Search results for ""orenda books""
Orenda Books Yule Island: The No. 1 bestseller! This year's most CHILLING gothic thriller – based on a true story
An art expert joins a detective to investigate a horrific murder on a Swedish island, leading them to a mystery rooted in Viking rites and Scandinavia's deepest, darkest winter. The Queen of French Noir returns with a chilling, utterly captivating gothic thriller, based on a true story. FIRST in a new series. ‘A dark, dark slice of Scandi Noir’ Heat magazine *Book of the Month* ‘Gustawsson’s writing is so vivid, it’s electrifying’ Peter James ‘Remember her name. Johana Gustawsson has become a leading figure in French crime fiction [and] Yule Island is impossible to put down’ Le Monde ***Winner of the Cultura Ligue de l'Imaginaire Award 2023*** ________ Art expert Emma Lindahl is anxious when she's asked to appraise the antiques and artefacts in the infamous manor house of one of Sweden's wealthiest families, on the island of Storholmen, where a young woman was murdered nine years earlier, her killer never found. Emma must work alone, and the Gussman family apparently avoiding her, she sees virtually no one in the house. Do they have something to hide? As she goes about her painstaking work and one shocking discovery yields clues that lead to another, Emma becomes determined to uncover the secrets of the house and its occupants. When the lifeless body of another young woman is found in the icy waters surrounding the island, Detective Karl Rosén arrives to investigate, and memories his failure to solve the first case come rushing back. Could this young woman's tragic death somehow hold the key? Battling her own demons, Emma joins forces with Karl to embark upon a chilling investigation, plunging them into horrifying secrets from the past – Viking rites and tainted love – and Scandinavia's deepest, darkest winter… ________ PRAISE FOR JOHANA GUSTAWSSON ‘Wonderfully dark and intricately woven … will have you hooked from the very first page’ B A Paris ‘Johana Gustawsson has become the queen of the French thriller genre’ Le Point ‘Intriguingly dark and vivid, and so cleverly told’ Essie Fox `A gripping story of murder and black magic …Gustawsson slowly weaves together three seemingly disparate strands of her narrative with a skill that shows why she is such an admired crime writer in her native France´ The Times ‘A wonderfully creepy, unsettling read, with a superb twist in its tail‘ James Oswald ‘Bewitching and wonderfully gothic’ Sunday Express ‘Johana Gustawsson brilliantly illuminates the depths of the human heart’ Le Figaro `A whirlpool that draws you irresistibly into levels of darkness so much deeper than you can possibly be ready for´ Ambrose Parry ‘Ethereal, romantic and as cold as death, this nerve-shattering and powerful novel immerses us in a cruel and thrilling Nordic tale where love smashes against the rocks of madness’ La Fringale culturelle ‘A stunning and beautifully written gothic thriller’ Alexandra Benedict ‘Johana Gustawsson has no equal when it comes to hooking us with stunning twists and unexpected leaps in time’ Les Echos 'A bold and intelligent read' Guardian 'Utterly compelling' Woman's Own `Brilliant … the last chapters knocked me sideways, and it’s a long time since that’s happened´ Lisa Hall `A dark world of elegance and grotesque … mesmeric´ Matt Wesolowski 'Cleverly plotted, simply excellent' Ragnar Jónasson 'A must-read' Daily Express
£15.29
Orenda Books Halfway House: The nerve-shatteringly tense, searingly funny new thriller from the author of Netflix hit, THE CRY
On her first shift at an Edinburgh halfway house for violent offenders, a young woman is taken hostage … and that's just the beginning… The twisty, shocking, darkly funny thriller by award-winning author Helen FitzGerald. 'A new novel from Helen Fitzgerald is always a major event … magnificent' Mark Billingham ‘Outrageous, hilarious and dark as hell – this is Helen FitzGerald on absolute top form’ Doug Johnstone ‘[Lou] is irresistible and very funny … The set-up is fascinating, the narrative is both fast-moving and convincing’ Literary Review _______ They’re the housemates from Hell… When her disastrous Australian love affair ends, Lou O’Dowd heads to Edinburgh for a fresh start, moving in with her cousin, and preparing for the only job she can find … working at a halfway house for very high-risk offenders. Two killers, a celebrity paedophile and a paranoid coke dealer – all out on parole and all sharing their outwardly elegant Edinburgh townhouse with rookie night-worker Lou… And instead of finding some meaning and purpose to her life, she finds herself trapped in a terrifying game of cat and mouse where she stands to lose everything – including her life. Slick, darkly funny and nerve-janglingly tense, Halfway House is both a breathtaking thriller and an unapologetic reminder never to corner a desperate woman… __________________________ ‘Tense, claustrophobic and laugh-out-loud funny … an amazingly talented writer’ Michael Wood ‘A genius combination of horror, humour and humanity' B M Carroll Praise for Helen FitzGerald **Shortlisted for Theakston Crime Novel of the Year** 'Sharp, shocking and savagely funny’ Chris Whitaker ‘Dark, dark, deliciously dark' Amanda Jennings 'Wickedly funny, breath-stealingly tense and utterly chilling' Miranda Dickinson 'The main character is one of the most extraordinary you'll meet between the pages of a book' Ian Rankin 'Sublime' Guardian 'A dark, comic masterpiece' Mark Edwards 'Urgent, angry, absolutely terrifying’ Erin Kelly 'Tantalisingly powerful' The Times 'The classic thriller gets a hell of a twist' Heat 'FitzGerald writes like a more focused Irvine Welsh or a less misogynist Philip Roth' Daily Telegraph 'Domestic life is rarely served up quite so dark as this’ Sun
£9.99
Orenda Books The Fascination: The INSTANT SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER ... This year's most bewitching, beguiling Victorian gothic novel
The estranged grandson of a wealthy collector of human curiosities becomes fascinated with teenaged twin sisters, leading them into a web of dark obsessions. A dazzlingly dark gothic novel from the bestselling author of The Somnambulist. 'Makes skilful use of the tropes of Victorian gothic fiction… a story of society’s outsiders seeking acceptance and redemption' Sunday Times Book of the Month ‘Mysterious, sometimes shocking, full of surprises and twists … brimming with Victorian wonders!’ Sean Lusk ‘A magical, macabre masterpiece’ A.J. West ‘Fascinating and immersive’ Anna Mazzola ________________________________Victorian England. A world of rural fairgrounds and glamorous London theatres. A world of dark secrets and deadly obsessions… Twin sisters Keziah and Tilly Lovell are identical in every way, except that Tilly hasn't grown a single inch since she was five. Coerced into promoting their father's quack elixir as they tour the country fairgrounds, at the age of fifteen the girls are sold to a mysterious Italian known as ‘Captain’. Theo is an orphan, raised by his grandfather, Lord Seabrook, a man who has a dark interest in anatomical freaks and other curiosities … particularly the human kind. Resenting his grandson for his mother’s death in childbirth, when Seabrook remarries and a new heir is produced, Theo is forced to leave home without a penny to his name. Theo finds employment in Dr Summerwell’s Museum of Anatomy in London, and here he meets Captain and his theatrical ‘family’ of performers, freaks and outcasts. But it is Theo’s fascination with Tilly and Keziah that will lead all of them into a web of deceits, exposing the darkest secrets and threatening everything they know… Exploring universal themes of love and loss, the power of redemption and what it means to be unique, The Fascination is an evocative, glittering and bewitching gothic novel that brings alive Victorian London – and darkness and deception that lies beneath… ________________________________ ‘Essie Fox follows in the footsteps of Angela Carter and AS Byatt with an adult fairy tale that delves into the darkest compulsions of human nature … an opium trance of a novel, a vivid fantasmagoria’ Noel O’Reilly ‘Deliciously dark, full of twists and surprises’ Liz Hyder ‘Filled with gothic darkness and glorious hope’ Liz Fenwick ‘Rich, dark and heady … a glorious gothic carnival’ Kate Griffin ‘Truly unexpected and original’ Kate Forsyth ‘Beautifully researched, full of horrors and delights … a chilling, thrilling slice of Victorian gothic’ Bridget Walsh ‘A cast of characters Dickens would be proud of’ Frances Quinn ‘A dizzying potion of a novel’ Polly Crosby ‘A twisty, gothic treat … wild and wonderful cast of characters’ Rebecca John ‘Rich in peril, tempered with strange, theatrical beauty’ Kate Mascarenhas ‘A wonderful, captivating carnival’ Elizabeth Fremantle ‘Haunting and emotive’ Gill Paul ‘A gorgeously gothic slice of Victoriana’ Katherine Clements ‘Beautifully controlled … exceptional storytelling, exquisitely told’ Nydia Hetherington ‘A beautiful, haunting tale peopled by a thrilling set of living, breathing characters … very fine historical fiction’ Emma Carroll ‘So inventive and surprising … beautiful writing, unforgettable characters’ Juliet West ‘A sumptuous, gothic treat that will reel you in and not let you go until the final page. Bravo!’ Caroline Green ‘Essie Fox is the mistress of gothic Victoriana … utterly beguiling and rendered in exquisite detail … a wonderful, captivating carnival of a novel’ Elizabeth Fremantle ‘Wonderfully vivid and touching … extraordinary’ Adele Geras ‘I loved this story of a group of wonderful “others” fighting to find their place and purpose in a glittering, but unforgiving, Victorian England’ Marika Cobbold ‘Atmospheric, gripping and ultimately uplifting’ Karen Coles ‘Richly detailed, beautifully written … a fascinating read’ Michael J Malone ‘The very best kind of gothic’ Lianne Dillsworth ‘Masterful’ Louise Swanson ‘A kaleidoscopic, twisting, devilish novel guaranteed to dazzle and delight. I was utterly beguiled’ Dan Bassett, Bookseller
£15.29
Orenda Books Tasting Sunlight: The breakout bestseller that everyone is talking about
An extraordinary bond develops between an angry teenage runaway and a middle-aged woman running a large farm on her own, as they work the land and slowly heal … the sublime, achingly beautiful debut that everyone is talking about… ‘A stupendous debut. A triumph. Don’t miss it’ Louisa Treger ‘Tasting Sunlight reminded me of reading Sally Rooney's Normal People. It takes a writer of immeasurable talent to make you feel that intensely, merely by evoking ripening late summer fruit and the sound of rain on dusty ground’ Elizabeth Haynes ‘A sensory joy; a novel of quiet, understated beauty … Original, luminous and intense, it’s a mesmerising read' Iona Gray 'Powerful, original and engaging. I loved it' Susie Boyt ***Over 400,000 copies sold in Germany******THREE YEARS on the German Bestseller List*** ________________________________ Teenager Sally has just run away from a clinic where she to be treated for anorexia. She’s furious with everything and everyone, and wants to be left in peace. Liss is in her forties, living alone on a large farm that she runs single-handedly. She has little contact with the outside world, and no need for other people. From their first meeting, Sally realises that Liss isn’t like other adults; she expects nothing of Sally and simply accepts who she is, offering her a bed for the night with no questions asked. That night becomes weeks and then months, as an unlikely friendship develops and these two damaged women slowly open up – connecting to each other, reconnecting with themselves, and facing the darkness in their pasts through their shared work on the land. Achingly beautiful, profound, invigorating and uplifting, Tasting Sunlight is a story of friendship across generations, of love and acceptance, of the power of nature to heal and transform, and the goodness that surrounds us, if only we take time to see it… ____________________________________ ‘Written with beautiful simplicity, this sensitive and profound story examines how we heal and help each other, delivered with deep insight and huge heart’ Doug Johnstone ‘A truly special book. Powerful, lyrical and profoundly affecting, Ewald Arenz spins a tale of friendship, restoration and possibility, with utmost heart and care. I loved it!’ Miranda Dickinson ‘An exquisitely written, heart-warming story … the smells, tastes, sounds and rhythms of nature are described with sensuous clarity, so you feel as if you are there, picking potatoes from the earth, tending the bees, and tasting the pears. Just beautiful!’ Gill Paul ‘Told with honesty and a clear-sighted understanding of human nature … I loved it’ Michael J. Malone 'The simple minutiae of everyday life becomes intricate and essential: rituals that connect one woman to the land and her heritage, and show a lost, younger one a different truth. Moving and heart-wrenching, but ultimately uplifting' Carol Lovekin ‘Breathtakingly beautiful' Louise Beech ‘A simply wonderful, heartwarming read…’ Fiona Sharp, Bookseller ‘A story that breaks your heart, and fills it too’ Bookly Matters ‘The perfect story for our time … uplifting, healing and truly exceptional’ Random Things through My Letterbox ‘Poignantly, gently and profoundly evocative’ TripFiction ‘Beautiful, at times brutal, and honest … I absolutely loved it’ Claire Clarke ‘A special, beautiful novel’ Café Thinking ‘An absolute joy’ Danielle Louise ‘It touched my soul' Live & Deadly 'A very special story that will leave no one untouched … the author's love of nature shines through' Bilt 'Ewald Arenz has, in the most exquisite way possible, showed how two wounded souls can heal one another … a triumph' Peter Etzel, Nurnberger Zeitung ‘Raw and tender, brutal and gentle, striking and perceptive all at once’ Doppelpunkt ‘It’s rare for a friendship between women to be written with such enchanting, impressive honesty. And by a man. Bravo!’ Stadtmagazine
£9.99
Orenda Books Keep Her Sweet: The tense, shocking, wickedly funny new psychological thriller from the author of The Cry
When a middle-aged couple downsizes to the countryside for an easier life, their two daughters become isolated, argumentative and violent … A chilling, vicious and darkly funny psychological thriller from bestselling author Helen FitzGerald. ‘Sharp, shocking and savagely funny. Helen Fitzgerald is a wonderfully original storyteller’ Chris Whitaker ‘A new novel from Helen Fitzgerald is always a major event … magnificent’ Mark Billingham ‘I devoured Keep Her Sweet … shite parenting and a dysfunctional sister relationship goes to fatal extremes’ Erin Kelly–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––Desperate to enjoy their empty nest, Penny and Andeep downsize to the countryside, to forage, upcycle and fall in love again, only to be joined by their two twenty-something daughters, Asha and Camille.Living on top of each other in a tiny house, with no way to make money, tensions simmer, and as Penny and Andeep focus increasingly on themselves, the girls become isolated, argumentative and violent.When Asha injures Camille, a family therapist is called in, but she shrugs off the escalating violence between the sisters as a classic case of sibling rivalry … and the stress of the family move. But this is not sibling rivalry. The sisters are in far too deep for that.This is a murder, just waiting to happen…Chilling, vicious and darkly funny, Keep Her Sweet is not just a tense, sinister psychological thriller, but a startling look at sister relationships and they bonds they share … or shatter. –––––––––––––––––––––––––‘A wonderful book about a toxic family … funny, shocking and full of heart. FitzGerald at her coruscating best' Doug Johnstone ‘Definitely one for those who love deadly dysfunctional families, whip-smart writing, and their stories dark, dark, deliciously dark’ Amanda Jennings ‘A novel rippling with power and intensity. A true page-turner’ Michael Wood ‘Wickedly funny, breath-stealingly tense and utterly chilling … a book you’ll want to talk about’ Miranda Dickinson ‘Helen Fitzgerald has an uncanny ability to balance savagery and hilarity … an absolute banger of a book’ Matt Wesolowski 'A crazy but addictive, dark and funny, read’ Louise Beech ‘Dark humour sings from the pages’ Russel McLean ‘A fascinating and original tale of a family in rapid decline’ Jen Med’s Book Reviews‘You will canter through this psychological thriller’ Café Thinking Praise for Helen FitzGerald*Worst Case Scenario was Guardian, Telegraph, Herald Scotland AND The Week BOOK OF THE YEAR**Sunday Times TOP 40 Crime Novels in the Last 5 Years**Longlisted for Theakston’s Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year Award 2020* ‘The main character is one of the most extraordinary you’ll meet between the pages of a book’ Ian Rankin‘Sublime’ Guardian ‘This darkly, funny, shocking and surprisingly emotional thriller is unlike anything you’ve ever read before’ Fabulous ‘A dark, comic masterpiece which manages to be both excruciatingly tense and laugh out loud funny at the same time’ Mark Edwards ‘Urgent, angry, absolutely terrifying, yet suffused with the humanity and humour you expect from a Helen Fitzgerald novel’ Erin Kelly‘Tantalisingly powerful’ The Times‘Ash Mountain is the author at her masterly best … I loved it!’ Louise Candlish‘The classic thriller gets a hell of a twist’ Heat‘FitzGerald writes like a more focused Irvine Welsh or a less misogynist Philip Roth’ Daily Telegraph‘Domestic life is rarely served up quite so dark as this – but that only makes you hungry for more’ The Sun
£8.99
Orenda Books This is How We Are Human
When the mother of an autistic young man hires a call girl to make him happy, three lives collide in unexpected and moving ways … changing everything. A devastatingly beautiful, rich and thought-provoking novel that will warm and break your heart… ‘One of the best writers of her generation’ John Marrs, author of The One ‘A brilliant premise, executed beautifully … such a moving, tender and unexpected read’ Catherine Isaac, author of Messy, Wonderful Us ‘I guarantee you will not read anything like it this year … you will fall in love with this book’ Miranda Dickinson, author of Our Story ‘Incredibly moving, gripping, and full of heart … The novel everyone will be talking about this year’ Gill Paul, author of The Secret Wife _______________ Sebastian James Murphy is twenty years, six months and two days old. He loves swimming, fried eggs and Billy Ocean. Sebastian is autistic. And lonely. Veronica wants her son Sebastian to be happy … she wants the world to accept him for who he is. She is also thinking about paying a professional to give him what he desperately wants. Violetta is a high-class escort, who steps out into the night thinking only of money. Of her nursing degree. Paying for her dad’s care. Getting through the dark. When these three lives collide – intertwine in unexpected ways – everything changes. For everyone. A topical and moving drama about a mother’s love for her son, about getting it wrong when we think we know what’s best, about the lengths we go to care for family … to survive … This Is How We Are Human is a searching, rich and thought-provoking novel with an emotional core that will warm and break your heart. _______________ ‘Every now and then you read a book that takes your breath away. This is How We Are Human does just that … you feel from the first page to the last’ Liz Fenwick, author of The River Between Us ‘A writer of beautiful sentences, and they are in abundance. This sensitive subject is treated with the utmost care’ Nydia Hetherington, author of A Girl Made of Air ‘Such a complex and emotive book’ Claire King, author of The Night Rainbow ‘It had me gripped from the start and changed the way I see the world. Beautiful, bold and compelling – another fearless story from Beech’ Katie Marsh, author of Unbreak Your Heart ‘A searching, rich and thought-provoking novel with an emotional core’ LoveReading ‘This book is just what the world needs right now’ Fiona Mills, BBC ‘Oh, Sebastian, I’ll never forget him. Heart is always at the core of Louise’s books and this one is no exception’ Madeleine Black, author of Unbroken ‘What a brave and prejudice busting story this is … brava’ S. E. Lynes, author of Can You See Her ‘A convincing, bittersweet tale of misplaced kindness, a myriad types of vulnerability, and unexpected consequences … All the stars and more’ Carol Lovekin, author of Wild Spinning Girls ‘A tender, insightful read’ Michael J. Malone, author of A Song of Isolation ‘An exceptional book that will make you laugh, cry and feel better for having read it’ Audrey Davis, author of Lost in Translation ‘The most exquisite and moving story I have read in a very long time’ Book Review Café ‘I don’t know of another writer who portrays characters so true, flaws and all … mesmerising, the characters are beautiful but, more importantly, they’re REAL’ J. M. Hewitt, author of The Quiet Girls For fans of Maggie O’Farrell, David Nicholls, Ali Smith and JoJo Moyes.
