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Slough House #7
Slough House
'Kill us? They've never needed to kill us,' said Lamb. 'I mean, look at us. What would be the point?'
A year after a calamitous blunder by the Russian secret service left a British citizen dead from novichok poisoning, Diana Taverner is on the warpath. What seems a gutless response from the government has pushed the Service's First Desk into mounting her own counter-offensive - but she's had to make a deal with the devil first. And given that the devil in question is arch-manipulator Peter Judd, she could be about to lose control of everything she's fought for.
Meanwhile, still reeling from recent losses, the slow horses are worried they've been pushed further into the cold. Slough House has been wiped from Service records, and fatal accidents keep happening. No wonder Jackson Lamb's crew are feeling paranoid. But have they actually been targeted?
With a new populist movement taking a grip on London's streets, and the old order ensuring that everything's for sale to the highest bidder, the world's an uncomfortable place for those deemed surplus to requirements. The wise move would be to find a safe place and wait for the troubles to pass.
But the slow horses aren't famed for making wise decisions.
A year after a calamitous blunder by the Russian secret service left a British citizen dead from novichok poisoning, Diana Taverner is on the warpath. What seems a gutless response from the government has pushed the Service's First Desk into mounting her own counter-offensive - but she's had to make a deal with the devil first. And given that the devil in question is arch-manipulator Peter Judd, she could be about to lose control of everything she's fought for.
Meanwhile, still reeling from recent losses, the slow horses are worried they've been pushed further into the cold. Slough House has been wiped from Service records, and fatal accidents keep happening. No wonder Jackson Lamb's crew are feeling paranoid. But have they actually been targeted?
With a new populist movement taking a grip on London's streets, and the old order ensuring that everything's for sale to the highest bidder, the world's an uncomfortable place for those deemed surplus to requirements. The wise move would be to find a safe place and wait for the troubles to pass.
But the slow horses aren't famed for making wise decisions.
313 pages, ebook
First published February 4, 2021
1887 people are currently reading
9561 people want to read
About the author
Mick Herron
54 books5,518 followersMick Herron was born in Newcastle and has a degree in English from Balliol College, Oxford. He is the author of six books in the Slough House series as well as a mystery series set in Oxford featuring Sarah Tucker and/or P.I. Zoë Boehm. He now lives in Oxford and works in London.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,445 reviews
November 20, 2020
It is always a joy when a new addition to Mick Herron's superb Slow Horses series makes an appearance, and believe me when I say this one lives up to all my high expectations, smart, razor sharp satire and comic humour, unparalleled in its ability to follow and echo the nightmare that is our contemporary British politics and Brexit. The Salisbury Novichok poisonings, Russian secret service interference on British soil, has not gone down well in political or intelligence circles, so much so that First Desk arch-manipulator Diana Taverner loses touch with her better instincts as she seeks revenge, making a deal with the devil that results in the Kazan episode. The devils in this case are Peter Judd, a thinly veiled Boris Johnson, and young, wealthy new tech and online Channel Go media owner, Damien Cantor, looking to outwit and own Diana, who frankly admits to the corpulent and flatulent Jackson Lamb that she has made an error.
The rag tag bunch of our slow horses, still reeling from recent losses, led by the monstrous yet brilliant Lamb,find themselves erased from the intelligence service databases, but being regularly followed, and their ranks being further depleted, is it paranoia or are they being targeted? There are multiple threads, a government for whom everything is for sale, Lamb finds himself 'comforting' a gay American dwarf who believes the Russians murdered his partner, River finds someone seeking refuge and help at his grandfather's house whilst Shirley and Lech find themselves joining forces, and the slow horses are not going to leave their fate in the hands of others. Out on the streets of London, there are right wing populist protests that Judd hopes to manipulate in search of power and for his own ends, and as events turn perilous, the slow horses go dark, leading to a heartbreaking conclusion and cliffhanger.
