The Guide by Peter Heller is a stand-alone book but gives away spoilers from his last book, The River. If you are a fan of Heller and have not yet read The River, I recommend you read that first,

In this eco-mystery, Jack once again finds himself in a place where nothing is as it seems. He is working for a few weeks as a fishing guide on 'billionaire's row' in Colorado, guiding trout fishermen. His assignee is Allyson K, a famous singer who is in cognito. They bond well and Allyson has a good history of trout fishing since childhood. When they hear a scream that might be an owl or might be a human, their senses are on high alert. Then there is the sound of shots fired and snarling mastiffs. Not so peaceful anymore.

Jack loves the natural world and, as in Heller's other books, the beauty of the natural world is a character in itself. Jack says to himself from time to time, "What can be better than this?" Yet, there is something just not right - from his bosses to the locked iron gates, and the bandages that tourists wear on their wrists at meal times.

Mystery soon prevails and Jack finds himself in the middle of a dangerous plot that is much bigger than he ever suspected. I love Heller's writing, enough to have suspended belief for this book. It is definitely a page turner but I just couldn't get my head around all of it. I highly recommend it for a beautiful rendition of Jack's love of the natural world and the lure of trout fishing. As a mystery, it was a little heavy handed.

The Guide caught my attention because I love the outdoors and stories about adventures. Once I started reading, though, I was hooked on the characters. Jack, the main character takes on the job of River/fishing guide at an exclusive camp to try to heal from the loss of his Grandfather. Not long after he arrives, he starts to feel like something wasn't quite right.. and his hunch is correct. Wealthy, privileged people come to the lodge for "treatment" and fishing - and finding out what the treatment is shocks Jack and his client Alison K to the core. As they begin to learn more, the more dangerous it becomes.

The Guide is a book that, at first, makes your blood pressure drop as you imagine the scenes where guides take people out fishing on the best fishing water on the planet. But don't read it if you want your blood pressure to drop, it is suspenseful and exciting.
Set in the western United States, the Kingfisher Lodge is an exclusive and very pricey getaway that the rich and famous have been flocking to since viruses and other sicknesses have been circulating the world. Jake has signed on as a guide, he was born and raised in Colorado and lived on a ranch, so he is quite happy fishing all summer. He is lucky to get someone famous to guide, too. He thinks she is a singer, but he chooses not to know so it won't affect the way he guides. The two of them notice that there are a lot of people staying at the Lodge, but they don't see them on the water while they fish, which they find kind of weird. Then one day, they hear a scream and see a young woman running in a hospital gown and nothing else. She is picked up by the Sheriff, who waves to them and says that everything is ok. That is also kind of weird.
Jake enjoys that his famous fisherwoman is actually quite good at fly fishing and he also enjoys spending time with her, not a bad gig. Then his boss finds out he has a rifle and told him to turn it in at the office, no firearms allowed. After Jake keeps "forgetting" to turn it in, his boss puts more and more pressure on him to turn it in. Jake starts finding cameras around the lodge and fishing areas. Is there one in his room?
Jake and Allison K, the singer, start snooping around and things get more than kind of weird . . .

I have not read the book before this, The River, that features Jack. In The Guide, Jack is hired by an exclusive fishing resort in the mountains to guide the clientele of this exclusive lodge. He helps assist them fly fishing in the nearby river. The client he is assigned to is a popular singer and who grew up a country girl. Together they are immersed in a complex plot of mystery and danger. This is the first book I’ve read that has tackled the pandemic. He has used tit o advance the plot but without being it becoming an intrusive major part of the book. He seamlessly wove it into the narrative of this book.

Heller is at his best when he can transport the reader to a place of natural beauty and immerse you in the peacefulness of the Colorado mountains. He keeps it simple and introduces the flora, fauna, and the natural world effortlessly. At times this moves swiftly and then rests like a cool river pond. These lush, sensual descriptions make you feel you are in the middle of a river fly-fishing yourself. I read this quickly and was held until the very end. The ending is a natural part of the story and not contrived to create a melodramatic happy ending. Wonderful book and thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this book.

A follow up from The River, The Guide follows Jack who is still processing the loss of Wynn. Feeling the need for a change of pace from helping his father on the ranch, he takes a position as a personal fishing guide in Crested Butte. He is paired with Allison K a famous singer, escaping to the mountains to fish. Together Allison and Jack start to discover that something is off at this fishing lodge. The more they investigate they deeper they get.

