• 5 Star Reads
  • Audiobooks
  • Books on Screen
  • Children’s Books
  • Christian
  • Fiction
  • Giveaways

5 Minutes For Books

  • Home
  • About
    • Who Are We? Reviewer Bios
    • 5 Star Reads
    • Disclosure
    • Privacy Policy
    • About Us
  • Join In
    • 5 Minutes for Books Bookclub
    • Children’s Classics
    • Kids’ Picks
    • What’s on Your Nightstand
  • Link To Us
  • Contact
    • Advertise

Citizen Orlov

5M4B disclosure

Citizen Orlov is a simple man, a fishmonger who runs the only fish stall in the Central Marketplace of this unnamed capital city in a mountainous Central European country. One day while walking to work down an alley, he hears a phone ringing and ringing–although whether it’s in the Ministry of Security or the Ministry of Justice he’s never entirely certain. He leans into the open window, answers the phone, and intercepts a call meant for a secret agent–or was it meant for him after all?

The call changes his life. In attempting to deliver the message, he gets recruited to save the life of the king. His partner is the beautiful and mysterious Agent Zelle, who may be a patriot who is trying to kill the king instead. Which is it? Citizen Orlov has to travel to a beautiful town in the mountains, where he stays at the Residence Penzion–or should he have been at the Rezidence Pension across the street? Before he knows what’s happening, he’s been charged with murder. His defense will change the entire country–or will it really?

Citizen Orlov is a satirical, fast-moving novel of a hapless citizen caught up in plot, counter-plot, and bureaucracy at its finest. It feels like mid-20th century, early Cold War, but time and place are never specified. It’s a bit like a kaleidoscope, with shifting realities, but firmly anchoring the plot is Citizen Orlov, who just wants to live in peace and have his mother and friends living in peace as well. It’s a fun read, filled with dry humor and a wry look at an ordinary person’s attempt to understand the foibles of government officials. Highly recommended.

Book Links:Amazon | Barnes & Noble | BookShop.org | Goodreads | CamCat Books

Author Bio:
Jonathan Payne

Jonathan Payne is a British-American writer based outside Washington, D.C. He holds a Master of Arts degree in Novel Writing from Middlesex University, London. His short fiction has been featured at the North London Story Festival and in magazines including Turnpike, Twist in Time and Fiction Kitchen Berlin. Before moving to the United States, he worked for the British government on matters of national security. When not writing or reading, he can be found in the boxing gym.

Catch Up With Jonathan Payne:
www.JonathanPayne.org
Goodreads
BookBub – @jon7payne
Instagram – @jon7payne
Twitter – @jon7payne

Recent Posts

The Lady from Burma

The Lady from Burma

Death Takes a Bath

Death Takes a Bath

Square of Sevens

Square of Sevens

In the Shadow of the Bull

In the Shadow of the Bull

Fiction

Citizen Orlov

Citizen Orlov

The Lady from Burma

The Lady from Burma

Death Takes a Bath

Death Takes a Bath

Square of Sevens

Square of Sevens

More Fiction

Memoir

Testimony

Testimony

The Deep Limitless Air

The Deep Limitless Air

Remember Whose Little Girl You Are

Remember Whose Little Girl You Are

All Things Reconsidered

All Things Reconsidered

More Memoir

Chapter Books for Kids

Ready to Tackle Your TBR List?

Ready to Tackle Your TBR List?

Ban This Book

Ban This Book

Click’d #Clickdbook

Click’d #Clickdbook

The Losers Club by Andrew Clements

The Losers Club by Andrew Clements

More Chapter Books

Picture Books for Kids

Maybe

Maybe

Wrinkles

Wrinkles

New Kids’ Books from Laura Gehl

New Kids’ Books from Laura Gehl

If I Were a Park Ranger, with Giveaway!

If I Were a Park Ranger, with Giveaway!

More Picture Books

Young Adult

The Night in Question

The Night in Question

Best of 2021

Best of 2021

You Have a Match

You Have a Match

A Song Below Water

A Song Below Water

More Young Adult

Books on Screen

Middle Earth: From Script to Screen

Middle Earth: From Script to Screen

I’ll Have What She’s Having

I’ll Have What She’s Having

The incredible memoir is now on film: #TheGlassCastle

The incredible memoir is now on film: #TheGlassCastle

I Met and Interviewed the Heart Behind the Movie #Valerian, Luc Besson

I Met and Interviewed the Heart Behind the Movie #Valerian, Luc Besson

More Books on Screen

5 Star Reads

The Maid

The Maid

Best of 2021

Best of 2021

The Doctor of Aleppo

The Doctor of Aleppo

All Over the Map: A Cartographic Odyssey

All Over the Map: A Cartographic Odyssey

More 5 Star Reads

Food

20 Recipes Kids Should Know

20 Recipes Kids Should Know

Asma’s Indian Kitchen

Asma’s Indian Kitchen

Sheet Pan Suppers Meatless Cookbook with #Giveaway

Sheet Pan Suppers Meatless Cookbook with #Giveaway

Pure Heart: A Spirited Tale of Grace, Grit and Whiskey

Pure Heart: A Spirited Tale of Grace, Grit and Whiskey

More Food books

Connect with us

  • Facebook
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

Welcome to 5 Minutes for Books. We are a team blog dedicated to sharing reviews and information about children's lit, fiction, memoir, and more. Read More…

Reviews

5 Minutes for Books

Jennifer Donovan
Managing Editor

MEET OUR TEAM



Connect With Us


Pinterest

Community

Cybils Logo Draft 3

Disclosure:

Find out about our relationships with publishers and affiliate networks in our full disclosure statement.

Recent Posts

  • Citizen Orlov
  • The Lady from Burma
  • Death Takes a Bath
  • Square of Sevens
  • In the Shadow of the Bull

Categories

Privacy Policy    |     Disclosure Policy
Terms & Conditions
© 5 Minutes for Mom

Let’s Socialize

  • Facebook
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

Pinterest is Our FAVORITE!

Find and Follow Us at
pinterest.com/5min4books

Copyright © 2023 · Tasteful theme by Restored 316