The Last Guardian

Clayton White #3

by Simon Gervais

In this thrilling installment of the Clayton White series, the former Secret Service agent must sift through layers of deception to uncover the truth behind the FBI director’s assassination and avert a global catastrophe.

Fighting the fentanyl epidemic in the United States is a top priority for President Alexander Hammond, and there’s only one man he trusts—however begrudgingly—to lead the task former Secret Service agent and soon-to-be son-in-law Clayton White.

Once reckless in his line of work, White is now determined to keep his future in mind. He and his fiancée, Veronica, are expecting their first child, and there are some risks White is no longer willing to take. But when his investigation into the Red Dragon Triad drug cartel appears to lead to the assassination of the FBI director, White is forced to put his life on the line to find out who is behind the attack and what they’re planning next.

Amid a series of secret identities, betrayals, and terrorist plots, Clayton White must join forces with allies he’s not sure he can trust to save the country he’s sworn to protect and the family he’s vowed to love.

Genres: Thriller, Fiction, Action, Political Thriller, Mystery, Espionage

298 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 10, 2023

About the author

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

Reviews

[PamG · Rating 4 out of 5]

A powerful and shocking start to The Last Guardian by Simon Gervais gets readers immediate attention. Action, suspense, intrigue, and danger keep this novel moving at fast pace. President Alexander Hammond has set fighting the drug epidemic in the United States as a priority and the man he trusts to lead the fight is Clayton White. Assassinations, secret identities, and betrayals are only the beginning.

Clayton is a former air force combat rescue officer and former Secret Service agent who is now a special assistant to the president for the Office of Special Projects. He’s courageous, loyal, treats others fairly, and he’s a great shot. His biggest flaw seems to be getting irritated quickly when forced to wait. He’s a man of action. His character has seen growth during the series. The secondary characters have differing levels of depth, but it was sufficient for their roles.

The novel has aspects of espionage and political thrillers and has diverse settings that include southern California, Washington D. C., Florida, U.S. Virgin Islands, British Virgin Islands, Macau, Monaco, and Switzerland. While most of the story is from Clayton’s point of view, it switches to other characters as well. The plot is multi-layered and complex with a narrative that is suspenseful and action-filled throughout. The author’s military and federal experiences are reflected in the well-crafted action scenes that felt genuine.

There is a strong sense of good versus evil throughout the novel. My biggest quibble is that most of the settings could have been almost anywhere. I only occasionally get a strong sense of place. Despite this, the story kept me engaged from the first chapter to its conclusion. The story line is gripping and keeps your attention throughout the novel. The author does a great job of bringing together the various aspects of the story into a cohesive tale. Geopolitical conflicts that help enable drug, human, and weapons trafficking are highlighted in this book. The mixture of international politics and domestic problems works well in this novel. There are ever-present threats looming that kept me rapidly turning the pages. Readers should be aware that there are some violent scenes depicted.

Overall, this book was suspenseful, riveting, fast-paced, and entertaining. If you enjoy political and action 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. These novels are hard to put down.

Thomas & Mercer and Simon Gervais provided a complimentary digital ARC of this novel via NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. Publication date is currently set for October 10, 2023. This review was originally posted at Mystery and Suspense Magazine.

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My 4.19 rounded to 4 stars review is coming soon.

[Jeremy Peers · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another good book by Simon Gervais. It starts off fast and doesn't let up. The story has it's fingers in the fentanyl crisis, the Russian war, China and Taiwan not to mention Clayton White's weird/strained/semi-normal relationship with his future father-in-law, The President of the United States. It is well written with plenty of action but for me, something is missing. I can't quite put my finger on it. Which is strange because I love everything Gervais has published. I like the Clayton White series; I just don't love it. Thank you to Thomas & Mercer via NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of The Last Guardian.

[Abibliofob · Rating 5 out of 5]

Simon Gervais! Is there someone out there that hasn't heard of him? If that is the case you ought to fix this right away. The Last Guardian is the third book about Clayton White and there is time for you to read the first two before this one is released.
It's been a while since I read a book from cover to cover in one sitting but this one sure made me do it.
Gervais has a great way with words so usually it's a pleasure to read just for that reason but in this book he has written such a fast paced action thriller that it leaves you breathless. I simply couldn't put it down, I was up until one in the morning reading and then I had trouble sleeping.
This book is by far the best of the Clayton White books and although I liket the Hunt series it is a pale comparison to this. I have read everything except the Mike Walton series by this author and have actually collected them for my tbr pile and he has never let me down with a bad book. I don't read many Canadian authors but I have one new one lined up and if Gervais is setting the standard Canada is a land worth noticing.
This one will be talked about. A very big thanks to Netgalley and Thomas & Mercer for letting me read this advance copy.

[Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

5.0 stars. Book 3 of the Clayton White series and it's another great edge of your seat thriller. Delivering plenty of action, suspense and intrigue, with a heavy dose of deception and betrayal. Surprised at the erie reality of some of today's current political events that were written into the story as if I'd just heard it on the news. I still don't trust President Hammond as far as I could throw him. So surely this won't be the end for former Secret Service agent Clayton White. Hoping for a hint from the author more books are on the way.

[LianaReads blog · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rtc

NetGalley Arc

[Steven Netter · Rating 5 out of 5]

READ MY FULL REVIEW AT Best Thriller Books



Make sure to check out the full review

[Todd · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another good Clayton White story. China has its fingers involved in fentynal smuggling, and likely more.

White ends up in the middle of it, despite his girlfriend expecting their child, and his quiet loathing of her father, the president. Plenty of action, along with some intrigue.

[Joanne Hurley · Rating 5 out of 5]

In an all-new Clayton White thriller, Simon Gervais presents us with a scenario that is all-too-believable: a Chinese asset in Macau has concocted a stunning act of terrorism against the United States, and just need all of the pieces in place to launch it.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review "The Last Guardian".
While Clayton White and his fiancée Veronica Hammond (daughter of POTUS) are awaiting the impending birth of their child, it seems that a number of bad actors are set on disturbing their peace.
While not having forgiven the President for his past sins, White has agreed to work for him in the Office of Special Operations; and as such is read in when the Director of the FBI receives a stunning phone call from a highly-respected businessman: please refrain from investigating one of the deadliest drug dealing gangs for he next few months! This is the same gang that has been responsible for the import of extremely dangerous fentanyl - disguised as candies - how can they possibly hold off?
This doesn't sit well with POTUS, the Director or Clayton, and investigations are launched.
Meanwhile, in Macau, assets of the Chinese and Russian governments are in receipt of stolen Surface To Air (SAM) Missiles, and plan a two-pronged terrorist attach against the US.
When the FBI Director, on vacation in St. John, is the victim of a brutal assassination - along with his entire family and most of his protective detail - and Clayton and Veronica (as well as another possible asset) are on hand, the action heats up.
While promising to begin to scale back her work, Veronica nonetheless must fulfill a commitment to appear in Davos, Switzerland at an important conference - unknowingly putting herself in the crosshairs of the plotters.
Taking place in Macau, St. John, Washington and Switzerland, this one is an all-out thrill ride.
Can be read as a standalone, but to truly understand the backstories, you should read the series; you won't regret it.
Recommended to fans of action thrillers and espionage, with a touch of romance in the mix. (And of course, the bad guys never win.)

[S.S. Scott | Romance Author and Fiction Story Coach · Rating 3 out of 5]

Kind of a letdown

I don't know if it's because of the writing and editing craft books I've been reading, or the developmental editing classes I've been taking, or the fiction writing workshops I've participated in, but almost everything about this book felt off. I know this is the last book in the series, but I just felt like Gervais didn't do Clayton, Veronica, or Hammond justice as characters. And the last 10% of the book was a combination of rushed pacing and plot conveniences. I didn't hate this book, but I don't think it's the author's best work, either.

[Mags · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5⭐

Clayton White is back in another gripping and complex thriller.

As the world is on a knife edge with Russia firmly entrenched in Ukraine and China circling Taiwan.

However, one of the only stabilising forces is new President Hamilton. Clayton's soon to be father-in-law and the man who murdered his dad.

But for the sake of his fiancee and the country Clayton is keeping quiet and working with Hamilton in the White House. After all, don't they say to keep your friends close and your enemies closer?

And when the President requires White to head to the US Virgin Islands to meet with the director of the FBI, Clayton invites his fiancee Veronica along for a relaxing break before the birth of their first child.

Yet, things don't quite go to plan when the director, his family and most of his protection are assassinated and White and Hamilton want answers.

And the danger doesn't stop there. As a plan has been put into motion for an attack on U.S. soil, using weapons the U.S. left behind when withdrawing from Afghanistan. All so China with the help of Russia can invade Taiwan.

