[4.5 stars rounded down]

Orlov is just as fun in his sequel as his debut. These are charming little books that are well paced and funny throughout. We’re thrown immediately after the first book, starting with the coronation of the new king, as Orlov begins to plan how he can resign from his unwanted position as a government minister and go back to being a fishmonger. Revolution breaks out, though, and those plans get put on hold as, alongside the other ministers of government, Orlov is whisked away to the Convent of Our Lady of Perpetual Sorrow high near the peak of the mountain for safety to hide among the nuns there. Nobody is answering his questions and things about the nuns don’t seem quite right.

Hotel Melikov is just plain funny. Funny descriptions and scenarios, especially in the first half. It was never boring and entertaining throughout. Near the start of the book is one of my favorite exchanges:

“‘We can’t win the war without bullets,’ he spits.
‘No, indeed, general,’ says Galin.
‘Can’t we make the factory work faster? What is that place called?’
‘Machak’s Munitions,’ says Galin.
‘Yes, Machak’s,’ says Varga. ‘I trust they are working overtime.’
‘Machak’s is closed,’ says the other general.
‘On account of the war,’ says Gatlin.
‘Someone has contacted Machak and told him to open again, I’m sure,’ says Varga, sounding unsure.
‘Citizen Machak has fled the country,’ says the other general.
‘On account of the war,’ says Gatlin.”

I just really enjoy how the dialogue flows and how scenarios are laid out. It’s very impressive how much of the visual humor comes across through the author’s descriptions (such as the many times the nuns start waving pistols around).

Hotel Melikov comes off as so much more streamlined than the first novel. Though I enjoyed the rapid fire twists and changes of scenery of the first novel, the story is able to shine much better with a more settled two-three locations (though Orlov still moves around between these settings many times). Scenarios and humor is able to be built up more as is Orlov’s thought process and opinions about things.

With this, though, some events come off as a bit too fast-paced. It’s not as bad as the first novel, for the same reasons I just mentioned in comparison, but I wished we spent a bit more time in certain places or with certain characters. Orlov interacting with the nuns in the prison was great, but we move so quickly on from them and just don’t get a chance to sit with it. Most scenes are paced well and it doesn’t plague the entire novel, but just a handful of parts could have been better. I do enjoy the length of both of these novels, though, and understand the desire to keep them concise for ease of the reader.

Orlov is wonderful. His desire to just go back to being a middle-aged fishmonger being ruined by his constant pull between the two sides, this time as a double agent, is done well. Despite his wanting to abstain from any politics or big choices, he is proven again and again to be heartfelt and caring. I enjoy his rationalization of his big choices, even if realistically I’d disagree with them. He just has such a strong character that stands out as the heart of both of these novels.

My biggest disappointment with this novel is the lack of Agent Zelle. She’s in plenty of scenes spread throughout the novel and is again the main antagonist against Orlov, but I didn’t feel like she got to be a character in this one. Comparing her in Hotel Melikov to her in Citizen Orlov, she talks a lot less (really only in general threats to Orlov/others) and feels like a cardboard cutout of the first. Her introduction is very good and allows for her to actually talk and exist, but all her scenes after that felt incomplete. I love how she acts as a constant overbearing force against Orlov (as she also did in the first novel) but I would have liked to see her have a scene or two either talking to Orlov or maybe Orlov overhearing her conversation with someone else. Just anything to make her feel like more of a character than just a random unexplored antagonist. She feels so incomplete in this one and is coasting completely off her good development and characterization from the first novel.

All together, this is such a delightful and fun comedy-thriller novel that takes all of the good from the first novel and expands it so well. A slick and genuinely funny sequel to an already good book. I hope that we continue to get more Orlov books following this one.

Set in a fictitious central European country at some point around the mid 20th century. 'Hotel Melikov' follows the misadventures of Citizen Orlov, a character introduced in a previous novel of the same name. After the events in that book, fishmonger Orlov finds himself the newly appointed minister for security, preparing for the coronation of a new king. The republican revolutionaries have other ideas though, and soon Orlov is caught up between the two sides, whilst trying to simply stay alive and ideally do the best thing for the country - if he could only work out what that was.

