Author: Peter Heller
Publisher: Alfred A. Knopf
Released: August 24, 2021
Received: Own (Book Club)
Find it on Goodreads | More Thrillers
Book Summary:
Jack is no stranger to guilt and loss. Yet his most recent loss has him reeling. Desperate to escape it all, he takes on a position to work as a guide in what feels like the middle of nowhere.
With the pandemic rising, the isolation is only going to grow. Unfortunately, this is the perfect recipe for danger as Jack uncovers a dangerous truth within the seemingly pristine lodge. It’s the sort of secret people kill over.
My Review:
While not labeled as such (as far as I can tell), The Guide is actually the second book in Jack’s story. The first is The River, and I would strongly urge that you read these two in order, as you’ll likely be confused about the grief Jack is running from.
Now that I’ve gotten that caveat out of the way let’s talk about The Guide. Like its predecessor, The Guide is marketed as a survival thriller. Though honestly, there are times (especially near the end) that it felt more like an action thriller with a mystery subtext. I’m not digging into this at all! I just want to set clear expectations for other readers.
I liked The River more, as it had stronger survival elements. It also felt more grounded. While Jack’s pain does feel real in this novel, there are many elements (from the romantic subplot to the scale of the twists revealed) that make this story feel larger than life. As such, it kept breaking my immersion.
The Guide is still worth reading, especially for those who want to see where Jack’s story leads. I’m not certain this is the end of his story (I could see it going either way), so I suppose only time will tell.
Highlights:
- Suspenseful Survival Story
- Mystery/Thriller
- Pristine Lodge
- Hidden Darkness
Quirky Cat’s Fat Stacks | Quirky Cat’s Comics | The Book Review Crew | Monkeys Fighting Robots | Storygraph | Bookhype | Bookstagram | Twitter | Tumblr | Reedsy
Quirky Cat's Fat Stacks 
Leave a comment