Sanctuary

by Tom Gaisford

What possesses someone to claim asylum in his own country?

Alex Donovan is a young refugee lawyer in crisis.

Helping desperate clients reach safety is what gives his job meaning. But he now finds himself demoted, signed off sick for stress, and facing redeployment to the firm’s subterranean billing department.

Then there is Amy, the woman he adores. The irresistible junior barrister seems to be drifting away from him.

With little to lose and all to prove, Alex dreams up a madcap plan to restore his honour and secure Amy’s affection.

329 pages, Hardcover

Published April 24, 2025

About the author

Tom Gaisford is a barrister with over ten years’ experience working in human rights, asylum and immigration law, and a freelance contributor to The Independent, The Tablet and openDemocracy. Prior to law, he did a master’s degree in Human Rights and spent a year at Salamanca University, where he studied Spanish literature and translation.

In 2021, Tom stopped practising law and moved with his young family to Guernsey, where he has since completed his first novel, Sanctuary, and begun work on his second. Tom relishes the creative freedom of fiction writing, which he sees as a means of entertaining, of connecting people, and as an alternative form of advocacy.

Reviews

[Cathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

A human rights lawyer adopting a fake identity to claim asylum in his own country in order to expose flaws and abuses in the system is a neat premise for a book. Confined to a detention centre waiting for his claim to be considered, Alex experiences firsthand what it is like to be an asylum seeker. There’s a lot of fun to be had from his spirited attempts to maintain the identity he’s adopted, although always at the back of your mind is that, at this very moment, there are real people going through this process and for them it’s no fun at all. In fact it could be a matter of life and death.

During the days he spends in the detention centre, Alex discovers some distinctly unsavoury things are going on. His sense of justice means he cannot ignore what he has found and he embarks on a risky mission to expose the truth. It’s also the sort of thing he imagines might impress Amy, a junior barrister he has fallen head over heels in love with despite the fact she’s already in a relationship.

At the beginning of this review I described the plot as ‘a neat premise for a book’, and so it is but perhaps not quite in the way you were expecting. Suddenly the book takes a whole different turn making you reflect on what you’ve just read. It’s a clever sleight of hand although I was a bit disappointed as the earlier section had been so enthralling. However, Alex isn’t done yet with exposing abuses in the immigration and asylum system. More subtle in nature, they’re no less momentous for the people caught up in them.

Alex is a loveable character, quick-witted and passionate about helping people navigate the asylum system even if that means risking his own career. I couldn’t help hoping his adoration for Amy, seemingly doomed from the start, would be rewarded in the end.

Many of Alex’s experiences are clearly informed by the author’s own time as a barrister working in human rights, asylum and immigration law. Although I’m certain the system is not perfect, I’d like to think not every High Court judge is corrupt and the Home Office is not completely an ‘impenetrable cesspit of an institution’ except in the realm of fiction. Having said that Sanctuary is a clever way to make you think about the issue, not only because we need to be reminded from time to time not to look the other way but also because one day we all might need someone like Alex on our side.

[Michael Campbell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just finished listening to the audiobook Sanctuary by Tom Gaisford. This novel is both a thrilling crime story and an important exploration of human rights and legal issues, all while weaving a compelling romance throughout. The prose is evocative and vivid from start to finish.

I highly recommend this book to like-minded readers!

[Nicola Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

What an intriguing read Sanctuary is. Alex Donovan is a refugee lawyer, one of the types of lawyers who really want to make a difference, to help people. He's bogged down by his six minute segmented chargeable hours and by the fact that he isn't making as much of a difference to those seeking asylum as he hoped. Add to that his feelings for Amy, one of the barristers that he instructs, who constantly blows hot and cold towards him, and Alex is struggling a bit. After being signed off work, he comes up with a plan to claim asylum in his own country, a daring and potentially dangerous plan which serves to highlight the way asylum seekers are treated and might just also attract the attention of Amy.

Sanctuary wasn't really like any other book I've read. Alex is funny and sharp-witted, and his interactions, particularly with other legal folk, for whom he has a certain amount of disdain, made me laugh out loud. It's also a stark portrayal of life in an immigration centre, viewing it from the perspectives of those detained, those running it, and a lawyer who just wants to help.

The narrative is told in punchy short bursts which made it really easy to read and the pace is kept up throughout, right up until the triumphant conclusion. It's a very good debut novel.

[Santigie k · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is so topical with the current UK political climate and highlights attitudes generally displayed towards immigration by institutions we trust to safeguard it but in a lighthearted and hilarious way.

Very fun to read and conceptually brave although the ending did feel quite abrupt. I also was disappointed finding out towards the end that most of the story did not happen since I really enjoyed that aspect of the book , especially Priya’s character! It also felt a bit like experiencing the same ending twice, since the conclusion of the asylum seeker plot mirrored the actual ending so closely. I’d already been through that emotional journey once, so going through it again felt slightly disorienting.

But overall a fantastic read ! I devoured every page, genuinely laughed and was also emotionally disturbed by revelations. I would really recommend.

I will definitely be looking out for more from Gainsford!

[David Joseph · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful Novel!

This is an excellent novel about a young refugee lawyer and the work that is done with asylum seekers. It is well-written, moving, and filled with unexpected twists and turns that keep the reader enthralled from beginning to end. It's also well-paced and is highlighted by the author’s ability to balance gravitas and sincerity with humor and wit. Beyond that, it an Important novel, surrounding an Important issue, written with empathy and heart at a time when the world is so desperately in need of it. One last note is that the audiobook is read exceptionally well by the author. His resonate voice and masterful command of language, accents, and dialects make the listening experience quite enjoyable. An impressive debut, and I look forward to reading more from this author in the future.

[Samah Elsir · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautifully written and deeply heart-wrenching, this book strikes at the core of anyone who has witnessed the ongoing struggles of refugees and asylum seekers. A powerful and necessary read.

[kimberley (thearieslibrary)]

DNF’d @ 9%, 48min / chapter 13

Unfortunately, I just couldn’t get into this book. The concept was interesting but it didn’t grip me enough to want to continue/return back to the book.