Category: News

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A message from our Publisher, Karen Sullivan

Welcome!

We are absolutely thrilled to unveil our new website and to offer you a host of new and better ways to get to know our authors and their books. We’ve filled this new site with everything you need to keep up with all of our inspiring new publications, to find out what our brilliant authors are up to, plus information about our exciting events and all the latest news from Team Orenda.

A new online bookshop

The first thing you’ll notice is that you now have the opportunity to buy physical copies of our wonderful titles directly from Orenda Books. Having our own online bookshop means we and our wonderful authors benefit from a better profit margin on every book we sell. But you, the reader, benefit, too, as selling you books directly means we’re able to offer you special deals, signed copies and book bundles that will allow you to immerse yourself in some truly wonderful international reads, whatever your budget.

We continue to support ethical retailers, of course, and we’re hugely grateful for the passion and enthusiasm with which they sell our books. You’ll find a list of links to our preferred and much-valued stockists here.

Audiobooks

Almost all of our books are available in audiobook format, and we’ll be selling audio CDs, where available, in the coming months. Downloads are available from all of the usual retailers, including Audible, Amazon, The Reading House, Storytel, Bookbeat, Apple and Google.

Newsletter

The very best way to keep abreast of our latest news, deals and publications is to subscribe to our newsletter. It provides loads of exclusive subscriber-only content, plus special offers and giveaways. By signing up, you’ll not only become an important and invested part of #TeamOrenda, you’ll receive a free ebook of Agnes Ravatn’s breathtaking, award-winning psychological thriller The Bird Tribunal, translated by Rosie Hedger. Go to the home page for details on how to sign up.

Subscription boxes

We now have a subscription box!

We’ve teamed up with our friends, Bert’s Books, to put together a variety of subscription packages to fit all budgets, and every month Bert and his team will send out our exclusive signed copies with special treats! Click HERE to find out more.

Merch!

We’ve put together a (very) small collection of #TeamOrenda merchandise, which we’ll be adding to across the next couple of months. If there’s something you’d like to see in the collection, don’t hesitate to let us know.

Author content and online events

Over time, our authors will be contributing stories, insights and their own recommended reads to the site. We’ll also showcase the latest book trailers (at the bottom of the home page) and we’ll alert you to upcoming events and deals. If you miss one of our online events, you’ll find the recording on our YouTube channel.

Get in touch

We are committed to bold, imaginative publishing, and aim to bring you the finest, unforgettable international fiction in the most beautiful way we can. You, our readers, are the reason why we publish books, and when you buy an Orenda book, or sign up for our subscription box or newsletter, you are becoming part of #TeamOrenda, and you’ll be investing in our wonderful authors and making it possible for us to do what we do.

Any other questions? Check our handy FAQs.

If you think there’s something missing from the site, or you want to see more of something, we’ll be more than happy to hear your ideas! Get in touch with us via our contact page.

Thank you so much for visiting, and for becoming part of the team. We love what we do, and we are absolutely thrilled to have this opportunity to share our fabulous books with you.

 

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Simone Buchholz and Vanda Symon in conversation with Craig Sisterson to launch Hotel Cartagena and Bound

Orenda Books is delighted to celebrate publication of ‘Queen of Krimi’ Simone Buchholz’s Hotel Cartagena (translated by Rachel Ward) and award-winning New Zealand crime writer Vanda Symon’s Bound with an online launch.

Hotel Cartagena is the fourth in the international, bestselling Chastity Riley series, and it sees our protagonist trapped in a hotel bar, high above Hamburg Harbour, as gunmen take its occupants hostage. Buchholz is one of Germany’s finest literary crime writers, and her crackling prose and modern take on Noir have attracted legions of fans, including Graeme Macrae Burnet, who says, ‘‘Reading Buchholz is like walking on firecrackers … a truly unique voice in crime fiction’ and The Times: ‘Disgraced state prosecutor Chastity Riley chases round the dive bars of the port city pursuing and being pursued by a beguiling cast of cops, criminals and chums, delivering scalding one-liners as she goes’.