£8.99
Orenda Books Hotel Cartagena
Hamburg State Prosecutor Chastity Riley and her friends are held hostage in a hotel bar by twelve armed men set on revenge, in a searing, breathtakingly original, and unexpectedly moving new thriller from the ‘Queen of Krimi’ ***WINNER of the CWA Crime in Translation Dagger 2022******WINNER of the German Crime Book of the Year Award*** ‘Simone Buchholz writes with real authority and a pungent, noir-ish sense of time and space … a palpable hit’ Independent ‘Reading Buchholz is like walking on firecrackers … a truly unique voice in crime fiction’ Graeme Macrae Burnet ‘[A] nerve-racking narrative … [with] a cunning climax that is shocking and deeply romantic’ The Times ____________________ Twenty floors above the shimmering lights of the Hamburg docks, Public Prosecutor Chastity Riley is celebrating a birthday with friends in a hotel bar when twelve heavily armed men pull out guns, and take everyone hostage. Among the hostages is Konrad Hoogsmart, the hotel owner, who is being targeted by a young man whose life and family have been destroyed by Hoogsmart’s actions. With the police looking on from outside their colleagues’ lives at stake and Chastity on the inside, increasingly ill from an unexpected case of sepsis, the stage is set for a dramatic confrontation and a devastating outcome for the team all live streamed in a terrifying bid for revenge. Crackling with energy and populated by a cast of unforgettable characters, Hotel Cartagena is a searing, relevant thriller that will leave you breathless. _____________________ Praise for the Chastity Riley series 'Combines nail-biting tension with off-beat humor ... Elmore Leonard fans will be enthralled' Publishers Weekly 'Buchholz doles out delicious black humor ... interwoven in a manner that ramps up the intrigue and tension' Foreword Reviews ‘Modern noir, with taut storytelling, a hard-bitten heroine, and underlying melancholy peppered with wry humour … there’s a fizz, a poetry and a sense of coolness’ New Zealand Listener ‘The coolest character in crime fiction … Darkly funny and written with a huge heart’ Big Issue ‘Fierce enough to stab the heart’ Spectator ‘A stylish, whip-smart thriller’ Herald Scotland ‘Combines slick storytelling with substance … like a straight shot of top-shelf liquor: smooth yet fiery, packing a punch with no extraneous ingredients watering things down’ Mystery Scene ‘Caustic, incisive prose. A street-smart, gutsy heroine. A timely and staggeringly stylish thriller’ Will Carver ‘With plenty of dry humour and a good old dash of despair, Simone Buchholz is an unconventional, refreshing new voice’ Crime Fiction Lover ‘With brief, pacy chapters and fizzling dialogue, this almost feels like American procedural noir and not a translation’ Maxim Jakubowski ‘There is a fantastic pace to the story which keeps you hooked from the first sentence all the way to the end a unique voice that delivers a stylish story’ NB Magazine ‘A smart and witty book that shines a probing spotlight on society’ CultureFly ‘Fans of Brookmyre could do worse than checking out Simone Buchholz, a star of the German crime lit scene who has been deftly translated into English by Rachel Ward’ Goethe Institute ‘By turns lyrical and pithy, this adventure set in the melting pot of contemporary Hamburg has a plot and a sensibility that both owe something to mind-altering substances. Lots of fun’ Sunday Times ‘Great sparkling energy, humour and stylistic verve and the story itself is gripping and pacey’ Rosie Goldsmith ‘A must-read, stylish and highly original take on the detective novel, written with great skill and popping with great characters’ Judith O’Reilly ‘Constantly surprising an original, firecracker of a read’ LoveReading
£8.99
Orenda Books Girls Who Lie
When a depressed, alcoholic single mother disappears, everything suggests suicide, until her body is found on the lava fields. Icelandic Detective Elma and her team are thrust into a perplexing, chilling investigation in book two in the award-winning, international bestselling Forbidden Iceland series… ‘Chilling and addictive, with a twist you won't see coming. I loved it!' Shari Lapena ‘An exciting and harrowing tale’ Ragnar Jónasson ‘Complex, gripping and moving’ The Times ‘Eerie and chilling. I loved every word!’ Lesley Kara _____________ When single mother Maríanna disappears from her home, leaving an apologetic note on the kitchen table, everyone assumes that she’s taken her own life … until her body is found on the Grábrók lava fields seven months later, clearly the victim of murder. Her neglected fifteen-year-old daughter Hekla has been placed in foster care, but is her perfect new life hiding something sinister? Fifteen years earlier, a desperate new mother lies in a maternity ward, unable to look at her own child, the start of an odd and broken relationship that leads to a shocking tragedy. Police officer Elma and her colleagues take on the case, which becomes increasingly complex, as the number of suspects grows and new light is shed on Maríanna’s past – and the childhood of a girl who never was like the others… Breathtakingly chilling and tantalisingly twisty, Girls Who Lie is at once a startling, tense psychological thriller and a sophisticated police procedural, marking Eva Björg Ægisdottir as one of the most exciting new names in crime fiction. _______________Praise for Eva Björg Ægisdottir***WINNER of the CWA John Creasey (New Blood) Dagger*** ‘Fans of Nordic Noir will love this … subtle, nuanced, with a sympathetic central character and the possibilities of great stories to come’ Ann Cleeves ‘Not only a full-fat mystery, but also a chilling demonstration of how monsters are made’ The Times ‘Beautifully written, spine-tingling and disturbing … a thrilling new voice in Icelandic crime fiction’ Yrsa Sigurðardóttir ‘As chilling and atmospheric as an Icelandic winter’ Lisa Gray ‘Elma is a fantastic heroine’ Sunday Times ‘Eva Björg Aegisdóttir is definitely a born storyteller and she skilfully surprised me with some amazing plot twists’ Hilary Mortz ‘An unsettling and exciting read with a couple of neat red herrings to throw the reader off the scent’ NB Magazine ‘Chilling and troubling … reminiscent of Jorn Lier Horst‘s Norwegian procedurals. This is a book that makes an impact’ Crime Fiction Lover ‘Elma is a memorably complex character’ Financial Times ‘The twist comes out of the blue … enthralling’ Tap The Line Magazine For fans of Ragnar Jonasson, Camilla Lackberg, Ruth Rendell, Gillian McAllister and Shari Lapena
£8.99
Orenda Books The Assistant
A seemingly straightforward investigation into marital infidelity leads a PI and his ex-con assistant on a murderous trail, in a sophisticated, riveting, cunningly plotted historical thriller set in interwar and prohibition-era Norway. ‘An expertly crafted unravelling of mixed loyalties, love, lust, lies and trust, set against the background of a world increasingly on the edge of all-out war’ John Harvey 'Dark, gritty and compulsive … feels like a classic of the genre' William Ryan ‘A stylish standalone thriller … Dahl ratchets up the tension from the first pages and never lets go’ Sunday Times –––––––––––––––––––––––– Oslo, 1938. War is in the air and Europe is in turmoil. Hitler’s Germany has occupied Austria and is threatening Czechoslovakia; there’s a civil war in Spain and Mussolini reigns in Italy. When a woman turns up at the office of police-turned-private investigator Ludvig Paaske, he and his assistant – his one-time nemesis and former drug-smuggler Jack Rivers – begin a seemingly straightforward investigation into marital infidelity. But all is not what it seems, and when Jack is accused of murder, the trail leads back to the 1920s, to prohibition-era Norway, to the smugglers, sex workers and hoodlums of his criminal past ... and an extraordinary secret. Both a fascinating portrait of Oslo’s interwar years, with Nazis operating secretly on Norwegian soil and militant socialists readying workers for war, The Assistant is also a stunningly sophisticated, tension-packed thriller – the darkest of hard-boiled Nordic Noir – from one of Norway’s most acclaimed crime writers. For fans of Sebastian Faulks, Lars Mytting, Mick Herron and Robert Harris. –––––––––––––––––––––––– ‘Kjell Ola Dahl doesn’t write novels; he creates experiences by executing a strong sense of place of a spellbinding period that leaves its readers craving more' Books Technica ‘Political, or intelligence thrillers are ten a penny. Dahl does something altogether different … lush, detailed and personal’ Café Thinking Praise for Kjell Ola Dahl’s The Courier ‘Absorbing, heart-rending and perfectly plotted …’ Denzil Meyrick ‘Cleverly braiding together past and present, the who and why of murder and betrayal are unpicked. The detail is impressive’ Daily Mail ‘A dark but richly described backdrop and a relentless, underlying tension drive this sad story. Fans of Nordic Noir will be satisfied’ Publishers Weekly ‘Skilfully juggles three Oslo timelines … simply superb plotting and essential reading’ The Times ‘A truly eloquent and rewarding tale’ LoveReading ‘This stunning and compelling wartime thriller is reminiscent of the writing of John Le Carré and William Boyd’ NB Magazine ‘Masterful, detailed plotting… Dahl has given a complex, human face to such an inhuman tragedy’ Crime Fiction Lover
£9.04
Orenda Books Betrayal
A stunning standalone thriller from the Queen of Iceland Noir. ***Shortlisted for the Glass Key Award for Best Nordic Crime Novel*** ‘Tough, uncompromising and unsettling’ Val McDermidWhen aid worker Úrsula returns to Iceland for a new job, she’s drawn into the dangerous worlds of politics, corruption and misogyny … a powerful, relevant, fast-paced standalone thriller. ____________________ Burned out and traumatised by her horrifying experiences around the world, aid worker Úrsula has returned to Iceland. Unable to settle, she accepts a high-profile government role in which she hopes to make a difference again. But on her first day in the post, Úrsula promises to help a mother seeking justice for her daughter, who had been raped by a policeman, and life in high office soon becomes much more harrowing than Úrsula could ever have imagined. A homeless man is stalking her – but is he hounding her, or warning her of some danger? And why has the death of her father in police custody so many years earlier reared its head again? As Úrsula is drawn into dirty politics, facing increasingly deadly threats, the lives of her stalker, her bodyguard and even a witch-like cleaning lady intertwine. Small betrayals become large ones, and the stakes are raised ever higher… ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Praise for Lilja Sigurdardóttir ‘Tense and pacey’ Guardian ‘Highly unusual’ The Times ‘Smart writing with a strongly beating heart’ Big Issue ‘Deftly plotted’ Financial Times ‘Breathtakingly original’ New York Journal of Books ‘Taut, gritty and thoroughly absorbing’ Booklist ‘A stunning addition to the icy-cold crime genre’ Foreword Reviews
£8.99
Orenda Books Good Samaritans
Shortlisted for Best Independent Voice at the Amazon Publishing Readers' Awards Longlisted for the Guardian's Not the Booker Prize THRILLER OF THE YEAR in GUARDIAN, TELEGRAPH AND DAILY EXPRESS 'Totally addictive. Like Fight Club, only darker' S.J. Watson 'I loved this book. Dark and at times almost comical, a great blend of crime thriller and the darkest imaginable domestic noir' Sarah Pinborough Dark, deviant and disturbing domestic noir ... one of the most entrancing, sophisticated and page-turning psychological thrillers of the year... _________________ One crossed wire, three dead bodies and six bottles of bleach... Seth Beauman can't sleep. He stays up late, calling strangers from his phonebook, hoping to make a connection, while his wife, Maeve, sleeps upstairs. A crossed wire finds a suicidal Hadley Serf on the phone to Seth, thinking she is talking to The Samaritans. But a seemingly harmless, late-night hobby turns into something more for Seth and for Hadley, and soon their late-night talks are turning into day-time meet-ups. And then this dysfunctional love story turns into something altogether darker, when Seth brings Hadley home... And someone is watching... Dark, sexy, dangerous and wildly readable, Good Samaritans marks the scorching return of one of crime fiction's most exceptional voices. _________________ 'So dark, so cool' Lisa Howells, Heat Magazine 'Will Carver's invigoratingly nasty novel ... is a bleak vision of life: not the whole truth of it, thank god, but true enough to impart to the reader the thrill of genuine discomfort, presented with the chilly conviction of Simenon's most unflinching romans dues and just as horribly addictive' Jake Kerridge, The Telegraph 'Carver weaves these strands together for an unsettling but compelling mixture of the banal, the horrific and, at times, the near-comic, wrong-footing the reader at every turn' Laura Wilson, Guardian 'Must Read!' Daily Express 'Beautiful, gripping and disturbing in equal measure, a postcard from the razor's edge of the connected world we live in' Kevin Wignall 'Possibly the most interesting and original writer in the crime-fiction genre, and I've loved his books for years. Good Samaritans is his best to date - dark, slick, gripping, and impossible to put down. You'll be sucked in from the first page' Luca Veste 'Oh My God, Good Samaritans is amazing. I'm a little in love with your writing Will Carver' Helen FitzGerald, Author of The Cry
£8.99
Orenda Books The Man Who Died
When Finnish mushroom entrepreneur Jaakko discovers that he has been slowly poisoned, he sets out to find his would-be murderer … with dark and hilarious results. The critically acclaimed standalone thriller from the King of Helsinki Noir… ***Shortlisted for the Petrona Award for Best Scandinavian Crime Novel of the Year*** ***Shortlisted for the CrimeFest Last Laugh Award*** ‘Right up there with the best’ Times Literary Supplement ‘Deftly plotted, poignant and perceptive in its wry reflections on mortality and very funny' Irish Times ‘Told in a darkly funny, deadpan style … The result is a rollercoaster read in which the farce has some serious and surprisingly philosophical underpinnings' Guardian ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– A successful entrepreneur in the mushroom industry, Jaakko Kaunismaa is a man in his prime. At just thirty-seven years of age, he is shocked when his doctor tells him that he’s dying. What’s more, the cause is discovered to be prolonged exposure to toxins; in other words, someone has slowly but surely been poisoning him. Determined to find out who wants him dead, Jaakko embarks on a suspenseful rollercoaster journey full of unusual characters, bizarre situations and unexpected twists. With a nod to Fargo and the best elements of the Scandinavian noir tradition, The Man Who Died is a page-turning thriller brimming with the blackest comedy surrounding life and death, and love and betrayal, marking a stunning new departure for the King of Helsinki Noir. –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– ‘The deadpan icy sensibility of Nordic noir is combined here with warm-blooded, often surreal, humour. Like the death cap mushroom, Tuomainen’s dark story manages to be as delicious as it is toxic' Sunday Express 'An offbeat jewel … relentlessly funny’ Don Crinklaw, Publishers Weekly 'You don’t expect to laugh when you’re reading about terrible crimes, but that’s what you’ll do when you pick up one of Tuomainen’s decidedly quirky thrillers' New York Times ‘A bizarre, twisty, darkly comic novel about a man investigating his own murder … a tightly paced Scandinavian thriller with a wicked sense of humour’ Foreword Reviews ‘Smart, sensitive, and engaging, and guaranteed to be unlike anything else in your crime fiction library … the perfect blend of thrills, investigation, character development, and comedy’ Crime by the Book ‘Hugely entertaining and satisfying … like Carl Hiassen transported to Finland. It’s full of black comedy and has an unlikely hero in Jaakko, who you’ll root for to the very end’ Kevin Wignall, author of A Death in Sweden ‘A delightful mad caper of a story, which will make readers snort out loud with laughter and would have made an excellent 1930s screwball comedy directed by Frank Capra’ Crime Fiction Lover ‘Combines a startlingly clever opening, a neat line in dark humour and a unique Scandinavian sensibility. A fresh and witty read’ Chris Ewan ‘Dark and thrilling, funny and intelligent, this Fargo-like novel contains lethal doses of humour … and mushrooms' Sofi Oksanen, author of Purge ‘A book I will never forget’ Matt Wesolowski ‘This one is a winner right from the first sentence’ Booklist ‘Antti Tuomainen is a wonderful writer, whose characters, plots and atmosphere are masterfully drawn’ Yrsa Sigurðardóttir
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Orenda Books Wolves in the Dark