I haven't read the first novel, which didn't prevent me following or enjoying this one, but there are a lot of spoilers so it would probably be better to read them in order. Orlov is a likeable everyman protagonist, caught up in events beyond his control or understanding, and he approaches the situation with the combination of reluctance and earnestness that many of us would. The style of the novel isn't entirely serious, but I wouldn't call it a comedy. Perhaps farce would be the closest description, although again it's not silly, which I would usually associate with that genre.

However you categorise it - or if you accept it doesn't fit into a neat category - it's a well written, easy to read story which goes along at a good pace and is full of twists and turns. It lacks a certain brilliance that would elevate it to five stars, but it's a very readable book and I'll go back and read 'Citizen Orlov' at some point and would certainly read any sequels with interest.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an ARC! This review reflects my own opinions.

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Dry humor, absurd situations, political satire, and an obtuse main character who’s just trying to get by.

I read this book without realizing it’s the second in a series, but it was noted that it wasn’t required to read the first, and it really wasn’t. I commend the way it’s written to allow for it to act as a standalone novel—references to the previous book’s events felt so natural even without having any context, and they just added to the mystery of it all.

Citizen (Minister?) Orlov is just an average guy who’s trying to do what’s best while also maintaining peace in his life. His character is endearing and the dry tone of the novel characterizes him and his thought processes so well. It can get a bit heavy on the narrative of his thoughts, but it’s truly what makes the story.

Concise writing and a snappy plot, Hotel Melikov is fast paced and full of twists on the typical spy stories. It moves maybe a bit too rapidly at times, but never so much that things felt rushed—rather, a bit whirlwind-like.

Had a great time reading it. It’s perhaps not a book for everyone, but if you enjoy dry humor and satirical political commentary, it’s quite a quick and fun read.

My week just got better. I was afforded the opportunity to read an ARC (advanced reader copy) of the second book in this original and joyous series.

The writing is engaging and centres on “Citizen Orlov” a humble fishmonger who serendipitously, without thought, merit or design becomes a catalyst in transitioning his country from an authoritarian monarchy into a democratic republic. He should really be a milliner for all the hats he wears in his various roles. Including a government mole, a spy twice over, we’d have to say a double agent. A terrorist, minister of security, a nun, but not a shepherd (painful admission) and a convicted criminal.

That I can make sense of this undulating plot shows the skill of author Jonathan Payne. For all its complexity this is a simple tale of an ordinary guy whose heart and loyalty exceeds his understanding and intelligence. He was, initially in book one, duped by a corrupt agency of the ruling government but in this one, his integrity strives for restorative justice.

A second novel is said to be the hardest one. The writer should not be too anxious ahead of publication as he has continued and built on all that was so brilliant and original in his first book. I received this ARC for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I have seldom warmed to a character as quickly as I have done with citizen Orlov. I love his awkward moments; how he keeps getting things wrong, faces ridicule and setbacks with resilience and great determination to see things through, keep his promises and help and hope in equal measure. He is no action hero but he gets things done.

There is no need to read book one to enjoy this next one; but ahead of publication I would urge you to seek it out and read it first, if you can. Certainly after reading this second instalment you will be unable to avoid the earlier work and like me hope that citizen Orlov has many more hats to wear.

Hotel Melikov is the second in, hopefully, an ongoing series in the life and time of Citizen Orlov. The book reads like a Wes Anderson film, which I very much enjoyed. There is comedic relief after dark moments and serious events added to add drama and danger. As I was reading the book, there was the sense of "What are you doing! Think man!!!" because Citizen Orlov is a bit slower to picking up the clues than the reader is. It didn't detract from the story or frustrate me enough to put the book away, I liked thinking I was smarter than the main character.

I think this novel sits in a cozy caper/thriller genre, where it's not too dark and not too light of a plot, but the good guys win in the end. I will be going back to read the first one since there are a lot of references to it but if you haven't read the first Citizen Orlov book, you won't really be lost in this one, it felt like the narrator was just adding in some previous exposition as you went along so you always felt like you were a part of the conversation.

