Guardian

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A telephone ringing in the dead of night signals the beginning of a journey into fear as MaryAnne Carpenter hears the shocking news: her friends the Wilkensons are suddenly, inexplicably dead, their only child, MaryAnne's godchild, abruptly orphaned and dependent on her. Even as MaryAnne rushes to embrace her young charge the disturbing questions mount. Was it a tragic mishap that took their lives - or murder?
As winter closes in on the majestic ranch where the young family lives, the darkness and danger of nature and the unimaginable evil around them seem to work in tandem. An insatiable and brutal killer is closer than they could ever have imagined.

null pages, Hardcover

First published January 1,1993

About the author

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John Saul grew up in Whittier California where he graduated from Whittier High School in 1959. He attended several colleges—Antioch, in Ohio, Cerritos, in Norwalk, California, Montana State University and San Francisco State College, variously majoring in anthropology, liberal arts, and theater, but never obtaining a degree.
After leaving college, he decided the best thing for a college dropout to do was become a writer, and spent the next fifteen years working in various jobs while attempting to write a book someone would want to publish. Should anyone ever want to write a novel concerning the car-rental industry or the travails of temporary typists, John can provide excellent background material.

Those years garnered him a nice collection of unpublished manuscripts, but not a lot of money. Eventually he found an agent in New York, who spent several years sending his manuscripts around, and trying to make the rejection slips sound hopeful. Then, in 1976, one of his manuscripts reached Dell, who didn't want to buy it, but asked if he'd be interested in writing a psychological thriller. He put together an outline, and crossed his fingers.

At that point, things started getting bizarre. His agent decided the outline had all the makings of a best-seller, and so did Dell. Gambling on a first novel by an unknown author, they backed the book with television advertising (one of the first times a paperback original was promoted on television) and the gamble paid off. Within a month Suffer the Children appeared on all the best-seller lists in the country and made the #1 spot in Canada. Subsequently all 32 of his books, have made all the best-seller lists and have been published world wide. Though many of his books were published by Bantam/Doubleday/Dell his last fourteen books have been published by Ballantine/Fawcett/Columbine.

In addition to his work as novelist, John is also interested in the theater. He has acted, and as a playwright has had several one-act plays produced in Los Angeles and Seattle, and two optioned in New York. One of his novels was produced by Gerber Productions Company and M.G.M. as a C.B.S. movie and currently one of his novels is in development.

John served on the Expansion Arts Panel of the National Endowment for the Arts. He is actively involved with the development of other writers, and is a lecturer at the Pacific Northwest Writers Conference and the Maui Writers Conference and received the Life Time Achievement Award from the Northwest Writers Conference. John is also a trustee and Vice President of The Chester Woodruff Foundation (New York), a philanthropic organization.

John lives part-time in the Pacific Northwest, both in Seattle and in the San Juan Islands. He also maintains a residence on the Big Island of Hawaii. He currently enjoys motor homing, travel and golf. He is an avid reader, bridge player, golfer and loves to cook.

Community Reviews

Rating(4 / 5.0, 100 votes)
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100 reviews All reviews
April 17,2025
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"Guardian" by John Saul is a gripping psychological thriller that delves into the realms of suspense, mystery, and the supernatural. Set in the fictional town of Cascade, Washington, the story follows the life of Sally Montgomery, a young woman who becomes the guardian of her niece, Beth.

The narrative begins with Sally returning to Cascade after the sudden death of her sister, Joanne, and brother-in-law, Terry. Sally is shocked to discover that she has been named Beth's legal guardian, despite having had minimal contact with her sister's family in recent years. As Sally settles into her new role, she uncovers disturbing secrets about her sister's past and begins to suspect that Beth's parents' deaths were not accidental.

As Sally tries to unravel the mysteries surrounding her sister's family, she encounters opposition from various quarters, including the local police and influential townspeople who seem intent on keeping the truth hidden. Complicating matters further is the eerie presence of a mysterious guardian figure, a menacing force that seems determined to protect Beth at any cost.

As the tension mounts, Sally's determination to uncover the truth puts her own life in danger, leading to a series of shocking revelations that shake the very foundation of her reality. With its blend of psychological suspense and supernatural elements, "Guardian" keeps readers on the edge of their seats until the final, spine-chilling conclusion.

Throughout the novel, John Saul masterfully builds suspense, creating a sense of unease that permeates every page. The characters are well-developed and relatable, and the small-town setting adds to the atmosphere of isolation and claustrophobia. Saul's prose is taut and evocative, drawing readers into a world where nothing is as it seems and danger lurks around every corner.

At its core, "Guardian" is a story about the enduring power of family bonds and the lengths to which people will go to protect the ones they love. It is also a cautionary tale about the dangers of secrets and the importance of confronting the past, no matter how painful it may be.

Overall, "Guardian" is a thrilling and thought-provoking read that will appeal to fans of psychological suspense and supernatural fiction alike. John Saul's masterful storytelling and expertly crafted plot twists make it a standout addition to the genre, guaranteed to keep readers guessing until the very end.
April 17,2025
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This book really dragged. The characters annoyed me and I found the whole premise quite silly. The only reason I finished the book is because I hate not finishing books.
April 17,2025
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This book had a lot of promise in the plot, but I was not a fan of the execution. For the first 60% of the book, not much happened, and then the last portion of the book was jam packed with developments that still didn't provide any answers. In the last couple chapters, they casually described some large revealing plot points that did not make any sense at all, and then hoped we would buy it as the book came to a conclusion. Overall not my favorite by John Saul.
April 17,2025
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The story begins when two best friends from childhood one in ID now, and the other still in NJ make the other their children's godmother. When both parents die in ID, the friend in NJ with her two children 13 and 10 rush to the ranch to take over guardianship of her friends 13 year old son. This is a spellbinding, spooky book with woods, mountain men, murder and timber wolf. More murders than were probably necessary, but was so well written could not put the book down.
April 17,2025
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Modern day werewolf story

I couldn't wait to open this book.
It was suspenseful, with twist and turns. I'm wondering if there's a part 2.
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