On the path to self-destruction after the death of his girlfriend, things take a turn for the worse, when child pornography is found on Varg Veum’s computer and he must battle to prove his innocence … the chilling new instalment in the award-winning Varg Veum series, by one of the fathers of Nordic Noir. ‘Mature and captivating’ Rosemary Goring, Herald Scotland ‘Moving, uncompromising’ Publishers Weekly _________________ Reeling from the death of his great love, Karin, Varg Veum’s life has descended into a self-destructive spiral of alcohol, lust, grief and blackouts. When traces of child pornography are found on his computer, he’s accused of being part of a paedophile ring and thrown into a prison cell. There, he struggles to sift through his past to work out who is responsible for planting the material … and who is seeking the ultimate revenge. When a chance to escape presents itself, Varg finds himself on the run in his hometown of Bergen. With the clock ticking and the police on his tail, Varg takes on his hardest – and most personal – case yet. Dark, emotive and compulsive, Wolves in the Dark is the absorbing, shocking next instalment in the addictive Varg Veum series, by one of the fathers of Nordic Noir. _________________ Praise for Gunnar Staalesen 'There is a world-weary existential sadness that hangs over his central detective. The prose is stripped back and simple … deep emotion bubbling under the surface – the real turmoil of the characters’ lives just under the surface for the reader to intuit, rather than have it spelled out for them’ Doug Johnstone, The Big Issue ‘Gunnar Staalesen is one of my very favourite Scandinavian authors. Operating out of Bergen in Norway, his private eye, Varg Veum, is a complex but engaging anti-hero. Varg means “wolf ” in Norwegian, and this is a series with very sharp teeth’ Ian Rankin ‘Staalesen continually reminds us he is one of the finest of Nordic novelists’ Financial Times ‘Chilling and perilous results — all told in a pleasingly dry style’ Sunday Times ‘Staalesen does a masterful job of exposing the worst of Norwegian society in this highly disturbing entry’ Publishers Weekly 'The Varg Veum series is more concerned with character and motivation than spectacle, and it’s in the quieter scenes that the real drama lies’ Herald Scotland 'Every inch the equal of his Nordic confreres Henning Mankell and Jo Nesbo' Independent ‘Not many books hook you in the first chapter – this one did, and never let go!’ Mari Hannah ‘With an expositional style that is all but invisible, Staalesen masterfully compels us from the first pages … If you’re a fan of Varg Veum, this is not to be missed, and if you’re new to the series, this is one of the best ones. You’re encouraged to jump right in, even if the Norwegian names can be a bit confusing to follow’ Crime Fiction Lover ‘With short, smart, darkly punchy chapters Wolves at the Door is a provocative and gripping read’ LoveReading ‘Haunting, dark and totally noir, a great read’ New Books Magazine ‘An upmarket Philip Marlowe’ Maxim Jakubowski, The Bookseller ‘Razor-edged Scandinavian crime fiction at its finest’ Quentin Bates
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Orenda Books Hydra
Elusive online investigative journalist Scott King investigates the case of Arla Macleod, who bludgeoned her family to death, in another episode of the chilling, award-winning Six Stories series.‘Bold, clever and genuinely chilling with a terrific twist that provides an explosive final punch’ Deidre O’Brien, Sunday Mirror‘A genuine genre-bending debut’ Carla McKay, Daily Mail'Impeccably crafted and gripping from start to finish’ Doug Johnstone, The Big Issue________________A family massacreA deluded murderessFive witnessesSix storiesWhich one is true?One cold November night in 2014, in a small town in the north west of England, 21-year-old Arla Macleod bludgeoned her mother, father and younger sister to death with a hammer, in an unprovoked attack known as the Macleod Massacre. Now incarcerated at a medium-security mental-health institution, Arla will speak to no one but Scott King, an investigative journalist, whose Six Stories podcasts have become an internet sensation.King finds himself immersed in an increasingly complex case, interviewing five witnesses and Arla herself, as he questions whether Arla’s responsibility for the massacre was a diminished as her legal team made out.As he unpicks the stories, he finds himself thrust into a world of deadly forbidden ‘games’, online trolls, and the mysterious black-eyed kids, whose presence seems to extend far beyond the delusions of a murderess…Dark, chilling and gripping, Hydra is both a classic murder mystery and an up-to-the-minute, startling thriller, that shines light in places you may never, ever want to see again.________________Praise for the Six Stories seriesMatt Wesolowski brilliantly depicts a desperate and disturbed corner of north-east England in which paranoia reigns and goodness is thwarted … an exceptional storyteller' Andrew Michael Hurley‘Beautifully written, smart, compassionate – and scary as hell. Matt Wesolowski is one of the most exciting and original voices in crime fiction’ Alex North‘Wonderfully horrifying … the suspense crackles’ James Oswald‘Original, inventive and dazzlingly clever’ Fiona Cummins‘A complex and subtle mystery, unfolding like dark origami to reveal the black heart inside’ Michael Marshall Smith‘Endlessly inventive and with literary thrills a-plenty, Matt Wesolowski is boldly carving his own uniquely dark niche in fiction’ Benjamin Myers‘Disturbing, compelling and atmospheric, it will terrify and enthral you in equal measure’ M W Craven‘Readers of Kathleen Barber’s Are You Sleeping and fans of Ruth Ware will enjoy this slim but compelling novel’ Booklist‘A relentless and original work of modern rural noir which beguiles and unnerves in equal measure. Matt Wesolowski is a major talent’ Eva Dolan‘The very epitome of a must-read’ Heat‘Haunting, horrifying, and heartrending. Fans of Arthur Machen, whose unsettling tale The White People provides an epigraph, will want to check this one out’ Publishers Weekly‘For those who like the book they curl up with in their favourite slipper socks to generate a powerful sense of unease, and impel them to check all doors are locked and as many lights turned on as possible, Matt Wesolowski has just the formula to meet your self-scaring needs… ‘ Strong Words
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Orenda Books A Suitable Lie
Recently widowed and caring for his young son, Andy Boyd thinks his life is over, until he meets the beautiful, enigmatic Anna. And that was his first mistake … A startling, emotive and stark psychological thriller from one of Scotland’s bestselling crime writers… ‘A stark, gripping storyline’ Scots 'Strong female characters, honest, pithy dialogue and ever-present empathy for the victims make this a deeply satisfying read’ Sunday Times ‘Vivid, visceral and compulsive’ Ian Rankin _________________ Some secrets should never be kept… Andy Boyd thinks he is the luckiest man alive. Widowed with a young child, after his wife dies in childbirth, he is certain that he will never again experience true love. Then he meets Anna. Feisty, fun and beautiful, she’s his perfect match … and she loves his son like he is her own. When Andy ends up in the hospital on his wedding night, he receives his first clue that Anna is not all that she seems. Desperate for that happy-ever-after, he ignores it. A dangerous mistake that could cost him everything. A brave, deeply moving, page-turning psychological thriller, A Suitable Lie marks a stunning departure for one of Scotland’s finest crime writers, exploring the lengths people will go to hide their deepest secrets, even if it kills them… _________________ ‘Malone tackles the taboo subject of female violence against men with insight and compassion (for Anna is no one-dimensional witch), while creating all the hallmarks of a fine, page-turning psychological thriller’ Daily Mail ‘A mystery involving some disturbing account anomalies at Andy’s bank is appropriately overshadowed by Malone’s painful depiction of a man in turmoil’ Publishers Weekly 'It’s a tough high-wire act, balancing believability with surprise, but the author pulls it off with aplomb. Excellent stuff’ Doug Johnstone, The Big Issue ‘Disturbing but compulsive … I loved it’ Martina Cole ‘Bristling with unease, this is domestic noir at its very darkest, twisting the marriage thriller into a new and troubling shape’ Eva Dolan ‘A deeply personal thriller that will keep the reader turning those pages, with twists and turns designed to keep the heart pumping’ Russel D. McLean ‘A tightly wound page-turner with real emotional punch’ Rod Reynolds ‘A dark and unnerving psychological thriller that draws you deep into the lives of the characters and refuse to let go’ Caroline Mitchell ‘A chilling tale of the unexpected that journeys right into the dark heart of domesticity’ Marnie Riches ‘Emotionally intelligent and engaging’ Caro Ramsay ‘A story that I won’t forget in a hurry. Malone is a massive talent’ Luca Veste ‘A disturbing and realistic portrayal of domestic noir with a twist … a shocking yet compelling read’ Mel Sherratt ‘Malone perfectly balances storytelling with a brutal commentary on a dysfunctional relationship’ Sarah Ward
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Orenda Books The Abrupt Physics of Dying
When he is hijacked by Islamic terrorists, an oil company engineer is forced to investigate a mysterious illness afflicting a small Yemen village … with shocking results. A stunning debut thriller and first in the addictive, eye-opening Claymore Straker series. ***Shortlisted for the CWA John Creasey New Blood Dagger*** ***Book of the Year in the TELEGRAPH*** 'Just occasionally, a book comes along to restore your faith in a genre and Paul Hardisty's The Abrupt Physics of Dying does this in spades' The Times ‘A stormer of a thriller – vividly written, utterly topical, totally gripping' Peter James ‘Remarkably well-written and sophisticated’ Literary Review ‘A page-turning adventure that grabs you from the first page and won’t let go’ Edward Wilson ____________________ One man. An oil company. A decision that could cost his life. Claymore Straker is trying to forget a violent past. Working as an oil company engineer in the wilds of Yemen, he is hijacked at gunpoint by Islamic terrorists. Clay has a choice: help uncover the cause of a mysterious sickness afflicting the village of Al Urush, close to the company’s oil-processing facility, or watch Abdulkader, his driver and close friend, die. As the country descends into civil war and village children start dying, Clay finds himself caught up in a ruthless struggle between opposing armies, controllers of the country’s oil wealth, Yemen’s shadowy secret service, and rival terrorist factions. As Clay scrambles to keep his friend alive, he meets Rania, a troubled journalist. Together, they try to uncover the truth about Al Urush. But nothing in this ancient, unforgiving place is as it seems. Accused of a murder he did not commit, put on the CIA’s most-wanted list, Clay must come to terms with his past and confront the powerful forces that want him dead. A stunning debut eco-thriller, The Abrupt Physics of Dying will not only open your eyes, but keep them glued to the page until the final, stunning denouement is reached. ____________________ ‘Trenchant and engaging’ Stav Sherez, Catholic Herald ‘A solid, meaty thriller – Hardisty is a fine writer and Straker is a great lead character’ Lee Child ‘Full of thrills, spills and moral indignation … an outstanding debut’ Jake Kerridge, Telegraph ‘Fast-paced and cleverly written, this novel has bestseller written all over it’ West Australian ‘An exceptional debut, beautifully written, blisteringly authentic, heartstoppingly tense and unusually moving. Definite award material' Paul Johnston ‘A thriller of the highest quality, with the potential to one day stand in the company of such luminaries as Bond and Bourne’ Live Many Lives ‘A big, powerful, sophisticated and page-turning thriller – thought-provoking and prescient' Eve Seymour 'A forceful first novel by a writer not afraid of weighty issues and visibly in love with the beauty of the Yemen and desert landscapes his protagonists travel through’ Maxim Jakubowski ‘Searing … at times achieves the level of genuine poetry’ Publishers Weekly STARRED review ‘A fast-paced action thriller, beautifully written’ Tim Marshall, author of Prisoners of Geography
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Orenda Books Deadly Harvest
New recruit to the Botswana Criminal Investigation Department, Samantha Khama, calls upon Detective Kubu when the hunt for two missing girls hits a dead end … and it becomes clear that there is a serial killer on the loose, and his motive is terrifying… ‘A wonderful, original voice – McCall Smith with a dark edge and even darker underbelly’ Peter James ‘The perfect combination of “I don’t want it to end” and “I can’t put it down”. Great African crime fiction’ Deon Meyer ‘My favourite writing duo since Ellery Queen’ Ragnar Jónasson _______________ A young girl goes missing after getting into a car with a mysterious man. Soon after, a second girl disappears, and her devastated father, Witness, sets out to seek revenge. As the trail goes cold, Samantha Khama – new recruit to the Botswana Criminal Investigation Department – suspects the girl was killed for muti, the traditional African medicine usually derived from plants, sometimes animals, and, recently and most chillingly, human parts. When the investigation gets personal, Samantha enlists opera-loving wine connoisseur Assistant Superintendent David ‘Kubu’ Bengu to help her dig into the past. As they begin to discover a pattern to the disappearances, there is another victim, and Kubu and Samantha are thrust into a harrowing race to stop a serial killer who has only one thing in mind… _______________ 'A fascinating police procedural … the most complex book in this series. Besides being an intricate crime puzzle that Kubu and his team must untangle, it also looks at societal issues’ St Paul Pioneer Press ‘Compelling and deceptively written...’ New York Journal of Books ‘Richly atmospheric … a gritty depiction of corruption and deception’ Publishers Weekly ‘Under the African sun, Michael Stanley’s Detective Kubu investigates crimes as dark as the darkest of Nordic Noir. Call it Sunshine Noir, if you will – a must read’ Yrsa Sigurðardóttir ‘Intelligent, dark and compelling – among the best of today’s crime fiction’ Quentin Bates
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Orenda Books The Space Between Us: This year's most life-affirming, awe-inspiring read – Selected for BBC 2 Between the Covers 2023
When three people suffer strokes after seeing dazzling lights over Edinburgh, then awake completely recovered, they’re convinced their ordeal is connected to the alien creature discovered on a nearby beach … an adrenaline-soaked, deeply humane, life-affirming first-contact novel from one of Scotland’s most revered authors… **Selected for BBC 2 Between the Covers 2023** ‘All the drive, curiosity and wonder of his crime and mystery novels … science fiction gains a new author’ Derek B Miller ‘If you read one life-affirming book this year, make sure it’s this one’ Nina Pottell, Prima ‘The main characters, their lives and their struggles, are portrayed very vividly. I was straight into this, just like a thriller’ Ivo Graham on Between the Covers –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Connecting will change everything… Lennox is a troubled teenager with no family. Ava is eight months pregnant and fleeing her abusive husband. Heather is a grieving mother and cancer sufferer. They don’t know each other, but when a meteor streaks over Edinburgh, all three suffer instant, catastrophic strokes... ...only to wake up the following day in hospital, miraculously recovered. When news reaches them of an octopus-like creature washed up on the shore near where the meteor came to earth, Lennox senses that some extra-terrestrial force is at play. With the help of Ava, Heather and a journalist, Ewan, he rescues the creature they call 'Sandy' and goes on the run. But they aren’t the only ones with an interest in the alien … close behind are Ava’s husband, the police and a government unit who wants to capture the creature, at all costs. And Sandy’s arrival may have implications beyond anything anyone could imagine… –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– ‘This had all the makings of a film … such relatable characters. Writing a story about a mixed-race boy in the care system and two women so brilliantly is so impressive’ Sunetra Sarker on Between the Covers ‘So readable and accessible … I was really rooting for the characters’ Alan Davies on Between the Covers ‘A gateway book to SciFi … I loved it’ Sara Cox on Between the Covers ‘A sci-fi novel that is as moving as it is magical and mysterious. Doug Johnstone has hit it out of the park again’ Mark Billingham ‘A delicious, demanding departure from Doug Johnstone’ Val McDermid ‘Science fiction may be a departure for Johnstone, but he’s approached it like the crime thrillers that made his name, prioritising pace, tension and high stakes … a plea for empathy, compassion and perspective, and a celebration of our capacity to connect with one another, shot through with vivid characters and a sense of wonder’ Herald Scotland ‘An entertaining, fast-paced story of first contact … well told, with relatable characters and important themes making for an emotionally engaging read’ Guardian ‘A gloriously hopeful story and a perfect road trip movie just waiting to be made … I can’t recommend this highly enough’ James Oswald ‘An adrenaline-filled ride of a novel, laced with empathy and understanding for our instinctual need to connect' Rachelle Atalla 'Johnstone's mesmeric story artfully puts Scotland centre stage in a sci-fi drama that is as much about the smallness of mankind and the importance of kinship … Pay attention, Steven Spielberg! This could be your next film’ Marnie Riches ‘A clever and unusual read … I was on a journey with these characters, and completely transfixed’ Susi Holliday ‘Doug Johnstone held me spellbound with this mesmerising tale of wonder and hope’ Marion Todd ‘A heart-warming, fast-paced, often tense look at friendships that surpass all boundaries, and an exploration of the very basic need for connection and a place to belong … divine’ Jen Med’s Book Reviews What readers are saying ***** ‘I wish I could adequately convey how much I loved this book’ ‘A beautiful story … it brought me to tears’ ‘A masterpiece … compassionate, full of love and hope’ ‘An out-of-this-world, mesmerising first-contact story about the striking importance and impact of true connection’ ‘Riveting’ ‘High stakes, high adrenaline and somehow so gentle and moving. This is one of the most beautiful, extraordinary books I’ve ever read’ ‘I don’t think I’ll ever forget these characters’