Bound is the fourth instalment is the unforgettable Sam Shephard series, shortlisted for the prestigious Ngaio Marsh Award in Vanda Symon’s native New Zealand. Set in Dunedin, this whip-smart, emotive thriller sees Sam go vigilante when her instincts tell her that her colleagues have got the wrong suspects behind bars in the case of a murdered local businessman. Sam’s personal problems drive her to act uncharacteristically, adding depth to this exceptional thriller. 

Simone Buchholz and Vanda Symon will be in conversation with New Zealand author and reviewer Craig Sisterson. Translator Rachel Ward will tune in for questions from guests.

This event is free to attend, however we do encourage you to support the authors in any way you can and Hotel Cartagena and Bound are available to order online now. Signed copies are available EXCLUSIVELY from our partner independent bookshop, Four Bears, in Reading: FourbearsBooksUK@outlook.com

To register for the event email: cole@orendabooks.co.uk

You will receive a confirmation email once you register, and on the day of the event itself will be sent details for attendance. Please ensure you have downloaded Zoom. We will be taking questions on the day of the event via the chat function.

Simone Buchholz

Simone Buchholz was born in Hanau in 1972. At university, she studied philosophy and literature, worked as a waitress and a columnist, and trained to be a journalist at the prestigious Henri-Nannen-School in Hamburg. In 2016, Simone Buchholz was awarded the Crime Cologne Award and was runner-up in the German Crime Fiction Prize for Blue Night, which was number one on the KrimiZEIT Best of Crime List for months. e next in the Chastity Riley series, Beton Rouge, won the Radio Bremen Crime Fiction Award and Best Economic Crime Novel 2017. In 2019, Mexico Street, the follow-up in the series, won the German Crime Fiction Prize. She lives in Sankt Pauli, in the heart of Hamburg, with her husband and son. Follow Simone on Twitter @ohneKlippo and visit her website: simonebuchholz.com.

Vanda Symon

Vanda Symon lives in Dunedin, New Zealand. As well as being a crime writer, she has a PhD in science communication and is a re- searcher at the Centre for Paci c Health at the University of Otago. Overkill was shortlisted for the 2019 CWA John Creasey Debut Dagger Award and she is a three-time nalist for the Ngaio Marsh Award for Best Crime Novel. Vanda produces and hosts Write On, a monthly radio show focusing on the world of books at Otago Access Radio. When she isn’t working or writing, Vanda can be found in the garden, or on the business end of a fencing foil.

Rachel Ward

Rachel Ward is a freelance translator of literary and creative texts from German and French to English. Having studied modern languages at the University of East Anglia, she went on to complete UEA’s MA in Literary Translation. Her pub- lished translations include Traitor by Gudrun Pausewang andRed Rage by Brigitte Blobel, and she is a Member of the Institute of Translation and Interpreting. She has previously translated Simone Buccholz’s Blue Night, Beton Rouge andMexico Street for Orenda Books. Follow Rachel on Twitter @FwdTranslations, on her blog www.adiscounttickettoeverywhere.wordpress.com, and on her website: www.forwardtranslations.co.uk.

Craig Sisterson

Craig Sisterson is a lapsed lawyer from New Zealand who now lives in London and writes features for magazines and newspapers in several countries. In recent years he’s interviewed hundreds of crime writers and talked about the genre on national radio, top podcasts, and onstage at books festivals on three continents. Craig has been a judge of the Ned Kelly Awards and the McIlvanney Prize, is founder of the Ngaio Marsh Awards and co-founder of Rotorua Noir. His first non-fiction book, Southern Cross Crime, was published in 2020 by Oldcastle Books.

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Toronto International Festival of Authors presents NORDIC NOIR – with Agnes Ravatn & Thomas Enger

Agnes Ravatn and Thomas Enger will be taking part in ‘Nordic Noir with TIFA’ as part of the Toronto International Festival of Authors. The details and how to watch are below:

When:24th March – 7PM

How to sign up:Click HERE

What: Norwegian author and journalist Agnes Ravatnexplores her latest psychological thriller, The Seven Doors, in conversation with Canadian author Elisabeth de Mariaffi. Six years after the success of The Bird Tribunal, Ravatn’s eagerly awaited new book follows the story of Nina, a university professor, and her disturbing investigation into the disappearance of her tenant. Seven Doorsis a harrowing novel of dark secrets and dangerous curiosity. Its quirky mystery and clever twists firmly establish Ravatn as a powerful new voice in Nordic Noir; a voice you won’t want to miss.