Hotel Melikov isn’t the kind of book you just read—it’s the kind you slowly sink into, page by page, until you’re not entirely sure when the real world slipped away. Jonathan Payne’s novel is eerie, elegant, and deeply atmospheric, the kind of story that hums with tension even in its quietest moments.

From the first chapter, I could feel something was off—not in a bad way, but in the best, most tantalizing way. The hotel itself is a character: haunting, elusive, and strangely magnetic. It felt like a place built from half-remembered dreams and shared memories, a setting that shifts slightly whenever you think you’ve found your footing. I kept trying to pin it down, and Payne kept pulling it just out of reach.

What really stayed with me was the writing. Payne’s prose is precise, restrained, and loaded with meaning. He has a way of saying just enough—never too much, never too little—and trusting the reader to follow the unease where it leads. There’s a loneliness at the heart of this book, but also a strange beauty in the way people move through that loneliness, trying to connect, trying to make sense of what’s broken.

The mystery at the core of the novel unfolds slowly, sometimes obliquely, and I loved that. Hotel Melikov doesn’t rush to explain itself, and it doesn’t rely on twists or cheap thrills. Instead, it builds a creeping sense of dread and melancholy, like something important is being remembered just out of reach—and you’re left to piece it together yourself.

This isn’t a book for everyone. It’s quiet, strange, and defiantly literary. But if you like your fiction with a touch of the uncanny, a lot of atmosphere, and the kind of emotional resonance that lingers long after you finish, Hotel Melikov is worth every page.

🕵️‍♂️⚖️ Book Review: Hotel Melikov by Jonathan Payne

Jonathan Payne delivers again with Hotel Melikov — a hilarious, fast-paced sequel to Citizen Orlov that proves satire is alive, well, and wielding a bayonet. Comrade Orlov, once a humble fishmonger, now unwilling Minister of Security, ricochets from one absurd political crisis to another. Caught between shifting allegiances, secret plots, heavily armed nuns, and the threat of actual governance, Orlov remains both out of his depth and weirdly indispensable. Think The Good Soldier Švejk meets The Thick of It in a fictional Eastern European nation teetering on collapse.

🧨 What Works:

Biting, clever satire that skewers political institutions with surgical wit

Orlov’s perfectly balanced character — bumbling yet oddly shrewd

Snappy pacing and sharp cliffhangers make for a compulsively readable ride

Echoes of Greene, Ludlum, and Hašek, but with Payne’s distinct comedic voice

Short, punchy chapters and a tight page count keep it lean and impactful

🕳️ What Doesn’t:

New readers may miss nuances without reading Citizen Orlov first (though it still stands well alone)

The satire is layered — if you’re not tuned into political absurdity, a few jabs might fly under the radar

🎖️ 4.5/5 – A glorious circus of espionage, ineptitude, and revolutionary zeal. Jonathan Payne is in top form—bring on book three.

Reminded me of “Our man in Havana” with an innocent caught up in political machinations, and “Gulliver’s Travels” also.
It is very funny but also has some biting satire regarding government and political parties. One would expect a fishmonger to have a fairly boring life but comrade Orlov gets swept up by events during political unrest.
This madcap adventure was a perfect shortish length too. A great read and not having read the first in the series I will have to look out for the next one which is bound to follow.
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

I had not read the first book about our wandering fishmonger now minister for security and after this I don’t think I will bother, not what I had surmised from the synopsis or the reviews of the first book, not for me sadly

Former fishmonger Citizen Orlov finds himself in the crosshairs of a civil war. Appointed Minister of Security by a shaky ruling party, Orlov just wants to get back to selling bream and halibut at reasonable prices. There’s no time for fishy business though as the country teeters on anarchy. Forced into choosing sides after both of the warring factions ask Orlov to spy on the other, it’s little wonder that the simplicity of pricing up a fresh cod holds a lot of appeal. Still, with the monarchy threatened and an order of nuns in town, Orlov must step up and do what’s right for his nation. From humble origins, it’s this citizen’s time to shine.

Fantastic fun and pleasingly absurd, Hotel Melikov reminds us that it isn’t where you begin, it’s where you end up. From the evidence to date, I’m backing Citizen Orlov to carry on the good work.

I was granted a free review copy of Hotel Melikov and am leaving this review voluntarily.