Jonathan Payne's 'Citizen Orlov' is a delightful romp through the world of espionage, with an unlikely hero at its center. When ordinary fishmonger Citizen Orlov receives a mysterious phone call, he is thrust into a thrilling adventure filled with intrigue and danger. As Orlov navigates the twists and turns of espionage, readers are treated to a charming and humorous tale of an ordinary man thrust into extraordinary circumstances. Payne's writing is sharp and witty, and he expertly blends elements of spy fiction with comedic flair. 'Citizen Orlov' is a captivating read from start to finish, guaranteed to keep readers on the edge of their seats until the very end.

I really liked the way this one began and was thoroughly engaged for about the first half - then, I must confess I found it to start dragging on... The Kafka-esque drama, the awkwardness, the serendipity, and the stumbling-into-trouble nature of the narrative started to feel redundant and like things were not progressing so much as shifting from bad to worse... I suppose much of that was intentional, but it did start to wear on me after a while. Still it was farcical enough to be entertaining - I just wish it had perhaps been a bit shorter, in keeping with the more focused narrative of the first half.

Review of “Citizen Orlov”

By: Jonathan Payne

Check it Out on Goodreads!!

Disclaimer: Please note that I received an Audio ARC from Netgalley and CamCat Books, in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.

⭐⭐☆☆☆

So, “Citizen Orlov” by Jonathan Payne is okay. There’s plenty of action and twists to keep things moving along, but it never really grabbed me.

One thing worth mentioning is that I listened to the audio version, and maybe that’s why it didn’t click for me. It felt like I missed that connection to the story, so I couldn’t fully immerse myself in the world being built around me. The upside of this book is that the pace is fast, preventing any dull moments. (if that contradiction makes any sense?)

“Citizen Orlov” is a decent read for spy thriller enthusiasts, but it might not exceed your expectations. I suggest trying it out, but consider getting the physical/digital version instead of the audio release.

Get it at…

📗 - Hard Copy -📗

Your Local Canadian Book Seller

Indigo

Amazon Canada - (Currently Out of Stock at the Time of Review)

📱 - Digital - 📱

Kobo - Free on Kobo Plus

Kindle

🎧 - Audio - 🎧

Audible

Libro.FM

I picked this book as it was under the category of humor, and I wanted to try something a little different. Unfortunately, this book was just not for me. However, I can see how some would enjoy this book and the writing style. I was bored and found it weird the main character just kept going along with the events happening.

Bluffs, double bluffs and more as what begins life as a simple attempt to pass on a message, triggers a misunderstanding followed by deception, blackmail and conspiracies. A chaotic whirlwind of non-answers and spin doctors, it's quite the distraction.

I did enjoy this one! It was a good mystery and a quick one. It definitely had some twists at the end that I was not expecting. I thought the audio was great!