Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Payne follows Citizen Orlov with a superb sequel that continues the humorous exploits of fishmonger Orlov, who's thrust into the center of an unnamed Central European country's political turmoil. By the end of the previous installment, Orlov had accidentally participated in the assassination of his nation's king, but still wound up the minister of security. Now, eager to return to his previous life, Orlov seeks to resign from his post. He's unable to do so, however, before the crown prince is installed as the country's new monarch and Orlov is forced to join his fellow government officials in a post-coronation procession. During the parade, the king's convoy is attacked by rebels, forcing him to retreat to a remote convent at the top of Mt. Zhotrykaw. There, Orlov's allies in the government recruit him to spy on the rebels--which he learns include the convent's nuns, who want his help to bring down the new king. As Orlov stumbles into increasingly absurd binds, Payne raises the stakes by reintroducing one of his bumbling hero's oldest foes. Once again, the colorful comedic antics are complemented by shrewd plotting. It's another hugely enjoyable espionage satire from Payne. (May)
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Review by Kirkus Book Review
In this spirited farce, a fishmonger who somehow became Minister of Security in a fictitious central European country is caught between two sides of a civil war. The book is a sequel toCitizen Orlov (2023), in which an unfortunate turn of events got Orlov, the fishmonger, implicated in the assassination of the king. Now desperate to return to his former life, Orlov is about to resign from the security post when revolutionaries stage a violent uprising following the coronation ceremony for the new sovereign. The intelligence minister, seated in a car next to Orlov, is shot in the head. The monarch is forced into hiding in a mountaintop convent. In dizzying fashion, the hapless Orlov is pressured first by the People's Party--its deputy leader is a former colleague of his in the fish business--and then by royalists to spy on the other side. Back and forth he goes, double-talking his way out of trouble. As part of a group of government officials who disguise themselves in nun's habits to make it safely to the convent, he is exposed to shocking realities. The actual Sisters of Our Lady of Perpetual Sorrow are not what they seem (the guns are a dead giveaway) and all of the fake nuns don't seem to be on the same page with each other. The king, who was outfitted as "Sister Karla" to evade detection, is befuddled by the situation. "So, the prisoners are dressed as nuns and the nuns are dressed as prisoners?" he asks. Seeming pumped with helium, ever light on its feet, the novel keeps springing satirical delights and hilariously absurd scenes. It's a flawlessly entertaining read that raises expectations for the third installment in the series. A very funny satire about men and nuns at war. Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
