From the acclaimed author of the Pierce Hunt series comes a thrilling novel featuring a Secret Service agent who takes on a ruthless foe to protect the country he serves and the woman he loves. Former air force combat rescue officer Special Agent Clayton White now works for the Secret Service performing routine escort missions for politicians. These missions may not be quite as exciting as his time in the military, but Clayton’s okay with that. It gives him more time to see his girlfriend, Veronica Hammond―an archaeologist who also happens to be the vice president elect’s daughter. But Clayton’s seemingly manageable new routine takes a startling turn when South African mercenaries target Veronica at an awards gala celebrating her work. After this attempt on Veronica’s life, Clayton enters a complicated web of lies, betrayal, and dangerous government secrets. As Clayton gets closer to the truth, he encounters unexpected foes pitted against questionable allies. With enemies at every turn, the only constant Clayton can rely on is Veronica. But when the threat against her turns on him, too, he faces an impossible love or country.
Simon Gervais is a former federal agent specializing in protective operations and counterterrorism. He spent nearly twenty years in the military and in law enforcement. His assignments took him all over Europe and the Middle East. He's the New York Times and #1 Amazon bestselling author of 15 exciting thrillers, one of these titles—Robert Ludlum's The Blackbriar Genesis—was written for the Robert Ludlum estate. Simon's Clayton White series is presently being adapted for TV by CBS Studios with Jerry Bruckheimer TV attached to produce.
Simon lives with his wife and two children. He's an avid boater, diver, and skier.
Literary Agent: Mark Tavani at David Black Agency. Film/TV Agent: Debbie Deuble-Hill and Alec Frankel at APA.
The Caspian Anderson series: THE ELIAS NETWORK (Sept 2024) THE ELIAS ENIGMA (July 2025) THE ELIAS CONSPIRACY (July 2026)
The Chase Burke series (co-written with Ryan Steck): THE SECOND SON (December 2025) THE MARKED SON (November 2026)
Robert Ludlum's THE BLACKBRIAR GENESIS written by Simon Gervais (October 18, 2022)
The Clayton White series: THE LAST PROTECTOR (November 2021) THE LAST SENTINEL (August 2022) THE LAST GUARDIAN (October 2023)
The Pierce Hunt series HUNT THEM DOWN (January 2019) TRAINED TO HUNT (September 2019) TIME TO HUNT (November 2020)
The Mike Walton series: THE THIN BLACK LINE (March 2015) A LONG GRAY LINE (Novella—March 2016) A RED DOTTED LINE (November 2017) A THICK CRIMSON LINE (April 2018)
"[An] action-packed series launch by Simon Gervais..." —Publishers Weekly
"One of the most anticipated action thrillers of the year..." —The Real Book Spy
"Gervais is a thriller writer to watch..." —Library Journal
"An action-packed thrill ride with plot twists around nearly every curve" — Kirkus Reviews
3.5⭐ You got my attention Simon Gervais! This is my first novel by Gervais and you count me in for the second installment.
I love the back story in part one, six years before. The first part is a military thriller while the rest of the book. becomes a political/espionage thriller.
New hero, Clay White in present-day works as a Secret Service agent and protects VP-elect's daughter Veronica with whom he has relations. There's an attempt on her life at a function where he saved her life or did she save his? Eventually, Clay accepts a one-man mission that takes him off her protection detail and goes to South Africa.
I was surprised by the web of deception and didn't see things coming which is always fun. I felt this book could've gone on a little longer. Good pace, characters, and action.
The Last Protector by Simon Gervais has a powerful and shocking start, but it doesn’t stop there. Action, suspense, treachery, and intrigue keep this novel moving at a terrific pace. When powerful men and women do shocking things, is there anyone that can stop them? The novel has aspects of espionage, political, business, and military thrillers as well as settings that include Afghanistan, Iraq, South Africa, North Carolina, Texas, California, Virginia, and Washington D.C. It is exactly what you would expect from a well-written action thriller with lots of concern over how to protect one’s loved ones as well as some information on weapons and gear.