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Orenda Books The Collapsing Wave
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Orenda Books The Betrayal of Thomas True
Set in the buried streets of Georgian London and the outrageous underworld of the molly houses, a carpenter hiding a double life searches for a traitor who is betraying the secrets of the mollies. The visceral, raucous, tender and utterly enchanting historical thriller by the award-winning author of The Spirit Engineer. ‘Heartbreaking, beautiful, lyrical. I was captivated from the start … you won't want to put it down’ Catriona Ward ‘A rare gem of a novel. Gloriously gritty … a darkly thrilling romp in 18th century London that simmers with sinister menace and illicit temptation’ Susan Stokes-Chapman ‘Stunning and powerful – an atmospheric thriller that is both heartfelt and meticulously researched. You’ll never forget Thomas True’ Janice Hallett ‘Really very, very good&rsquo
£15.29
Orenda Books The Opposite of Lonely
A body lost at sea, arson, murder, astronauts, wind phones, communal funerals, stalking and conspiracy theories … This can ONLY mean one thing! The Skelfs are back, and things are as tense, unnerving and warmly funny as ever! ‘A terrific read with all of Johnston’s trademark warmth and wicked wit in the latest gripping outing for this beguiling family’ A K Turner ‘Some of the best female characters in crime fiction. Pitch-perfect balance of dark and light … disturbing, compassionate and brilliantly funny’ Sarah Hilary 'The Skelfs series just gets better and better! Outstanding characters and a gripping plot … Doug Johnstone is one of the greats of Scottish crime fiction' Luca Veste ____________ Even death needs company… The Skelf women are recovering from the cataclysmic events that nearly claimed their lives. Their funeral-director and private-investigation businesses are back on track, and their cases are as perplexing as ever. Matriarch Dorothy looks into a suspicious fire at an illegal campsite and takes a grieving, homeless man under her wing. Daughter Jenny is searching for her missing sister-in-law, who disappeared in tragic circumstances, while grand-daughter Hannah is asked to investigate increasingly dangerous conspiracy theorists, who are targeting a retired female astronaut … putting her own life at risk. With a body lost at sea, funerals for those with no one to mourn them, reports of strange happenings in outer space, a funeral crasher with a painful secret, and a violent attack on one of the family, The Skelfs face their most personal – and perilous – cases yet. Doing things their way may cost them everything… Tense, unnerving and warmly funny, The Opposite of Lonely is the hugely anticipated fifth instalment in the unforgettable Skelfs series, and this time, danger comes from everywhere… _________________________ ‘If you loved Iain Banks, you’ll devour the Skelfs series’ Erin Kelly ‘Authentic female characters … Short, punchy chapters mean that the pace is brisk, and Johnstone’s deft way of portraying old and new characters means that even novice readers of the series won’t be left behind’ Scotsman 'An absolute joy to read … full of such wonderful characters, brilliantly realised, with more peril and intrigue. Certainly the best one yet' James Oswald ‘Wonderful characters: flawed, funny and brave’ Sunday Times Johnstone never fails to entertain whilst packing a serious emotional punch’ Gytha Lodge ‘A unique brand of crime fiction boasting rare heart and depth’ Ambrose Parry ‘Some of the most unique characters in crime fiction’ Daily Express ‘Gritty, atmospheric and, above all, profoundly moving. An emotional education in the most unexpected of ways … I loved it’ Sarah Sultoon ‘A must for those seeking strong, authentic, intelligent female protagonists’ Publishers Weekly ‘The Skelfs books are brilliant’ Miranda Dickinson ***SHORTLISTED FOR THEAKSTON’S OLD PECULIER CRIME NOVEL OF THE YEAR***
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Orenda Books His Favourite Graves: The most electrifying, twisted and twisty thriller of the year!
Desperate for reward money – and to rescue his marriage – an embattled sheriff takes incalculable risks to find a missing boy. An edge-of-your-seat, twisted and twisty thriller from New Zealand's King of Crime. `Moves at a furious pace, even as the walls close in … everything you want from a thriller and it leaves you gasping´ Helen Fields `Paul Cleave is an automatic must-read for me´ Lee Child ‘Electrifying’ Crime Monthly magazine ‘Our sympathies to swing one way and then the other, and the final twist is clever’ Literary Review _____________ To catch a killer…Maybe you've got to be one… Acacia Pines, USA. Sheriff Cohen's life is falling apart – his father accidentally burned down the retirement home, his wife has moved out, and his son is bullying other kids at school. When high-school student, Lucas Connor, is abducted, Cohen sees a chance to get his life back on track – to win back his wife and scoop the reward money offered for Lucas's safe return. But as the body count rises, it becomes clear that Cohen's going to have to make the kind of decision from which there's no coming back … a decision with deadly consequences… A furiously paced, edge-of-your-seat thriller exposing the dark underbelly of small-town life, His Favourite Graves is also a twisted and twisty story of father-and-son relationships, and the one last gamble of a desperate man to save everything… _____________ `Uses words as lethal weapons´ New York Times Praise for Paul Cleave `Cleave writes the kind of dark, intense thrillers that I never want to end´ Simon Kernick `A true page-turner filled with dread, rage, doubt and more twists than the Remutaka Pass´ Linwood Barclay `Smart and twisty, this book will get under your skin´ Liz Nugent `Merits comparison with the work of Patricia Highsmith´ Publishers Weekly `The sense of dread builds unstoppably´ Gilly Macmillan `Genuinely haunting and lingers in the memory´ Daily Mail `Full of ideas and intelligence´ Literary Review `A true page-turner´ Guardian `Nerve-shredding' Crime Monthly `Tense, thrilling, touching´ John Connolly `This very clever novel did my head in time and again´ Michael Robotham `This thriller is one to remember´ New York Journal of Books
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Orenda Books Mirror Image: The present mirrors the past in a chilling Varg Veum thriller
As Bergen PI Varg Veum investigates two different cases, it becomes clear that they are uncannily similar to harrowing events that took place thirty-six years earlier… A gripping instalment of the award-winning Varg Veum series, by one of the fathers of Nordic Noir. Bergen Private Investigator Varg Veum is perplexed when two wildly different cases cross his desk at the same time. A lawyer, anxious to protect her privacy, asks Varg to find her sister, who has disappeared with her husband, seemingly without trace, while a ship carrying unknown cargo is heading towards the Norwegian coast, and the authorities need answers. Varg immerses himself in the investigations, and it becomes clear that the two cases are linked, and have unsettling – and increasingly uncanny – similarities to events that took place thirty-six years earlier, when a woman and her saxophonist lover drove their car off a cliff, in an apparent double suicide. As Varg is drawn into a complex case involving star-crossed lovers, toxic waste and illegal immigrants, history seems determined to repeat itself in perfect detail … and at terrifying cost... A chilling, dark and twisting story of love and revenge, Mirror Image is Staalesen at his most thrilling, thought-provoking best.
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Orenda Books The Murmurs: The most compulsive, chilling gothic thriller you'll read this year…
A young woman starts experiencing terrifying premonitions of people dying, as it becomes clear that a family curse known only as The Murmurs has begun, and a long-forgotten crime is about to be unearthed… ‘Malone is the master of twists, turns and the unexpected … a master of his craft’ Herald Scotland ‘A fine, atmospheric chiller couched in Malone’s customary elegant prose’ Douglas Skelton ‘A master storyteller at the very top of his game, Michael J. Malone weaves the most exquisite tale … mesmeric and suspenseful’ Marion Todd ________________ In the beginning there was fear. White-hot, nerve-shredding fear. Terrifying premonitions of deaths. And then they started…The Murmurs… On the first morning of her new job at Heartfield House, a care home for the elderly, Annie Jackson wakens from a terrifying dream. And when she arrives at the home, she knows that the first old man she meets is going to die. How she knows this is a terrifying mystery, but it is the start of horrifying premonitions … a rekindling of the curse that has trickled through generations of women in her family – a wicked gift known only as 'the murmurs'… With its reappearance comes an old, forgotten fear that is about to grip Annie Jackson. And this time, it will never let go… A compulsive gothic thriller and a spellbinding supernatural mystery about secrets and small communities, about faith, courage and self-preservation, The Murmurs is a startling and compulsive read from one of Scotland’s finest authors… ________________ ‘Poetic and beautifully crafted, this is a chilling and compelling read’ Caro Ramsay Praise for Michael J Malone 'Vivid, visceral and compulsive' Ian Rankin ‘A gothic ghost story and psychological thriller all rolled into one. Brilliantly creepy … a spine-tingling treat' Daily Record ‘Prepare to have your marrow well and truly chilled by this deeply creepy Scottish horror … A complex and multi-layered story' Sunday Mirror ‘A beautifully written tale, original, engrossing and scary… a dark joy' The Times 'A deeply satisfying read' Sunday Times 'A fine, page-turning thriller' Daily Mail ‘Unsettling, multi-layered and expertly paced’ CultureFly
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Orenda Books Someone Like Her: The exquisite, heart-wrenching, eye-opening new novel from the bestselling author of No Honour
A young Pakistani woman is the victim of an unthinkable act of vengeance, when she defies convention for love, facing seemingly insurmountable challenges and danger as she attempts to rebuild her life. ‘Stunning, shocking, compulsive reading … A breathtaking masterpiece’ Hazel Prior ‘Pacy, gripping and fast-moving … I literally could not put it down!’ Edel Coffey ‘Rarely has a writer affected me so deeply. Someone Like Her is an epic story of love, power and extraordinary courage’ A.J. West –––––––––––––––––––– Multan, Pakistan. A conservative city where an unmarried woman over the age of twenty-five is considered a curse by her family. Ayesha is twenty-seven. Independent and happily single, she has evaded an arranged marriage because of her family's reduced circumstances. When she catches the eye of powerful, wealthy Raza, it seems like the answer to her parents' prayers. But Ayesha is in love with someone else, and when she refuses to give up on him, Raza resorts to unthinkable revenge… Ayesha travels to London to rebuild her life and there she meets Kamil, an emotionally damaged man who has demons of his own. They embark on a friendship that could mean salvation for both of them, but danger stalks Ayesha in London, too. With her life thrown into turmoil, she is forced to make a decision that could change her and everyone she loves forever. Exquisitely written, populated by unforgettable characters and rich with poignant, powerful themes, Someone Like Her is a story of love and family, of corruption and calamity, of courage and hope … and one woman's determination to thwart convention and find peace, at whatever cost… –––––––––––––––––––– ‘Khan brings passion and a clear eye to this compelling story of female defiance in the face of corruption and violence. If you’re a fan of Khaled Hosseini … this is for you’ Paul Waters ‘A heart-rending and compelling story. Khan treats his characters with love and respect. I couldn’t put it down’ Alice Clark-Platts ‘Breaks your heart but then gradually heals it’ Mira V Shah ‘A dark and frightening story of corruption, oppression, possession and violence yet is beautifully and sensitively written by a brave, bold author’ Michael Wood ‘Tackles deep-rooted societal issues with brutal yet touching honesty’ A.A. Chaudhuri ‘An excellent storyteller’ Soniah Kamal ‘An epic story of love, abuse and revenge … an emotional rollercoaster as Awais Khan confronts societal injustices with unflinching honesty’ Eve Smith ‘Khan lays bare the trauma of women, relegated to second-class citizenship in this compelling tale of brutality and bravery. First-class writing’ Marion Todd ‘Tender and powerful … his best yet’ Sonia Velton ‘Compelling, painful and defiant’ Elyse John ‘Arguably Khan's best work’ Pakistan Daily ‘Kept me turning the pages late into the night’ Aliya Ali-Afzal ‘A gripping and emotive story of ambition, resilience and love’ Heleen Kist ‘Insightful storytelling’ Faiqa Mansab ‘Both timely and timeless’ Saba Karim Khan
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Orenda Books Black Hearts
A faked death, an obsessive stalker, an old man claiming he’s being abused by the ghost of his late wife, and a devastating spectre from the past. The Skelfs are back in another explosive thriller, and this time things are more than personal… ‘A new outing for the Skelfs deserves dancing in the streets of Edinburgh' Val McDermid ‘Tense, funny and deeply moving’ Mark Billingham ‘A total delight to be returned to the dark, funny, compulsive world of the Skelfs … Johnstone never fails to entertain whilst packing a serious emotional punch. Brilliant!’ Gytha Lodge_________________________________________ Death is just the beginning… The Skelf women live in the shadow of death every day, running the family funeral directors and private investigator business in Edinburgh. But now their own grief interwines with that of their clients, as they are left reeling by shocking past events. A fist-fight by an open grave leads Dorothy to investigate the possibility of a faked death, while a young woman’s obsession with Hannah threatens her relationship with Indy and puts them both in mortal danger. An elderly man claims he’s being abused by the ghost of his late wife, while ghosts of another kind come back to haunt Jenny from the grave … pushing her to breaking point. As the Skelfs struggle with increasingly unnerving cases and chilling danger lurks close to home, it becomes clear that grief, in all its forms, can be deadly… _________________________________________ ‘The Skelfs keep getting better and better. Compelling and compassionate characters, with a dash of physics and philosophy thrown in’ Ambrose Parry ‘Expertly written, with poise, insight and compassion … How wonderful to be immersed once more in the world of the Skelfs, three generations of indomitable women who light up Edinburgh's literary pantheon’ Mary Paulson-Ellis ’If you loved Iain Banks, you’ll devour the Skelfs series’ Erin Kelly ‘Dynamic and poignant … Johnstone balances the cosmos, music, death and life, and wraps it all in a compelling mystery’ Marni Graff ‘It’s difficult to come away from Black Hearts without feeling inspired, uplifted and in a way spiritually laundered’ Café Thinking ‘Just when you thought you couldn’t love the Skelfs more, Doug Johnstone finds a way to turn up the heat’ Live & Deadly Praise for The Skelfs series***Shortlisted for the McIlvanney Prize for Best Scottish Crime Book of the Year*** ***Longlisted for Theakston’s Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year*** ***Shortlisted for Amazon Publishing Capital Crime Thriller of the Year*** ‘An engrossing and beautifully written tale that bears all the Doug Johnstone hallmarks in its warmth and darkly comic undertones’ Herald Scotland ‘Gripping and blackly humorous’ Observer ‘A tense ride strong, believable characters’ Kerry Hudson, Big Issue ‘The power of this book, though, lies in the warm personalities and dark humour of the Skelfs, and by the end readers will be just as interested in their relationships with each other as the mysteries they are trying to solve’ Scotsman ‘Remarkable’ Sunday Times ‘Keeps you hungry from page to page. A crime reader can’t ask anything more’ The Sun ‘A thrilling, atmospheric book, set in the dark streets of Edinburgh. Move over Ian Rankin, Doug Johnstone is coming through!’ Kate Rhodes ‘An unstoppable, thrilling, bullet train of a book that cleverly weaves in family and intrigue, and has real emotional impact. I totally loved it’ Helen Fields ‘This enjoyable mystery is also a touching and often funny portrayal of grief ... more, please’ Guardian ‘Wonderful characters: flawed, funny and brave’ Sunday Times ‘Exceptional … a must for those seeking strong, authentic, intelligent female protagonists’ Publishers Weekly
