Sanctuary

Most of us lead law abiding lives. Sure, there’s the occasional speeding fine, or you went slightly outside the 5k limit during lockdown, or pinched a packet of lifesavers when you were a kid, but at the end of the day, you’re a good citizen and have never been on the run. Hopefully, you’ll never need to be looking over your shoulder, unable to settle in one place for long, always moving on, wary of strangers and constantly changing your appearance, just in case. Unlike most of us, Grace has been running for years. A professional thief, forced into a life of crime by a crooked cop at a young age, she has learnt to lie, steal, and flee. It’s all she knows. It’s also lonely as hell.

After a close call with someone from her past, Grace runs again, determined this time to find somewhere she can stay, a place she can call home and live a ‘normal’ life. In a small South Australian town near the Adelaide Hills, she thinks she’s finally found sanctuary. Here, she has a respectable job she enjoys, a safe place to sleep, and maybe even a friend. Little does she know that her past is on its way to catch up with her, and that her new friend is in danger, too. The kind of danger that brings men with guns to your doorstep.

If you’ve never read a book by Garry Disher before, this standalone novel is an excellent place to start. If you are already a Disher fan, you will know to expect a rollercoaster of a read, full of disturbing crimes and unscrupulous crooks. Except Grace, of course, she’s the kind of criminal you’ll find yourself barracking for in the end, hoping she finds her place of refuge, safe from persecution, and prosecution.