Title: Sanctuary
Author: James Cleary
Publisher: HQ
Genre: General Fiction, Sci-Fi, Fantasy, Mystery, Thrillers
Release Date: 28th April 2026
BLURB
“The meek shall inherit the Earth, unless the rich get there first.” That’s the reality of the post-apocalyptic world in this electrifying debut thriller.
The near future…
Climate disasters have crippled the United States. With half the country under water and the other half a dust bowl, civil unrest would soon escalate into something darker, something unstoppable. Billionaire John Brandt anticipated this and channeled his money, power, and influence into being prepared for the great unraveling.
Now Brandt, his family, and his security team must retreat to Sanctuary, their underground bunker—a vast luxury mansion beneath the parched earth of the Nebraskan Great Plains. But they are not alone. Above ground a group of raiders are desperate to survive and will use any means possible to accomplish that goal.
As tensions mount both inside and out, battle lines are drawn— between the haves and the have-nots, between decency and expediency, between life and death. In this game, everyone's a loser.
The near future…
Climate disasters have crippled the United States. With half the country under water and the other half a dust bowl, civil unrest would soon escalate into something darker, something unstoppable. Billionaire John Brandt anticipated this and channeled his money, power, and influence into being prepared for the great unraveling.
Now Brandt, his family, and his security team must retreat to Sanctuary, their underground bunker—a vast luxury mansion beneath the parched earth of the Nebraskan Great Plains. But they are not alone. Above ground a group of raiders are desperate to survive and will use any means possible to accomplish that goal.
As tensions mount both inside and out, battle lines are drawn— between the haves and the have-nots, between decency and expediency, between life and death. In this game, everyone's a loser.
REVIEW
I’ve seen different covers for this book, and to be honest I have really liked aspects of them all and in there own way they all fit the book really well too. Each of the different book covers would have me picking it up from a bookstore shelf to learn more about the book so they all do their job well!
America has been suffering and declining for many years, suffering from climate change and other disasters it has come to the very brink of societal collapse. Some have prepared for this eventuality, one of these men is millionaire John Brandt. John has a piece of land in a remote area with a mansion house within a compound in an isolated area in Nebraska that has plenty of supplies but he has also thought further ahead and had a state of the art, fully equipped bunker built underground too for if things get “really bad”. Some people thought him mad when he was having it built but he could see the signs around him and was determined to protect his family and a few hand selected people needed to run the bunker. He employed many workers who all did different small sections of the build so no one had access to the full plans. All the workers had to sign non-disclosure/secrecy type forms regarding the work they were doing and the location of the property.
When things are showing signs of the “final collapse” John Brandt sends different members of his security team to bring his family members and staff to the mansion house. His daughter Julia is hiking with her bodyguard Michael Flynn, whom she has a bit of a crush on, though it seems the romantic feelings maybe mutual, when he gets the call to head straight to Sanctuary.
Ex-Army and bodyguards Cooper and Schaeffer bring John Brandts wife Rebecca and their young son Jeremy to Sanctuary.
Others bring Mrs Krajic the Brandts cook/cleaner and her daughter Maia who is a student nurse. There’s a physician, Dr Robert Matheson to look after the Brandts and their staff, an agriculturist called Hanna Laval who designed and is in charge of the bunkers extensive food growing systems,
Unfortunately, some of those that were chosen for their needed skills do not make it to Nebraska when society breaks down and before the group have to lock down in the bunker so those that have made it end up taking on extra jobs to keep things running smoothly.
Despite the world being in chaos when John Brandt discovers there is no cream for his coffee he sends two of his best people from his security guards in search of some in a helicopter and is disappointed and disgruntled when they return empty handed explaining every store and gas station for miles has been ransacked and looted! That’s how selfish this man really is! My initial dislike for John Brandt began then, why would you have supposedly valued employees risk their lives for such a silly luxury as cream for your coffee but I guess it goes to show just how out of touch or how far above everything and everyone else John Brandt puts his own needs. My opinion of the man didn't really improve throughout the book. At times I wante dto reach in and shake him to his senses and shout think about what you are saying and doing!
The bunker really is the height or should that be the depth of luxury! With eighteen floors, although really there are only seventeen as the thirteenth floor does not exist because of the same sort of superstitions as the grand hotels have. The first floor is the command centre where the cameras are that watch the land and mansion above the bunker. The second floor is the armoury, again well stocked. This floor also has an area to be used for detention purposes should it ever be need. The third floor is the barracks for the security men/women most of which are ex-army so used to living in barracks. The Brandt family have two floors, four and five to themselves which are connected by a private staircase within them. The sixth floor is for Mrs Krajic and her daughter Maia who are basically the housekeepers for the bunker who duties include cooking and cleaning for the Brandt family. There are other floors with living quarters, some which sit empty due to the people they were designated to not arriving. The eleventh floor is a fully equipped and well stocked infirmary. Theres also a library, a commons area, a laundry, community style realistic market, a recreation centre with a swimming pool and bowling alley, it seems like MR Brandt has even thought about how his family will be entertained until it is safe to rise out of the bunker. Of course, there are areas of cold food storage and a hydrophonics section where fresh fruit and vegetables are grown and are tended to by Hanna Laval. There is also a floor dedicated to mechanical items and generators.