Herron's series, and this addition make for unmissable reading, and once again the highlight is the revolting man mountain that is the politically incorrect Jackson Lamb, happy to abuse his slow horses, but woe betide anyone else who targets them. I understand there is going to a be TV series, with Gary Oldman as Lamb, something I am looking forward to but slightly apprehensive that all the glories of the books may not translate well to the screen. I adored how Herron parodied Boris and his government, although a recent American Democrat's insightful perception of Boris as a 'shapeshifting creep' has wormed itself into my head and it feels as if it is there to stay. This is high quality and hugely entertaining read, yet moving and so poignant, that I highly recommend to all of Herron's fans and to all those readers who have yet to discover this marvellous espionage series. Many thanks to John Murray Press for an ARC.
The rag tag bunch of our slow horses, still reeling from recent losses, led by the monstrous yet brilliant Lamb,find themselves erased from the intelligence service databases, but being regularly followed, and their ranks being further depleted, is it paranoia or are they being targeted? There are multiple threads, a government for whom everything is for sale, Lamb finds himself 'comforting' a gay American dwarf who believes the Russians murdered his partner, River finds someone seeking refuge and help at his grandfather's house whilst Shirley and Lech find themselves joining forces, and the slow horses are not going to leave their fate in the hands of others. Out on the streets of London, there are right wing populist protests that Judd hopes to manipulate in search of power and for his own ends, and as events turn perilous, the slow horses go dark, leading to a heartbreaking conclusion and cliffhanger.
Herron's series, and this addition make for unmissable reading, and once again the highlight is the revolting man mountain that is the politically incorrect Jackson Lamb, happy to abuse his slow horses, but woe betide anyone else who targets them. I understand there is going to a be TV series, with Gary Oldman as Lamb, something I am looking forward to but slightly apprehensive that all the glories of the books may not translate well to the screen. I adored how Herron parodied Boris and his government, although a recent American Democrat's insightful perception of Boris as a 'shapeshifting creep' has wormed itself into my head and it feels as if it is there to stay. This is high quality and hugely entertaining read, yet moving and so poignant, that I highly recommend to all of Herron's fans and to all those readers who have yet to discover this marvellous espionage series. Many thanks to John Murray Press for an ARC.
July 9, 2022
These are such fun books that I have to drop everything and read them as soon as each one comes out.
Slough House is set in England with a backdrop of Brexit, Russian poisonings and Boris Johnson. Our favourite spies, the drop outs at Slough House, are still apparently doing very little, but there is a suspicion that they are being targeted and indeed there are a couple of deaths. I was very happy to see River Cartwright back and he has a big role in the book.
There is a great story but the best part of these books is always the characters. Who else but Herron could have dreamed up Rod(the Rodster)Ho, the man who is a legend in his own mind. Or the totally disgusting, disgraceful, appalling but so intriguing boss, Jackson Lamb.
The ending was typical of the author. Keep us guessing until the next book comes out Mr. Herron but please don't make us wait too long!
Slough House is set in England with a backdrop of Brexit, Russian poisonings and Boris Johnson. Our favourite spies, the drop outs at Slough House, are still apparently doing very little, but there is a suspicion that they are being targeted and indeed there are a couple of deaths. I was very happy to see River Cartwright back and he has a big role in the book.
There is a great story but the best part of these books is always the characters. Who else but Herron could have dreamed up Rod(the Rodster)Ho, the man who is a legend in his own mind. Or the totally disgusting, disgraceful, appalling but so intriguing boss, Jackson Lamb.
The ending was typical of the author. Keep us guessing until the next book comes out Mr. Herron but please don't make us wait too long!
January 26, 2021
‘Slough House didn’t recharge batteries, it sapped power. It’s as if there were negative ley lines, special coordinates where forceless fields met, sucking all spirit from whoever stood there, and Slough House was slap bang on that junction.’
Slough House, the home of the ‘slow horses’, the rejects and drop-outs from the British Secret Service at Regent Park, forever condemned to endless paperwork until they retire or resign to find a more fulfilling career. Over them all rules Jackson Lamb, shambolic, unwashed, uncouth, rude and cynical but underneath the façade always brilliant and always looking out for his Joes. They might be discarded, dysfunctional Joes but they’re his Joes and, even though he might abuse and belittle them on a regular basis, he’d do his utmost to protect them.