That is, unless Clayton can stop them whilst also keeping Veronica safe.

And with a fast-paced storyline, plenty of twists and turns. This was a truly enjoyable and entertaining read. That genuinely kept me on my toes, and I would happily recommend it to all.

My thanks to Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an early copy of The Last Guardian. 😊

[John · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review via NetGally

[Deepak Bassi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another 5/5 Epic book in the series’s! This one is action packed and certainly delivers a memorable read. The action just doesn’t stop and the characters are well researched and presented! Love Clayton White!

[Brooke · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fast read like the previous two books, and similarly good for a road trip/train ride/flight. A few too many characters in this one, but an entertaining read.

[Tim Yaciuk · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a great read! The story continues the Clayton White series and picks up right where the last book left off. Fast paced and tough to put down. The story takes lots of twists and turns, who is on who's side, etc. The author does a great job incorporating real life in the story.

This is a must read. I look forward to the next books in the series. Highly recommend not just this book but the first two as well.

[Sue · Rating 4 out of 5]

In this action-packed installment of the Clayton White series, China is determined, with some help from Russia, to blind the US to its takeover of Taiwan. This close-to-fact premise results in a chase across continents featuring double agents, betrayal, murder, and compromise.

This can be read as a standalone, but to truly understand the dynamic between Clayton and Veronica's father, you should read the first two books. These are easy, fast reads with likeable characters and good action.

I enjoyed this book, and readers of this genre will too.

Not family friendly due to violence.

Thanks to Netgalley and Thomas and Mercer. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

[Linda · Rating 2 out of 5]

**Never won me over at all**

On the plus side, this was still a decently written story (for the most part), literarily speaking. Sure, there were a few areas with overloads of weapons talk or military jargon, but nothing overwhelming to push me out. There were a handful of really exciting and/or thrilling moments, some of them shockingly violent (in a good way) to better convey the seriousness of a matter. It just woulda been nice if those same dramatic moments were also achieved by establishing the characters involved in them better. Because that therein leads to one of my main complaints.

There were way, WAY too many new characters to keep track of this go around, so many that this no longer even felt like a Clayton story. I never really grasped who was minor or major. I felt like I wasn't given ample opportunity to get to know anyone, not to the point of being invested in them. So whenever major events happened, I felt like I couldn't quite care like I should have. It also didn't help that all their stories entangled with each other (and not in a smooth way). Scenes were effectively tarnished, and I was always like, "Ah, I forgot that was even happening."

There were plenty moments of boredom on my part, several of which caused me to skim my way through. I had to check out so many times, took frequent breaks. I wasn't invested, wasn't interested, wasn't won over. The story just never grabbed me to the level I prefer, and I found myself more in a hurry to get it over with than not, just so I can move on to something else. Usually when this happens, I check out of a series completely. I don't know if this series will even continue on, but as of now, I don't see myself being there.

[Cathy Geha · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Last Guardian by Simon Gervais
Clayton White #3

Fast-paced action-packed beginning that grabbed my attention and introduced the fentanyl issue that would lead to a global story filled with villains and good guys pitting themselves against one another.

What I liked:
* Clayton White: lethal, loyal, bright, advisor-observer for US president, loves his pregnant fiancé Veronica, seems to find himself in the midst of trouble more often than not
* Veronica Hammond: Clayton’s pregnant and loving fiancé, owner of tech company, good friend, ambitious, intelligent
* The plot, pacing, settings, and writing
* The look at international and political intrigue
* The multi-level complex threads woven together to create the story
* Not always knowing who was good and who was evil, the evil characters could be male or female and were not all from the same country
* That the darker aspects of the story were not entirely glossed over and that both good and evil could be targeted and lose their lives
* Thinking about political intrigue and being glad I am not involved in it
* Knowing that this was fiction though parts of it could actually happen in real life
* Wondering what will happen in book four

What I didn’t like:
* Who and what I was meant not to like
* Thinking about the way those in power abuse it and the impact on those who suffer at their hands

Did I like this book? Yes
Would I read more in this series? Yes

Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for the ARC – This is my honest review.

4-5 Stars

[John · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an ARC through "NetGalley" and I am voluntarily leaving an honest review.

This story begins with Clayton on the scene of a drug bust. He was not to play a role in the takedown, but things didn't go down well. Clayton and his partner wound up facing off against 3 of the individuals involved with drugs.