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Orenda Books The Bleeding: The dazzlingly dark, bewitching gothic thriller that everyone is talking about…
Queen of French Noir, Johana Gustawsson returns with a spell-binding, dazzlingly dark gothic thriller that swings from Belle Époque France to 21st-century Quebec, with an extraordinary mystery at its heart … FIRST in a bewitching new series **Shortlisted for the CWA Crime in Translation Dagger** `A wonderfully dark, intricately woven historical thriller spanning three generations … it will have you hooked from the very first page' B A Paris `A gripping story of murder and black magic …Gustawsson slowly weaves together three seemingly disparate strands of her narrative with a skill that shows why she is such an admired crime writer in her native France´ The Times BOOK OF THE MONTH `Intriguingly dark and vivid, and so cleverly told through three different time frames´ Essie Fox ________________ Three women Three eras One extraordinary mystery…1899, Belle Époque Paris. Lucienne’s two daughters are believed dead when her mansion burns to the ground, but she is certain that her girls are still alive and embarks on a journey into the depths of the spiritualist community to find them. 1949, Post-War Québec. Teenager Lina’s father has died in the French Resistance, and as she struggles to fit in at school, her mother introduces her to an elderly woman at the asylum where she works, changing Lina’s life in the darkest way imaginable. 2002, Quebec. A former schoolteacher is accused of brutally stabbing her husband – a famous university professor – to death. Detective Maxine Grant, who has recently lost her own husband and is parenting a teenager and a new baby single-handedly, takes on the investigation. Under enormous personal pressure, Maxine makes a series of macabre discoveries that link directly to historical cases involving black magic and murder, secret societies and spiritism … and women at breaking point, who will stop at nothing to protect the ones they love… _________________ `This novel is a whirlpool that draws you irresistibly into levels of darkness so much deeper than you can possibly be ready for´ Ambrose Parry `I found myself racing through the book, always wanting one more page, one more chapter. A wonderfully creepy, unsettling read, with a superb twist in its tail´ James Oswald `Gustawsson’s writing is so vivid, it’s electrifying. Utterly compelling´ Peter James `I was hooked from the first page – a stunning and beautifully written gothic thriller full of atmosphere, intrigue and delight´ Alexandra Benedict `Brilliant … the last chapters knocked me sideways, and it’s a long time since that’s happened´ Lisa Hall `A dark world of elegance and grotesque … mesmeric´ Matt Wesolowski `Harrowing, compelling, haunting, vivid, twisty and shocking! ´ Noelle Holten `A powerful page-turner´ Livres Hebdo ***NUMBER ONE BESTSELLER IN FRANCE*** FOR FANS OF Laura Purcell, Stacey Halls, Bridget Collins, Anna Mazzola, Essie Fox, Ambrose Parry and Laura Shepherd-Robinson Praise for Johana Gustawsson `A satisfying, full-fat mystery´ The Times `Assured telling of a complex story´ Sunday Times `A real page-turner, I loved it´ Martina Cole `A bold and intelligent read´ Guardian `Utterly compelling´ Woman’s Own `Cleverly plotted, simply excellent´ Ragnar Jónasson `A must-read´ Daily Express `Gritty, bone-chilling, and harrowing – it’s not for the faint of heart, and not to be missed´ Crime by the Book `A relentless heart-stopping masterpiece´ New York Journal of Book
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Orenda Books Demon: The bone-chilling, addictive bestseller (Six Stories Book 6)
Scott King investigates allegations of demon possession in a rural Yorkshire village, where a 12-year-old boy was murdered by two young children. Book six in the spine-tingling, award-winning Six Stories series.‘Matt’s books are fantastic’ Ian Rankin‘An exceptional storyteller’ Andrew Michael Hurley ‘Matt Wesolowski is taking the crime novel to places it’s never been before’ Joseph Knox, author of True Crime Story'A stunning new episode of the powerful Six Stories series. A masterful storyteller, Matt Wesolowski is my go-to writer for literary horror' C J Cooke, author of The Lighthouse Witches____________In 1995, the picture-perfect village of Ussalthwaite was the site of one of the most heinous crimes imaginable, in a case that shocked the world.Twelve-year-old Sidney Parsons was murdered by two boys his own age. No reason was ever given for this terrible crime, and the ‘Demonic Duo’ who killed him were imprisoned until their release in 2002, when they were given new identities and lifetime anonymity.Elusive online journalist Scott King investigates the lead-up and aftermath of the killing, uncovering dark stories of demonic possession, and encountering a village torn apart by this unspeakable act.And, as episodes of his Six Stories podcast begin to air, and King himself becomes a target of media scrutiny and public outrage, it becomes clear that whatever drove those two boys to kill is still there, lurking, and the campaign of horror has just begun...____________ ‘Matt Wesolowski is boldly carving his own uniquely dark niche in fiction’ Benjamin Myers‘Matt’s real skill is in finding a deeply human story and twisting it with the paranormal, touching the reader and scaring the wits out of them’ Chris MacDonald‘One of the most exciting and original voices in crime fiction’ Alex North‘A wonderful writer’ Chris Whitaker‘I’ll be rereading these books forever’ Sublime Horror‘The master of horror, of mixing folklore with urban myth and real life. Terrifyingly good’ Louise Beech‘A taut and gripping tale that deftly skewers the perfect balance of crime, thriller and horror. Intriguing, disturbing and impeccably crafted – I was riveted from the first page’ Lucie McKnight Hardy, author of Dead RelativesPraise for the Six Stories series: **Longlisted for Theakston’s Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year****Winner of the Capital Crime Best Independent Voice Award**’A captivating, genre-defying book with hypnotic storytelling’ Rosamund Lupton Original, inventive and dazzlingly clever’ Fiona Cummins‘Daisy Jones and the Six gone to the dark side. I couldn’t put it down’ Harriet Tyce‘Bold, clever and genuinely chilling with a terrific twist’ Sunday Mirror‘Insidiously terrifying, with possibly the creepiest woods since The Blair Witch Project’ C J Tudor‘Frighteningly wonderful … one of the best books I’ve read in years’ Khurrum Rahman‘Disturbing, compelling and atmospheric, it will terrify and enthral you in equal measure’ M W Craven‘A dark, twisting rabbit hole of a novel. You won't be able to put it down' Francine Toon‘First-class plotting’ S Magazine‘A dazzling fictional mystery’ Foreword Reviews‘Readers of Kathleen Barber’s Are You Sleeping and fans of Ruth Ware will enjoy this slim but compelling novel’ BooklistFor fans of Serial, The Conjuring, C J Tudor, Fiona Cummins, Sarah Pinborough and Catriona Ward
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Orenda Books No Honour
A young woman defies convention in a small Pakistani village, with devastating results for her and her family. A stunning, immense beautiful novel about courage, family and the meaning of love, when everything seems lost… ‘A compelling and compassionate story’ Anna Mazzola, author of The Story Keeper ‘A shocking portrait of lives lived under the shadow of threat and prejudice. A brave book’ Vaseem Khan, author of the Inspector Chopra series 'A bold, gifted storyteller, dealing with a gritty, thorny issue of female honour. Compulsive reading' Qaisra Shahraz MBE, author of The Holy Woman ‘Beautifully written and immersive, No Honour starts with a powerful opening that propels you into the shocking themes. A must-read’ Sarah Pearse, author of The Sanatorium _______________ In sixteen-year-old Abida’s small Pakistani village, there are age-old rules to live by, and her family’s honour to protect. And, yet, her spirit is defiant and she yearns to make a home with the man she loves. When the unthinkable happens, Abida faces the same fate as other young girls who have chosen unacceptable alliances – certain, public death. Fired by a fierce determination to resist everything she knows to be wrong about the society into which she was born, and aided by her devoted father, Jamil, who puts his own life on the line to help her, she escapes to Lahore and then disappears. Jamil goes to Lahore in search of Abida – a city where the prejudices that dominate their village take on a new and horrifying form – and father and daughter are caught in a world from which they may never escape. Moving from the depths of rural Pakistan, riddled with poverty and religious fervour, to the dangerous streets of over-populated Lahore, No Honour is a story of family, of the indomitable spirit of love in its many forms … a story of courage and resilience, when all seems lost, and the inextinguishable fire that lights one young woman’s battle for change. _______________ ‘So powerful’ Heat magazine ‘Addictive, brave and powerful’ Louise Fein, author of People Like Us ‘Deeply emotional’ Eastern Eye ‘A stunningly written, immensely important book’ A. A. Chaudhuri ‘Perfectly paced story structure and eloquent dialogue … shocking, deeply moving and hugely important’ Carol Lovekin ‘A truly heart-wrenching tale of the human spirit’s quest for love, freedom and survival’ Tim Glister ‘It will shake you, anger and sadden you, but also restore hope in the power of love to triumph over evil, even in the face of seemingly insurmountable obstacles’ Tony Frobisher,Daily Times ‘Soul deep, mind-blowing and heart-wrenching … you are left reeling’ Faiqa Mansab ‘Khan is a masterful storyteller’ Aliya Ali-Afzal ‘Beautiful, striking and eye-opening’ Louise Beech ‘Khan writes about the dance between fathers and daughters, men and women, authority and no authority, and No Honour is a page-turner’ Soniah Kamal ‘Tense and gripping’ Polly Crosby ‘Beautifully rendered, moving and insightful … this book is not always an easy read but it is a compelling and rewarding one’ Neema Shah ‘Spectacular… a joy from start to finish’ Charlie Carroll ‘Hypnotic, atmospheric and by the end, so hopeful’ Sarah Sultoon ‘This book is devastating, vitally important and beautifully written. Astonishing’ Rob Parker ‘Insightful and sympathetic to the unique experiences of women, whilst evoking the atmosphere of Lahore … hard to put down’ Alex Morrall ‘An epic, gut-wrenching story of love and survival in the face of barbaric oppression’ Heleen Kist ‘A gripping, horrifying, compulsive read’ Jennie Godfrey ‘This is a book that will stay with me for a long time … I was horrified by what I was reading but literally couldn't put this book down’ Madeleine Black ‘A compelling, brave and uplifting read for our time’ Eve Smith ‘Compelling main characters make it memorable and the heavy subject matter in handled the way it should have been – with empathy’ Mashable
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Orenda Books The Ice Swimmer
The discovery of a body in the freezing waters of Oslo Harbour spark an investigation that takes the Oslo Detectives right to the heart of the government … with life-shattering results. The godfather of Nordic Noir is back… ***Shortlisted for the Petrona Award for Best Scandinavian Crime Novel of the Year*** ‘Fiercely powerful and convincing’ LoveReading ‘A masterclass in plotting, atmosphere and character’ The Times ‘Lena Stigersand, one of the decent, talented, hard-working Oslo police detectives in Dahl’s ensemble procedural series, takes center stage in this excellent sixth instalment … fans of Scandinavian noir will be eager for Dahl’s next book’ Publishers Weekly **Book of the Month** ____________________ When a dead man is lifted from the freezing waters of Oslo Harbour just before Christmas, Detective Lena Stigersand’s stressful life suddenly becomes even more complicated. Not only is she dealing with a cancer scare, a stalker and an untrustworthy boyfriend, but it seems that both a politician and Norway’s security services might be involved in the murder. With her trusted colleagues, Gunnarstranda and Frølich, at her side, Lena digs deep into the case and finds that it not only goes to the heart of the Norwegian establishment, but it might be rather to close to her personal life for comfort. Dark, complex and nail-bitingly tense, The Ice Swimmer is a simply unforgettable instalment in the critically acclaimed Oslo Detective series, by the godfather of Nordic Noir. ____________________ ‘If you want your worst fears about what goes on inside a cop's mind confirmed, meet Kjell Ola Dahl's Oslo sleuths, Gunnarstranda and Frølich … impossible to put down’ Guardian ‘A chilling novel about betrayal’ Sunday Times ‘If you have never sampled Dahl, now is the time to try’ Daily Mail ‘More than gripping’ European Literature Network ‘The perfect example of why Nordic Noir has become such a popular genre’ Reader’s Digest ‘Dramatic, fast-paced and character-focused’ Crime Review ‘Skilful blend of police procedural and psychological insight’ Crime Fiction Lover ‘I have read many clever and thrilling crime novels through my life, but often they have nothing to do with real life. If I don’t believe in them, they don’t impress me. But when Kjell Ola Dahl tells his stories, I believe every single word’ Karin Fossum 'Kjell Ola Dahl's novels are superb. If you haven't read one, you need to – right now' William Ryan
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Orenda Books Big Sister
Recently widowed and caring for his young son, Andy Boyd thinks his life is over, until he meets the beautiful, enigmatic Anna. And that was his first mistake … A startling, emotive and stark psychological thriller from one of Scotland’s bestselling crime writers… ‘A stark, gripping storyline’ Scots 'Strong female characters, honest, pithy dialogue and ever-present empathy for the victims make this a deeply satisfying read’ Sunday Times ‘Vivid, visceral and compulsive’ Ian Rankin _________________ Some secrets should never be kept… Andy Boyd thinks he is the luckiest man alive. Widowed with a young child, after his wife dies in childbirth, he is certain that he will never again experience true love. Then he meets Anna. Feisty, fun and beautiful, she’s his perfect match … and she loves his son like he is her own. When Andy ends up in the hospital on his wedding night, he receives his first clue that Anna is not all that she seems. Desperate for that happy-ever-after, he ignores it. A dangerous mistake that could cost him everything. A brave, deeply moving, page-turning psychological thriller, A Suitable Lie marks a stunning departure for one of Scotland’s finest crime writers, exploring the lengths people will go to hide their deepest secrets, even if it kills them… _________________ ‘Malone tackles the taboo subject of female violence against men with insight and compassion (for Anna is no one-dimensional witch), while creating all the hallmarks of a fine, page-turning psychological thriller’ Daily Mail ‘A mystery involving some disturbing account anomalies at Andy’s bank is appropriately overshadowed by Malone’s painful depiction of a man in turmoil’ Publishers Weekly 'It’s a tough high-wire act, balancing believability with surprise, but the author pulls it off with aplomb. Excellent stuff’ Doug Johnstone, The Big Issue ‘Disturbing but compulsive … I loved it’ Martina Cole ‘Bristling with unease, this is domestic noir at its very darkest, twisting the marriage thriller into a new and troubling shape’ Eva Dolan ‘A deeply personal thriller that will keep the reader turning those pages, with twists and turns designed to keep the heart pumping’ Russel D. McLean ‘A tightly wound page-turner with real emotional punch’ Rod Reynolds ‘A dark and unnerving psychological thriller that draws you deep into the lives of the characters and refuse to let go’ Caroline Mitchell ‘A chilling tale of the unexpected that journeys right into the dark heart of domesticity’ Marnie Riches ‘Emotionally intelligent and engaging’ Caro Ramsay ‘A story that I won’t forget in a hurry. Malone is a massive talent’ Luca Veste ‘A disturbing and realistic portrayal of domestic noir with a twist … a shocking yet compelling read’ Mel Sherratt ‘Malone perfectly balances storytelling with a brutal commentary on a dysfunctional relationship’ Sarah Ward