Whilst the Brandt family and his hand chosen staff are safe in the luxurious bunker fairly oblivious to the plight of the normal American things are getting worse. So much so that one of the men who helped build the bunker, Tom Grady decides to head out to Nebraska with his wife and new born baby to see if the Brandts will allow them to join them in the bunker. When Tom decides to set off a initially a few neighbours join him with their families until the number grow into a small group, but Tom Grady knows how big the bunker is there will be plenty of room and supplies for them all for years. Its not like they want these things giving they are prepared to work for their housing and food as most of the group actually have skills that would be useful to Mr Brandt and his family. The children in the group would be company for young Jeremy Brandt. However, when the Tom Grady’s group arrive at the Brandt mansion and the Brandts refuse them access to the bunker emotions become heightened with both sides digging in their heels. John Brandt is determined to keep the plentiful resources he has built up for his own family and handpicked staff and flatly refuses Tom Grady and his group access under any circumstances even when Tom Grady and his wife beg for help for their ill new born baby and a few others in their group that are ill. John Brandt has the medical supplies to help and despite some of those inside the bunker trying to reason with him he still refuses to share.
When the Grady’s newborn baby dies it naturally hardens his group against the Brandts and they decide they will gain access to that bunker by whatever means necessary even if it means slowly cutting off the air supply and forcing the Brandts to come out.
The book is told from a few different points of view, from the diary entries of someone on the bunker, the point of view of the Brandts in the bunker and from the point of view of Tom Grady and his group.
I did enjoy the book as a whole, though it was sad to see a man who had everything denying basic medical help to a new born baby. John Brandt was stubborn to the very end in the view that everything in the bunker was his and his families and he had no intention of sharing, in fact he would rather attack those asking for help and kill them to solve the issue than offer help.
I felt the book was fairly slow paced but I guess that gave you time to really think about the actions of the characters as they were making them.
I did find Sanctuary a thought provoking read, How far would you go to protect your family?, Who and how do you choose who to save by taking them into the bunker? What lengths are you prepared to go to, to prevent others gaining access to your bunker? Who would you help? Where do you draw the line at helping others? Could you turn your back on the request for help for an ill newborn baby of a man you had employed to help build the very bunker you and your family are safely inside?
Sanctuary is certainly a thought provoking read. Then there’s the ending where the secret escape tunnel fails. Did John Brandt deserve what happened in the end?
I found the epilogue section that jumped years ahead interesting, poignant, yet at the same time really sad looking back at was left of the bunker and that only a few people were still around that really knew what had happened there.
My immediate thoughts upon finishing the book were that I felt a bit dazed, a little disappointed even, yet at the same time I had enjoyed what I had read.
Summing up, a little slow paced for my usual taste, a different take on the usual post- apocalyptic survival story. This book centres more on the characters and their behaviour when things go really bad. After digesting what I'd read for a few days and reflecting on the book I came to the conclusion that I did enjoy what I'd read. The book reminded me a little of The Pharmacist by Rachelle Atalla which I also enjoyed reading. It also made me think back to watching the Tales Of The Unexpected TV show when I was younger and how they were so cleverly thought provoking and had you thinking about them long after the ending.
I’ve seen different covers for this book, and to be honest I have really liked aspects of them all and in there own way they all fit the book really well too. Each of the different book covers would have me picking it up from a bookstore shelf to learn more about the book so they all do their job well!
America has been suffering and declining for many years, suffering from climate change and other disasters it has come to the very brink of societal collapse. Some have prepared for this eventuality, one of these men is millionaire John Brandt. John has a piece of land in a remote area with a mansion house within a compound in an isolated area in Nebraska that has plenty of supplies but he has also thought further ahead and had a state of the art, fully equipped bunker built underground too for if things get “really bad”. Some people thought him mad when he was having it built but he could see the signs around him and was determined to protect his family and a few hand selected people needed to run the bunker. He employed many workers who all did different small sections of the build so no one had access to the full plans. All the workers had to sign non-disclosure/secrecy type forms regarding the work they were doing and the location of the property.
When things are showing signs of the “final collapse” John Brandt sends different members of his security team to bring his family members and staff to the mansion house. His daughter Julia is hiking with her bodyguard Michael Flynn, whom she has a bit of a crush on, though it seems the romantic feelings maybe mutual, when he gets the call to head straight to Sanctuary.
Ex-Army and bodyguards Cooper and Schaeffer bring John Brandts wife Rebecca and their young son Jeremy to Sanctuary.
Others bring Mrs Krajic the Brandts cook/cleaner and her daughter Maia who is a student nurse. There’s a physician, Dr Robert Matheson to look after the Brandts and their staff, an agriculturist called Hanna Laval who designed and is in charge of the bunkers extensive food growing systems,
Unfortunately, some of those that were chosen for their needed skills do not make it to Nebraska when society breaks down and before the group have to lock down in the bunker so those that have made it end up taking on extra jobs to keep things running smoothly.
