Sanctuary Motel

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By Alan Orloff

Publisher Description

Mess Hopkins, proprietor of the seen-better-days Fairfax Manor Inn, never met a person in need who couldn't use a helping hand-his helping hand. So he's thrown open the doors of the motel to the homeless, victims of abuse, or anyone else who could benefit from a comfy bed with clean sheets and a roof overhead. This rankles his parents and uncle, who technically still own the place and are more concerned with profits than philanthropy.

When a mother and her teenage boy seek refuge from an abusive husband, Mess takes them in until they can get back on their feet. Shortly after arriving, the mom goes missing and some very bad people come sniffing around, searching for some money they claim belongs to them. Mess tries to pump the boy for helpful information, but he's in full uncooperative teen mode-grunts, shrugs, and monosyllabic answers. From what he does learn, Mess can tell he's not getting the straight scoop. It's not long before the boy vanishes too. Abducted? Run away? Something worse? And who took the missing money? Mess, along with his friend Vell Jackson and local news reporter Lia Katsaros, take to the streets to locate the missing mother and son-and the elusive, abusive husband-before the kneecapping loansharks find them first.

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Sanctuary Motel Reviews

3.0

alycejanine

Created about 1 year ago

Michael Popke

Created about 1 year ago

Heidi Gonzalez (ReadingGrrl)

Created almost 2 years ago

“I received a free copy of this book from Level Best Media through netgalley.com. I am leaving this review voluntarily. Mess Hopkins is running his parents Motel. Although Mess is more interested in helping his fellow man than actually making a profit. Often discounting rooms for those in need, lending his car and using his motel as a safe house for women needing an escape from an abusive situation. Mess should have gone to school for business, instead he chose social work and it shows. Mess has taken in a mother and her son who are escaping an abusive ex husband and that's when the trouble begins. Fast paced with lots of twists and turns this is a fun often humorous book about mobsters, psychics and those who are just trying to help their fellow man. I think this may be the beginning of a series and if so it's off to a fun start.”

_no__shelf__control_

Created about 2 years ago

“Rated 3.5 ⭐️ A slow, but interesting read. A fun crime mystery that keeps you guessing until the end with some action scenes. Mess is the owner of a motel that serves people with unfortunate circumstances. A few of these unfortunate soles are an abused Mom and her teenage son. Not only is she trying to leave behind an abusive relationship, but also trying to hide from some loan sharks. As the two of them are staying at the motel, the mom goes missing. This story follows Mess as he tries to find the mom and get her to safety. While this story finishes for the mom and her son, we are left with many unanswered questions about Mess. There are a couple side characters that I really enjoyed throughout the book, Vell and Lia, and wanted more with them. This seems to be a great book for a series. Thank you to Netgalley and Alan Orloff for the Free Ebook. This review is 100% my own and honest opinion.”

Ke33er

Created about 2 years ago

“I really warmed to Mess, the owner of the Fairfax Manor Inn and the main character of this book. He's a relatable guy - life didn't really pan out the way he expected (not that he had any firm views as to what it would look like) and he's fallen into running his parents motel and living on site. What's great about him though, is that he's decided to try and do some tangible good in the community by opening the doors to people in need, and helping them get back on their feet with no judgment of how they wound up on his doorstep. This open-arms policy is what leads to Mess finding himself slap bang in the middle of a whole heap of ever-widening drama that takes in domestic abuse, local hoodlums and corruption. With his loyal friend Vell, he enlists the help of others to save two of his guests from being dragged under by the weight of their circumstances. what follows is an interesting and oftentimes funny story. I felt at times that it was a little too fast-paced, sometimes things happened and weren't given the space they maybe needed to be fully absorbed. Well-written characters and great descriptions of the world they inhabit make this a promising first book in what looks to be a series, with Mess at the middle.”

About Alan Orloff

Alan Orloff has published ten novels and more than forty short stories. His work has won an Anthony, an Agatha, a Derringer, and two ITW Thriller Awards. He's also been a finalist for the Shamus Award and has had a story selected for THE BEST AMERICAN MYSTERY STORIES anthology ("Rule Number One," first appearing in SNOWBOUND from Level Best Books). Alan's next novel, SANCTUARY MOTEL, will be released in October from Level Best Books. He loves cake and arugula, but not together. Never together. He lives and writes in South Florida, where the examples of hijinks are endless.