Roddy (‘The Rodster’) Ho, computer wizard, social misfit and ultracool chick magnet (but only in his own imagination) has discovered an anomaly he calls the Weird Wiping; every one of the Slough House employees have been wiped from the Secret Service database. They’re still being paid but their personnel files have disappeared. Is this some new game that Diana Taverner, newly appointed First Desk and Head of the Service is playing and if so, what does it mean for the slow horses?
Diana Taverner may have made a mistake in trusting a politician (what was she thinking?), to help fund a project on foreign soils. Now she finds herself beholden to the owner of a media news channel with a manipulative politician pulling her strings. Meanwhile slow horses are dying in fatal accidents and Lamb’s team are starting to feel that they’re being watched.
The latest activities of Slough House play out against a background of contemporary British politics with Brexit chaos, novichok poisoning of ex spies by Russian agents on British soil and street demonstrations by the disaffected and disgruntled populace unhappy with the current government. As ever, the writing is razor sharp, the dialogue clever and witty, the carefully laid out plot unpredictable and the humour sardonic and biting, sneaking up to cause sudden outbursts of laughter. The uneasy relationships between the misfits of Slough House are evident as they attempt to work together but somehow, we can also glance their fears and vulnerabilities and feel a fondness and affinity with them as events move beyond their control. Lamb’s clandestine meetings with Diana are always entertaining with their repartee a delight. Despite her revulsion at his decrepitude, she is fully aware of the devious and brilliant mind lurking beneath the façade.
This much anticipated addition to this excellent series was indeed worth the wait. But oh, that cliffhanger of an ending, Mr Herron! Please don’t keep us holding our breath too long for the next episode!
With thanks to Soho Press and Netgalley for a copy to read. Publication 9th February.
Original review posted at Suspense and Mystery magazine.
Slough House, the home of the ‘slow horses’, the rejects and drop-outs from the British Secret Service at Regent Park, forever condemned to endless paperwork until they retire or resign to find a more fulfilling career. Over them all rules Jackson Lamb, shambolic, unwashed, uncouth, rude and cynical but underneath the façade always brilliant and always looking out for his Joes. They might be discarded, dysfunctional Joes but they’re his Joes and, even though he might abuse and belittle them on a regular basis, he’d do his utmost to protect them.
Roddy (‘The Rodster’) Ho, computer wizard, social misfit and ultracool chick magnet (but only in his own imagination) has discovered an anomaly he calls the Weird Wiping; every one of the Slough House employees have been wiped from the Secret Service database. They’re still being paid but their personnel files have disappeared. Is this some new game that Diana Taverner, newly appointed First Desk and Head of the Service is playing and if so, what does it mean for the slow horses?
Diana Taverner may have made a mistake in trusting a politician (what was she thinking?), to help fund a project on foreign soils. Now she finds herself beholden to the owner of a media news channel with a manipulative politician pulling her strings. Meanwhile slow horses are dying in fatal accidents and Lamb’s team are starting to feel that they’re being watched.
The latest activities of Slough House play out against a background of contemporary British politics with Brexit chaos, novichok poisoning of ex spies by Russian agents on British soil and street demonstrations by the disaffected and disgruntled populace unhappy with the current government. As ever, the writing is razor sharp, the dialogue clever and witty, the carefully laid out plot unpredictable and the humour sardonic and biting, sneaking up to cause sudden outbursts of laughter. The uneasy relationships between the misfits of Slough House are evident as they attempt to work together but somehow, we can also glance their fears and vulnerabilities and feel a fondness and affinity with them as events move beyond their control. Lamb’s clandestine meetings with Diana are always entertaining with their repartee a delight. Despite her revulsion at his decrepitude, she is fully aware of the devious and brilliant mind lurking beneath the façade.
