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Simon Gervais
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The Last Protector (Clayton White Book 1) Kindle Edition

by Simon Gervais (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.4 out of 5 stars 23,634 ratings

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 choice: love or country.

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  1. Book 1 of 3
    Clayton White
  2. Print length
    261 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Publisher
    Thomas & Mercer
  5. Accessibility
    Learn more
  6. Publication date
    November 1, 2021
  7. File size
    2.4 MB
  8. Page Flip
    Enabled
  9. Word Wise
    Enabled
  10. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
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  1. “He knows about the purge. And about the fact you lied to him about the resolution of CONQUEST.”
    Highlighted by 118 Kindle readers
  2. Roy Oxley knew it was going to be a long, stressful, and probably sleepless night. It wasn’t every day one ordered the assassination of the vice president-elect’s daughter.
    Highlighted by 92 Kindle readers
  3. For whatever reason, General Hammond had chosen to lie to him. And White had no idea why.
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Editorial Reviews

Review

“Gervais’s brisk series kickoff, which jumps around the world, is built on the tension underlying the tenuous alliances among the sort of power-hungry villains who will stop at nothing. Well-modulated action scenes alternate with showdowns that reposition the pawns.” —Kirkus Reviews

“[A] solid thriller from Gervais…” —Publishers Weekly

“Gervais has already cemented himself as one of the supreme writers in the genre, and this newest novel only adds to it. This is a book that thriller fans won’t want to miss.” —Stuart Ashenbrenner, Best Thriller Books

“A thrill ride from the first page to the last! Simon Gervais is coming in hot with The Last Protector. Looking for action, intrigue, and suspense? This is your novel! Move it to the top of your list!” —Jack Carr, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Devil’s Hand

“The Last Protector, by Simon Gervais, is a perfectly built, spellbinding thriller with true heart and depth woven into the blood-soaked and bone-crunching action. Relentlessly paced, authentic, and utterly engrossing, The Last Protector knocked me off my feet.” —Mark Greaney, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Gray Man

“Simon Gervais writes with an insider’s knowledge, putting us in the shoes of someone working close-protection assignments. Tightly plotted and lightning fast, The Last Protector is a must-read.” —Marc Cameron, New York Times bestselling author of Stone Cross and Tom Clancy Code of Honor

From the Publisher

Bestselling author Simon Gervais spent several years in the Royal Canadian Mounted Police protecting visiting heads of state, such as Queen Elizabeth II and former US president Barack Obama, and his expertise shows on the pages of the explosive new thriller The Last Protector.

In this riveting new series, we are introduced to former US Air Force combat rescue officer turned Secret Service agent Clayton “Clay” White. When he is assigned a routine protection assignment for the US vice president elect, Clay thinks his days on the front lines are over. But all too soon he is thrown into a vast conspiracy that lands the love of his life—the daughter of the vice president elect—in the crosshairs. Pitted against the power-hungry politicians of DC and deadly South African mercenaries, Clay will stop at nothing to protect her.

Showcasing author Simon Gervais’s mastery of storytelling, combined with high-octane action, The Last Protector is a nonstop thrill ride—a ride that will thankfully continue next year with the electrifying sequel The Last Sentinel!

—Liz Pearsons, Editor

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B08LD2BRD9
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Thomas & Mercer
  • Accessibility ‏ : ‎ Learn more
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ November 1, 2021
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 2.4 MB
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 261 pages
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1542022958
  • Page Flip ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Book 1 of 3 ‏ : ‎ Clayton White
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.4 out of 5 stars 23,634 ratings

About the author

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Simon Gervais

Simon Gervais

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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 14 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, and his Pierce Hunt series is being adapted for TV by Sobini Films.

The Caspian Anderson series: The Elias Network (October 2024), The Elias Enigma (July 2025), The Elias Conspiracy (Summer 2026).

The Chase Burke series (co-written with Ryan Steck): The Second Son (November 2025). Untitled Book II (Fall 2026).

The Clayton White series: THE LAST GUARDIAN (October 2023), THE LAST SENTINEL (August 2022),THE LAST PROTECTOR (November 2021).

Robert Ludlum's THE BLACKBRIAR GENESIS written by Simon Gervais (October 2022).

The Pierce Hunt series: TIME TO HUNT (November 2020), TRAINED TO HUNT (September 2019), HUNT THEM DOWN (January 2019).

The Mike Walton series: A THICK CRIMSON LINE (April 2018), A RED DOTTED LINE (November 2017), A LONG GRAY LINE (Novella—March 2016), THE THIN BLACK LINE (March 2015).

