ORDERS FROM ABOVE by J.M. Forrest is a thought-provoking novel that raises many interesting and entirely unanswerable questions. The well-known Devil Lucifer (or Nick nowadays) didn’t fall to Hell willingly. He only took the position on the condition that he could return to Heaven one day, and his brother Gabriel would take his place. This world-changing switch doesn’t just change the realm of the Afterlife, but affects the fabric of life here on Earth more than anyone could have imagined. When Nigel gets a call from a shady customer to work on an old run-down mill in Ham-Under-Lymfold, he can’t help but accept to keep his struggling family afloat. It doesn’t help that architecture is Nigel’s passion, and his job, before his ex-wife ruined his life. When Nigel arrives, the quiet town is eagerly buzzing about the renovation of the old mill, which they can only hope will revive the village. The friendly DiAngelo brothers, who commissioned the mill, are graciously accepted into the town unaware of the havoc they have yet to wreak. They have chosen the village of Ham-Under-Lymfold to learn how to be good and how to be bad, to prepare them for their earth-changing roles. Considering the fact that Nick and Gabe are religious figures, they were handled beautifully in the book. Although I was happy for Nick to have some good in him, I was worried about the complications of Gabe having bad in him (which of course is another thought-provoking question). Although Nick and Gabe have set Biblical personalities, it was also wonderful to see them grow beyond that to become loveable characters and not have a stiff and un-approachable characterization. Nigel and his family, along with the people of the village, are such strong points for moving the story along. Since Gabe and Nick are in the village upon Archangel Michael’s orders, the plot takes a quite different twist. Orders from Above is actually one of the first of its kind that I’ve seen published in modern times and is told from a male point of view. The turn of events in Ham-Under-Lymfold is so interesting and captivating, it will leave you thinking about it for days. Personally I loved the thought-provoking issues raised in this book. I haven’t read a thought-provoking book in ages, so it was wonderful to have new and refreshing read. Some of the questions are so interesting, that I have just kept on thinking about them. Also for the book to have a classic feel was quite nice too, as classic books are classic for a reason. This provided a new twist to what I normally read, which was much needed. There are so many fascinating points in ORDERS FROM ABOVE. Anyone who is looking for a read that will really get you to think, or is a fan of Anne of Green Gables, will be sure to love this book! ~ www.missliterati.com

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 bench in the village green may just turn out to be an angel fulfilling his destiny - and messing about with yours. A novel 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'

I loved 'Orders From Above. Its quirky and highly original twist on the eternal battle between good and evil is written in a light-hearted and very readable style with a coherent, easy to follow plot and sympathetic, real characters. A great first novel by J M Forrest. ~ D.K. Henderson, author of 'Lost Legacy'

This novel is full of warm, traditional humour, depicting a cast of colourful characters with fondness and affectionate criticism. One of the central concepts - the bestowal of a virtue and a vice on a village's least and most popular characters respectively is a great one, as is the idea that Nick and Gabe previously made an agreement to share the pain of running Hell. They were, after all, both Archangels once and it seems only fair that Nick isn't banished to the hot place forever. ~ Cornerstones Literary Consultancy