This much anticipated addition to this excellent series was indeed worth the wait. But oh, that cliffhanger of an ending, Mr Herron! Please don’t keep us holding our breath too long for the next episode!
With thanks to Soho Press and Netgalley for a copy to read. Publication 9th February.
Original review posted at Suspense and Mystery magazine.
December 18, 2020
My carefully organized reading list just took a direct hit. When I receive the latest in this series, there is zero chance it’s going to sit there patiently waiting its turn. Because I already know that lurking inside is an intricate plot wrapped around plenty of wit & humour. All that remains is to dive in & find out what fresh hell Jackson Lamb (AKA Mick Herron) & his crew stumble into this time.
The last book ended rather cryptically, leaving me a tad uneasy as to the fate of the Slow Horses. And after the first few chapters, that feeling was back. With bells on. At first there’s just a whisper, a fleeting glimpse of a stranger having a really bad day. Something odd is happening & it’s clear there’s been a subtle shift in the status quo.
But let’s be honest. When it comes to this gang of MI5 rejects, “something odd” is hardly breaking news. It’s just that this time, things are a bit more….um….fatal. The Horses need someone on top of their game, a seasoned agent with the smooth moves to seamlessly infiltrate those behind the heinous plot.
Or…they could turn to the Ho. Roddy Ho, that is. During one of his routine hacks of the HR department, he notices odd thing #1: all the Slow Horses have been erased from the files. It seems they no longer exist. Huh…maybe he’d better run this by boss Jackson Lamb.
I’m not going to get into the plot. Just know that Herron is playing the long game & the seeds for this were planted a few books ago. There’s a persistent creepiness from the beginning that only intensifies as it becomes clear someone is manipulating events like a chess master. Ghosts from the past, novichok poisonings & Lady Di’s latest machinations are just some of the obstacles thrown in the path of the regular cast.
Herron’s dialogue remains one of the most enjoyable aspects of these books & each of the characters has lines that make you giggle. But it’s Roddy Ho who really shines in this outing. He sees himself as the love child of James Bond & Jason Bourne, a legendary spook who’s irresistible to anything with ovaries. Nothing could be further from the truth but don’t worry. The “HotRod” is not one to let something as trivial as reality alter his world view.
River, Louisa, Lech, Catherine, Shirley…they’re all back. And though they may squabble like siblings, it’s a given they’ll have each other’s back as events around them spiral out of control. Their interactions are often loud, sometimes violent & always entertaining. But in separate chapters, we spend one-on-one time with each & it’s in these private, sometimes poignant moments we hear their thoughts & fears.
As usual, the author includes plenty of sly commentary about the state of the world we live in. And once again he ends things in a way that has me fearing what I’ll find in the next book. It can’t arrive soon enough.
The last book ended rather cryptically, leaving me a tad uneasy as to the fate of the Slow Horses. And after the first few chapters, that feeling was back. With bells on. At first there’s just a whisper, a fleeting glimpse of a stranger having a really bad day. Something odd is happening & it’s clear there’s been a subtle shift in the status quo.
But let’s be honest. When it comes to this gang of MI5 rejects, “something odd” is hardly breaking news. It’s just that this time, things are a bit more….um….fatal. The Horses need someone on top of their game, a seasoned agent with the smooth moves to seamlessly infiltrate those behind the heinous plot.
Or…they could turn to the Ho. Roddy Ho, that is. During one of his routine hacks of the HR department, he notices odd thing #1: all the Slow Horses have been erased from the files. It seems they no longer exist. Huh…maybe he’d better run this by boss Jackson Lamb.
I’m not going to get into the plot. Just know that Herron is playing the long game & the seeds for this were planted a few books ago. There’s a persistent creepiness from the beginning that only intensifies as it becomes clear someone is manipulating events like a chess master. Ghosts from the past, novichok poisonings & Lady Di’s latest machinations are just some of the obstacles thrown in the path of the regular cast.
