The Guide

Jack , the rustic if Ivy League–educated hero of this captivating thriller from Edgar finalist Heller (The River), takes a job as a seasonal fishing guide at Colorado’s posh Kingfisher Lodge in an effort to escape his traumatic past and the tedium of his father’s ranch. There, he’s quickly warned about the trigger-happy old man who lives on the property next door. Soon, strange things about the Kingfisher are enough to get Jack wary of the whole scene: strict rules, guests who don’t fish, and lots of cameras. Out on the river with a celebrity client, singer Alison K, Jack gets a warning shot from the neighbor, prompting the pair to investigate and unravel a truly heinous crime. Heller’s lush descriptions of fishing and river country are matched with a riveting, surprising mystery that captures the difference between the filthy rich and everyone else. The novel’s speculative approach to the lingering effects of Covid-19 is frightening in its subtlety and one of the book’s special charms. Readers looking for a credible couple and a story of redemption will love this. [em]Agent: David Halpern, Robbins Office. (Aug.) [/em]