Category Archives: Orenda Books

“The Great Silence” by Doug Johnstone – Book Review

Posted on January 4, 2022 by Fictionophile

“The monsters in our lives don’t look like monsters, horns and slavering fangs. The worst deeds in the world are done by people who like like any of us.” We pick up one year after the events of the second … Continue reading →

Posted in Book Reviews, Mystery fiction, Orenda Books | Tagged , , | 4 Comments

“There’s Only One Danny Garvey” by David F. Ross – Book Review

Posted on November 7, 2021 by Fictionophile

“Trouble prospers when uneducated men have too much time on their hands”.First I have to say that this story will remain in my memory for a very long time. The characters were so vividly rendered, the mood so brilliantly interpreted. … Continue reading →

Posted in Book Reviews, Literary fiction, Men's fiction, Orenda Books | Tagged , , | 6 Comments

“Smoke Screen” by Thomas Enger and Jørn Lier Horst – Book Review

Posted on May 13, 2021 by Fictionophile

translated from the Norwegian by Megan Turney This police procedural, set in Oslo, Norway, is the second to feature policeman Alexander Blix and blogger/journalist Emma Ramm. Blix is a twenty year veteran of the Oslo police. Shortly after his career … Continue reading →

Posted in Book Reviews, Nordic noir, novels in translation, Orenda Books, Scandinavian | Tagged , , | 7 Comments

Celebrating #Orentober 2020 @OrendaBooks

Posted on October 30, 2020 by Fictionophile

As a bookblogger, I’ve been privileged to read and review several titles from the Orenda Books catalogue.  To that end, I thought I’d celebrate #Orentober by sharing some of my reviews for these fabulous novels.  Just click on the title … Continue reading →

Posted in Anticipated titles, Book Reviews, Orenda Books | Tagged | 4 Comments

“The Lingering” by S.J.I. Holliday – Book Review

Posted on October 29, 2020 by Fictionophile

“We have to be safe here. It’s all that we have.” Jack Gardiner, a former policeman, and his wife Ali Gardiner, a former psychiatric nurse, have elected to rid themselves of most of their worldly possessions and join a commune … Continue reading →

Posted in Book Reviews, ghost stories, Horror, Orenda Books, Psychological thrillers | Tagged , , , , | 15 Comments

“A Song of Isolation” by Micheal J. Malone – Book Review

Posted on October 22, 2020 by Fictionophile

This book features three main protagonists: Dave – a young man who works as an accountant and is the live-in partner of a movie star. He is fearful that his relationship is precarious and that the love of his life … Continue reading →

Posted in Book Reviews, Edelweiss, Orenda Books, Tartan noir | Tagged , , , , | 16 Comments

“The Seven Doors” by Agnes Ravatn – Book Review

Posted on October 14, 2020 by Fictionophile

Way back in January of 2017 I read this author’s debut novel, “The Bird Tribunal” and it turned out to be my favourite book of the year! Ever since then, I’ve been anxiously awaiting her next work. It was worth … Continue reading →

Posted in Book Reviews, Nordic noir, novels in translation, Orenda Books | Tagged , , , , | 7 Comments

“The Big Chill” by Doug Johnstone – Book Review

Posted on August 7, 2020 by Fictionophile

“It’s easy to be moral if those morals aren’t tested.” We pick up six months after the events of the first book in the Skelfs series, “Dark Matter”. The Skelfs have two businesses which they run out of their large … Continue reading →

Posted in Blog Tour, Book Reviews, Orenda Books, Random Things Tours (Anne Cater) | Tagged , , | 20 Comments

“Blood Red City” by Rod Reynolds – Book Review

Posted on June 23, 2020 by Fictionophile

“A witness but no victim; a crime but no crime scene; too many questions without answers.” Thirty-four year old Lydia Wright works as a celebrity/entertainment reporter for a London tabloid newspaper. She is aggrieved by her loss of her ‘real‘ … Continue reading →

Posted in Blog Tour, Book Reviews, Orenda Books, Random Things Tours (Anne Cater) | Tagged , , , | 9 Comments

“Death Deserved” by Thomas Enger and Jørn Lier Horst – Book Review

Posted on May 24, 2020 by Fictionophile

10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, … translated from the Norwegian by Anne Bruce This police procedural, set in Oslo, Norway, is the first to feature policeman Alexander Blix and blogger/journalist Emma Ramm. Blix is a … Continue reading →

Posted in 1st in series, Book Reviews, Nordic noir, novels in translation, Orenda Books, Scandinavian | Tagged , , , | 11 Comments

New title for Agnes Ravatn! @OrendaBooks #SevenDoors #bookbuzz @simonschusterUK

Posted on May 14, 2020 by Fictionophile

As a book blogger, I am privileged to learn about new titles, often some months before they come out. This is a very pleasurable experience for a bookworm such as myself. Once in a while however, you learn of a … Continue reading →

Posted in Anticipated titles, Orenda Books, Scandinavian | Tagged , | 19 Comments

“The Creak on the Stairs” by Eva Björg Ægisdóttir – Book Review

Posted on May 5, 2020 by Fictionophile

The Creak on the Stairs is the first in the electrifying FORBIDDEN ICELAND series The Icelandic Police team of criminal investigators include: Hörður Höskuldsson – leader of the Akranes Criminal Investigation Division. With many local connections, he is in charge … Continue reading →

Posted in 1st in series, Blog Tour, Book Reviews, novels in translation, Orenda Books | Tagged , , , | 11 Comments

“A Dark Matter” by Doug Johnstone – Book Review

Posted on March 22, 2020 by Fictionophile

We meet the Skelfs on the day that they are saying goodbye to their patriarch, Jim. They are doing this in a somewhat bizarre way. Though they run a funeral home, they are having an illegal funeral pyre in their … Continue reading →

Posted in 1st in series, Book Reviews, Favorite books, Orenda Books | Tagged , , | 13 Comments

“Breakers” by Doug Johnstone – Book Review #Orentober

Posted on October 28, 2019 by Fictionophile

Tyler lives in a tower block in Niddrie, one of Edinburgh’s impoverished neighbourhoods. He lives with his Mum and his little sister, Bethany (aka Bean). His Mum is an alcoholic/addict so the responsibility of caring for her and his sister … Continue reading →

Posted in Book Reviews, Favorite books, Orenda Books | Tagged , , , | 37 Comments

“The bird tribunal” by Agnes Ravatn – #BookReview #Orentober

Posted on October 13, 2019 by Fictionophile

I thought I’d repost a review from 2017 in honour of Orentober. What is Orentober you ask? It is the October celebration of the books and authors represented by Orenda Publishing. “The Bird Tribunal” was my favourite read of 2017 … Continue reading →

Posted in Book Reviews, Favorite books, novels in translation, Orenda Books, Psychological thrillers, Scandinavian | Tagged , , | 8 Comments