TIFA Presents: Chillingly Brilliant Nordic Noir

Uncover the secrets of Norwegian crime writing, in conversation with two of the genre’s best contemporary novelists. Agnes Ravatn and Thomas Enger will join the Toronto International Festival of Authors for two intriguing conversations about the fiercely popular genre, and what to expect from their latest books.

Dubbed “Nordic Noir” by fans outside of Scandinavia, the popular subgenre of Norwegian literature has been a growing fascination of readers around the world since the 1990s. Distinctive for its bleak landscapes, direct writing style and complex yet realistic protagonists, the genre contrasts the traditional “whodunit” murder mystery styles with chilling brilliance.

Today, Nordic Noir storytelling is well entrenched in popular culture, demonstrated by its ubiquity on bookshelves and on screens. Films and television series inspired by the genre include Shetland, The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, The Bridge and many more.

 

When:25th March – 7PM

How to sign up:Click HERE

What:International bestselling journalist-turned-author Thomas Engerpresents Smoke Screen, the second instalment in the award-winning Blix and Ramm series, co-written with Jørn Lier Horst, in conversation with Canadian novelist Giles Blunt. When the mother of a missing two-year-old girl is seriously injured in a suspected terrorist attack in Oslo, crime-fighting duo Blix and Ramm join forces to investigate the case. Settle in for an evening of crime fiction entertainment with one of Norway’s most exciting crime writers.

TIFA Presents: Chillingly Brilliant Nordic Noir

Uncover the secrets of Norwegian crime writing, in conversation with two of the genre’s best contemporary novelists. Agnes Ravatn and Thomas Enger will join the Toronto International Festival of Authors for two intriguing conversations about the fiercely popular genre, and what to expect from their latest books.

Dubbed “Nordic Noir” by fans outside of Scandinavia, the popular subgenre of Norwegian literature has been a growing fascination of readers around the world since the 1990s. Distinctive for its bleak landscapes, direct writing style and complex yet realistic protagonists, the genre contrasts the traditional “whodunit” murder mystery styles with chilling brilliance.

Today, Nordic Noir storytelling is well entrenched in popular culture, demonstrated by its ubiquity on bookshelves and on screens. Films and television series inspired by the genre include Shetland, The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, The Bridgeand many more.

Get cosy, brew a hot drink, and join us for these must-see virtual conversations.

 

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Matt Wesolowski in conversation with Catriona Ward to celebrate publication of Matt’s dark, thought-provoking new thriller Deity

Orenda Books is delighted to celebrate publication of Matt Wesolowki’s dark, thought-provoking new thriller Deity with an online launch.

The fourth in the critically acclaimed, award-winning Six Stories series, with a ‘true crime’ podcast-style narrative, Deity sees online journalist Scott King investigate mega popstar  Zach Crystal, who died in a suspicious fire at his northern Scottish retreat. Allegations of sexual abuse against young girls were levied at him before his demise, and yet his many legions of fans refuse to believe them. As always, the story veers into supernatural territory, in an exciting, genre-busting thriller. 

Titles in the Six Stories series have been longlisted for countless awards, including the Theakston’s Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year and Beast won the Capital Crime Independent Voice of the Year Award.

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Early praise for Deity includes:

A captivating, genre-defying book with hypnotic storytelling’ Rosamund Lupton

‘A chilling, wholly original and quite brilliant story. Deity is utterly compelling, and Matt Wesolowski is a wonderful writer’ Chris Whitaker

‘Matt Wesolowski taking the crime novel to places it’s never been before. Filled with dread, in the best possible way’ Joseph Knox

‘A gripping exposure of the underbelly of celebrity and obsessive fandom with lashings of supernatural horror  – Daisy Jones and the Six gone to the dark side. I couldn’t put it down’ Harriet Tyce

‘Matt Wesolowski is boldly carving his own uniquely dark niche in fiction’ Benjamin Myers

‘Dark, twisty and incredibly clever. Matt Wesolowski is an author to watch!’ C L Taylor

‘A dark, twisting rabbit hole of a novel. You won’t be able to put it down’ Francine Toon

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Matt Wesolowski will be joined by Catriona Ward, whose highly anticipated thriller, The Last House on Needless Street, will be published later this year, and the event will be masterfully guided by Dr Noir, Jacky Collins, crime-fiction expert and founder of Newcastle Noir.