Clayton White is a former air force combat rescue officer that is now working for the Secret Service and leading the protection detail for the Veronica Hammond, the daughter of the vice-president-elect of the United States. She is also his secret girlfriend. When she becomes the target of a group of mercenaries, Clayton encounters lies, secrets, and unexpected foes. Who can he trust besides Veronica?
Clayton and Veronica are both likeable characters, but Clayton has more depth, which is natural for the main character of a series. His courage, valor, and loyalty, as well as his fair treatment of others gains him respect from his team and superiors. His flaws seem to be few except for accepting some things as fact without double-checking them. I hope that both of them gain depth as the series progresses. Readers do not get a sense of their lives when they are relaxing. Many of the other characters are well-drawn for their roles and some are unforgettable.
Part One is set six years ago and is short, but important. This opening is strong and has memorable scenes that immediately pulled this reader into the story. A narrative that is suspenseful and action-filled through-out moves at a blistering pace. The author’s military and federal experiences are reflected in the well-crafted action situations that felt genuine.
Short chapters are full of action, difficult choices, and betrayals. The story line is somewhat straightforward with a clear sense of good versus evil. My biggest quibble is that the ending felt rushed; especially near the ending in South Africa. Additionally, in one of the scenes, one of the “bad guys” made a mistake that did not seem in character for him. However, it was so full of action and excitement that it kept me turning the pages to find out what was going to happen next. I was kept fully invested in the mission becoming a success.
Overall, this book was suspenseful, riveting, fast-paced, and entertaining. If you enjoy espionage or military thrillers with a strong lead character, then this may be the series for you. The combination of an entertaining story line and lots of action makes this an intoxicating novel. I am looking forward to reading the next book in the series.
This is my honest review. Opinions are mine alone and are not biased in any way. Publication was November 1, 2021. This review was originally posted at Mystery and Suspense Magazine.
------------------------------------- My 4 star review of this espionage and military thriller will be posted 3-4 days after it appears in Mystery and Suspense Magazine.
My first Clayton White book. I chose this as a First Reads Book with no disappointment. I normally don't read political thrillers and this was a nice change of pace. I highly recommend this to people that like non stop action, military tactics, along with espionage. There is not a boring moment.
A thrilling start to a new series by an author who captures our attention quickly then twists our emotions into a whirling dervish! Clayton White is a former air combat rescue officer, now working for the Secret Service, with an honorable background as his father was military. He works escorting politicians to public gatherings, leaving him time to spend with his girlfriend, Veronica Hammond. However there is a slight hiccup in their relationship as her Dad is in line for a run at Vice President. At an award gala to honor Veronica's new app, she is targeted and almost killed. Clayton saves the day, but finds himself questioning people he has known and trusted for years. What is really happening, what is the Truth...As he comes closer to the answer the danger increases, leaving an impossible choice... I won this book from a Goodreads giveaway, and I thank all involved for a fabulous read. I offer my honest thoughts and feelings in this review.
Interesting start to a series - decent plot but the action was never riveting. Lots of “important” characters who thought they would never be caught… I would give the next book a chance to see how the stories develop.
2.5-Stars - Disappointing, barely makes it to 3.0-Stars Extracts from My Listening Activity will probably be sufficient to serve as my review. Review: As mentioned above, My Listening Activity can serve as my review.
My Listening Activity: (Jeffrey Kafer, 06.39 hrs) 2012 [Audible Direct] 2025 Feb 08, 2025 @ 60%: "The relationships between the main characters, and the 'plot', were becoming quite implausible by the time I reached the 60% mark of what is an unusually short audiobook." Feb 11, 2025 @ 99%: "Disappointing. Short audiobook, too many short chapters. Implausible (I know...it's fiction!). Won't be bothered listening to next in the series. Narration was OK, but not inspiring, too 'mechanical'. Brief review + Rating to come."
Clayton White is a veteran, and a secret service agent, assigned to protect the daughter of the Vice President-Elect. They are old friends, new lovers, and about to get engaged, when assassins break into her hotel room.