Man oh man, I had high high hopes for this book. The River was one of my favorite books of 2020 and overall, I really love Peter Heller's work, but what worked for me in The River fell flat for me in the guide. Where The River perfectly balanced nature elements, a strong sense of place, and literary suspense, The Guide seemed to lose its way in everything from plot to characterization. Even the dialogue felt wooden and amateurish.

More than once I found myself so frustrated with this novel. Almost nothing happens until over halfway through the book and the last 40% of this novel was a mixture of rushed conclusions and poorly executed suspense writing. I was really hoping that the buildup of the novel would serve to rescue this book from the tedious first half, but that was not the case.

This didn't even feel like Heller. It felt like a debut novel from a writer inspired by Heller's work. I will still read whatever Heller comes out with next in hopes I can put this blip behind me and forget its existence entirely.

Content warning: gun violence, animal cruelty, child abuse, child death, murder.

Thank you to Netgalley and Knopf Doubleday Publishing group for a copy of The Guide in exchange for an honest review

Another atmospheric and absorbing novel from Peter Heller. I've loved everything he has ever written. Jack and Alison were both relatable and likeable characters.

I received a copy of this book for free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.

I read Heller's The River and while I didn't love it, I liked it a lot and have thought of it several times since reading. This is another book just the same- Jack is a great character, he's easy to understand and relate to. I was surprised at the twist of what was really going on, and I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who enjoyed the River or any other nature-based thriller.

I love Peter Heller and will probably love everything he writes. This one was a little different from his others - my most favorite parts were the parts where he was writing about the river. I was intrigued by the covid-ish storyline and hope thats not what is in our future!

I haven’t had many books grab me lately, to say the least I’ve been in a reading slump. But dang. Peter Heller does not disappoint. Not to mention that it is a follow up to the River. What starts as a beautiful calm nature setting that even makes fishing sexy, turns into a Hitchcock like suspense novel that kept me holding my breath until the very end. Highly recommend! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Following the events of the author's previous book, The River, Jack takes a job as a fishing guide at an upscale lodge in remote Colorado. Although the fishing and the clients are wonderful, something isn't right. As Jack and his client investigate, things get even worse. As with The River, this story has a lot of beautiful descriptions of nature and the beauty of the stream and the woods.

Another brilliant, involving, resonant novel from this talented writer whose acutely described surroundings transport the reader to a luxurious secluded fishing lodge and introduces a complex protagonist hired as a guide whose love for the wild river g permeates every page . You don't have to love fishing the way he does, but you'll be captivated by the story, which involves a mystery, a murder, and a love story as well Heller's command of language makes the river almost a central character, and every page makes you eager to read the next one

In this follow-up to The River, seasoned wilderness writer Heller delivers a thriller set three years into the COVID-19 pandemic. After graduating from Dartmouth, Jack lands a cushy summer job at a luxe Colorado resort, serving as a fly-fishing guide to wealthy clientele. He’s content to spend the summer on the river he loves, finding solace from the past in the full absorption the sport requires. Jack’s first clue that something is amiss is the security camera on the water. He begins to quietly investigate its purpose with the help of the country music star he’s been paired with—and when the stakes become clear, the breathless chase begins. Though not a sequel, spoilers for The River are embedded in the plot, and while this book contains sensitive content, providing details would likewise reveal spoilers.

When Peter Heller writes a new novel, be assured that I will walk over hot coals or broken glass to purchase a copy. The Guide re-introduces us to Jack, who we met in Heller’s stellar novel, The River. Jack, along with a celebrity-singer client, Alison, realizes quickly that this beautiful and elite fishing lodge is not all it seems. Jack, who is still grieving over the loss of two loved ones, is hired by the exclusive club to work as a fishing guide, but he figures out quickly that his life, along with Alison’s, is in danger. Bonus points for the heroine Alison, who gives as good as she gets. In Heller style, he writes so beautifully with a reasonable sum of words used to weave incredible stories. It’s a beautiful thing to find a writer who can do a lot with a little, and this book is terrific. When The Guide is published in August, rush out and buy this one. Another great book from one of America’s best authors.

I loved The River and it’s one of my go-to recommended reads so I was excited to delve into The Guide. Heller does an amazing job of making you feel like you are right on the river with him, guiding you to pick the right fly or make the perfect cast. However, the fishing guide, Jack, has realized that there is some “stuff” happening on the river that makes him question his decision on guiding this summer. I didn’t really know where this book was going, so that made it fun to read. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC!

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC. I requested Peter Heller's latest because of how affected I was by his 2012 book "The Dog Stars."

