Knife Skills for Beginners

If you love food, a juicy murder and a rollicking read, Orlando Murrin serves up the perfect recipe

William Sitwell, food writer and restaurant critic

A clever, elegant and unexpectedly scary story. And foodies will love it - the recipes are great.

Simon Russell Beale, BAFTA-winning actor

Enjoyably readable, great characters, and cooking recipes as well. Who could ask for more?

Faith Martin, million-copy bestselling author

A triumph!! Intriguing, clever, funny - a real page-turner.

Sue Lawrence, food writer and novelist

Knife Skills for Beginners is a joy, packed full of fabulous culinary tips and recipes you'll want to make, alongside a decent dollop of murder and mystery.

S. J. Bennett

Fresh, engrossing and deliciously irreverent, Orlando Murrin's debut blends murder, intrigue, larger-than-life characters and mouth-watering recipes in a literary feast for the senses. Fun and utterly DELICIOUS!

Tammy Cohen

If Agatha Christie were to go on Masterchef, this novel would be the result. A deliciously fun murder mystery - I loved it.

Clare Pooley

Knife Skills for Beginners is a real treat, as sharp as the best kitchen knife with a wonderfully acerbic protagonist who I'd be very happy to spend more time with. It has all the ingredients of the best cosy crime.

Trevor Wood

An intriguing and murderous trip into the world of the professional chef. Most enjoyable and highly recommended.

Kate Ellis

A deliciously dark slice of murder and mystery. Funny and fun, frightening and charming.

Chris Whitaker

Dazzlingly sharp with a wit that sparkles off the page. Orlando Murrin’s Knife Skills for Beginners is a dish to be savoured and re-ordered again and again.

Jane Corry

I absolutely loved Knife Skills for Beginners and read it in two days flat. I found Orlando’s style forensic and precise, yet at the same time deeply perceptive... the characters were an expertly crafted blend of the sweet and dark, like the perfect salted flapjack. If Ruth Rendell had teamed up with Delia Smith they’d have produced something like this.

J. M. Hall

Delicious fun! Knife Skills for Beginners is both intriguing and mouth-watering, starring a charming hero you’ll want as your best friend.

Tess Gerritsen

In the kitchen with the meat cleaver is my favourite kind of murder and Orlando Murrin’s debut does not disappoint. A protagonist in over his head, a cast of characters who aren’t what they seem and the perfect London cooking school setting all make for a murderous culinary triumph.

Emma Styles

Orlando Murrin’s personality is sprinkled throughout the pages of his debut, Knife Skills for Beginners. It’s warm, it’s humorous, it’s different from anything I’ve read before. If you’re into cosy crime, this one is irresistible.

Mari Hannah

If you like your cosy crime with a a large dose of humour and a generous portion of culinary flair, this is the book for you. I can’t wait to see what Paul (and Orlando!) does next. And who doesn’t love a crime novel with a handful of delicious recipes thrown in?

Bridget Walsh, author of The Tumbling Girl

A delicious treat with a sweet filling of murder and mystery. I’ll definitely be back for seconds!

Antony Johnston, author of The Dog Sitter Detective

A lethally delicious soufflé of a crime novel - light and witty at first taste, but with rich, dark undertones. I loved the combination of crime and cookery - and how Orlando uses the one to enrich the other (and vice versa). I can see this developing into a wonderful series with memorable recurring characters.

Andrew Taylor

A joy to read due to its rather lovely setting and cast of characters.

Devon Life

Billed as Masterchef meets The Thursday Murder Club – a pretty appealing pairing!

Good Housekeeping

Imagine a crime caper in a cookery school, peppered with recipes, cheffy tips… and murder… it was a treat to read.

delicious

This fun cosy crime novel is deliciously good!

SUN

Our new obsession. A delicious, twisty novel!

THAT’S LIFE!

With a delightful cast of characters, and seasoned with plenty of acerbic wit, this culinary cosy crime debut is a moreish treat.

HEAT

An addictive read

Woman's Own

A stylish cosy crime novel … Colourful, entertaining and full of social observations, the account of Paul’s odyssey also has some moments of genuine emotion

Literary Review

Funny, and at times unexpectedly moving, this thoroughly enjoyable murder mystery is packed with interesting recipe ideas, fascinating culinary facts and some jolly useful cooking hacks

Guardian