"This worthy addition to the Ludlum enterprise...Gervais delivers the exciting action, colorful heroes and villains, and seamless plots that readers have come to expect from this dependable franchise. Ludlum would be proud."—Publishers Weekly

"[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

Simon divides his time between Ottawa, Miami, and The Bahamas. He lives with his wife and two children. He's an avid boater, wine enthusiast, SCUBA diver, and skier.

Customer reviews

4.4 out of 5 stars
23,634 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find the book packed with action and intrigue, with a fast-paced narrative that's easy to read and difficult to put down. They appreciate the well-developed characters, particularly Clayton White, and the intelligent plot elements, with one customer noting the credible portrayal of Secret Service details. The book receives mixed reactions regarding corruption themes.

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Action packed storyEnjoymentPacingCharacter developmentWriting qualityDifficulty to put downIntelligenceCorruption
422 customers mention "Action packed story"369 positive53 negative

Customers enjoy the action-packed story of the book, which is packed with intrigue and seamlessly flowing plot points.

"...Things start off strong. The author clearly has military experience as the situations, weapons, and tactics are all beautifully described and feel..." Read more

"A nonstop battle and violence story. As those stories are, they keep your interest. Beyond that there’s not a ton of character fleshing out...." Read more

"Fast-paced global intrigue with double-crossing political and power forces., this story does not disappoint. David Baldacci fans will enjoy this book." Read more

"...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..." Read more

302 customers mention "Enjoyment"302 positive0 negative

Customers find the book enjoyable, describing it as a good action read that's fun from the opening page.

"...Worth a look if you want a story you don't need to think about much." Read more

"3.5/5 quick and fun read. New to the series and it looks to have potential. Very fast paced and not not a lot of deep character development." Read more

"...The content and characters are well developed and engaging. I'm looking forward to the second and third books in the series." Read more

"...Overall, this book was suspenseful, riveting, fast-paced, and entertaining...." Read more

160 customers mention "Pacing"139 positive21 negative

Customers appreciate the book's pacing, describing it as fast-paced with action that is fast and furious, making it a quick read.

"New author for me and first book of his I’ve read. Pace is good and even with a number of characters to understand who’s, who the reader can keep..." Read more

"...It's a fast paced story featuring military and government cover ups and conspiracies that suck Clayton in when an attempt is made on Veronica's life..." Read more

"3.5/5 quick and fun read. New to the series and it looks to have potential. Very fast paced and not not a lot of deep character development." Read more

"...that is suspenseful and action-filled through-out moves at a blistering pace...." Read more

136 customers mention "Character development"123 positive13 negative

Customers appreciate the character development in the book, particularly Clayton White as a believable hero, with one customer noting how well the personalities are painted.

"I quite enjoyed The Last Protector. I felt like most of the characters were believable and I thought what drove the "bad guys" to do what they did..." Read more

"...Clay and Veronica are likeable characters that you want to succeed, and the fact I read this book in one sitting (unusual for me) speaks to the..." Read more

"...The content and characters are well developed and engaging. I'm looking forward to the second and third books in the series." Read more

"...Clayton and Veronica are both likeable characters, but Clayton has more depth, which is natural for the main character of a series...." Read more

115 customers mention "Writing quality"109 positive6 negative

Customers praise the writing quality of the book, finding it well-crafted and easy to read, with one customer noting that the author's style kept them engaged throughout the story.

"...I've been reading a lot of military thrillers lately so the synopsis here sounded great with hero soldier turned secret service agent Clayton White..." Read more

"...I was thoroughly impressed by the writing and narration. The content and characters are well developed and engaging...." Read more

"...Once again, Simon Gervais delivers a well-written, fast-paced and action-packed novel that you can’t put down, cementing him in the top tier of..." Read more

"Simon Gervais know how to write a good novel I’ll say that. So far every book of his that I have read, I have greatly enjoyed." Read more

22 customers mention "Difficulty to put down"22 positive0 negative

Customers find the book difficult to put down.

"Riveting. Loved the twists. Couldn’t put it down. Masterful. Believable. Like walking out of an afternoon movie and being blinded by the daylight." Read more

"...Really love his characters! This one was hard to put down. Looking forward to the next one!" Read more

"Very exciting and difficult to put down, Simon's book has an amazing way of making you feel like you're in the story actually viewing everything that..." Read more

"...The book is well written, and hard to put down." Read more

18 customers mention "Intelligence"18 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the intelligence in the book, with several noting its aspects of espionage, and one customer highlighting the credible details of the Secret Service.

"...The novel has aspects of espionage, political, business, and military thrillers as well as settings that include Afghanistan, Iraq, South Africa,..." Read more

"...action thriller with all the fixings – twist-and-turns, betrayal, espionage, romance and good-old-fashion ass kicking...." Read more

"...His protrayal of a fast distinct fighter, trained in operative maneuvers, quick thinking and always ready for action...." Read more

"...Clayton White moves from being a heroic USAF PJ, to an heroic Secret Service agent, to a loyal servant of the VP-select, to…that’s what I look..." Read more

17 customers mention "Corruption"10 positive7 negative

Customers have mixed feelings about the book's portrayal of corruption, with some appreciating the political and corporate elements while others find the lies and treachery excessive.

"...Action, suspense, treachery, and intrigue keep this novel moving at a terrific pace...." Read more

"...Deceptions, lies, and half truths nearly destroy the innocent adult children of those involved so long ago...." Read more

"...paints a comprehensive and detailed picture of a well told ‘political/corporate’ corruption story...." Read more

"Layers of double cross, and government corruption abound. Our hero has as many lives as the latest James Bond...." Read more

Top reviews from the United States

  • DME
    5.0 out of 5 stars Great read!
    Reviewed in the United States on May 6, 2025
    Verified Purchase
    Couldn’t out this down. Read this in two days. Looking forward to Book 2. Adding it to my library now.
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  • Jarratt
    4.0 out of 5 stars Solid book; wish a major reveal was held longer though
    Reviewed in the United States on February 27, 2025
    Verified Purchase
    I quite enjoyed The Last Protector. I felt like most of the characters were believable and I thought what drove the "bad guys" to do what they did was unique. I do believe that a big reveal that happens early in the book might have been better left towards the end. But I suppose that's often a difficult decision for writers: when should the protagonist know what's going on? I'm looking forward to reading the rest of the series, however.

    Below are spoilers, but most of these happen very early in the book:

    Clay White is a Secret Service agent tasked with protecting the US VP-elect's daughter, Veronica Hammond, whom Clay has a relationship with. Veronica has developed an app that can penetrate deep into the oceans and allows users to help find shipwrecks and archeological interests. Problem is, years earlier, her dad, who was head of JSOC, worked with a multi-national secret interrogation program that purposefully sank a ship of suspected terrorists. Veronica's app could discover this and of course be very bad news for her father, Alexander, who currently has very high ratings. To make matters worse, Clay's father Maxwell knew about the sinking and was going to blow the whistle. Hammond, who was very close to Maxwell but also under intense pressure, was forced to have Maxwell killed. Clay, however, had been told it was an accident.
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  • Amazon Customer
    5.0 out of 5 stars New to me
    Reviewed in the United States on April 9, 2025
    Verified Purchase
    New author for me and first book of his I’ve read. Pace is good and even with a number of characters to understand who’s, who the reader can keep them straight. While a standalone novel I need to go back and ‘catch up’ on White’s backstory.
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  • Boomer
    3.0 out of 5 stars Starts off strong, but gets messy quick
    Reviewed in the United States on October 3, 2021
    Verified Purchase
    My first read by this author, but figured I had nothing to lose with it being on FirstReads. I've been reading a lot of military thrillers lately so the synopsis here sounded great with hero soldier turned secret service agent Clayton White starring as the head of a protective detail to the VP elect's daughter Veronica - who also happens to be Clayton's secret lover. It's a fast paced story featuring military and government cover ups and conspiracies that suck Clayton in when an attempt is made on Veronica's life, and end up tying into the death of Clay's father some years beforehand.

    Things start off strong. The author clearly has military experience as the situations, weapons, and tactics are all beautifully described and feel very authentic. Clay and Veronica are likeable characters that you want to succeed, and the fact I read this book in one sitting (unusual for me) speaks to the author's ability to keep the reader's attention.

    Sadly the closer I got to the end, the more things started to unravel. No major spoilers here BTW. The villain, who up until this point has been painted as an intelligent former MI6 operative, suddenly becomes a walking cliché and an idiot to boot. I'm trying not to spoil anything here, but not only does he go through the whole "explain everything to the hero once I've captured him" process, he then conveniently puts his personal cell phone and incriminating documents down when he leaves the room - handy for Clay once he makes his inevitable escape. He's also apparently unaware that security cameras have been installed on his own property? I was rolling my eyes a lot during this sequence.