This event is free to attend, however we do encourage you to support the authors in any way you can and Deity and The Last House on Needless Street are available to order online now. Signed copies of both books are available EXCLUSIVELY from our partner bookshop, Forum Books: HERE

To sign-up for the event, email – cole@orendabooks.co.uk

You will receive a confirmation email once you register, and on the day of the event itself will be sent details for attendance. Please ensure you have downloaded Zoom. We will be taking questions on the day of the event via the chat function.

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Matt Wesolowski

Matt Wesolowski is an author from Newcastle-upon-Tyne in the UK. He is an English tutor for young people in care. Matt started his writing career in horror, and his short horror ction has been published in numerous UK- and US-based anthologies, such asMidnight Movie Creature, Sel es from the End of the World, Cold Iron and many more. His novella, e Black Land, a horror set on the Northumberland coast, was published in 2013.

Matt was a winner of the Pitch Perfect competition at the Bloody Scotland Crime Writing Festival in 2015. His debut thriller, Six Stories, was an Amazon bestseller in the USA, Canada, the UK and Australia, and a WHSmith Fresh Talent pick, and lm rights were sold to a major Hollywood studio. A prequel, Hydra, was published in 2018 and became an international bestseller.Changeling, book three in the series, was published in 2019 and was longlisted for the eakston’s Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year. Book four, Beast, won the Amazon Publishing Readers’ Independent Voice Book of the Year award, 2020.

Follow Matt on Twitter @ConcreteKraken and on his website: https://linktr.ee/MattJW.

Catriona Ward

Catriona Ward was born in Washington, DC and grew up in the US, Kenya, Madagascar, Yemen, and Morocco. Her debut Rawblood won Best Horror Novel at the 2016 British Fantasy Awards, and was a WHSmith Fresh Talent title. Little Eve won the Shirley Jackson Award, was a Guardian best book of 2018 and won the Best Horror Novel at the 2019 British Fantasy Awards. She lives in London and Devon

Dr. Noir (Jacky Collins)

Dr Jacky Collins, formerly Senior Lecturer at Northumbria University in Literature, Film & TV and Spanish Language & Culture, currently based at Stirling University, is also known as Dr Noir. In 2014 Jacky established the International Crime Fiction Festival that is Newcastle Noir. More recently, she has been venturing into local radio, co-hosting a fortnightly crime fiction programme on SpiceFM, hosting on-line literary events with the Honey & Stag events team, and is part of the Corylus Books team, a new indie publisher of crime fiction in translation: from Romania, Iceland and beyond

 

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Orenda Books signs Awais Khan’s devastatingly emotive, searingly relevant No Honour in a two-book Frankfurt pre-empt

Karen Sullivan, Publisher of Orenda Books, is delighted to announce the acquisition of World English Language rights, ex-USA/Can, including TV and audio, for Awais Khan’s atmospheric, searing No Honour, and a further, untitled novel, from Annette Crossland at A is for Authors, in a Frankfurt pre-empt.

Karen says, ‘This beautifully written, utterly compulsive book has the extraordinarily richness and depth of a fine family drama, combined with the narrative pace of a thriller. It’s topical, immensely emotive and filled with themes that are both provocative and sobering. No Honour is an extraordinary achievement, from one of Pakistan’s most exciting authors, and I cannot wait to get this wonderful book out there.

