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The Guide
Is your fly fishing guide willing to die for you?
Stony lives for fly fishing in the wilderness. It literally saved his life. After Stony massacred an entire village in Vietnam, addiction and PTSD almost killed him. Alaska, fly fishing, and a woman and her wolves brought him back from the brink. He made a vow to her on her deathbed to always help people, and to never kill another man.
Now he has a new lover, and is finally clean. So when he takes a seemingly ideal client deep into the wilderness of Rocky Mountain National Park, he never dreams that his most sacred vow will be tested to the breaking point. He will have to save his client from a serial killer, a murderer so devious he has managed to become a respected doctor—and his client’s partner.
It’s taken Stony thirty years to disentangle himself from psychological hell. Now, hampered by all the dangers high altitude wilderness can throw at him, Stony must risk sinking into mental hell forever by killing an evil doctor—or risk losing not only his client, but his new soul mate.
Stony lives for fly fishing in the wilderness. It literally saved his life. After Stony massacred an entire village in Vietnam, addiction and PTSD almost killed him. Alaska, fly fishing, and a woman and her wolves brought him back from the brink. He made a vow to her on her deathbed to always help people, and to never kill another man.
Now he has a new lover, and is finally clean. So when he takes a seemingly ideal client deep into the wilderness of Rocky Mountain National Park, he never dreams that his most sacred vow will be tested to the breaking point. He will have to save his client from a serial killer, a murderer so devious he has managed to become a respected doctor—and his client’s partner.
It’s taken Stony thirty years to disentangle himself from psychological hell. Now, hampered by all the dangers high altitude wilderness can throw at him, Stony must risk sinking into mental hell forever by killing an evil doctor—or risk losing not only his client, but his new soul mate.
347 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 15, 2013
5 people are currently reading
10 people want to read
About the author
Milt Mays
15 books5 followersMilt Mays was winner of the Paul Gillette Writers Award in 2011. He grew up in Colorado, graduated from the Naval Academy and traveled the world as a Navy doctor. Two prequel novels are: The Next Day and Dan’s War. His website is www.miltmays.com.
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
October 2, 2017
Stretching for the right word here. "Trite" might do it, along with stereotypical, illogical, and lack of credibility. "Killer" doctor murders folks by making them ill. Must rid the world of insurance executives, inconvenient wives, etc. Truly the black hat type who tracks his white hat colleague who suspects what is going on and who the black hat has already started to kill by inducing leukemia into the Rocky Mountains to finish him off. So we have him hooked up with a black hat guide and poacher going after the white hat good guy plus his white hat guide who have to battle them as well as the elements, the wolves, the bears, etc. Truly a stretch, but if you are in the mood ...
June 20, 2014
It draws you in from the start and is a highly enjoyable read. You like Stony from the very first time you meet the former Vietnam Vet turned fishing guide. As the story progresses you learn and get to know him some more. It has everything. Suspense, thrills, chills and a demented despicable psycho you didn’t quite see coming until to late. Tho you kind of did catch a glimpse of them in the beginning. At least when the time came for them to get what they deserved they really got what they deserved and then some. Traumatizing after effects of dealing with that particular situation and how to overcome it.Very complex and complicated characters and some with a very tormented past. The supporting characters were really good and Stony’s allies were truly that. Allies. It had a lot of twists and turns, but it was well worth the read. Pick it up, you won’t be sorry. Summer was very good for Stony even though she had her own traumatizing past she struggled to get over. It was very well written. You won't be disappointed.
July 17, 2016
I HIGHLY recommend THE GUIDE, for any reader of suspense, mystery, thriller, and literary fiction. This is a very DIFFERENT kind of thriller, a mystery that is character-driven rather than plot-driven. Make no mistake--plot is here and it's excellent, very unexpected and twisty, all in a way that makes perfect sense: in the context of CHARACTER.
Read ONCE for pure enjoyment; read TWICE to savour the author's excellence.
Read ONCE for pure enjoyment; read TWICE to savour the author's excellence.
July 26, 2022
Pacing only has one speed- fast. No nuance but lots of details and brand-name dropping. The villain was really tedious, and the action got increasingly shallow and violent during the plot twists. It was just plain disgusting near the end.
Well-written though, with smooth transitions between the present action and past backstory.
Well-written though, with smooth transitions between the present action and past backstory.
