Great writing. I felt I were out on the river too and I could feel the atmosphere of the place. It was a something is not quite right here but what is it!?
And that ending....wow!!

A wonderfully descriptive adventure. The author places the reader right into the setting. I can smell the coffee and feel the fish pulling on the rod. The storyline is full of twists and turns as it infolds. The characters are fully developed and the reader gets drawn right in to the adventure.

Peter Heller, author of the bestselling novel "The River", brings his trademark writing style and outdoors experience to his newest book, "The Guide." This book focuses on Jack, a former rancher who takes some time off to be a wilderness guide at the very exclusive Kingfisher Lodge. What seems like a dream come true quickly becomes a nightmare once he realizes that nefarious things are happening behind the scenes. While visitors have come to have a wilderness experience, still others are being kidnapped and forced to participate in a medical experiment that is meant to cure Covid. Will Jack be able to figure it out and rescue others before it's too late?

I thought it was interesting that the Coronavirus was included in this book. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

This book was like a river- slow moving until you hit that waterfall at the very end of the book and things absolutely went bananas. If you enjoyed Heller's other work, the River you will love this one. Jack has had an insane last couple years and he is still not the same. He takes a job as a fly fishing instructor at a resort in Colorado (this is so fun because I am very familiar with these types of resorts as I have friends in that profession). Jack is assigned to be the guide for Allison who is a famous singer and on one of their adventures they discover that there are barbed wire fences. What Jack wants to know is, are they intended to keep people out--- or keep people in the lodge. Hellers descriptive writing makes this a fully immersive book which is so enjoyable.

This is a slight sequel to The River and in this story Jack goes to Kingfisher Lodge to be a fly fishing guide and it isn't long before strange things begin happening- sounds outside his cabin at night, questionable but wealthy guests that may be there for reasons they aren't being truthful about. What I liked: Jack, setting of the wilderness, cabins and lodge, the short length- can finish in a long evening. I liked Jack, really enjoyed the atmospheric way the author writes but there was a lack of suspense to the writing. I wasn't very impressed by the resolution and felt that there was unnecessary violence toward women at one point

Jack, a rancher and fishing guide, takes a summer job at an exclusive fly-fishing resort in Colorado guiding wealthy clients. His first client, Alison, is a famous singer who loves fishing and is looking to take a break from society. As they move up and down the river, in their quest to land a big catch, they cross over onto the neighbor's property and are shot at as a warning for trespassing. Jack has an uneasy feeling about the neighboring ranch and so he investigates further. As he and Alison learn more and more about the neighboring ranch, the elite resort they are staying at, and the wealthy guests that don't look as refreshed as they should, the story takes a dark turn.

The plot is fast-paced and set in a not-to0-distance future in a world still dealing with deadly viruses and a pandemic. The descriptive beauty of Heller's words as he describes fishing, the river, and the land are what made this book for me and I really liked the characters, Jack and Alison. This is a stand-alone sequel to Peter Heller's book, The River. Recommended for fans of outdoor adventure and suspense. A solid 3.5 star rating.

Thank you to Peter Heller, Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group, and NetGalley for an advanced eBook in exchange for my honest opinion.

Maybe this wasn't my favorite Peter Heller... but he still gets 5 stars. Just because I love his writing. His descriptions of nature are mesmerizing and reflect his love of the earth. Not sure there is another writer who masters the subtle building of tension as well as Heller. This is a bit of a mystery combined with all of the elements you have seen before. Don't miss.

I'm a huge Peter Heller fan and was so looking forward to this novel. He writes beautifully about nature and fishing, and continued the story of one of the characters from The River, which I loved. But I found this novel to be a bit too commercial for my taste and to stretch credibility. Heller writes sensitively and brilliantly about young men; I wish he'd given as much depth to his main female character in this book.

The Guide by Peter Heller
Publication date: August 24, 2021

Date read: November 25, 2021



Three years after the events of The River, Jack decides to take a job as a fishing guide at an elite resort catering to the rich, famous, and other who wish to remain anonymous and escape from the pandemic running through the cities. His first client is a famous singer, and his only job is to carry her gear, rig her line, and give her advice on how to catch the best trout in the river. But a few things aren’t adding up to Jack. He never sees anyone else fishing, despite their being other guests staying at the resort, and the security is just a little too extreme. It’s not long before Jack realizes that idyllic fishing lodge might just be a cover for something more sinister, and he’s not sure who he can trust.

Note: This is a sequel to The River, but only in that one of the main characters from The River is also the main character here, and events from The River will be spoiled if you read this book first. It is not necessary to read The River before reading The Guide, but if you plan to read The River at some point, I would definitely recommend reading it first, as the ending will be spoiled for you if you read The Guide first.

Other than having the same main character, this book is so far off from The River that I sometimes had a hard time believing it was the same author. If you were looking for a thriller with The River and were disappointed, this is the book you were looking for.

The times when I could easily believe that the same author wrote both books was when the characters were out in nature. The book takes place at an elite fishing lodge, and there are multiple scenes where the characters just do some fishing. This author is amazing at making the reader feel like they’re out in nature, describing the scenes in a beautiful, but not overly flowery, way. Also, fans of fishing will get a little extra out of these scenes because of the way the scenes are written. Specific lures and techniques are mentioned but not explained, so to the uninitiated they’re just words, but to someone who knows fishing, I’m sure they’re cool details. (Don’t worry, though, non fishermen won’t feel lost - it’s not like a lack of knowledge will make you miss any major plot points.)

But in the end, this book was a great mystery/thriller. Throughout most of the book, the reader is in the dark as much as Jack is, and there are enough hints that things are wrong to keep the reader interested and guessing. And I felt that the payoff was worth it. I can’t say much more without getting into spoiler territory, but I loved following Jack as he tried to make sense of what was going on. Plus, unlike a lot of thriller protagonists, he didn’t make stupid decisions, for the most part. I often find, when reading this type of book, that the protagonists make really risky decisions simply to move the story along, even if they don’t make sense as something that a normal person would do. Jack felt incredibly believable in these situations and was easy to root for.

Overall, this is a good thriller for anyone who likes the genre, but those who like fishing and nature will get a little extra out of it.

Rating: 4 stars

Trigger warning: pandemic, PTSD, death, murder, mauling, medical treatment against patients will

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book.

Heller’s writing of the Colorado wild is truly beautiful. I actually live in the state which and felt an extra connection to that element making the book come even more alive. I also deeply appreciated his ability to transport me so completely to the fly fishing world, I’ve never done it but after reading this I have a strong desire to give it a try.

The end was a wild ride, which I wasn’t quite ready for, but upon reflection it worked okay for me. All in all I enjoyed this escape and can definitely see myself reading more from Heller in the future.

Thank you Netgalley and Penguin Random House of the digital copy in exchange for an honest review!

I really enjoyed this follow-up to The River, though you don't have to read The River to enjoy this book. Heller's writing is descriptive and lyrical and the puzzle Jack encounters is compelling.

Thanks to NetGalley for providing me with a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Hmm... a lot of good here, but didn't quite have the magic that The River did. Not a bad book, just not one that will stick with me long term. The writing was there, but I felt likle something was missing.

Jack is trying to heal from former trauma, and gets a job as a guide at an exclusive resort, the Kingfisher Lodge. These are the wealthiest people in the area who are looking to get away and to be one with nature. It's very well maintained and guarded, no one can get in the grounds without passing through security.

Jack gets assigned to work with a successful singer. One day when he's out on the river, he hears a scream that doesn't sound normal. He tries to bring it up, but no one wants to listen. It makes Jack question all of what's going on in the secluded grounds.

This wasn't a thriller, but it wasn't compelling enough for what the plot advertised. I wanted more action, as was in The River, but maybe this fell victim to expectations set by its predecessor. I'll still definitely read this author again.

