It starts when a beautiful, magnificent object falls from the sky….it must be out of this world. It's so beautiful,

This is truly a wonderful book, so beautifully illustrated and a gentle moral tale about greed. Drawn mainly in black and white except for the beautiful wonders that drop from the sky that every child will recognise. Simply beautiful and a book to treasure.

This is a crime thriller at its very best, so well written with beautiful descriptions of Botswana and the surrounding area, a fascinating and immensely likeable main character and a dark, dark and twisty plot. Incredible writing that has me totally engrossed from start to finish. Simply brilliant .

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This is a dark, grim and action packed thriller with a sharp, twisty plot. The characters are so well developed you can picture them easily, and the descriptions of Glasgow in the 70‘s are frankly, terrifying. A marvellously gritty tale that‘s compelling from start to finish. Scottish Noir at its best, Simply brilliant.

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Some in the village believe Vidar has money hidden in the house and so they set out to find it…..then there is a death.

The Last Snow is a beautifully written, slow burn of a thriller wIth a simmering tension that‘s palpable at times, it‘s also about dysfunctional families and the claustrophobia of living in a small town. Wonderfully descriptive and so atmospheric. ScandiNoir at its best.

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Deity is about the shield celebrity gives to those in its limelight and how that light of adulation blinds those who worship it. How fans believe he can‘t have done those things he‘s famous!. He wouldn‘t have don‘t that, I know him, he‘s a kind man, look what he does for charity…….sound familiar?

Deity is so well written with the tension slowly building chapter by chapter, dark & utterly compelling

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Who caused the explosion and why?

As the investigation begins more questions are raised than answers.

This mix of police procedural and fast paced thriller has you hooked from the very start. With great characters and a twisty plot, all set against a beautifully atmospheric Norway, this is Nordic Noir at its very best. Utterly compelling from start to finish.

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This is a police procedural with a strong central character in Geraldine Steel, she‘s committed to her job, but also to her family and personal life, so you get crime fiction and a family drama. It‘s well paced with marvellously well rounded characters and a clever plot make this another thriller of a read from Leigh Russell.

https://orlando-books.blog/2021/01/30/evil-impulse-by-leigh-russell-book-review/

This really is a chilling, psychological thriller with a sense of tension and foreboding from the very start. The descriptions of the hotel alone give it a real sense of an almost claustrophobic menace and the cold seems to seep off the very pages.

With a twisty, clever plot this really is unputdownable. Any fan of psychological thrillers is going to love this, a definite must read. Just brilliant and I loved every minute.

Told in the Scottish dialect (it doesn‘t take long to get used to it) it has a sense of tension, that somethings not quite right. The dark humour brings a little relief to this story of family, of life, loss and love, of football, a damaged man and a crime drama too. This is so beautifully written these fantastic characters bring a dark, gritty tale to an edgy life, they draw you in and break your heart. Utterly, utterly brilliant.

When people begin dying of an unknown illness, Sarah is the first to believe something darker is causing these deaths. She convinces Will and together they delve deeper and begin to hunt for a killer.

The Art Of Dying is historical crime fiction at its very best, superbly written and full of wonderfully atmospheric descriptions you really get a sense of time and place. It has a dark, twisty plot and well rounded, likeable characters. Brilliant

The Push is a family drama that deals with the preconceived ideas of motherhood. It tells of a darker side to being a mother, the doubts and fears, and a troubled relationship between mother and daughter.

This is an utterly compelling psychological thriller that is thought provoking and heartbreaking at times. A haunting thriller

This is a harrowing tale of human trafficking, about the women who are brought into the country under false pretences, only to be forced into the world of prostitution facing continual abuse. It‘s also about wealth, privilege and power and how some of those abuse their positions with impunity.

Full of fantastic characters, a clever, twisty plot, this glimpse into the two worlds make this a dark and compelling thriller. I was thoroughly gripped

Sarah and Chloe are sisters, both have eating disorders and they support each other through them. Sarah starves and Chloe binges and purges. They attend the funeral of Jenna, a friend of Chloe‘s, but end up having a row on the way home. So, Chloe goes for a drive to clear her head. She doesn‘t come home.

