Orders From Above

** NEW EDITION COMING EARLY 2021 **

The story of a private detective, of a Wiltshire village left behind by time – and of the cosmic universal struggle between good and evil. This is a novel full of charm and good humour and teeming with memorable and eccentric characters. It is about love (and hate) and marriage, about renovating an old building, about strange magical forces at work in a beautifully evoked English country setting. In J M Forrest’s world, the person sitting next to you in the pub or cafe or on the village green may just turn out to be angel fulfilling his destiny – and messing about with yours. A story that concerns itself with small things and great ones and the relationship between the two, with generosity and meanness, and above all with how kindness and caring can bind a community together.
Richard Francis, author of the award-winning novel, The Old Spring.
Reviews
‘Orders from Above’ is a book that will keep you entertained from the first to the last page! It is impossible not to become involved with the characters in this strange, but beautiful, village of Ham-under-Lymfold – I desperately wanted to help Lorelei on the one hand, at the same time as give the mean-hearted Violet Cattermole a good talking to on the other! I also loved the sibling rivalry between Gabe and Nick, who stole the show for me!
A lovely story full of well-defined characters and very original ttake on the archangel hierarchy. I found myself wanting to spend as much time as possible in Ham-Under-Lymfold, the quaint little village in which Gabriel and Lucifer set about renovating a mill into a restaurant while they decide who to tempt into a range of virtues and sins, all to a mysterious and innovative end.
A breath of fresh air – I highly recommend this novel to anyone who enjoys a great read with a wickedly funny plot.
J M Forrest writes with a great wit and insightfulness of human behaviour – you just want to keep turning the pages to find out what happens next.

This story is charming and amusing, … not a story to give you the creeps despite its quirky twist on the idea of good versus evil. If you are looking for a good read with lots of feel-good factor and warm humour this book is for you.