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Orenda Books Block 46
The hunt for a serial killer takes criminal profiler Emily Roys and true-crime writer Alexis Castells from London to Sweden, and back into the past, to Buchenwald Concentration Camp, in the first instalment an addictive, award-winning new series from the Queen of French Noir ***Winner of Balai de la Découverte and Nouvelle Plume d’Argent Awards*** ***International Number One Bestseller*** ‘Dark, oppressive and bloody, but it’s also thought-provoking, compelling and very moving’ Metro ‘Gustawsson’s writing is so vivid, it’s electrifying. Utterly compelling’ Peter James ‘A bold and intelligent read’ Laura Wilson, Guardian ___________________ Evil remembers… Falkenberg, Sweden. The mutilated body of talented young jewellery designer, Linnea Blix, is found in a snow-swept marina.Hampstead Heath, London. The body of a young boy is discovered with similar wounds to Linnea's.Buchenwald Concentration Camp, 1944. In the midst of the hell of the Holocaust, Erich Hebner will do anything to see himself as a human again. Are the two murders the work of a serial killer, and how are they connected to shocking events at Buchenwald? Emily Roy, a profiler on loan to Scotland Yard from the Canadian Royal Mounted Police, joins up with Linnea's friend, French true-crime writer Alexis Castells, to investigate the puzzling case. They travel between Sweden and London, and then deep into the past, as a startling and terrifying connection comes to light. ___________________ ‘A terrific, original duo’ The Times ‘Multi-layered, superbly plotted, brimming with mystery, tension and bone-chilling violence, and with two very different – but equally fascinating – lead female characters, Block 46 is not for the squeamish or faint-hearted … this is a book that has the power to shock and the artistry to impress long after the last page has turned’ Lancashire Post ‘Utterly compelling’ Woman’s Own ‘A bold and audacious debut from a very talented writer. Heralds the beginning of a thrilling new series’ R J Ellory ‘Viscerally brutal yet delicately beautiful, like blood spatter on fresh snow. An unbelievable debut’ Matt Wesolowski ‘A truly unique and chilling blend of Nordic Noir’s dark atmosphere … gritty, bone-chilling, and harrowing – it’s not for the faint of heart, and not to be missed’ Crime by the Book ‘A real page-turner, I loved it’ Martina Cole ’A great serial-killer thriller with a nice twist … first rate’ James Oswald ‘Cleverly plotted, simply excellent’ Ragnar Jónasson ‘A must-read’ Daily Express ‘There’s a touch of Hannibal Lector in this one, and the final plot twists are harsh and sudden. You’ll want to double check the door locks and keep a few extra lights on, as you read … the suspense is brutal’ Kingdom Books
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Orenda Books The Mine
An investigative reporter sets out to uncover the truth about a mining company in Northern Finland, whose activities have caused an environmental disaster. Timely, atmospheric and chilling Nordic Noir from one of Finland’s finest writers… ‘Tuomainen writes beautifully’ Publishers Weekly ‘Clever, atmospheric and wonderfully imaginative’ Sunday Mirror ‘A simple story told with passion and elegant sadness’ The Times ––––––––––––––––––––––––––– A hitman. A journalist. A shattered family. A mine spewing toxic secrets that threaten to poison them all… In the dead of winter, investigative reporter Janne Vuori sets out to uncover the truth about a mining company, whose illegal activities have created an environmental disaster in a small town in Northern Finland. When the company’s executives begin to die in a string of mysterious accidents, and Janne’s personal life starts to unravel, past meets present in a catastrophic series of events that could cost him his life. A traumatic story of family, a study in corruption, and a shocking reminder that secrets from the past can return to haunt us, with deadly results, The Mine is a gripping, beautifully written, terrifying and explosive thriller by the King of Helsinki Noir. ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– ‘Dark, captivating and troubling’ Crime Fiction Lover ‘Beautifully executed … mesmerising’ Australian Crime 'Antti Tuomainen again creates a powerful book, set firmly within the boundaries of strong themes and unforgettable characters, with the huge dose of beautiful sensitive style, masterfully translated from Finnish by David Hackston' Crime Review 'You don’t expect to laugh when you’re reading about terrible crimes, but that’s what you’ll do when you pick up one of Tuomainen’s decidedly quirky thrillers' New York Times ’Antti Tuomainen is a wonderful writer, whose characters, plots and atmosphere are masterfully drawn’ Yrsa Sigurðardóttir ‘One of the most compelling, emotionally satisfying and beautifully realised crime thrillers that I have encountered this year. The clarity and deceptively simple style of Tuomainen’s prose is utterly compelling’ Raven Crime Reads
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Orenda Books Faithless
The death of a woman whose body was found in an Oslo dumpster has eerie similarities to a cold case in northern Norway, prompting the Oslo Detectives to launch an investigation that soon becomes personal… **Winner of the Riverton Award** **Shortlisted for the Glass Key Award** **Shortlisted for the Martin Beck Award** **Winner of the Brage Literary Award** ‘A masterclass in plotting, atmosphere and character that finely balances shocking twists with the coppers’ complicated personal lives’ The Times 'Dahl has an international reputation for skilfully plotted police procedurals that are drenched in the minutiae of detection. This is a fine example of his talent, featuring two of his most famous detectives … If you have never sampled Dahl, now is the time to try’ Daily Mail ‘Skilfully orchestrated tension’ Barry Forshaw, Independent ____________________ When the body of a woman turns up in a dumpster, scalded and wrapped in plastic, Inspector Frank Frølich is shocked to discover that he knows her … and their recent meetings may hold the clue to her murder. As he begins to learn more about the tragic events surrounding her death, Frølich’s colleague Gunnarstranda deals with a disturbingly similar cold case involving the murder of a young girl in northern Norway. An unsettling number of coincidences emerge, and Frølich is forced to look into his own past to find the answers … and to catch the killer before he strikes again. Dark, brooding and utterly chilling, Faithless is a breath-taking and atmospheric page-turner that marks the return of an internationally renowned and award-winning series, from one of the fathers of Nordic Noir. ____________________ ‘A chilling novel about betrayal, written in a hard-boiled style’ Sunday Times ‘Dark, stylish and suspenseful, Faithless is the perfect example of why Nordic Noir has become such a popular genre’ Reader’s Digest ‘If you want your worst fears about what goes on inside a cop's mind confirmed, meet Kjell Ola Dahl's Oslo sleuths, Gunnarstranda and Frølich … impossible to put down’ Guardian ‘I have read many clever and thrilling crime novels through my life, but often they have nothing to do with real life. If I don’t believe in them, they don’t impress me. But when Kjell Ola Dahl tells his stories, I believe every single word’ Karin Fossum ‘Fans of procedurals … will snap this one up’ Kirkus Reviews ‘A formidable talent’ Booklist ‘Superb … utterly convincing’ Publishers Weekly STARRED REVIEW ‘Kjell Ola Dahl’s novels are superb. If you haven’t read one yet, you need to – right now’ William Ryan
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Orenda Books Snowblind
FIRST IN THE INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLING DARK ICELAND SERIES OVER A MILLION COPIES SOLD A murder takes place in the isolated Icelandic town of Siglufjörður, where an avalanche has cut off all communication and the unrelenting snow threatens rookie police officer Ari Thór Arason first investigation… ‘A modern Icelandic take on an Agatha Christie-style mystery, as twisty as any slalom…’ Ian Rankin ’Ragnar J&?oacute;nasson writes with a chilling, poetic beauty’ Peter James ‘Seductive … Ragnar does claustrophobia beautifully’ Ann Cleeves ________________Siglufjörður: an idyllically quiet fishing village in Northern Iceland, where no one locks their doors – accessible only via a small mountain tunnel.Ari Thór Arason: a rookie policeman on his first posting, far from his girlfriend in Reykjavik – with a past that he’s unable to leave behind. When a young woman is found lying half-naked in the snow, bleeding and unconscious, and a highly esteemed, elderly writer falls to his death in the local theatre, Ari is dragged straight into the heart of a community where he can trust no one, and secrets and lies are a way of life. An avalanche and unremitting snowstorms close the mountain pass, and the 24-hour darkness threatens to push Ari over the edge, as curtains begin to twitch, and his investigation becomes increasingly complex, chilling and personal. Past plays tag with the present and the claustrophobic tension mounts, while Ari is thrust ever deeper into his own darkness – blinded by snow, and with a killer on the loose.Taut and terrifying, Snowblind is a startling debut from an extraordinary new talent, taking Nordic Noir to soaring new heights. ________________ ‘His first novel to be translated into English has all the skilful plotting of an old-fashioned whodunnit although it feels bitingly contemporary in setting and tone’ Sunday Express ‘A chiller of a thriller’ Washington Post 'A classic crime story seen through a uniquely Icelandic lens. First rate and highly recommended' Lee Child ‘Required reading’ New York Post ’Morally more equivocal than most traditional whodunnits, and it offers alluring glimpses of darker, and infinitely more threatening horizons’ Independent ‘A truly chilling debut, perfect for fans of Karin Fossum and Henning Mankell’ Eva Dolan ‘A stunning murder mystery by one of Iceland’s finest writers’ Yrsa Sigurðardóttir ‘There is a young pretender beavering away, his eye on the crown: Ragnar Jónasson…’ Barry Forshaw ‘As dazzling as its title implies’ William Ryan ‘An isolated community, subtle clueing, clever misdirection and more than a few surprises combine to give a modern day Golden Age whodunnit. I look forward to the next in the series’ Dr John Curran ‘The best sort of gloomy storytelling’ Chicago Tribune ‘The prose is stark and minimal … bleakly brilliant’ Metro ‘A chilling, thrilling slice of Icelandic Noir’ Thomas Enger ‘This classically crafted whodunit holds up nicely, but Jónasson’s true gift is for describing the daunting beauty of the fierce setting, lashed by blinding snowstorms that smother the village in “a thick, white darkness” that is strangely comforting’ New York Times
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Orenda Books Thirty Days of Darkness
A snobbish Danish literary author is challenged to write a crime novel in thirty days, travelling to a small village in Iceland for inspiration, and then a body appears … an atmospheric, darkly funny, twisty debut thriller, first in an addictive new series. ‘An original and thoroughly enjoyable treat’ Guardian BOOK OF THE YEAR ‘Dark and sharp … A lot of fun’ Val McDermid ‘Witty, dark, meta, ingenious and hugely compelling. I LOVED the Icelandic setting and satirical observations’ Will Dean ‘Hilariously scathing. Satirises genre fiction while creating a first-class example of it, full of suspects, red herrings and twists … wit and originality make it a joy to read’ Mark Sanderson, The Times CRIME BOOK OF THE YEAR **Winner of the Harald Mogensen Prize for Best Danish Crime Nov
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Orenda Books The Moose Paradox: The outrageously funny, tense sequel to the No. 1 bestselling The Rabbit Factor
Insurance mathematician Henri has his life under control, when a man from the past appears and a shady trio take over the adventure park’s equipment supply company. Things are messier than ever in the absurdly funny, heart-stoppingly tense second instalment in Antti Tuomainen’s bestselling series. ‘In these uncertain times, what better hero than an actuary?' Chris Brookmyre ‘One of those rare writers who manages to deftly balance intrigue, noir and a deliciously ironic sense of humour … a delight’ Vaseem Khan ‘What a book! Antti has managed to put the fun into funerals and take it out of fun fairs in a gripping nail-biter … a thrilling and hilarious read’ Liz Nugent**Soon to be a major motion picture starring Steve Carell** _______________________________ Insurance mathematician Henri Koskinen has finally restored order both to his life and to YouMeFun, the adventure park he now owns, when a man from the past appears – and turns everything upside down again. More problems arise when the park’s equipment supplier is taken over by a shady trio, with confusing demands. Why won’t Toy of Finland Ltd sell the new Moose Chute to Henri when he needs it as the park’s main attraction? Meanwhile, Henri’s relationship with artist Laura has reached breaking point, and, in order to survive this new chaotic world, he must push every calculation to its limits, before it’s too late… Absurdly funny, heart-stoppingly poignant and full of nail-biting suspense, The Moose Paradox is the second instalment in the critically acclaimed, pitch-perfect Rabbit Factor Trilogy and things are messier than ever… ________________________________ ‘Finnish crime maestro Antti Tuomainen is unique in the Scandi-crime genre, infusing his crime narratives with the darkest humour … [his] often hilarious, chaotic narrative never vitiates the novel’s nicely tuned tension’ Financial Times ‘Enter hitmen, serendipity, offbeat comedy and the reappearance of literally the last person Henri expects to see … unlike anything else out there’ The Times ‘A thriller with black comedy worthy of Nabokov’ Telegraph Book of the YearPraise for The Rabbit Factor Trilogy**Shortlisted for the CWA Crime in Translation Dagger** **Shortlisted for the Last Laugh Award** ‘The antic novels of Antti Tuomainen prove that comedy is not lost in translation … Tuomainen, like Carl Hiaasen before him, has the knack of combining slapstick with genuine emotion’ The Times 'The funniest writer in Europe, and one of the very finest … original and brilliant story-telling' Helen FitzGerald ‘British readers might think they know what to expect from Nordic noir: a tortured detective, a bleak setting, a brutal crime that shakes a small community. Finnish crime novelist Tuomainen turns all of this on its head … The ear of a giant plastic rabbit becomes a key weapon. It only gets darker and funnier’ Guardian ‘Dark, gripping and hilarious … Tuomainen is the Carl Hiaasen of the fjords' Martyn Waites ‘A triumph, a joyous, feel-good antidote to troubled times' Kevin Wignall ‘Finland's greatest export’ M.J. Arlidge 'You don’t expect to laugh when you’re reading about terrible crimes, but that’s what you’ll do when you pick up one of Tuomainen’s decidedly quirky thrillers' New York Times ‘Tuomainen is the funniest writer in Europe’ The Times ‘Right up there with the best’ Times Literary Supplement ‘Tuomainen continues to carve out his own niche in the chilly tundras of northern’ Daily Express
£9.99
Orenda Books One: The breathtakingly tense, emotive new speculative thriller from the bestselling author of The Waiting Rooms