Despite the world being in chaos when John Brandt discovers there is no cream for his coffee he sends two of his best people from his security guards in search of some in a helicopter and is disappointed and disgruntled when they return empty handed explaining every store and gas station for miles has been ransacked and looted! That’s how selfish this man really is! My initial dislike for John Brandt began then, why would you have supposedly valued employees risk their lives for such a silly luxury as cream for your coffee but I guess it goes to show just how out of touch or how far above everything and everyone else John Brandt puts his own needs. My opinion of the man didn't really improve throughout the book. At times I wante dto reach in and shake him to his senses and shout think about what you are saying and doing!
The bunker really is the height or should that be the depth of luxury! With eighteen floors, although really there are only seventeen as the thirteenth floor does not exist because of the same sort of superstitions as the grand hotels have. The first floor is the command centre where the cameras are that watch the land and mansion above the bunker. The second floor is the armoury, again well stocked. This floor also has an area to be used for detention purposes should it ever be need. The third floor is the barracks for the security men/women most of which are ex-army so used to living in barracks. The Brandt family have two floors, four and five to themselves which are connected by a private staircase within them. The sixth floor is for Mrs Krajic and her daughter Maia who are basically the housekeepers for the bunker who duties include cooking and cleaning for the Brandt family. There are other floors with living quarters, some which sit empty due to the people they were designated to not arriving. The eleventh floor is a fully equipped and well stocked infirmary. Theres also a library, a commons area, a laundry, community style realistic market, a recreation centre with a swimming pool and bowling alley, it seems like MR Brandt has even thought about how his family will be entertained until it is safe to rise out of the bunker. Of course, there are areas of cold food storage and a hydrophonics section where fresh fruit and vegetables are grown and are tended to by Hanna Laval. There is also a floor dedicated to mechanical items and generators.
Whilst the Brandt family and his hand chosen staff are safe in the luxurious bunker fairly oblivious to the plight of the normal American things are getting worse. So much so that one of the men who helped build the bunker, Tom Grady decides to head out to Nebraska with his wife and new born baby to see if the Brandts will allow them to join them in the bunker. When Tom decides to set off a initially a few neighbours join him with their families until the number grow into a small group, but Tom Grady knows how big the bunker is there will be plenty of room and supplies for them all for years. Its not like they want these things giving they are prepared to work for their housing and food as most of the group actually have skills that would be useful to Mr Brandt and his family. The children in the group would be company for young Jeremy Brandt. However, when the Tom Grady’s group arrive at the Brandt mansion and the Brandts refuse them access to the bunker emotions become heightened with both sides digging in their heels. John Brandt is determined to keep the plentiful resources he has built up for his own family and handpicked staff and flatly refuses Tom Grady and his group access under any circumstances even when Tom Grady and his wife beg for help for their ill new born baby and a few others in their group that are ill. John Brandt has the medical supplies to help and despite some of those inside the bunker trying to reason with him he still refuses to share.
When the Grady’s newborn baby dies it naturally hardens his group against the Brandts and they decide they will gain access to that bunker by whatever means necessary even if it means slowly cutting off the air supply and forcing the Brandts to come out.
The book is told from a few different points of view, from the diary entries of someone on the bunker, the point of view of the Brandts in the bunker and from the point of view of Tom Grady and his group.
I did enjoy the book as a whole, though it was sad to see a man who had everything denying basic medical help to a new born baby. John Brandt was stubborn to the very end in the view that everything in the bunker was his and his families and he had no intention of sharing, in fact he would rather attack those asking for help and kill them to solve the issue than offer help.
I felt the book was fairly slow paced but I guess that gave you time to really think about the actions of the characters as they were making them.
I did find Sanctuary a thought provoking read, How far would you go to protect your family?, Who and how do you choose who to save by taking them into the bunker? What lengths are you prepared to go to, to prevent others gaining access to your bunker? Who would you help? Where do you draw the line at helping others? Could you turn your back on the request for help for an ill newborn baby of a man you had employed to help build the very bunker you and your family are safely inside?
Sanctuary is certainly a thought provoking read. Then there’s the ending where the secret escape tunnel fails. Did John Brandt deserve what happened in the end?
I found the epilogue section that jumped years ahead interesting, poignant, yet at the same time really sad looking back at was left of the bunker and that only a few people were still around that really knew what had happened there.
My immediate thoughts upon finishing the book were that I felt a bit dazed, a little disappointed even, yet at the same time I had enjoyed what I had read.
Summing up, a little slow paced for my usual taste, a different take on the usual post- apocalyptic survival story. This book centres more on the characters and their behaviour when things go really bad. After digesting what I'd read for a few days and reflecting on the book I came to the conclusion that I did enjoy what I'd read. The book reminded me a little of The Pharmacist by Rachelle Atalla which I also enjoyed reading. It also made me think back to watching the Tales Of The Unexpected TV show when I was younger and how they were so cleverly thought provoking and had you thinking about them long after the ending.