‘The story moves from dangerous, over-populated Lahore to an exquisitely drawn rural Pakistan, where religious fervour, poverty and age-old traditions dictate a way of life that sees a series of young women killed for alliances deemed unacceptable. Abida is a fearless young woman, valiantly fighting against honour killing, prostitution, trafficking and the patriarchy, determined to marry for love and supported by her devoted father, Jamil, who is fighting his own battle with ingrained cultural expectations and ongoing moral dilemmas. Abida’s life spirals out of control, and she faces an unremitting series of tragic and terrifying events, with the backdrop of village life in Pakistan playing a central role.

‘Themes of love, empathy, forgiveness and strength against unbidden and unseen foes lie at the heart of this book, with vivid characters who leap off the page, their messages, their heartrending, shocking plights leaving the reader entirely immersed. I felt bereft when this book ended, but also incredibly moved, and probably a little wiser. This is a book about endurance, about love in its different forms, about what makes us human, and what threatens to destroy us. It’s simply stunning.’

Awais says, ‘To be working with Orenda Books is a dream come true. Honour killings have plagued Pakistan for a very long time, but the issue is actually global. It is appalling even to imagine being persecuted for something as natural as following your heart, but that’s the world we live in. I am glad that Orenda Books will help me in shining a light on this gruesome practice that has destroyed countless lives, countless generations. I have long admired the passion and dedication of Karen Sullivan as well as the trademark flair and professionalism with which she brings out her books in the world. Her enthusiasm for books is boundless and I can’t think of anyone better to publish this book. I am very happy to be in such capable hands and to be a part of “Team Orenda”.’

Annette say, ‘I am incredibly delighted that Orenda will be publishing our fabulous author, Awais Khan. I have long been a fan of Karen Sullivan, after meeting with her at the London Book Fair in 2014 after the formation of Orenda Books, and greatly admire her verve, aptitude and passion for publishing wonderful books. The subject of honour killings is not just the scourge of Pakistan, but is now an international issue that needs to highlighted and addressed – an abhorrent and ghastly practice that should be wiped off the face of the earth.  I know that Awais will in the best of hands as part of Team Orenda.’

No Honour [working title] will be published in Summer 2021 by Orenda Books, with a second, untitled book published at a later date. For more information, please contact Karen@orendabooks.co.uk.

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Orenda scoops journalist’s ‘heart-rending’ debut

Orenda Books is to publish Katie Allen’s debut novel Everything Happens for a Reason, secured in a two-book deal.

Karen Sullivan, publisher, acquired world English language rights for the novel and a second untitled book in a deal negotiated with Caroline Hardman at Hardman & Swainson.

Described as “heart-rending” and “exquisitely moving”, the novel in inspired by the author’s own experiences. It follows a mother after her son is stillborn and her obsession with finding the reason behind the phrase “everything happens for a reason”.

Sullivan said: “I read this book almost a year ago, long before it was sent out on submission, and nearly choked with excitement. Everything Happens for a Reason is that very special book, one that a publisher has to publish, a book that made me weep and laugh uncontrollably, but also fall in love – with the characters, the absurdities, the warmth and humour, the poignancy, and the original format. The writing is exquisite. I sent it to every member of the team and we were unanimous in our enthusiasm and determination to publish this beautiful book. It’s one of the most heart-rending portraits of grief I have ever read but also rich in delightfully zany humour.

“This is a joy of a book – simultaneously uplifting and searingly painful, able to make the reader laugh out loud and, within the turn of a phrase, strike straight at the heart. I cannot wait to publish this exceptional debut.”

The synopsis explains: “Mum-to-be Rachel did everything right, but it all went wrong. Her son, Luke, was stillborn and she finds herself on maternity leave with no baby. When someone tells her that ‘Everything happens for a reason’, she becomes obsessed with finding that reason, driven by grief and convinced that she is somehow to blame. She remembers that on the day she discovered her pregnancy, she’d stopped a man from jumping in front of a train, and becomes certain that saving his life cost her the life of her son. Desperate to find him, she enlists an unlikely ally in Lola, an Underground worker, and Lola’s seven-year-old daughter, Josephine, and eventually tracks him down, with very unexpected results.”