A few days later, Clayton is asked by POTUS to meet with the FBI Director regarding the Red Dragon Triad. Since it was just a meeting, he took his fiancée, the President's daughter, with him. While having dinner he had to handle of situation in the bar and later, gun fire was heard. Clayton had Veronica, his fiancée, taken to a safe area by her Secret Service detail and he went to find out about what the gun fire was about.

A few months later, Clayton and Veromica traveled to Davos wher Veronica was to give a presentation. Unknown to them, there was a group that wanted to shoot their plane down once they departed. At the same time, an American was kidnapped and Clayton made arrangements to try and rescue him. Once again he was supposed to be safe, but while the rescue was taking place, gun fire broke out and his FBI partner was shot.

To find out what happened regarding the FBI visit, who was intent on bringing their plane down, what the importance of the kidnapped American was and how these episodes tied back to the drug bust, then you need to read this book.

[SteVen Hendricks · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book Review – The Last Guardian – Simon Gervais
“The Last Guardian” thriller by French Canadian author Simon Gervais is Book 3 in the Clayton White series and is just as ‘electrifying’ as the previous other two. Gervais’ globetrotting storytelling, volatile action passages, and suspenseful surprises, were wrapped around well-developed characters and well written text. This is a stunning and stimulating thrill ‘read!’ As main character, Clayton White, the former Secret Service agent sifts through layers of deception and deceit to uncover the truth behind the FBI director’s assassination, his investigation leads to a drug cartel that has a lot to do with the fentanyl crisis in the United States. Begrudgingly - upon the request of the president – White leads a task force to tackle the fentanyl epidemic but eventually finds out who was behind the FBI director’s assassination as well as other political duplicities and a terrorist plot. White consequently works vigorously to avert a possible worldwide disaster in this fast-paced, high intensity thriller. This narrative is a riveting, ‘race-against-the-clock’, political crime thriller that was very well written and skillfully told. A special thank you to Simon Gervais for the autographed advance reader’s copy of The Last Guardian.

[Jonnie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Too much of this book was filled with background from books 1 and 2. I get that an author has to do that in case someone has not read the previous books, but more time was spent detailing too much information from earlier books for such a short audiobook. I also thought the author spent too many pages on Veronica, her pregnancy, and other mundane stuff. It made me wonder if the author was a new father trying to capture his feelings about being a dad. That's not the type of material I expect to read in this genre.

The ending felt rushed with everything being wrapped up neat and tidy. There were pages on the change in departure from Davos by the US delegation, but the story skips to 9 days later not explaining what happened with Ian during this time or if the delegation departed safely.

There were a couple of surprises about two characters, but one felt especially contrived. I also wondered at O'Donnell's house why no one initially wondered where Jeremy's fiancée was. The Russian-Chinese connection also seemed forced to me. I did like Ian as a character and if there is a book 4, I hope there is more of him and Clayton and a whole less of Veronica.

Overall, this was not the best of the three books, but I'd probably read a book 4 if the price was right.

[Max · Rating 3 out of 5]

In this standard thriller, a possibly rogue group in China wants to destroy a random airplane departing from the annual World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. They are planning other terrorist acts that are never defined.

Clayton White is a tough guy, serving as an assistant to the President (who he hates), and engaged to the President's daughter (who he loves). When the Chinese plan leads to the assassination of the head of the FBI, Clayton gets involved.

You know where this is going. Clayton runs around, risking his life, exposing layers of the onion, to unravel the plot and identify the responsible parties. Sometimes the story makes sense, other times Clayton gets information from improbable sources that send him to the next destination.

The dialogue is ok. Clayton is a typical noble, patriotic warrior. The bad guys are familiar stereotypes. The secondary characters are one dimensional.

Gervais has a good writing style and the story is tense throughout. A fair amount of action, bullets, and violence.

I'll probably read the next book in this series, but not excited by the prospect.

[Joyeux Noelle · Rating 2 out of 5]

decent story if you like the genre

**I won this in a Goodreads giveaway**

It is challenging to be objective when a book isn’t necessarily my favorite genre, but I can be won over by a good story. But…this one just had a lot going on. Almost too much. It seemed to follow the standard espionage/political thriller formula where a bunch of characters are constantly introduced and POV is constantly changing, a character you just met or who had a chapter or two from their POV suddenly gets killed, so it’s hard to feel connected to any of them. I would have preferred a more streamlined plot and fewer POVs (for being a book about Clayton White he didn’t get much more page time than anyone else).
But in the aspect that it provides action and adventure, it did a decent job and I always admire an author who can get their ideas down on paper and finish a project, so kudos to that!