In a world ravaged by climate change, a young woman's job of enforcing Britain's one-child policy is compromised when she discovers an illegal sibling on the ministry hit list, and that sibling is hers… `A tightly paced plot set in an all-too imaginable future … a page-turning, thought-provoking read´ Jo Callaghan ‘With echoes of V for Vendetta, ONE serves as a stark warning, challenging societal norms and individual sacrifices in the face of adversity’ SciFi Now Book of the Month ‘Pleasingly terrifying’ New Scientist `A terrifying vision of a global climate emergency, a jaw-dropping government conspiracy and some truly devastating twists … one hell of a speculative thriller´ Tom Hindle ––––––––––––––––––– One law. One child. Seven million crimes… A cataclysmic climate emergency has spawned a one-child policy in the UK, ruthlessly enforced by a totalitarian regime. Compulsory abortion of 'excess' pregnancies and mandatory contraceptive implants are now the norm, and families must adhere to strict consumption quotas as the world descends into chaos. Kai is a 25-year-old `baby reaper´, working for the Ministry of Population and Family Planning. If any of her assigned families attempt to exceed their child quota, she ensures they pay the price. Until, one morning, she discovers that an illegal sibling on her Ministry hit-list is hers. And to protect her parents from severe penalties, she must secretly investigate before anyone else finds out. Kai's hunt for her forbidden sister unearths much more than a dark family secret. As she stumbles across a series of heinous crimes perpetrated by the people she trusted most, she makes a catastrophic discovery that could bring down the government … and tear her family apart. ––––––––––––––––––– `Eve Smith is a master storyteller for our troubled times´ Simon Conway `Chillingly plausible … both thrilling and deeply moving´ Philippa East `All too convincing and scientifically plausible … as much a warning as an entertainment´ Paul E. Hardisty `Amazing, beautiful writing, jam-packed with clever ideas´ Helen Fitzgerald `Gripping, frightening and deep … a very brilliant, masterful book´ Sarah K. Jackson `Simmering with great intelligence and insight that never fails to be terrifyingly and thrillingly plausible´ James Goodhand `A visionary storyteller´ Awais Khan `A gripping and pacy thriller set in an all too plausible and terrifying future´ David Beckler `Meticulously crafted, no detail is overlooked … so authentic it doesn't feel speculative at all´ Sarah Sultoon `Raises troubling issues about the balance between saving the planet and our individual human rights … brilliant!´ Guy Morpuss `Pulse-pounding and heart-rending in equal measure, this book is a tour-de-force´ Louise Mumford `A powerful warning and a gripping thriller´ Greg Mosse `A chilling, poignant novel that holds a mirror up to our world … sensational´ Vikki Patis `Gripping and unsettling´ Shen Yang `Compulsive and addictive´ Adam Simcox `Another taut and terrifying thriller from Eve Smith´ Louise Swanson `A terrifying, yet plausible read. Too scary to imagine in reality, and yet…´ Heather Fitt `Horrifying and gripping in equal measure … a jaw-dropping glimpse of the catastrophe around the corner … Astonishing´ Lucy Martin
£9.99
Orenda Books Expectant: The gripping, emotive new Sam Shephard thriller
A pregnant Sam Shephard investigates the murder of an expectant mother in Dunedin, as it becomes clear that the killer is ready to strike again … Queen of New Zealand Crime, Vanda Symon, returns with a shocking, twisty new Sam Shephard thriller… 'From the opening pages, this story left me gasping for breath' Michael Robotham ‘Chillingly intense with a finely honed sense of place … Vanda Symon knows Dunedin and brings it vibrantly to life in this fast-paced thriller’ Craig Robertson ‘An excellent thriller, definitely one of the best of this year. Vanda Symon is a master of characterisation, plot and dialogue … I loved every moment’ Liz Nugent 'New Zealand's modern Queen of Crime' Val McDermid _________________________________ A killer targeting pregnant women.A detective expecting her first baby… The shocking murder of a heavily pregnant woman throws the New Zealand city of Dunedin into a tailspin, and the devastating crime feels uncomfortably close to home for Detective Sam Shephard as she counts down the days to her own maternity leave. Confined to a desk job in the department, Sam must find the missing link between this brutal crime and a string of cases involving mothers and children in the past. As the pieces start to come together and the realisation dawns that the killer’s actions are escalating, drastic measures must be taken to prevent more tragedy. For Sam, the case becomes personal, when it becomes increasingly clear that no one is safe and the clock is ticking… _______________________ ‘Dark, chilling and utterly heartbreaking. A highly emotive and compelling thriller’ Michael Wood ‘New Zealand's answer to Siobhan Clarke’ The Times 'The Edinburgh of the south has never been more deadly' Ian Rankin ‘From the ominous and shocking beginning to the heart-pounding ending, Expectant had me in its grasp’ Nikki Crutchley 'A sassy heroine, fabulous sense of place, and rip-roaring stories with a twist. Perfect curl-up-on-the-sofa reading' Kate Mosse 'Fans of The Dry will love Vanda Symon' Red Magazine ‘A wonderful storyteller’ Helen FitzGerald Praise for Vanda Symon ***SHORTLISTED for the CWA John Creasey (New Blood) Dagger*** ***SHORTLISTED for Best Paperback in the Barry Awards*** 'If you like taut, pacy thrillers with a wonderful sense of place, this is the book for you' Liam McIlvanney 'Vanda Symon's work resembles Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum series she knows how to tell a good story and the NZ setting adds spice' The Times 'Atmospheric, emotional and gripping' Foreword Reviews 'A plot that grabs the reader's attention with a heart-stopping opening and doesn't let go' Sunday Times 'It is Symon's copper Sam, self-deprecating and very human, who represents the writer's real achievement' Guardian ‘Edgy, thrilling and terrifyingly realistic’ Lisa Hall ‘All the thrills of a brilliantly plotted crime novel with some interesting moral questions woven between the words. Fast, furious and intense' Helen Fields 'Completely gripping … a poignant study of how our society shapes unlikely saints and monsters' Eve Smith
£9.99
Orenda Books Night Shadows: The twisty, chilling new Forbidden Iceland thriller
Icelandic detective Elma faces mortal danger as she investigates the death of a young man in a mysterious Akranes house fire, and a Dutch au pair’s perfect placement turns deadly … The breathtaking third instalment in the award-winning Forbidden Iceland series. ***WINNER of the CWA John Creasey (New Blood) Dagger*** ‘Her best, boldest work to date: a mystery both merciless and compassionate, subtly eerie yet flat-out frightening, featuring a detective as complicated as Jo Nesbø’s Harry Hole. This is virtuoso suspense writing’ A J Finn ‘Chilling and addictive, with a completely unexpected twist … I loved it’ Shari Lapena ‘Another beautifully written novel from one of the rising stars of Nordic Noir’ Victoria Selman _________________________ The small community of Akranes is devastated when a young man dies in a mysterious house fire, and when Detective Elma and her colleagues from West Iceland CID discover the fire was arson, they become embroiled in an increasingly perplexing case involving multiple suspects. What’s more, the dead man’s final online search raises fears that they could be investigating not one murder, but two. A few months before the fire, a young Dutch woman takes a job as an au pair in Iceland, desperate to make a new life for herself after the death of her father. But the seemingly perfect family who employs her turns out to have problems of its own and she soon discovers she is running out of people to turn to. As the police begin to home in on the truth, Elma, already struggling to come to terms with a life-changing event, finds herself in mortal danger as it becomes clear that someone has secrets they’ll do anything to hide… ____________________________ ‘A creepily compelling Icelandic mystery that had me hooked from page one. Night Shadows will make you want to sleep with the lights on’ Heidi Amsinck ‘I loved everything about this book: the characters, the setting, the storyline, an intricately woven cast … this book had me utterly gripped!’ J M Hewitt ‘With the third release in the Forbidden Iceland series, Eva Björg establishes herself as not just one of the brightest names in Icelandic crime fiction, but in crime fiction full stop. Night Shadows is an absolute must-read!’ Nordic Watchlist ‘The author writes so beautifully you are immediately immersed in the chilly surrounds … a genuinely excellent novel’ Liz Loves Books ‘One of the most compelling contemporary writers of crime fiction and psychological suspense’ Duncan Beattie,Fiction from Afar Praise for the Forbidden Iceland series: ‘Fans of Nordic Noir will love this’ Ann Cleeves ‘Elma is a fantastic heroine’ Sunday Times ‘Complex, gripping and moving’ The Times ‘An exciting and harrowing tale’ Ragnar Jónasson ‘Eerie and chilling. I loved every word!’ Lesley Kara ‘Not only a full-fat mystery, but also a chilling demonstration of how monsters are made’ The Times ‘Beautifully written, spine-tingling and disturbing … a thrilling new voice in Icelandic crime fiction’ Yrsa Sigurðardóttir ‘As chilling and atmospheric as an Icelandic winter’ Lisa Gray ‘An unsettling and exciting read with a couple of neat red herrings to throw the reader off the scent’ NB Magazine ‘Chilling and troubling … reminiscent of Jorn Lier Horst‘s Norwegian procedurals. This is a book that makes an impact’ Crime Fiction Lover ‘Elma is a memorably complex character’ Financial Times ‘The twist comes out of the blue … enthralling’ Tap The Line Magazine For fans of Ragnar Jonasson, Camilla Lackberg, Ruth Rendell, Gillian McAllister and Shari Lapen
£9.99
Orenda Books Red as Blood: The unbearably tense, chilling sequel to the bestselling Cold as Hell
Áróra becomes involved in the search for an Icelandic woman who disappeared from her home while making dinner, as she continues to hunt for her missing sister. The second breathtaking instalment in the chilling, addictive An Áróra Investigation series… ‘Icelandic crime-writing at its finest … immersive and unnerving’ Shari Lapena ‘Chilly and chilling … Lilja Sigurðardóttir's terrific investigator Áróra is back for another tense and thrilling read. Highly recommended!' Tariq Ashkanani ‘Lilja Sigurdardottir is rapidly becoming my favourite Icelandic writer. She doesn’t waste a word as she creates her twisty mysteries and her sly sense of humour highlights her clear-eyed view of human nature’ The Times ‘The Icelandic scenery and weather are beautifully evoked – you can almost feel the autumn fog seeping up from the pages – but it is the corkscrew twists that make it both chilling and mesmerising’ Daily Mail _____________________________ When entrepreneur Flosi arrives home for dinner one night, he discovers that his house has been ransacked, and his wife Gudrun missing. A letter on the kitchen table confirms that she has been kidnapped. If Flosi doesn’t agree to pay an enormous ransom, Gudrun will be killed. Forbidden from contacting the police, he gets in touch with Áróra, who specialises in finding hidden assets, and she, alongside her detective friend Daniel, try to get to the bottom of the case without anyone catching on. Meanwhile, Áróra and Daniel continue the puzzling, devastating search for Áróra’s sister Ísafold, who disappeared without trace. As fog descends, in a cold and rainy Icelandic autumn, the investigation becomes increasingly dangerous, and confusing. Chilling, twisty and unbearably tense, Red as Blood is the second instalment in the riveting, addictive An Áróra Investigation series, and everything is at stake… _________________________________ ‘Lilja is a stand-out voice in Iceland Noir’ James Oswald ‘Sure to please Scandi noir fans’ Publishers Weekly ‘One of my new favourite series … Áróra’s brains and brawn, combined with the super-cool Icelandic setting, is a winning combination’ Michael J. Malone ‘So atmospheric’ Crime Monthly ‘Áróra is a wonderful character: unique, passionate, unpredictable and very real’ Michael RidpathPraise for Lilja Sigurðardóttir ‘Another bleak, unpredictable classic’ Metro ‘Intricate, enthralling and very moving – a wonderful crime novel’ William Ryan ‘Three things we love about Cold as Hell: Iceland’s unrelenting midnight sun; the gritty Nordic murder mystery; the peculiar and bewitching characters’ Apple Books 'Smart writing with a strongly beating heart' Big Issue 'Tough, uncompromising and unsettling' Val McDermid 'Tense and pacey' Guardian 'Deftly plotted' Financial Times 'Tense, edgy and delivering more than a few unexpected twists and turns' Sunday Times ‘The intricate plot is breathtakingly original, with many twists and turns you never see coming. Thriller of the year’ New York Journal of Books 'Taut, gritty and thoroughly absorbing' Booklist 'A stunning addition to the icy-cold crime genre' Foreword Reviews
£9.99
Orenda Books The Rabbit Factor: The tense, hilarious bestseller from the 'Funniest writer in Europe' … FIRST in a series and soon to be a major motion picture
An insurance mathematician’s carefully ordered life is turned on its head when he unexpectedly loses his job and inherits an adventure park … with a whole host of problems. A quirky, tense and warmly funny thriller from award-winning Finnish author Antti Tuomainen, FIRST in a series…**Soon to be a major motion picture starring Steve Carell for Amazon Studios**'Laconic, thrilling and warmly human. In these uncertain times, what better hero than an actuary?' Chris Brookmyre‘The antic novels of Antti Tuomainen prove that comedy is not lost in translation … Tuomainen, like Carl Hiaasen before him, has the knack of combining slapstick with genuine emotion’ The Times‘A thriller with black comedy worth of Nabokov’ Telegraph_______________Just one spreadsheet away from chaos…What makes life perfect? Insurance mathematician Henri Koskinen knows the answer because he calculates everything down to the very last decimal.And then, for the first time, Henri is faced with the incalculable. After suddenly losing his job, Henri inherits an adventure park from his brother – its peculiar employees and troubling financial problems included. The worst of the financial issues appear to originate from big loans taken from criminal quarters … and some dangerous men are very keen to get their money back.But what Henri really can’t compute is love. In the adventure park, Henri crosses paths with Laura, an artist with a chequered past, and a joie de vivre and erratic lifestyle that bewilders him. As the criminals go to extreme lengths to collect their debts and as Henri's relationship with Laura deepens, he finds himself faced with situations and emotions that simply cannot be pinned down on his spreadsheets…Warmly funny, rich with quirky characters and absurd situations, The Rabbit Factor is a triumph of a dark thriller, its tension matched only by its ability to make us rejoice in the beauty and random nature of life._______________‘Inventive and compelling’ Vaseem Khan ‘Readers might think they know what to expect from Nordic noir: a tortured detective, a bleak setting, a brutal crime that shakes a small community. Finnish crime novelist Tuomainen turns all of this on its head … The ear of a giant plastic rabbit becomes a key weapon. It only gets darker and funnier’ Guardian'The funniest writer in Europe, and one of the very finest … original and brilliant story-telling' Helen FitzGerald‘Full of refreshing wit and wisdom … a treat’Publishers Weekly STARRED REVIEW ‘A dark and delightful novel with an intelligent, brave, and persnickety hero’ Foreword Reviews 'Antti Tuomainen turns the clichéd idea of dour, humourless Scandi noir upside … Dark, gripping and hilarious. Tuomainen is the Carl Hiaasen of the fjords' Martyn Waites‘A triumph … a joyous, feel-good antidote to troubled times' Kevin Wignall‘Finland's greatest export’ M.J. Arlidge‘An astounding read. It has the suspenseful twists of a thriller, the laugh-out-loud moments of a comedy and a tragic dimension that brings a tear to the eye’ Crime Fiction Lover'You don’t expect to laugh when you’re reading about terrible crimes, but that’s what you’ll do when you pick up one of Tuomainen’s decidedly quirky thrillers' New York Times‘Tuomainen is the funniest writer in Europe’ The Times‘Right up there with the best’ Times Literary Supplement‘Tuomainen continues to carve out his own niche in the chilly tundras of northern’ Daily Express For fans of Fargo, Fredrik Backman, Richard Osman
£9.99
Orenda Books The Rabbit Factor
