The Lift (coming 12th Dec 2024)
In a frozen corner of Detroit’s industrial wasteland, Max takes a job moving toxic waste for a mysterious facility. The work is simple enough: load barrels into a strange sphere, wait forty minutes, then unload them in a scorching alien world. It’s good money – dangerous but straightforward.
Until he discovers what’s really being transported.
Now Max has uncovered a cave of gold, a cosmic horror that hungers for human tribute, and a criminal empire built on otherworldly technology. With his girlfriend Natasha’s help, he plans one desperate heist that could set them up for life – if it doesn’t get them killed first.
The Lift is part of the Strange Detroit series – standalone novels sharing one twisted universe where cosmic horrors lurk in abandoned factories, criminal empires operate on alien technology, and ordinary people face extraordinary circumstances. Each book tells a complete story while expanding the dark mythology of an alternate Detroit where nothing is quite what it seems.
Fast-paced and genre-bending, these novels blend crime thriller action with cosmic horror and science fiction, creating a unique noir experience that will keep you guessing until the final page.
Other Books in the Strange Detroit Series: The Bootstrap Paradox
Available sooon on Amazon.
The Lift by Joe Orange (audio book excerpt):
The Bootstrap Paradox
Buy eBook / Paperback HERE 
There was a leak in a wall, and behind that wall, a hidden door…
Fred is a simple, logical man—a blue-collar kind of guy who renovates houses. But this latest house has a problem. There is water damage, and as he tries to find the source, it seems to be coming from a very dark, dangerous, and evil place…
The Bootstrap Paradox is a journey into cosmic horror, high strangeness, and mind-bending mazes that will leave readers thinking long after the final page.
Praise for The Bootstrap Paradox on Amazon:
“A lot of imagination went into this superb book. Mixes a couple of genres and kept me curious till the end.” –Amazon Kunde
“Very rad story! Have had a few friends pick this book up as well! If you’re looking for an interesting and thought provoking story that’s also humorous at times then do yourself a favor and get this book! You won’t regret it!” – BadNewsBears
“This book was delivered yesterday and i just finished reading it. I kept going back to it and couldn’t keep it down for long because i found myself wanting to know what would happen next. It is well written and has a very interesting concept. I thoroughly enjoyed the Book and i strongly recommend you buy it and check it out.” – The Crow Flies
Praise for The Bootstrap Paradox on Amazon:
“A lot of imagination went into this superb book. Mixes a couple of genres and kept me curious till the end.” –Amazon Kunde
“Very rad story! Have had a few friends pick this book up as well! If you’re looking for an interesting and thought provoking story that’s also humorous at times then do yourself a favor and get this book! You won’t regret it!” – BadNewsBears
“This book was delivered yesterday and i just finished reading it. I kept going back to it and couldn’t keep it down for long because i found myself wanting to know what would happen next. It is well written and has a very interesting concept. I thoroughly enjoyed the Book and i strongly recommend you buy it and check it out.” – The Crow Flies
Praise for The Bootstrap Paradox on Amazon:
“A lot of imagination went into this superb book. Mixes a couple of genres and kept me curious till the end.” –Amazon Kunde
“Very rad story! Have had a few friends pick this book up as well! If you’re looking for an interesting and thought provoking story that’s also humorous at times then do yourself a favor and get this book! You won’t regret it!” – BadNewsBears
“This book was delivered yesterday and i just finished reading it. I kept going back to it and couldn’t keep it down for long because i found myself wanting to know what would happen next. It is well written and has a very interesting concept. I thoroughly enjoyed the Book and i strongly recommend you buy it and check it out.” – The Crow Flies
Book trailer:
Listen to the first hour of the audio book below:
https://books2read.com/u/boXXn0
Editorial Review
Review
“The Bootstrap Paradox” starts with a firm foot in the reality of home renovation in Detroit; nails, drills and paint, but it’s not long until further remodeling requires a real talent for survival and a knack for swinging a bloody ax.
I loved this tale although I’m not sure I understood how it worked all the time. It starts with a deceptively ordinary description of the main character, Fredrick, and his young assistant, Sam, preparing to renovate a long uninhabited house (think jungle-like garden, damp walls and dodgy wiring). In the process they discover a door which has been boarded up and plastered over, and behind the door a tunnel leading downwards. There is, however, apparently no space for the tunnel within the wall or on its other side.
Using pleasingly innocuous and non-technical means (such as dropping a heavy wrench attached to a piece of string down the tunnel) Fredrick establishes that there is a gravitational anomaly within the chute and that therefore it must be a portal of some kind to another world. He and Sam venture down the tunnel and from then on we are in a maze of parallel worlds and time loops, with doppelgangers, gravity wells and a vicious and almost indestructible bug which burrows inside the victim and begins to grow immediately, leading to lethal consequences for the host.
The structure of the novel worked well, the world-building was clear and the tale was reasonably plausible, given that it entails time anomalies and parallel worlds. I did doubt that anyone finding a potential portal to another world would instantly think only of merchandising it rather than finding an expert to check it out for safety – but different times, different attitudes. The dialogue was sharp and frequently funny and the characterisation convincing. Fredrick was a likeable protagonist, resilient, brave and inventive, and well contrasted with his simple young assistant, whose reactions were entirely credible. I did find the almost instantaneous conversion from vengeful villain to willing accomplice of one of the characters unlikely, although strong doses of greed do usually explain irrational responses to danger.
The contrast between the narrator’s everyday approach to life and to the twisted worlds he is trapped in, plus the considerable ingenuity he displays in extricating himself from the different situations, all add to the fun. I didn’t always follow the science behind the various scenarios but so graphic were the descriptions and so suspenseful and occasionally gut-wrenching was the action that my lack of comprehension became irrelevant.
In short, none of my caveats impaired my enjoyment of the novel and I highly recommend it to keen science fiction readers.
— Jennifer Hill
The Bootstrap Paradox is a thrilling science fiction, adventure, and horror story that will leave readers on the edge of their seats. From the moment the mystery begins, you are drawn into a world of distorted dimensions and timelines that will keep you guessing until the very end.
Joe Orange has crafted an original and imaginative tale that explores the depths of time travel and its consequences. The writing is sharp and precise, creating a vivid and immersive universe that is terrifying and fascinating.
At the heart of the story is Frank, a hard-boiled ex-thief with a film noir sensibility that adds a layer of intrigue and complexity to the plot. With each turn of the page, you can’t help but be pulled deeper into his journey as he uncovers the truth behind the anomalies that threaten to consume him.
What makes The Bootstrap Paradox truly unique is its unpredictable ending. Just when you think you have everything figured out, Orange throws in a twist that leaves you questioning everything you thought you knew. This is not a book to be missed by fans of science fiction or anyone looking for a gripping and suspenseful read.
Overall, I highly recommend The Bootstrap Paradox to anyone seeking an exciting and original story that pushes the boundaries of the genre. Joe Orange is a talented writer with a bright future, and I eagerly await his next release.
— Zoe D.