[Brian · Rating 3 out of 5]

In this, the third instalment in Simon Gervais’ Clayton White series, the former Secret Service agent is up against drug cartels, Russian agents and Chinese Triads in order to avert a global catastrophe.

These books are a guilty pleasure for me. They aren’t the best you’ll read in the genre but they are a quick and easy read. They are full of action which is enhanced by the short chapters, which also adds to the relentless pace, there’s no filler here. The plots are interesting without being over complex, there is little back story or character building but just enough to keep the story moving. I find them entertaining, enjoyable and relaxing. The Last Guardian sticks to that action packed formula which is graphically violent at times. The only criticism I would make is that I found it ended in a bit of a whimper, I wanted a more explosive ending and everything was wrapped up a bit too easily.

[Jeff Benham · Rating 5 out of 5]

The action doesn't slow down in Book #3.
The Red Dragon Triad is trying to smuggle fentynol into the US and President Hammond wants Clayton White to make sure they don't. This leads him to the Russians, who plan to use surface to missles on Americans, from inside the country. He also has to deal with the death of the FBI director and the possibility that the previous President didn't really die from a heart attack. Nobody has considered that a foreign country could be involved. Once again Veronica's life could be in danger. Some of the people you think are good, aren't and some of the people you think are bad, aren't. Or are they? That's a whole lot of excitement for one book.

[Ricki · Rating 2 out of 5]

Read the first, skipped the second in the series and wished I skipped this as well. Clayton. a former secret service agent now does special "projects" for a president he hates and father to his fiancee.

She wants him to get away from all the violence but somehow he is always pulled in. While they are on vacation, he is to meet with the director of the FBI. The storyline involves the Triad and the Russians and there are way too many characters to keep track of although most get killed almost as soon as they are introduced.

It's long, drawn out and Clayton has catered too much to the fiancee- you can almost tell this isn't going to last.

[Andrea Prieto · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had read the first few pages and I thought to myself that I would not get into the book. I was struggling reading it with all the mention of different guns and sizes. To my surprise, I actually did get into it. I felt like I was watching an action movie. It was easy to follow and the author did a good job at pushing the story forward. The story line felt smooth and not rushed at all. I was able to read this fairly quickly because I was intrigued in seeing how it would end. This is the first book I read by this author and it definitely hooked me. I will be reading more of his. If you are into action, war, crime fighting, twists and turns I would suggest this reading.

[Doug Yonce · Rating 4 out of 5]

A welcome addition to the series finds super sleuth Clayton White pulling on threads to find the bad guys so he can deal with them as only he can. The FBI Director is killed the evening before their planned meeting. Was it the Chinese, the Russians, or someone else? How is the rich American businessman involved? How is the MSS involved? Still suspicious of his father-in-law, the US President, he nevertheless goes to work in an action-packed story.I received an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher and voluntarily provided an honest review.

[Marci Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

Clayton White is THE badass to beat all badasses! I read books 1-2 for this ARC and I am so glad that I did b/c there is so much backstory that would be lost if I hadn't. I love his relationship w/his fiancee and how excited he is to be a father. This author does a great job with the nuances of the relationship Clay has with his future father-in-law and all of their history.

I can't wait for the next installment! Simon Gervais is an author that I am adding to my always-read list!

#TheLastGuardian
#NetGalley

[Jan Phillips · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the 3rd book of the Clayton White series from Simon Gervais.

If you are a fan of the series you will enjoy this story too. Same principal characters with an interesting set of "bad folks" with a bit of a switch around with a couple of the characters that
I didn't see coming!

You caught me Mr. Gervais and that's not easy to do.

I enjoyed this story and get the feeling that Mr. Gervais has finished with our intrepid guardian.
If this is the last White book, I look forward to his next set of characters and the challenges they will need to overcome!
Enjoy!

[Lynnette Dobson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Simon Gervais has the uncanny ability to build characters into friends within the boundaries of short yet succinct series.
First encounters with “Elias”, now White, have left me with a desire to meet his other friends and follow their journeys.
From the hallowed halls of The White House, to sun drenched beaches of the Caribbean to Switzerland and Moscow, the stories are unputdownable.
This series is no different and highly recommended for avid readers of contemporary and politically relatable fiction.