An insurance mathematician’s carefully ordered life is turned on its head when he unexpectedly loses his job and inherits an adventure park … with a whole host of problems. A quirky, tense and warmly funny thriller from award-winning Finnish author Antti Tuomainen. **Soon to be a major motion picture starring Steve Carell for Amazon Studios** 'Laconic, thrilling and warmly human. In these uncertain times, what better hero than an actuary?' Chris Brookmyre ‘The antic novels of Antti Tuomainen prove that comedy is not lost in translation … Tuomainen, like Carl Hiaasen before him, has the knack of combining slapstick with genuine emotion’ The Times 'The funniest writer in Europe, and one of the very finest. There is a beautiful rhythm and poetry to the prose … original and brilliant story-telling' Helen FitzGerald_______________ Just one spreadsheet away from chaos… What makes life perfect? Insurance mathematician Henri Koskinen knows the answer because he calculates everything down to the very last decimal. And then, for the first time, Henri is faced with the incalculable. After suddenly losing his job, Henri inherits an adventure park from his brother – its peculiar employees and troubling financial problems included. The worst of the financial issues appear to originate from big loans taken from criminal quarters … and some dangerous men are very keen to get their money back. But what Henri really can’t compute is love. In the adventure park, Henri crosses paths with Laura, an artist with a chequered past, and a joie de vivre and erratic lifestyle that bewilders him. As the criminals go to extreme lengths to collect their debts and as Henri's relationship with Laura deepens, he finds himself faced with situations and emotions that simply cannot be pinned down on his spreadsheets… Warmly funny, rich with quirky characters and absurd situations, The Rabbit Factor is a triumph of a dark thriller, its tension matched only by its ability to make us rejoice in the beauty and random nature of life. _______________ ‘British readers might think they know what to expect from Nordic noir: a tortured detective, a bleak setting, a brutal crime that shakes a small community. Finnish crime novelist Tuomainen turns all of this on its head … The ear of a giant plastic rabbit becomes a key weapon. It only gets darker and funnier’ Guardian 'Antti Tuomainen turns the clichéd idea of dour, humourless Scandi noir upside down with The Rabbit Factor. Dark, gripping and hilarious … Tuomainen is the Carl Hiaasen of the fjords' Martyn Waites 'The Rabbit Factor is a triumph, a joyous, feel-good antidote to troubled times' Kevin Wignall ‘Finland's greatest export’ M.J. Arlidge ‘The Rabbit Factor is an astounding read. It has the suspenseful twists of a thriller, the laugh-out-loud moments of a comedy and a tragic dimension that brings a tear to the eye’ Crime Fiction Lover 'You don’t expect to laugh when you’re reading about terrible crimes, but that’s what you’ll do when you pick up one of Tuomainen’s decidedly quirky thrillers' New York Times ‘Tuomainen is the funniest writer in Europe’ The Times ‘Right up there with the best’ Times Literary Supplement ‘Tuomainen continues to carve out his own niche in the chilly tundras of northern’ Daily Express
£13.49
Orenda Books The Ringmaster
When a university student is murdered in Dunedin’s university district, newly transferred young female police officer Sam Shephard is drawn into the investigation … The heart-stoppingly tense next instalment in the page-turning, international bestselling Sam Shephard series ‘Finally, UK readers get to discover New Zealand’s own Queen of Crime. Vanda Symon is a big talent and everything she writes is fast, intelligent and utterly gripping. This one’s a cracker’ Liam McIlvanney ‘Fast-moving New Zealand procedural … the Edinburgh of the south has never been more deadly’ Ian Rankin ‘It is Symon’s copper Sam, self-deprecating and very human, who represents the writer’s real achievement’ Guardian ‘Antipodean-set crime is riding high thanks to the likes of Jane Harper and fans of The Dry will also love Vanda Symon’s The Ringmaster’ Red Magazine –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Death is stalking the South Island of New Zealand Marginalised by previous antics, Sam Shephard, is on the bottom rung of detective training in Dunedin, and her boss makes sure she knows it. She gets involved in her first homicide investigation, when a university student is murdered in the Botanic Gardens, and Sam soon discovers this is not an isolated incident. There is a chilling prospect of a predator loose in Dunedin, and a very strong possibility that the deaths are linked to a visiting circus… Determined to find out who’s running the show, and to prove herself, Sam throws herself into an investigation that can have only one ending… Rich with atmosphere, humour and a dark, shocking plot, The Ringmaster marks the return of passionate, headstrong police officer, Sam Shephard, in the next instalment of Vanda Symon’s bestselling series. –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– ‘An absolute must-have’ Daily Express ‘A sassy heroine, fabulous sense of place, and rip-roaring stories with a twist’ Kate Mosse ‘Vanda Symon is part of a new wave of Kiwi crime writers … her talent for creating well-rounded characters permeates throughout’ Crime Watch ‘Lively evocation of small-town life, with a plot that grabs the reader’s attention with a heart-stopping opening and doesn’t let go’ The Times ‘An absolute beauty of a read, well-written, absorbing, and extremely enjoyable’ LoveReading ‘Fast-moving New Zealand procedural … the Edinburgh of the south has never been more deadly’ Ian Rankin ‘Full of action and plenty of plot twists, but the star of the show is always the small but mighty Sam Shephard. With her dry sense of humor, indomitable spirit, and constant need to prove herself, Sam is the perfect heroine to root for … Atmospheric, emotional, and gripping’ Foreword Reviews ‘Symon follows up the terrific Overkill (2019) with this equally absorbing story … A fine thriller by a writer who deserves a larger audience in the US’ Booklist
£8.99
Orenda Books Overkill
When the body of a young mother is found on the banks of New Zealand’s Mataura River, young female police constable Sam Shephard begins an investigation, with horrifying and very personal implications. Book one in an addictive, atmospheric new series.*** SHORTLISTED for the CWA John Creasey (New Blood) Dagger 2019******SHORTLISTED for the Ngaio Marsh Award***’The tensions within a tightknit village, along with various aspects of Kiwi society, are laid out with real authority, but it is Symon’s copper Sam, self-deprecating and very human, who represents the writer’s real achievement’ Guardian ‘Lively evocation of small-town life, with a plot that grabs the reader’s attention with a heart-stopping opening and doesn’t let go’ The Times‘An achievement that blends heart-stopping thrills with deep, believable characters in a stark New Zealand setting. It will leave readers reaching for the next Sam Shephard mystery’ Foreword Reviews––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––When the body of a young mother is found washed up on the banks of the Mataura River, a small rural community is rocked by her tragic suicide. But all is not what it seems.Sam Shephard, sole-charge police constable in Mataura, soon discovers the death was no suicide and has to face the realisation that there is a killer in town. To complicate the situation, the murdered woman was the wife of her former lover. When Sam finds herself on the list of suspects and suspended from duty, she must cast aside her personal feelings and take matters into her own hands.To find the murderer … and clear her name.A taut, atmospheric and page-turning thriller, Overkill marks the start of an unputdownable and unforgettable series from one of New Zealand’s finest crime writers.––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––‘A sassy heroine, fabulous sense of place, and rip-roaring stories with a twist’ Kate Mosse‘Symon has created a compelling series lead, and her treatment of small-town New Zealand is superbly atmospheric. This one’s a cracker’ Liam McIlvanney‘Overkill certainly feels like the beginning of something great. It’s a clever first novel and a dark thriller that’s well-paced and well-plotted … with a satisfying and fitting ending’ CultureFly‘Symon nicely balances action, character and story in a well-drawn rural setting, and realistically speckles the book with light-hearted moments and humour throughout’ Kiwi Crime‘Powerful, coolly assured, and an absolute belter of a read’ LoveReading‘The key to the novel for me is definitely the humorous portrayal of the one-woman police band, both extremely naïve and too eager to prove herself in the eyes of her superiors and against the silent backdrop of her parents’ disappointment’ Crime Review‘With a twisty plot, a protagonist who shines and beautifully written observations of the cruellest things, Overkill is crime fiction at its best and this is an outstanding book. I predict that this series is going to soar here in the UK and it deserves to’ Crime Watch‘The author’s style of storytelling is smooth and engaging, making Overkill very easy to read, which is enough to keep you cranking through the pages. The ending is a cracker … We’ll look forward to the next in the series because with the author’s storytelling skills, the first is a pleasure to read’ Crime Fiction Lover‘Overkill is Symon’s first novel, but it reads like the polished effort of a genre veteran. More, please’ Booklist
£8.99
Orenda Books We Were the Salt of the Sea
When the body of a woman is discovered in a fisherman’s net in Quebec’s Gaspé Peninsula, new recruit Detective Sergeant Joaquin Moralès is thrown in at the deep end… First in a beautifully written, atmospheric and addictive new series. ***Runner-up for the Scott Moncrieff Prize for Translations from French*** ‘Wonderfully atmospheric … I genuinely couldn’t put this book down’ Gill Paul 'You might want to grab this release if you've read everything by Louise Penny and need more Quebecois noir to feed your crime-loving tendencies’ Crime Fiction Lover ________________ Truth lingers in murky waters… As Montrealer Catherine Day sets foot in a remote fishing village and starts asking around about her birth mother, the body of a woman dredges up in a fisherman’s nets. Not just any woman, though: Marie Garant, an elusive, nomadic sailor and unbridled beauty who once tied many a man’s heart in knots. Detective Sergeant Joaquin Moralès, newly drafted to the area from the suburbs of Montreal, barely has time to unpack his suitcase before he’s thrown into the deep end of the investigation. On Quebec’s outlying Gaspé Peninsula, the truth can be slippery, especially down on the fishermen’s wharves. Interviews drift into idle chit-chat, evidence floats off with the tide and the truth lingers in murky waters. It’s enough to make DS Moralès reach straight for a large whisky… Both a dark and consuming crime thriller and a lyrical, poetic ode to the sea, We Were the Salt of the Sea is a stunning, page-turning novel, from one of the most exciting new names in crime fiction. ________________ Praise for Roxanne Bouchard: ‘Colourful, authentic characters with the kind of flavour that can only be inspired by real locals. So good it’ll make you want to pack your bags and drive straight to the seaside’ Journal de Montréal ‘Lyrical and elegiac, full of quirks and twists’ William Ryan ‘Asks questions right from page one’ Quentin Bates ‘An isolated Canadian fishing community, a missing mother, and some lovely prose. Very impressed by this debut so far’ Eva Dolan 'A tour de force of both writing and translation’ Su Bristow 'The translation from French has retained a dreamily poetic cast to the language, but it's det-fic for all that, as DS Joaquin Morales, transplanted from balmy Mexican shores to a remote Quebecois fishing community, investigates a woman's death at sea. This is the first book by Bouchard, renowned Canadian playwright and author, to be translated into English' Sunday Times 'Characters are well-drawn, from Moralès, the cop, and his sturdy inspector, Marlène, to the husky fishermen who were Marie's devoted suitors three decades ago. There's a comic element: the chef at the bistro, a mine of misleading information; the alcoholic priest who was never ordained - and the appalling undertaker who was once a used-car salesman and never forgot the spiel … An exotic curiosity, raw nugget’ Shots Mag
£8.99
Orenda Books Whiteout
THE FOURTH INSTALMENT IN THE INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLING DARK ICELAND SERIES OVER A MILLION COPIES SOLD WORLDWIDE When the body of a young woman is found dead beneath the cliffs of the deserted Icelandic village of Kalfshamarvik, Ari Thor Arason uncovers a startling and terrifying connection to an earlier series of deaths, as the killer remains on the loose... 'Jonasson's books have breathed new life into Nordic noir' Sunday Express 'Jonasson skillfully alternates points of view and shifts of time ... The action builds to a shattering climax' Publishers Weekly Two days before Christmas, a young woman is found dead beneath the cliffs of the deserted village of Kalfshamarvik. Did she jump, or did something more sinister take place beneath the lighthouse and the abandoned old house on the remote rocky outcrop? With winter closing in and the snow falling relentlessly, Ari Thor Arason discovers that the victim's mother and young sister also lost their lives in this same spot, twenty-five years earlier. As the dark history and its secrets of the village are unveiled, and the death toll begins to rise, the Siglufjordur detectives must race against the clock to find the killer, before another tragedy takes place. Dark, chilling and complex, Whiteout is a haunting, atmospheric and stunningly plotted thriller from one of Iceland's bestselling crime writers. 'Traditional and beautifully finessed ...morally more equivocal than most traditional whodunnits, and it offers alluring glimpses of darker, and infinitely more threatening horizons' Andrew Taylor, Independent 'Jonasson has come up with a bleak plot and characters, but his evocation of Iceland's chilly landscape is hard to put down' The Sunday Times Crime Club
£8.99
Orenda Books Deep Blue Trouble
With her lover, JT, behind bars and heading for death row, single-mother Florida bounty-hunter Lori Anderson takes on an off-the-books job that could threaten everything… ‘A real cracker’ Mark Billingham ‘My kind of book’ Lee Child ‘Like Midnight Run, but much darker … really, really good’ Ian Rankin A web of lies. A killer on the run. An impossible choice… Single-mother Florida bounty hunter Lori Anderson’s got an ocean of trouble on her hands. Her daughter Dakota is safe, but the little girl’s cancer is threatening a comeback, and Lori needs JT – Dakota’s daddy and the man who taught Lori everything – alive and kicking. Problem is, he’s behind bars, and heading for death row. Desperate to save him, Lori does a deal, taking on off-the-books job from shady FBI agent Alex Monroe. Bring back on-the-run felon, Gibson ‘The Fish’ Fletcher, and JT walks free.This is one job she’s got to get right, or she’ll lose everything… Breathlessly paced, and bursting with high-voltage action and edge-of-your-seat jeopardy, Deep Blue Trouble is the unmissable next instalment of the Lori Anderson series, featuring one of the most memorable and fearless female characters in crime fiction. Praise for the Lori Anderson Series ‘This is romping entertainment that moves faster than a bullet’ Jake Kerridge, Sunday Express ‘If you like your action to race away at full tilt, then this whirlwind of a thriller is a must’ Deirdre O’Brien, Sunday People ‘Stripper-turned-bounty hunter Lori, with her sickly young daughter in tow, gets into high-octane escapes when she sets out to bring her former lover and mentor to justice. Lively’ Sunday Times ‘The non-stop twists and turns … draw in readers like a magnet and keep them hooked to the action right up to the emotional conclusion’ Burnley Gazette ‘Sultry and suspenseful, it marks a welcome first vow for an exceptional new voice’ Good Reading Magazine ‘Gripping, entertaining and utterly addictive, this is a cracking start to an enthralling new crime series…’ Lancashire Evening Post ‘Suspense, action, romance, danger and a plot that will keep you reading into the wee small hours. I loved it’ Lisa Gray, Daily Record ‘Fresh, fast and zinging with energy’ Sunday Mirror ‘ Readers will cheer her every step of the way’ Publishers Weekly ‘A whole hell of a lot of fun’ New Books Magazine ‘Fresh, compelling and beautifully written’ S.J.I. Holliday ‘Fast-paced, engaging and hugely entertaining’ Simon Toyne ‘Brilliant and pacey’ Steve Cavanagh ‘Excitement and exhilaration flies off every page’ David Young ‘A hell of a thriller’ Mason Cross ‘A series that will run and run’ Howard Linskey ‘A blistering debut’ Neil Broadfoot ‘If you love romantic suspense, you’ll love this ride’ Alexandra Sokoloff ‘Deft and assured’ Chris Whitaker ‘A stunning debut from a major new talent’ Zoë Sharp ‘Delivers thrills at breakneck pace’ Marnie Riches ‘One of my favourite debut novels for a long, long time’ Luca Veste ‘A gritty debut that will appeal to Sue Grafton fans’ Caroline Green ‘Great action scenes and great atmosphere’ C.J. Carver ‘Crazy good … full-tilt action and a brilliant cast of characters’ Yrsa Sigurđardóttir ‘Quite simply one of the best debut novels I have ever read’ Angela Marsons
£8.99