It turns out, in a backstory straight out of a soap opera with testosterone, Not only is the vice President her father, he also killed White's father to cover up involvement in a war crime. A collaborator is the one who sent the assassins, as it just so happens the daughter is involved with a computer program that will uncover the crime. Yeah, that just about took me out of the novel,too. You have to suspend a lot of disbelief for this one.
The action makes up for the contrived and wildly improbable backstory.
This didn’t work for me as well as Gervais’ Pierce Hunt series. It sounds odd - but I didn’t connect with the antagonists very well. Their motivations didn’t really work for me and the fact that Gervais used them to fill in backstory kind of messed up the pacing.
That said, I liked Clay & Veronica. Both have strong personalities that worked well here. The action parts were fun when they happened.
While a full & complete story, it ends with a bit of a open-the-series kind of cliffhanger. I will check out the next one when it’s released.
Narration: Jeffrey Kafer is a good choice for action/thriller type books with male protagonists. I like his voices for the various characters and timing/energy for action scenes.
I am a huge fan of Simon Gervais and have read everything he has written. His Mike Walton series is my favorite but Clayton White has a chance to take the lead. The action is topnotch but the characters he develops are multifaceted and flawed. The only bone I have to pick is that I finished it too quickly and have to wait a year for the next book.
Simon Gervaise has done it again! The Last Protector is the first book in a brand new series about Clayton White. Ex combat rescue officer and now Secret service agent. This is non stop action in a thrilling ride from start to finish. I started reading his Pierce Hunt books a while ago and thought they where great but this new series is even better. It will be very interesting to see where the story will lead us and what parts of betrayal will be vital. Gervaise has created a wonderful character in White and I will follow him closely to read more about his struggles. I must thank @netgalley #NetGalley and #ThomasAndMercer for giving me this copy and @simongervaisebooks for writing it. Well done sir. I will surely recommend it to all and everyone.
Man, I SO wanted to really like this book. It began so promisingly, like and Alistair McClean or Robert Ludlum thriller where the protagonist is thrust into a life and death scenario that had me hurriedly turning pages. And then...well, and then the author spent countless pages delving into the military and corporate back-stabbing behind the original attempted assassination plot. We were introduced to a litany of secondary characters and their backstories. Instead of enjoying this book, I found myself hurrying to get it over with. My first, and last Clayton White book.
Story was pretty good. Very action packed and fast moving so it’s a very easy read. The part at the very beginning where he proposes to his girlfriend who he is not even officially dating and she says yes was one of the most ridiculous things I’ve ever read and there was one spot where there seemed to be product placement for another book, which really took me out of the story, but I would still recommend this.
A good but not out of the ordinary action book. Clayton White is a Secret Service agent in charge of protection Prior to this assignment he was a Captain in the military. He is the son of a General who died in combat or did he? The plot involves terrorists being kept in offsite prisons. The writing is good and so is the action but the characters are weak, especially the main one.
4.5 stars without hesitation. What a ride. I’m definitely going to read the 2nd book. It’s was amazing. A bit disappointed with the ending but understanding that it’s a series. I enjoyed this
Gervais brings Clay & Vonnie’s story alive in his writing. So much so that you feel a part of the action. I didn’t realize until after that the author was prior military & government. I am assuming the vividness comes from personal experience. I will definitely be reading more of his works and cannot wait for the next Clayton White continuation. Thankful to have experienced his writing through a #goodreadsgiveaway .
Quick note, if you suffer from combat PTSD, the first 30 or so pages of the characters back story could be a trigger.
I'm a big fan of Simon Gervais and his way of writing. Fast-paced and not too long action packed thrillers with well developed characters. The new series about Clayton White is no exception and it might even be his best book so far. I can't wait to read the next book in the series and I also hope there will be more books about Pierce Hunt in the future. Simon Gervais is one of the best thriller writers out there.
I highly recommend this book and thanks to the author, Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley for this copy.