July 15, 2014
There was so much to enjoy about this book. It was a thrilling adventure ride through the picturesque wilderness, with a solid plot line and intriguing characters. The multi POV was a great way of allowing me to get into the minds of pivotal characters, and it gave me a front row seat to the action as it unfolded.
Roman was psychotic. At first I thought he just had a God-complex and he enjoyed using the big C as a way of playing with people’s lives, but the more I learned about him the more shocked I was. He was obviously a deeply disturbed person and some of it may have stemmed from his childhood, but it was chilling to see how he reveled in taking life. He was also a desperate man, and the mix of madness and desperation was deadly. He didn’t care who he took out in his pursuit to hide his tracks, and unfortunately many innocent lives were lost along the way.
I enjoyed spending time with Stony and Jake on their hike. Although they were both plagued by their own demons, they still built up a great camaraderie and at times their troubles seemed to leave them. They even lived through a few heart stopping moments while fighting the elements, wild animals, and a deranged oncologist and his hunter guide.
The biggest surprise for me was Summer. She didn’t play a huge part throughout this story but she was an important character and I got to know her through Jake’s thoughts and memories, as well as Stony’s. She stepped up when it was needed of her, and in many ways she was the heroine of this story.
But this book wasn’t only a suspense thriller, it was a story of hope, acceptance, and emotional healing. It was well-paced and even though I did find it to be a little too descriptive at times, this did not draw anything from this exhilarating read.
Roman was psychotic. At first I thought he just had a God-complex and he enjoyed using the big C as a way of playing with people’s lives, but the more I learned about him the more shocked I was. He was obviously a deeply disturbed person and some of it may have stemmed from his childhood, but it was chilling to see how he reveled in taking life. He was also a desperate man, and the mix of madness and desperation was deadly. He didn’t care who he took out in his pursuit to hide his tracks, and unfortunately many innocent lives were lost along the way.
I enjoyed spending time with Stony and Jake on their hike. Although they were both plagued by their own demons, they still built up a great camaraderie and at times their troubles seemed to leave them. They even lived through a few heart stopping moments while fighting the elements, wild animals, and a deranged oncologist and his hunter guide.
The biggest surprise for me was Summer. She didn’t play a huge part throughout this story but she was an important character and I got to know her through Jake’s thoughts and memories, as well as Stony’s. She stepped up when it was needed of her, and in many ways she was the heroine of this story.
But this book wasn’t only a suspense thriller, it was a story of hope, acceptance, and emotional healing. It was well-paced and even though I did find it to be a little too descriptive at times, this did not draw anything from this exhilarating read.
May 10, 2014
This book has me very conflicted on how to rate it. I really want to give it 3 1/2 stars but that isn't an option so I'll round it up.
My dilemma is this, the first 3/4 of this book was a solid 5 stars. I couldn't put it down and felt like I was running for my life along with the characters.
The veteran guide and the cancer patient looking for a way to ease his burden made a nice pair. Their dialog was well done as was the scenery building and the backstory tie in of the two characters.
Enter the villain, a brilliant doctor drunk on his own power and believing that he can fix modern medicine but first be must get some people out of the way.
The chase through the wilderness begins and it's an edge of your seat struggle. Page after page blew by while they all fight for their lives.
After they leave the wilderness and take the chase to the town is where this story went bad for me. Ex-CIA operative, Korean and Vietnamese ex-military, snipers leaving bodies in down town, and the final conclusion at the doctors house with helicopters stolen and massive forest fires set.
This seemed like two different stories to me, and I couldn't put them together in my head, couldn't make it work.
The medical background as well as the fly fishing and survival settings are very well done and detailed. The characters are likeable and hateable, everything has the makings of a blockbuster book, it just seems to fall short with the last part.
A quick read, with great imagery and fast paced action. A Hollywood story for sure.
My dilemma is this, the first 3/4 of this book was a solid 5 stars. I couldn't put it down and felt like I was running for my life along with the characters.
The veteran guide and the cancer patient looking for a way to ease his burden made a nice pair. Their dialog was well done as was the scenery building and the backstory tie in of the two characters.
Enter the villain, a brilliant doctor drunk on his own power and believing that he can fix modern medicine but first be must get some people out of the way.
The chase through the wilderness begins and it's an edge of your seat struggle. Page after page blew by while they all fight for their lives.