The police arrived as they had found her abandoned car. Chloe has disappeared.

Sarah begins her own investigation……..

This is historical fiction at its finest. Full of descriptions of the squalid life of the poor in Victorian London, the gruesome murders and the way women were treated at that time. There‘s a mystery too and with the great characters, the marvellous plot with some shocks and surprises on the way, this is a totally immersive read. If you enjoy the books of Ambrose Parry and Bridget Collins, you are going to love this. A must read.

A cabin in the woods horror/thriller

I found this to be a very clever, mystery and suspenseful thriller with great, diverse characters that has some dark and creepy moments. Not one to read at night! A thoroughly entertaining read.

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The Seven Doors has a steady pace, with lots of detail about Nina‘s life and marriage, but it also has an underlying, creeping tension that slowly builds and makes it a gripping read throughout. Fans of Nordic Noir are going to love this…

https://orlando-books.blog/2020/09/21/the-seven-doors-by-agnes-ratavn-book-revie...

Zombies and monsters..Well, this is an incredibly tense and atmospheric thrill of a heart pounding read. It keeps you on tenterhooks as you wonder just what‘s round the next corner for Clare and Dorran. Just brilliant.

Stoker‘s Wilde West is the sequel to Stoker‘s Wilde, it can be read as a stand-alone (but then again I have read Stoker‘s Wilde).

Here Bram Stoker and Oscar Wilde are relaxing after events in the previous book, looking forward to a return to normal life, but then get a call from Robert Roosevelt…..vampires are running amok in America‘s west, so off they go.

The Resident is terrifying…...and disturbing. It races by as you watch and wonder what Brogan will do next….as you glance at the loft door wondering whether to put bolts on it….just to make sure……! (the loft hatch in my home is in my bedroom and that really didn‘t help me sleep!!!). While Brogan is undoubtedly evil, you do feel sorry for him at times too, all credit to David Jackson‘s clever writing. It‘s dark, terrifying and utterly gripping

Oh my heart...l. truly love this book...from the slightly staid Margery to the brash Enid and their slowly building friendship. It‘s a tale of following your dreams regardless of the cost and the beauty of true friendship. There‘s a real sense of adventure in the search for a golden gem of a beetle. It has a sense of wonder and danger, it‘s heartbreaking and yet wondrous too. I loved every single second. My favourite novel of the year.

This is a memoir full of love. It‘s also an adventure as Michaela travels to Uganda, a country with its issues and problems but also so colourful and lively.

Starchild is beautifully written with real emotion and the love Michaela feels for her adopted brother is clear throughout.

https://orlando-books.blog/2020/07/21/starchild-a-memoir-of-adoption-race-and-fa...

Hinton Hollow Death Trip is an incredible read, it‘s anger inducing, frustrating, heart and thought provoking too. Another marvellously dark and unique read from Will Carver and I loved every black flamed second of it.

If you like your crime thrillers on the dark side then this is a definite must read.

One day Liv receives a box of her deceased mother‘s belongings and these start to bring back some memory of her childhood. She then wakes up outside, in the dark after tripping over a body. Rick finds her, calls the police and so the story takes off.

This is such a clever tale, so well paced as it slowly gathers speed towards a truly nerve shredding end. A stunning psychological thriller that will keep you on the edge of your seat. Brilliant.

Rodham is a work of fiction, a what-if Hillary Rodham had not married Bill Clinton tale. An alternate reality.
It details their meeting and romance, but Hillary moves on. She had a life before Bill and this novel makes you wonder how different life would have been for her without Bill‘s influence (damaging as it may have been at times)
A clever mix of facts, politics and fiction in an alternate reality make this an engaging and entertaining read.

Murder On The Downs is the perfect summer read, a cosy murder mystery with a clever plot and hunger inducing descriptions of delicious sounding foods. A thoroughly entertaining read.

https://orlando-books.blog/2020/07/02/murder-on-the-downs-by-julie-wassmer-book-...