My brief thoughts are here https://www.bethfishreads.com/2021/11/what-i-read-in-october-part-i.html and also appear on Goodreads

This is an excellent adventure thriller. It is my first experience with this author, so I don't have much to compare it to. It was exciting and hard to put down. If you're looking for an engaging adventure story, definitely give this a whirl.

Jack takes a job as a fishing guide at an exclusive retreat in the woods. Immediately upon arriving, he starts to notice that there is something fishy going on. I'll leave the rest of it for you to discover.

Overall, this was an ok book for me. There were plenty of interesting events that took place that kept me hooked, but there were also things that just didn't make sense.

I really enjoyed that it revolved around fly fishing and the outdoors. That really isn't a setting that is used very often and having a brief history with it myself, added to the scenery in my head.

I liked Jack and Allison's characters, they were likeable and had interesting back stories. Their relationship kind of fell flat for me, the dialogue was a little underwhelming. Some of the things they do are also frustrating and unrealistic.

The concept of what actually took place was very creepy. I think it was a unique idea and enjoyed the process of getting to the plot twist and action.

If you are not into reading books that talk about a pandemic and virus closely similar to COVID 19 , then don’t read this!

Jack takes over as a guide for a fishing resort for the wealthy, but eventually he starts to realize things aren’t just about the fishing at the lodge. After hearing a piercing scream one night he really starts to delve into what is truly going on.

It started off slow but once it picked up I was able to grasp an idea of what could be going on, and I was right, which made it just “ok” for me in the end.

After the events of The River, Jack takes a job as a fishing guide for the second half of the season at an expensive resort in the Rockies, the previous guide having abruptly quit. His first client is a famous singer who is a competent fisherwoman and this should be an easy job. But Jack, haunted by his past, is troubled by the inconsistencies and odd behavior he sees at the resort.

The Guide by Peter Heller reads like if Lee Child formed a writing collaboration with Norman Maclean. Jack is laconic and highly competent with a strong sense of duty and right and wrong. The novel is a fast-paced adventure novel in which a lot of time is spent fly-fishing and talking about nature. This has the potential to be a fun series of thrillers and I appreciate how good the writing is and how Jack is deeply affected by the events in his past.

Loved this! I really love Peter Heller’s writing. He’s wonderful at describing nature, creating complex, believable characters and leaving the reader with an important message and great story. I knew when I heard the premise for this book I wanted to read it and I’m so glad I did. Jack has been through a lot in his life, lost people he loved, and is working at a fly-fishing resort as a guide for wealthy celebrity clients. He’s assigned a young woman who’s a famous singer, Alison. Before long they are working together to uncover a mystery at the resort. All is definitely not what it seems and the book points out the discrepancies between the rich and poor when it comes to medical treatment. Highly recommend this one! Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced reader’s copy.

I loved the outdoor setting of this book. Jack's character develops as someone wanting to be away from his commitments with his family land and Alison is a famous person that truly enjoys and appreciates nature. This book was a slow build but as more and more mysterious things happen at the resort they work/stay at, I couldn't turn the pages fast enough to find out what happens. This book is short but packs a punch. I will continue to look for books from Heller. Thank you to Netgalley and Knopf Publishing Group for the opportunity to read this book!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC.

THE GUIDE is a wild ride, for sure. Did I need to suspend disbelief? Absolutely, yes. Did I still have a racing heart and anxiety sweats? Oh my, yes. There's just something about Heller's spare prose - so spare that he largely writes in clauses instead of sentences - that made the drama and suspense of a woodland lodge with a dark secret all the more compelling. It also helped that I liked Jack and Alison. I think I read somewhere that Jack is a character from a previous Heller novel, but not one I've read, so he was knew to me. Heller's love of the great outdoors is quite apparent, and he made me feel like I was trekking through the woods along a gushing river.

Four stars for this quick, action-packed novel.