Kindle Price: $7.99

Save $6.96 (47%)

Promotions apply when you purchase

These promotions will be applied to this item:

Some promotions may be combined; others are not eligible to be combined with other offers. For details, please see the Terms & Conditions associated with these promotions.

Read with our free app
You've subscribed to ! We will preorder your items within 24 hours of when they become available. When new books are released, we'll charge your default payment method for the lowest price available during the pre-order period.
Update your device or payment method, cancel individual pre-orders or your subscription at
Your Memberships & Subscriptions

Buy for others

Give as a gift or purchase for a team or group.
Learn more

Buying and sending eBooks to others

  1. Select quantity
  2. Buy and send eBooks
  3. Recipients can read on any device

These ebooks can only be redeemed by recipients in the US. Redemption links and eBooks cannot be resold.
Kindle app logo image

Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required.

Read instantly on your browser with Kindle for Web.

Using your mobile phone camera - scan the code below and download the Kindle app.

QR code to download the Kindle App

Amazon book clubs early access
Loading your book clubs
There was a problem loading your book clubs. Please try again.
Not in a club? Learn more
Amazon book clubs early access

Join or create book clubs

Choose books together

Track your books
Bring your club to Amazon Book Clubs, start a new book club and invite your friends to join, or find a club that’s right for you for free.
Explore Amazon Book Clubs

Follow the author

Michael J. Shanks
+ Follow
More books from this author
Something went wrong. Please try your request again later.

Dark Orchid Kindle Edition

by Michael J. Shanks (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.7 4.7 out of 5 stars 16 ratings
See all formats and editions
Everyone wants to do the right thing. Sometimes doing the right thing can lead you down a path from which there is no return. Follow Galston McGee and James Bisset as they journey through 1970s Glasgow, white-collar fraud and organised crime. As their lives intersect, the consequences are deadly and catastrophic. Dark Orchid is a fast-paced story of love, greed, resurrection and revenge.

,
Read more Read less
Previous page
  1. Print length
    202 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Sticky notes
    On Kindle Scribe
  4. Publisher
    Roundfire Books
  5. Publication date
    June 28, 2013
  6. File size
    2539 KB
  7. Page Flip
    Enabled
  8. Word Wise
    Enabled
  9. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
  10. See all details
Next page
Add a debit or credit card to save time when you check out
Convenient and secure with 2 clicks. Add your card

Editorial Reviews

Review

Christopher Brookmyre - Taut, brutal and gripping. An engagingly nasty piece of work.
,

About the Author


,
Michael J. Shanks lives and works in Switzerland with his young family. By day he works as a Finance Director for multinational corporation, by night he writes, reads and fantasises about growing tomatoes under a Tuscan sun.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B00D3IP452
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Roundfire Books; Reprint edition (June 28, 2013)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ June 28, 2013
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 2539 KB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 202 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.7 4.7 out of 5 stars 16 ratings

About the author

Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations.
Michael J. Shanks

Michael J. Shanks

Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.
Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

Discover more of the author’s books, see similar authors, read author blogs and more

Customer reviews

4.7 out of 5 stars
4.7 out of 5
16 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Mary B. Turso
5.0 out of 5 stars Great read, real page turner
Reviewed in the United States on July 21, 2013
Verified Purchase
I do not usually read murder thrillers so when I started to read Dark Orchid I was skeptical. Happily, I read through this book in just four evenings! I found the characters to be well developed, the plot fresh (not done before) and intriguing and the story well written overall. I recommend this book for sure and look forward to Mike's next writing venture. Mary T.
One person found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
Racca Mackenzie
5.0 out of 5 stars Very good read
Reviewed in the United States on January 15, 2014
Verified Purchase
Not my usual choice of genre, but I thoroughly enjoyed it, and couldn't put it down. I liked the structure of the story, and how it panned out. Very clever.

I hope Michael Shanks goes on to write more, I will definitely buy his next novel.

Although Michael, get onto your publisher as there were a few typos.

5 stars WOOO!
Helpful
 Report
Janette Skinner
4.0 out of 5 stars Scottish/Swiss Thriller
Reviewed in the United States on August 16, 2013
I was very kindly given this book by the writer to read and review.

I enjoyed this book a lot and read it in a couple of sittings as I was captured by the story and wanted to know how it all played out. It is a tale of three villains who are not all bad and another villain who is really bad. The very bad guy, Galston, has a character very well portrayed with plenty of background information and colour. There is a bit of breath holding violence in the story, but this is not glorified in any way. The pace of the story is good with plenty of movement, different locations and concise descriptions. The dialogue is authentic for Edinburgh and Glasgow dialects and I delighted in my favourite double positive denoting a negative `aye right!' Apparently the only one in the English language.

The three nicer villains seem to have come up with a money making crime which is virtually victimless and they use some of the gains for charity work, so you can't help getting fond of them. Unfortunately the finalé leaves very little for any ongoing story or sequel but I'm sure this writer will come up with more and different directions for his future books.