There is so much to love about author Peter Heller. When it comes characterization, he keeps it simple and trusts you to read the emotion between the lines. But when it comes to flora, fauna, and the natural world at large? Hoo boy, you are getting the kind of lush, sensual descriptions that make you feel as if you're standing in the middle of a river fly-fishing yourself, breathing in the mountain air and watching leaves fall into the water.

This beauty and reverence for nature is all an eerie contrast to the hidden horrors at the heart of the story (no spoilers ahead, promise). If you've kept up with current events over the past few years and wound up having one or two visceral nightmares as a result - well, "The Guide" will feel a lot like those terrors. I did have to stop a couple times toward the end to take a breather because the action was intense - this is a compliment! If I have any critiques, it's that the mystery takes a bit too long to unfold. Fortunately, the payoff is worth the wait.

I wouldn't call "The Guide" a sequel to "The River," but I eventually discerned they are companion pieces and, had I known the connection, would have read "The River" beforehand to fill in some of the gaps.

The Guide by Peter Heller
Rating: 5 stars

Summary: Jack is a outdoorsman and is hired at a posh fishing resort catering to the very rich. Looking for a change and easy job guiding, he encounters a beautiful country singer and guides her catching some beautiful trout. Things though feel odd at this resort and both start to question what exactly is happening here.

Comments: Heller is the new country noir writer I am glad I found. Outstanding story telling that places you like you are in the scene with the flowing water, the cold stream and the sounds of nature abound. Beautifully written must read.

Fly-fishing and guiding have become Jack’s only solace since a series of accidents leaves him bereft and unsure. He hires on at the Kingfisher Lodge, where the rich and famous get away to enjoy nature and relax in peace with no hindrance from the locals. Jack has questions almost from the start as he finds things are not as they seem, from an aggressive neighbor to trail cams in the woods. What kind of spa treatments leaves the clients looking more depleted than when they’d begun? The Guide was a great read, though most the fly-fishing was lost on me, I do understand the art of it. The descriptions are in-depth and take you completely into the story, which had a few twists and turns by the end. I totally enjoyed The Guide and look forward to the next novel by Peter Heller.

Peter Heller does it AGAIN. Absolutely devoured this book in almost one sitting... If you remotely enjoyed The River, you will love this book. It also has a bit of a Dog Stars-theme to it, so pick it up if you loved that book of Heller's. Heller has a way to offer minimal text (ie light dialogue, minimal actions) but each. Word. Counts. His writing style is so enjoyable bc there is a so much weight to each sentence to move the plot. I fell in love with Jack's character from The River, and here he is again, acting as a guide at a luxury fishing resort. But quickly, Jack notices things are not what they seem and Jack is on high alert... At first, with the mention of masks/virus, I was initially like 'oh no, please not a book skirting our real pandemic,' but Heller takes it a step further/darker... and I enjoyed it immensely. Also, for someone that knows ZERO about fishing, I enjoyed reading about this different techniques and types of rods, etc. I could almost smell the fresh water and pine tree scent off the pages. I own all of Heller's books and plan to add this to my collection.

Just when I think nothing can surprise me anymore, something does. This magnificent book is that something. The writing is exceptional and from the very first chapters I absorbed this unpleasant dread even though I was transported to the beauty and peacefulness of the Colorado mountains. It permeates the supposedly happy camaraderie of VIPs who want a private time out of the spotlight. But there is more than fly fishing going on here, much more and it will leave you with a rotten taste in your mouth and thankful for a guide such as Jack.

I encourage you to read The River first if you have not done so. This will give you understandable background into the main character of Jack and his drive for redemption from his past.

Highly recommended!

Jack is a seasoned fisherman from rural Colorado starting a new fishing guide job
At the very expensive and secretive Kingsfisher Lodge - a speciality hunting and fishing spa lodge for the very, very elite

The strict rules of the lodge aggravate jack and as he navigates the bosses and visiting wealthy we learn that he’s trying to start over from incidents in his past

It’s not long before he realIes that all is not what it seems at the lodge and something very bad is hidden beneath the adjective veneer.

Befriending his current client, the two team up for an action packed week to try and solve the puzzle of the lodge before it’s too late

Peter Heller’s signature writing style soars in describing the canyon and the beauty of the Forrest. I am not a fisherman but I quickly could envision myself in the water with Jack casting a line.

The beautiful prose holds up throughout the book as does the suspense and a plausible and gratifying conclusion. Also included is our current international villain - the coronavirus.

Recommended for lovers of thrillers, the outdoors, short mysteries and beautiful writing