Sanctuary Motel

Now Available from Level Best Books

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.

Praise

“Orloff has concocted a truly memorable character in Mess Hopkins. Sanctuary Motel serves as the perfect introduction to this sincere, sometimes zany leading man. I hope to see Mess in many more books to come!”
—Eli Cranor, Edgar® award-winning author of Don’t Know Tough and Ozark Dogs

“Who knew that doing good could lead to so much trouble? Mess Hopkins’s heart of gold will cost him—and take readers on a wild ride. Sanctuary Motel offers room for anyone looking for humor, heart, and hope. But no HBO.”
—Lori Rader-Day, Edgar® award-nominated and Agatha, Anthony, and Mary Higgins Clark award-winning author of Death at Greenway and The Death of Us

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