels that deal with mother-daughter relationships. 3.5 stars.

[Megan Magee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dog-Faced Girl, Annie, is working at a burlesque club, known for dancing with her face covered with a dog mask. Her father has recently passed away, so she finds herself at a bit of an impasse, and then she receives a letter that her mother, Vera, is dying. Annie sets out with her meager earnings to meet the woman for the first time, and this book follows her feelings on the journey as well as her charming and beguiling run-ins along the way. Annie's moods seem sometimes tenuous at best, especially when she gets to America and sees her beloved form of dancing is much different and referred to as 'stripping' here. I adored the cultural references and being in the head of this character- I felt for her entirely, and got so nervous during some of her encounters. This one was definitely hard to predict what came next, in a great way. Thanks to NetGalley and Astra Publishing House for the eARC. All opinions are my own.

[Sophie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review of advanced copy from Netgalley

Annie is not okay. She's a dancer struggling to make ends meet, with a perfunctory relationship, grieving the recent loss of her father and her absentee mother has written to say she's dying. So we're along for the ride as she drives across countries to Alaska to meet the mother she's never known, before it's too late.

Annie is a passive narrator, allowing her actions and those of people around her to tell the story. It's a beautiful technique as you feel the ennui and exhaustion of her every day life, whilst holding out hope that she has something good coming her way.

This was a beautiful slice of life but a little hard going so definitely make sure you're in the right headspace for it.

Thanks again to Astra Publishing House and Netgalley for this ARC.

[Jessi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Roadshow felt like one long exhausted breath in the best way possible. Annie is messy, lonely, grieving, and honestly kind of drifting through her own life, which made the whole book feel painfully real to me. There’s this constant sense of movement without actually escaping anything. Even when she’s crossing the country, she still feels trapped inside herself.

I really loved how quiet this book was. Not much “happens” in a traditional sense, but emotionally it felt heavy the entire time. The roadside encounters, the awkwardness, the loneliness, the complicated feelings around family and womanhood... it all felt very intimate and human.

Also, the atmosphere of this book worked so well for me. Sticky, tired, melancholic road trip energy. It made me feel weirdly hollow after finishing it, which I mean as a compliment.

[Karyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

A melancholy road trip, fleeting menacing encounters.

Annie struggles to make ends meet while dancing in character as dog-face girl, she’s grieving the recent death of her father when her mother, who’d abandoned her as a baby, writes to say she is dying at home in Alaska.

With no funds, a borrowed car and a friend to house sit, Annie makes the road trip from the mid west, through Canada and into Alaska.

As an incredibly passive narrator, Annie is a little frustrating, but stick with the book as a reader you will get into the groove of her mindset - and it’s a rewarding beautifully told story.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher Astra Publishing House for the ARC, in exchange for an honest review.

[Kimberly · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a well-written and interesting story about complex women, trauma, sexuality, and travel. It starts out strong, but the middle lagged for me. I had to pick the book back up a few times, but I stayed the course, and it was worth it.


Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC.

[August Thompson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant and beguiling novel, with a deep sense of empathy and desperation.