After they leave the wilderness and take the chase to the town is where this story went bad for me. Ex-CIA operative, Korean and Vietnamese ex-military, snipers leaving bodies in down town, and the final conclusion at the doctors house with helicopters stolen and massive forest fires set.
This seemed like two different stories to me, and I couldn't put them together in my head, couldn't make it work.
The medical background as well as the fly fishing and survival settings are very well done and detailed. The characters are likeable and hateable, everything has the makings of a blockbuster book, it just seems to fall short with the last part.
A quick read, with great imagery and fast paced action. A Hollywood story for sure.
February 21, 2014
This thriller, which largely takes place in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado, has a lot going for it, starting with the setting. The author does a good job of giving a feel for the mountains, their rugged beauty, and the business and culture of guides like the protagonist Stony who can be hired for their expertise and local knowledge. The main plot took a tried and true idea, a psychopath who rationalizes his evil deeds as “for the greater good,” appointing himself both judge and executioner in the process. But how this is done is a unique twist on the basic premise.
The past that continues to haunt Stony (especially, but not limited to, his time as a soldier in Vietnam) adds a lot to the story as he battles not only the obvious villain, but also his own internal demons. This one is a page turner.
**Originally written for "Books and Pals" book blog. May have received a free review copy. **
The past that continues to haunt Stony (especially, but not limited to, his time as a soldier in Vietnam) adds a lot to the story as he battles not only the obvious villain, but also his own internal demons. This one is a page turner.
**Originally written for "Books and Pals" book blog. May have received a free review copy. **
June 14, 2014
From beginning to end, The Guide kept me on a nail-biting rollercoaster of suspense, dread, amazement, and curiosity. A novel far removed from the predictable and mundane, a dangerous cat and mouse game ensues in the first two chapters, with predator and prey interchanging several times throughout the novel. Roman, the serial killer doctor, is the epitome of intelligence and evil combined with calculated resourcefulness, and Stony the Nam vet is an unlikely--but completely badass--hero. Damaged, loyal, and courageous, Stony is far more than a a typical nature guide and goes to incredible lengths to protect Jake and his family. Milt Mays demonstrates masterful storytelling interwoven with incredible descriptiveness and a climax you won't see coming and a horrifying, but appropriate, ending. Looking for a cookie cutter suspense/thriller? This ain't that book.
May 14, 2014
A special thanks goes out to NetGalley and JKS Communications for the free advance download of The Guide.
The Guide by Milt May is a can't-put-it-down thriller set in the Rocky Mountains. Stony is a PTSD damaged Vietnam War vet who now is a wilderness guide. He made a vow years ago to never kill again. When a disturbed physician interrupts a guided fly-fishing tour by trying to kill his client in the wilderness, Stony must reconsider. Must read!
The Guide by Milt May is a can't-put-it-down thriller set in the Rocky Mountains. Stony is a PTSD damaged Vietnam War vet who now is a wilderness guide. He made a vow years ago to never kill again. When a disturbed physician interrupts a guided fly-fishing tour by trying to kill his client in the wilderness, Stony must reconsider. Must read!
April 17, 2019
First time reading this authors work and won't be the last.
Not a dull moment in this book, very fast paced, got to really know the characters & the description of the scenery makes me want to hope in the truck an make another trip to the Rocky Mountain National Park. Heck I might even give a try to fishing some day.
If you are looking for a fun fast paced, never a dull moment thriller to read look no further. One of my 2015 favorite books that I have read.
Not a dull moment in this book, very fast paced, got to really know the characters & the description of the scenery makes me want to hope in the truck an make another trip to the Rocky Mountain National Park. Heck I might even give a try to fishing some day.
If you are looking for a fun fast paced, never a dull moment thriller to read look no further. One of my 2015 favorite books that I have read.
February 22, 2015
4.5 stars
The ending was kinda weak
The ending was kinda weak
January 22, 2016
Very good
Well written.really good plot. A little to much killing and blood for my taste but nonetheless Mr Mays does know how to write a gripping novel.thank u.Doni Healy
Well written.really good plot. A little to much killing and blood for my taste but nonetheless Mr Mays does know how to write a gripping novel.thank u.Doni Healy
July 11, 2016
I loved this book.
Great story. I can see these things actually happening. Kept me reading from start to finish. I want more from Milton Mays.
Great story. I can see these things actually happening. Kept me reading from start to finish. I want more from Milton Mays.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews