The Price of Sanctuary [Hardcover]

Gaylon Greer (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 1, 2009

Shelby Cervoisier used to lead a life of leisure—now she's running for her life. After being accused of killing an American immigration agent, Shelby undertakes a mission on behalf of a secretive American espionage agency, in exchange for legal amnesty and political asylum. When the mission gets bungled, the agency wants her dead and hires two assassins, Hank and Vlad, to do the job. Shelby and her younger sister, Carmen, hurriedly flee to the Midwest, only to be captured by Hank. Romance blossoms between the hunter and his prey and the bounty reward takes a back seat; instead of turning them in, Hank stows the sisters away at a farm in a remote corner of Colorado. Meanwhile, psychopathic Vlad hasn't given up the chase and tensions mount as they wait for his arrival at the farm sanctuary.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

In Greer's unconvincing fiction debut, two hit men pursue history professor Shelby Le Cervoisier after she unwittingly assists a rogue element of the U.S. Caribbean Basin Task Force assassinate Haiti's military dictator. One professional killer goes to Arkansas, the other to Arizona, her two most likely destinations. Luckily for Shelby, who flees with her sister to Arkansas, the assassin sent to that state, Hank Perkins, kills only targets he believes deserve death. After getting to know Shelby, Hank decides to help her instead. Meanwhile, the second killer, a sadist known as Vlad the Impaler, closes in. At one point, Hank wonders how Shelby's privileged background equipped her to survive rape and torture, execute her abusers, and collaborate to assassinate a head of state? The book never gives a satisfactory answer. Others might be able to pull off a story involving a hit man with a heart of gold, but Greer, the coauthor of a number of real estate investment books, fails to do so. (June)
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About the Author

Gaylor witting is a former crew member of the US Air Force's Air Sea Rescue Service and has published several books on investing and personal finance. He is now writing novels full time. He lives in Austin, Texas.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 400 pages
• Publisher: Medallion Press; 1 edition (June 1, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1605420581
• ISBN-13: 978-1605420585
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.1 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,673,518 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Working with traveling carnivals and itinerant farm labor gangs during his teen and early adult years took Gaylon Greer up, down, and across the United States and introduced him to a plethora of colorful individuals who serve as models for his fictional characters. A return to school in pursuit of a high school diploma while serving in the Air Force led Gaylon to three university degrees, including a Ph.D. in economics, and a stint as a university professor. After publishing several books on real estate and personal financial planning, as well as lecturing on these subjects to nationwide audiences, he shifrted his energy to writing fiction. Gaylon lives near Austin, Texas.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A thrilling ride., August 24, 2009

By 

Nancy Gore (Austin, TX) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Price of Sanctuary (Hardcover)

This is a dynamite thriller--packed with colorful, well-rounded characters, vivid locales, a plot that sinks its teeth in and doesn't let go until the last page. Shelby is one of the most compelling female characters I've encountered in a long time, and her relationship with Hank, would-be assassin turned lover, is richly and poignantly developed. Greer is one fine writer; I can't wait to find his next novel in the bookstore!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars High-tension thriller keeps the pages turning, June 2, 2009

By 

Deanna Roy "Writer and Photographer" (Texas) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Price of Sanctuary (Hardcover)

Shelby's sudden thrust into the world of double crosses and secret agencies is a shock for the young Haitian professor who mainly wants to shield her little sister from the political turmoil of their native country.

She has no idea how to protect Carmen when she can barely stay one step ahead of men who are clearly trying to kill her.

Luckily, Hank, the first assassin to find her, is a half-hearted killer, easily convinced to take only the target and escort the little girl to a safe haven.

Vlad, however, is a criminal mind like nothing I've seen since Silence of the Lambs. Readers will need to brace themselves for his pages, and will fear both Hank and Shelby's safety as he crisscrosses the country in search of them, trying to cash in on the hit.

Greer's debut thriller is nothing short of an adrenaline-rushed ride through the minds of two very dissimilar men in the same profession, and the girl they both are after for completely different reasons.

4.0 out of 5 stars Desperate Times Make For Desperate Means, August 16, 2009

By 

Diane R. Owens "novelist" (Austin, Texas) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Price of Sanctuary (Hardcover)

Gaylon Greer's heroine, Shelby Le Cervoisier, doesn't set out to be a hitman. It just works out that way. In his thrilling page turner, Greer captures the tenacity of a woman in dire circumstances. Everything is at stake--her life, her sister's safety. When Shelby is forced with a moral dilemna, kill or die, Shelby finds herself linked with an enigma, an honorable contract killer named Hank. The complex and conflicting emotions of Shelby and Hank, not to mention the insider view into contract killing, make for one wild ride.
From the minute Shelby exiles in Florida to the surprising ending, the reader, teeth-clenched and eyes fixed to the page, joins Shelby on her tortuous path to freedom.