Hotel Melikov

by Jonathan Payne

Overview

“[An] enjoyable comic fable . . .” —Wall Street Journal, on Citizen Orlov

“We wouldn’t mind at all if this turned out to be the start of a series.” —Apple Books Review, on Citizen Orlov

“[An] auspicious debut . . .” —Publishers Weekly, Starred Review, on Citizen Orlov

Not every fishmonger can be a double agent. 

Return to an unnamed mountainous country in central Europe on the cusp of civil war. Enter once again Citizen Orlov, a former fishmonger who is now the Minister of Security for a government teetering on collapse. When tensions between the government and revolutionaries erupt, Orlov, hoping to escape the conflict and return to his normal life, is instead recruited by both sides to spy on the other. 

With war raging around them, the new king and his ministers are whisked away for safety to the highest point in the kingdom, the convent at the peak of Mount Zhotrykaw. But all is not what it seems at the convent, including the nuns, and Orlov discovers a sinister plot that forces him to choose whose side he is on.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780744311808
Publisher:	CamCat Publishing
Publication date:	09/16/2025
Series:	Citizen Orlov , #2
Pages:	288
Sales rank:	832,291
Product dimensions:	8.50(w) x 5.51(h) x 0.83(d)

About the Author

Jonathan Payne is a British-American writer based in New York City. He holds a Master of Arts degree in novel writing from Middlesex University, London. His debut novel, Citizen Orlov, was published by CamCat Books in May 2023. Apple Books named it one of the Books of the Month. It won the 2024 IBPA Ben Franklin Silver Medal for Mystery/Thriller and the 2024 IPPY Bronze Medal for Suspense/Thriller.

Editorial Reviews

★ 03/10/2025

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)

Publishers Weekly

"Payne follows Citizen Orlov with a superb sequel . . . Once again, the colorful comedic antics are complemented by shrewd plotting. It’s another hugely enjoyable espionage satire from Payne.” —Publishers Weekly, Starred Review

From the Publisher