I really enjoyed this creepy thriller. It has great characters in Kirby and Connie (and a 3 legged stuffed fox). I really felt for poor Raymond too, such a troubled soul. With its clever plot, this dark and twisted tale keeps you guessing. Gripping from start to finish

https://orlando-books.blog/2020/07/01/the-bone-jar-by-s-w-kane-book-review/

Deep As Death has great characters and a clever, twisty plot. It‘s a dark and chilling murder mystery with a real sense of atmosphere, you can almost feel the chill of a cold winter co ing off the page. I‘ll certainly be looking for more by Katja Ivar.

https://orlando-books.blog/2020/06/30/deep-as-death-by-katja-ivar-book-review/

I loved The Silent Wife, with its mix of police procedural and the hunt for a serial killer, it tells of violence towards women in many forms, but it‘s also a love story. I loved every gripping, chilling minute and it‘s my favourite of the series so far….

#6 in the series. A member of a law firm has died of a suspected heart attack, but this was found to have been caused by an injection of potassium chloride, so the investigation begins.

DCI Whitney Walker and her team search for suspects and helped as always by George Cavendish, a forensic psychologist.

This is a lovely, gently and slow paced tale with lots of references to Jane Austen‘s books and characters. There‘s a little tension between some characters and a little romance too.

I found this to be an absolutely charming novel and beautifully read by Richard Armitage, he really captures the mood and story to life. Definitely a must read for any fan of Jane Austen. At 9 hours and 34 minutes, this is one to savour, relax and enjoy.

These vampires are day walkers, the sun doesn‘t bother them (no they don‘t sparkle), but they prefer the night time. This reminded me of The Lost Boys due to its setting.

When Rocky finds out what November is, his heart is broken.but he needs to protect his family from Gabriel and needs her help.

This is a dark and violent coming of age drama, albeit a very bloody one. a must read for any fan of vampire fiction.

This is a murder mystery with a really unique edge, there are the murders of rough sleepers, home invasion and yet it also deals with abuse, mental illness, homelessness and fear. There‘s a clever, complex plot with some really creepy moments too…..my windows are all shut and locked that‘s for sure….! Dark, tension filled and a thoroughly chilling read. I loved every minute.

Fire And Vengeance is a story of greed and corruption. Set in Hawaii, Chief Detective Koa Kane is investigating a property developer who built a school over a volcanic vent……when this exploded it resulted in the death of 14 children.

Who knew of the dangers? How far will they go to keep their secret?

This is a thriller full of tension and drama, it‘s a slow burn which builds to make a thoroughly engrossing, edge of your seat read.

This is so full of humour, the everyday humour between friends and family that‘s sharp, dark and honest. It also deals with the more serious subjects of abuse, racial and sexual, sexuality and death. Ash Mountain is domestic noir, but also a disaster thriller that literally takes your breath away…..

The Mystery Of Henri Pick is a gentle novel, no violence or fanged, just the mystery of who has written an unpublished literary masterpiece, The Last Hours of a Love Affair that has been found in a local library.

It exudes a deep love of books and of the process of writing with the emotional toll it takes on authors. It‘s also about love, life and finding happiness, all set in a small town in France.

perfect escapism and a warm hug of a read.

This marvellous tale tells of life during these troubled times, how Vee deals with racism and sexism as a female pilot of Armenian descent, and of Ewa, her bravery and commitment to fighting for what‘s right. All linked by Stefan and the horrific massacre at Katyn.

Beautifully written with great characters, full of an atmosphere so evocative of the time and place. A mix of love, bravery and the horrors of war. A truly stunning read.

Oh my, I love this book, it‘s poignant, full of humour and honesty. From the stress of looking after an elderly, infirm parent to the sibling bickering, the general messiness of life , childhood feelings of neglect and coming to terms with the fact that parents are just human after all.