Why only four stars? There are several annoying proofing mistakes in an otherwise polished piece of work.
One person found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
NDalton
4.0 out of 5 stars Highly recommended
Reviewed in the United States on August 4, 2013
I read the blurb to this a good few weeks before I finally got round to reading the novel on the kindle. As a consequence I'd forgotten what the book was going to be about, but if you'd told me I was reading Nesbo as I clicked my way through the prologue I would have believed you. The author Shanks, a Scottish Swiss or Swiss Scott has superbly drawn on his own corporate knowledge and told a gritty tale that moves from Glasgow to Swiss Alps with detail that gives it authenticity. The central characters James, Craig and Ewan somehow remind me of the cast of Mad Dogs minus the comedy. They each have a moral compass that's gone a little skew-whiff to say the least, but as they drink with the devil, the devil in the shape of hard-core gangster Sandy makes sure that this will never be a victimless crime. You know you shouldn't really like James, Craig or Ewan but you can't help but read on willing them to walk away with the cash. Great final twist.
One person found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
Walter Carlucci
4.0 out of 5 stars great book, especially for his first one
Reviewed in the United States on July 5, 2014
great book, especially for his first one. I actually bought the book because i knew Mki from work, but i was nicely surprised. Some part of the book are really good. I'm looking forward to his next one
Helpful
 Report
RussW
3.0 out of 5 stars dark Orchid
Reviewed in the United States on September 17, 2013
Not bad for a first attempt , I can see some potential here, I've spent more on worse by so called established authors
Helpful
 Report

Top reviews from other countries

Knotty
5.0 out of 5 stars CRUEL BUT COMPELLING
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on July 4, 2013
Verified Purchase
This book is intense and powerful; but probably not one for the faint hearted. The opening scene is so realistic you would think you are there, struggling against the ropes that bind you helplessly to a cruel, slow and painful death, half swallowing the leather glove wedged in your mouth to stop you screaming. Such is the realism in the writing that throughout the book you find yourself wondering why we don't hear more about this sort of stuff on the news. The central character, Galston, is cold and brutal, and the detail and observation with which Shanks portraits him is compelling; almost a Hannibal Lecter but with a thick Glaswegian accent. Scenes are chilling but contain the sort of observation and insight that usually comes from personal experience. Flitting between time and space, a picture builds over many years of greed, sex, violence and revenge that includes everything from waterboarding, skiing in the Alps, bayonets drawn in sweaty pubs, to the seeming tranquility of the Caribbean Archipelago. Characters constantly surprise the reader with both their intentions and reactions; frequently begging the question 'what would I do in that situation?' The end comes unexpectedly, but leaving enough information to imagine a very satisfying end to a very evil life. A brilliant read and highly recommended.
2 people found this helpful
 Report
Dale
5.0 out of 5 stars First rate thriller
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on July 25, 2013
Verified Purchase
Three young guys devise a scheme to syphon off cash from a multinational. Their plan is simple, effective and even partly altruistic. (Some of their ill gotten gains will be funnelled into worthy projects in Africa).
So these are young villains who aren't particularly villainous. They want a pleasant life and they want to do some good along the way. Sounds reasonable.

All goes well til word of their plan gets back to a crime boss in their native city (Glasgow). He decides that he wants a slice of this action. The three young idealists demur. So Mr Big send in his favourite 'persuader' to get the boys to change their minds. Enter Galston - a grizzled heavy with a track record of success in getting people to see his boss's point of view.

All in all this is a very satisfying thriller with an intriguing scheme at its core. It is tightly written, skips along at a fair old pace and has a uniquely scary central villain. (You really don't want to get on the wrong side of this guy).
Highly recommended.
One person found this helpful
 Report
Charlwad
4.0 out of 5 stars Fast-paced Thriller
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 13, 2013
Verified Purchase
A crime thriller from the other side of the fence, Dark Orchid is tale of four villains. Three are very likeable, the other a nasty piece of work. I found this very well written and fast paced, the scam they were running ingenious and the villain was as brutal as you'd expect. However it's the characters that make this memeorable - full of depth, plenty of back story and you felt as if you knew them by the end.
One person found this helpful
 Report
Pipes
5.0 out of 5 stars Gripping and intense
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 14, 2013
Verified Purchase
I was totally gripped by this book and read it in one day by the pool on holiday! The plot unfolds brilliantly throughout the story whilst the characters develop in gritty chapter after gritty chapter. The descriptions are so vivid that despite being in a scorching desert resort I could really imagine myself in a grey and rainy Scotland overlooking a steely river or in a cold and snowy Swiss resort with the smell of the pines all around. A fantastic read from a great new author. Gives any of the big names a run for their money and I highly recommend Dark Orchid for anyone who wants to be engrossed from start to finish.
One person found this helpful
 Report
Nicola C Mackay
5.0 out of 5 stars A tense, gritty thriller
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on July 4, 2013
Verified Purchase
A tense, gritty thriller weaving together the threads of friendship, betrayal, crime and passion. This modern update on the classic Robin Hood tale is a well-written, fascinating glimpse into the colliding worlds of white collar crime and gangland Glasgow. Strongly addictive...you won't be able to put it down. Michael J Shanks is a strong new voice in tartan noir fiction.
One person found this helpful
 Report
Report an issue

Does this item contain inappropriate content?
Report
Do you believe that this item violates a copyright?
Report
Does this item contain quality or formatting issues?
Report