    It's the first in a series so I wasn't expecting a real ending, but this felt rushed with a lot of questions going unanswered which was disappointing. Not sure if I'd bother with the next one after this, but it does have some great action scenes. Worth a look if you want a story you don't need to think about much.
    137 people found this helpful
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  • Jerry Hudson
    5.0 out of 5 stars Fast paced tale
    Reviewed in the United States on April 17, 2025
    Verified Purchase
    Clay saves. Veronica's life. Clay is sent to kill Oxley who had put the hit on Veronica. Oxley tells Clay about Veronica father betrayal of Clays farher
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  • Jason
    4.0 out of 5 stars quick read
    Reviewed in the United States on May 24, 2025
    Verified Purchase
    3.5/5 quick and fun read. New to the series and it looks to have potential. Very fast paced and not not a lot of deep character development.
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  • Kimberly
    5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent story and narration
    Reviewed in the United States on March 31, 2025
    Verified Purchase
    This is my first audio book by Simon Gervais. I was thoroughly impressed by the writing and narration. The content and characters are well developed and engaging. I'm looking forward to the second and third books in the series.
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  • J. I. Bowman
    4.0 out of 5 stars keeps you reading
    Reviewed in the United States on April 14, 2025
    Verified Purchase
    A nonstop battle and violence story. As those stories are, they keep your interest. Beyond that there’s not a ton of character fleshing out. Good for helping me divert my attention for a while.
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Top reviews from other countries

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  • Daleaus
    4.0 out of 5 stars A good quick read
    Reviewed in Australia on February 21, 2025
    Verified Purchase
    I enjoyed the story. The characters were relatable and the story moved quickly and in a straight forward manner to the conclusion.
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  • jd66
    5.0 out of 5 stars great book
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 19, 2025
    Verified Purchase
    Wow what an an amazing and intriguing storyline. This book had action drama and intrigue from the first page to the last. I love the characters Clayton and Veronica and all the side characters too. I can’t wait to read the next book now. The narration was excellent as well.
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  • David Makya
    3.0 out of 5 stars Combat Rescue Officer Clayton White ...
    Reviewed in Germany on November 22, 2021
    Verified Purchase
    turned Secret Service Special Agent ist ein wenig soft. Eine Softness, die ihm, mit dem Hintergrund, nicht steht. Der Anfang beginnt verheißungsvoll, Action pur und mit einem persönlichen touch. Ich dachte, super.
    Aber dann wurde es einfach zu simple, oder besser, zu konstruiert. Obwohl die Person Clayton White mir durchaus gefallen hat, auch der grundsätzliche Schreibstil des Autors, bleibt es ein Plot auf Stelzen. White fehlt die Härte und die gnadenlose Consequence eines erfahrenen combat rescue officers. Kein former tier one operator steigt während seines Dienstes ins Bett seiner Geliebten und bestimmt nicht, wenn es sich um die Tochter des Vice President-elect handelt und das, während sein Team abgeschlachtet wird.
    Auch lässt er sich nicht zusammenschlagen und von seinem halb strangulierten Protege retten. Macht sich nicht gut.

    Des Weiteren wirkt er zu vertrauensvoll, ja geradezu naive. Ein dekorierter Combat Veteran und Secret Service Special Agent, der für die Sicherheit der Tochter des zukünftigen Vice President verantwortlich wart, lässt sich von ihrem Vater um die halbe Welt bis nach RSA schicken, merkt nicht wie er manipuliert und gelenkt wird, und dass ohne auch nur einmal mit der Augenbraue zu zucken? Sehr unwahrscheinlich. Trust, but verify.

    Gut, die Story und der Plot sind nicht verloren. Weit gefehlt. Aber hier und dort ein wenig mehr creative Schärfe und weniger Konstrukt, etwas mutigere ironische und vll humorvolle Dialoge und schnellere directere harte Action und dafür weniger Unterbrechungen, würden nicht schaden. Und Krantz, former SAS, stirbt im Wohnzimmer mit einem Steakmesser in der Brust? Nicht wahr, oder?
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  • Elle Zee
    5.0 out of 5 stars Five Star Espionage Thriller
    Reviewed in Canada on February 4, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    It's often a crapshoot to pick up a book by an author one hasn't read before and to delve into a new series. The Last Protector did not disappoint. Great writing, super characters and exciting yet believable plot. I read it straight through, could not put it down!! I definitely hit the jackpot with this Clayton White series.
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  • Trevor Simon Walker
    5.0 out of 5 stars very fast moving!
    Reviewed in Spain on December 13, 2023
    Verified Purchase
    Good reading! I finished it in a day! Fast moving consistency in every book. Highly recommended for readers of spy thrillers.
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