Allen, who is a journalist at the Guardian, said: “I am so excited to have found a home with Karen and the rest of the team at Orenda – a home for me as a writer and a home for my characters. I knew it was risky to write about something so deeply personal, and painful, and then send it out into the world. But Karen understood my character, her grief and her story straight away and now I am thrilled to be working with Orenda to share that story with readers.

“When someone texted me that ‘Everything happens for a reason’ after our son was stillborn, the words infuriated and fascinated me in equal measure. Can we really explain everything that happens? Are we unable to accept that some things just happen? The phrase has stayed with me and out of it my character Rachel was born and her dogged attempts to make sense of a massive loss. Like Rachel, until our son died, I really believed stillbirth was something that happened decades and centuries ago but rarely now. Of course, a big part of me while pregnant just didn’t allow me to believe it could happen. But tragically, it still happens every day and when we shy away from that, it only deepens the sense of isolation that many grieving parents feel. This story is unique to my character, but the grief she feels is not.”

Everything Happens for a Reason will be released in June 2021, with the second novel to follow later.

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Orenda Books signs former CNN reporter Sarah Sultoon’s startlingly relevant, dark and shocking debut thriller The Source in a two-book deal

Karen Sullivan, Publisher of Orenda Books, is delighted to announce the acquisition of World English Language rights for Sarah Sultoon’s stunning debut thriller The Source, in a deal negotiated with Jon Wood of RCW Literary Agency.

Thirteen-year-old schoolgirl Carly lives with her alcoholic mother in a squalid home, in a disenfranchised, poverty-stricken town in the East of England, taking on the care of her baby sister and dependent upon the infrequent largesse of her older brother, who lives in the local army barracks. When he offers a solution to their money problems, Carly and her teenaged friend grab it, despite her unease. What ensues is both heartbreaking and traumatic. In the modern day, an intrepid news team sets a trap to snare a group of sex traffickers, but their investigations are thrown off track when the police announce the reopening of a historic sex abuse case, involving a number of high-powered individuals. As the two timelines merge, the plot spirals towards an utterly chilling series of events that change everything.

Karen says, ‘This is an extraordinarily accomplished debut, with some of the most convincing dialogue I’ve ever read and a cast of incredibly memorable characters. While the subject matter is timely, sobering and immensely thought-provoking, forcing us to confront and understand the plight of so many young women who have faced abuse by the people they should be able to trust the most, it’s also a nail-biting, dark thriller – fast-paced and exquisitely tense. With multiple themes of corruption and abuse (of people and of power), this could be a “worthy” read, yet it’s anything but. At its heart are powerful messages of hope, resilience and self-belief, conquering the odds, and this all combines to create a book that is the very definition of unputdownable, set in the world of news media that its award-winning, ex-CNN journalist and international news executive, Sarah Sultoon, knows intimately. Not surprisingly, this brilliant book is currently in development for TV with Lime Street Pictures.

‘The Source fits our small list perfectly, and represents the kind of bold, challenging and memorable publishing we hope to achieve. I cannot wait to publish this book, and, of course, to see how its multitudinous, fabulously rich characters and themes will translate to the screen. We are thrilled to welcome Sarah to Team Orenda.’

Sarah Sultoon says, ‘In 15 years as a journalist I worked in a world where speaking truth to power, giving voice to the voiceless and holding authority to account was both a crucial and respected public service. Yet now we live in a world where journalists themselves are legitimate targets, where the facts themselves are presented as alternative, and where information is being weaponised by state-sponsored enemies of truth. The Source is, in part, my response to the horrific abuses originally covered up in Rochdale and Rotherham, and an attempt to hold power to account through the medium of fiction at a time when it has never been more important. I am enormously thrilled and heartened to have found a partner in Orenda, a publishing house as devoted to emotional truth as the news business is to pursuit of the facts.’

Jon Wood says, ‘The Source is just a hugely intense, visceral and gripping story. Sarah’s novel felt so powerful and immediately relevant from the first time I picked it up and I was not remotely surprised that TV rights were snapped up.  I’m now delighted that Orenda – who are so consistently brilliant at finding new original talents – have done the same. This is the beginning of something truly special.’

The Source will be published in Spring 2021 by Orenda Books. For more information, please contact Karen@orendabooks.co.uk.