I've been busy this last week since I downloaded The Last Protector, but I eagerly devoured the novel. Even when I wasn't reading, the anticipation of the developing story, kept it foremost in my thoughts. Yes, I enjoyed it that much!
The Secret Service agent, Clayton White, used to be an air force, combat rescue officer. Enter, Veronica Hammond.
From the first background rescue mission to the final page, I have no doubt this story will captivate the reader and elevate the heart rate with this fast-paced read. The details and action kept me turning pages and it left me with one thought. The Last Protector is going to be an amazing movie! Simon Gervais paints such a detailed picture, you find yourself immersed within the novel.
While I enjoyed the Hunt series, I am anticipating the further adventures of Clayton White. Outstanding novel, and I can't recommend it enough.
It’s got everything you could possibly want in a top-notch thriller – conspiracy, deceit, world-changing technology, mercenaries, family, love, a badass protagonist, smarmy bad guys, a plethora of ass kicking and killing…and a French sommelier.
I'm a big fan of Simon Gervais and his way of writing. Fast-paced and not too long action packed thrillers with well developed characters. The new series about Clayton White is no exception and it might even be his best book so far. I can't wait to read the next book in the series and I also hope there will be more books about Pierce Hunt in the future. Simon Gervais is one of the best thriller writers out there.
I highly recommend this book and thanks to the author, Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley for this copy.
What a fun qnd great book!! Simon Gervais has started a new series featuring Clayton White and I can not wait to read the next book. Just as in previous books the plot and action are fast pace and keep you flipping the pages. The characters are so great and come to life in the page!! I will wait not so patiently for the next in this series!!
I don't recall where I got the recommendation to read this series, but it starts out like a house on fire with this one. I will definitely be continuing with the series.
While there was plenty of action and some intrigue, of the characters only one changed over the course of the story. And that change was rather small. I would say all of the characters were kind of static. This made the story small, less than adventure, no real point to it.
After being with Air Rescue, Special Agent Clayton White now works for the Secret Service on the protection detail of the Vice President Elect's daughter, Veronica Hammond. Veronica is a world renowned archaeologist who has perfected an aerial app called Drain that could foil a plot headed, in part, by her father. Clayton and Veronica are in love, and that isn't the only thing keeping the two of them apart. When an attempt on her life is foiled, Veronica and Clay are thrown into the middle of international espionage and a complicated cover-up.
The Last Protector has the bones of an excellent political thriller, however, it doesn't include enough story for it to truly shine. The many characters are woefully underdeveloped and the motivations behind the plot are not clearly explained. There are lots of acronyms and bits of military information that ring true, but they are implemented in such a way as to leave the reader wanting much more. In addition, much of the story is told instead of shown and the dialogue that is present doesn't move the story along. Overall, the premise of The Last Protector and the basic story is acceptable, but the execution is not satisfying.
If there is one specific skill Simon Gervais has in regards to his writing, it is his ability to craft relatable, yet admirable protagonists. In The Last Protector he has done it again with Clayton White. Fans of Gervais’ previous work will once again be clawing to get their hands on this book.
Secret Service Special Agent White, formerly an air force combat rescue officer, finds himself in an impossible position; assigned to the protective detail for the love of his life… which happens to be the vice president-elect’s daughter. White’s occupation has forced their relationship to remain a secret, but when an attack nearly ends both their lives… the real danger begins.
This is barely mediocre. It reads like a Netflix action movie, with good and fun action scenes and very little more from a story and quality of writing standpoint. It's fun throughout but the writing is so bland that even one bit less quality would make it flat out unreadable. So I don't regret reading it but I wouldn't recommend it to anyone. There are lots of better written global-military-thrillers I'm sure.
"The Last Protector" - written by Simon Gervais and published in 2021 by Thomas & Mercer. It's fun to fit a thriller in now and then, and this one was fine. It's a middling, standard story with an ex-military protagonist, a love interest who's being threatened and a bunch of mean bad guys. Lots of action - a quick read. The storyline, which was partially unresolved at the end, is continued in the sequel, "The Last Sentinel," which came out in 2022.