And isn‘t the cover beautiful? 📚💕

This is such a fun read, full of humour and banter between the characters, it also deals with loss and a murder mystery. Poynter is a complex, troubled but likeable character who really just wants to do the right thing while dealing with everything life throws at him. I found this a thoroughly entertaining read and I‘m already looking forward to book 2.

This is cyberpunk Noir…..a tale of robots, cybernetics, tech and the loss of society. It‘s also a murder mystery, a thriller with some truly horrific moments and so terrifying in its plausibility. I‘ll never look at a wireless printer the same way again. A compelling, heart pounding read. Unputdownable!!

I love this book. Yaz is a great character, full of doubts but also determination to do what‘s right. I loved being back on Abeth, with mentions of the places from Red Sister, but also very different as this is life on the ice and below it. For me it had a sense of wonder and atmosphere that reminded me of when I read The Tombs of Atuan by Ursula Le Guin many years ago…..but this is very different, with fantastic world building.Utterly brilliant.

For 10 years the guilt has eaten at them all, Gene couldn‘t take it any more and took his own life. At the funeral, the other three talk as they‘ve found out developers are about to start digging. So they return to the woods planning on digging up and re- burying the boy‘s body.

But while they are in the woods, things start to get creepy, is something there with them? The tension builds as the men begin to unravel.

Laure lives in Paris and is the curator of The Museum Of Broken Promises. People arrive to donate items, a baby shoe, a biscuit tin and more, each of which have stories behind them.

Stories of betrayals, lost loves, lies and upsets in their lives and by donating these treasures and their memorIes they find a peace, a letting go of the past. Laure has donated her own item, a train ticket.

The F*ck It List tells of a dystopian America ruled by the Trump family! It‘s terrifying in that the US seems to be only one very small step away from the events in this story.

It‘s a dark, road trip that‘s racing toward a tragic end. Frank is a man who has messed up his personal life more than once, but just when it‘s settled and he is actually sober and happy the rug is pulled out from under him.He‘s flawed but you have every sympathy for him…

It covers the behaviours of so many different species, including krill, cockroaches, bees, fish, baboons, chimps and even whales. I‘ve learnt so much, from a bees waggle dance to the features of whale pooh…….oh that image !

Great narration and an amazing subject makes this an absolutely engrossing listen, perfect for anyone with an interest in the mysterious world of animal behaviour.

Wow….this is a police procedural with a really dark edge, it has up to date tech, great likeable characters and a twisted, complex plot to keep you gripped from start to finish. Dark, disturbing and utterly engrossing and I thoroughly enjoyed every minute.

Paul had been on a cruise with his family when he was 13 years old, he remembers very little about the trip though, until he finds an old signed dinner menu from the ship, The Oriana.

He begins to have nightmares about a young woman and water, and with his mother‘s help he decides to try to find one of the guests.

Here secrets long forgotten are unearthed. Can Paul make amends and put things right?

Jemma and Matt had been invited to the wedding of Lucas and Nina at the beautiful Polskirran in Cornwall. But after a tragedy the wedding is cancelled. But now on the anniversary Lucas has invited everyone back…..but why?

Lucas tells everyone they are going to play a game…..but things take a nasty turn…

By the author of VOX

I found Q to be a gripping, disturbing thriller and I read this in one sitting, I just had to know how it was going to end…..oh my !

It‘s well written, with great characters and a very clever plot. I loved Elena, even with her spiteful past, Lissa and Ruby Jo are brilliant and Malcolm is a truly despicable excuse of a man, which makes this a tense, terrifying and heartbreaking read. Utterly compelling.

This is the tale of life in all its messy glory, the good, the bad and the downright hideous. It‘s told with lots of humour but also with sadness and a little hope. You‘ll love Judy and all her foibles, you‘ll laugh with her and cry with her too. A thoroughly entertaining and heartwarming read.

This is a beautifully written tale, full of emotion, of love and longing with a poignancy that will cause tears. The supernatural edge gives this a darkness and some really creepy and goosebumpy moments. An incredible supernatural thriller, a definite must read and I love it.

https://orlando-books.blog/2020/04/17/i-am-dust-by-louise-beech-book-review/