Herron’s dialogue remains one of the most enjoyable aspects of these books & each of the characters has lines that make you giggle. But it’s Roddy Ho who really shines in this outing. He sees himself as the love child of James Bond & Jason Bourne, a legendary spook who’s irresistible to anything with ovaries. Nothing could be further from the truth but don’t worry. The “HotRod” is not one to let something as trivial as reality alter his world view.
River, Louisa, Lech, Catherine, Shirley…they’re all back. And though they may squabble like siblings, it’s a given they’ll have each other’s back as events around them spiral out of control. Their interactions are often loud, sometimes violent & always entertaining. But in separate chapters, we spend one-on-one time with each & it’s in these private, sometimes poignant moments we hear their thoughts & fears.
As usual, the author includes plenty of sly commentary about the state of the world we live in. And once again he ends things in a way that has me fearing what I’ll find in the next book. It can’t arrive soon enough.
June 14, 2022
Can't praise enough the writing and the way Mr Herron has with words. Being a non-native speaker, reading this series is more than a pleasure, it's an invaluable treasure chest with the modern English, seasoned with wit, sarcasm and Englishness.
OverDrive, thank you!
OverDrive, thank you!
February 28, 2024
5★
“For a city is an impermanent thing, its surface ever shifting, like the sea. And like the sea, a city has its sharks.”
London is full of sharks and spooks and, in this case, hit squads. There is a war going on between Russian and English spies, and as the book opens, the Russians are retaliating against the assassination of one of theirs.
There’s a fair bit of politics in this one, where Peter Judd, a former Parliamentary minister, “a politician whose greed for power was so naked it required a parental advisory sticker” has plans to raise his public profile by stirring up the Yellow Vests behind the scenes. You know, fuelling the fires of dissent. Brexit is never named but is occasionally referred to only in phrases such as “budgetary fallout from You-Know-What”.
“Even unelected, Judd remained a big beast in the political jungle. But Diana had done her growing up on Spook Street, where big beasts numbered among the daily kill.”
Judd and Diana Taverner have had a longstanding acquaintance. Possibly an earlier affair? I don’t remember. She is First Desk at “Park”, which is Regent’s Park, Secret Service headquarters. She is the supreme boss – except when her budget is at stake, when she may resort to outsourcing “funding”.
Judd is applying pressure and telling her how he wants her to appear and what he wants her to say on a TV broadcast that he hopes will rattle some cages for his benefit.
“‘You hardly need me to write your script.’
‘I’m starting to get the impression that that’s exactly what you think I need,’ Diana said.
‘If you prefer, we could shoot you behind a screen.’
‘I could probably arrange something similar for you.’”
And we know she could. In fact, we almost wish she would. But Herron doesn’t keep us in one scene for very long. The action moves between Slough House, the Park, Diana Taverner and her crew, Judd and a TV guy, River out in the field, Shirley drunk and drugged, and weird, funny Roddy Ho.
But – just as we’re in a dark alley with a torch flickering at the other end or on a back road at night with headlights suddenly appearing – BOOM! We are moved to the club where Judd and Taverner are conversing or back to Jackson Lamb, being his disgusting self somewhere.
Lamb is the boss of Slough House, theoretically working for Taverner, but even she doubts it. In each book he becomes more repugnant and more clever. He seems to appear without apparently arriving. More like the apparition of a homeless man from a dumpster. In one scene, at a kind of party where he is smoking a particularly fragrant Russian cigarette:
“Lamb had found a bottle of malt and was in a corner smoking, looking like a bin someone had set fire to.”
He smokes constantly, farts, throws butts on the floor, lighters out the window, and demeans his people.
“Lamb rolled his eyes. ‘God, you’re a drag to have around. Moan moan moan. It’s like being shackled to the ghost of Bob Marley.’
‘I think you mean Jacob.’
‘Depends,’ said Lamb. ‘Which was the one surrounded by wailers?’”
He is protective of his joes – his spooks – when they’re on missions, but he gets his money’s worth.
“ ’And if you’re now serving two purposes instead of one, it’s like I’ve just halved all your salaries.’ He beamed. ‘Win win.’”
You get the idea. I’ll make no attempt to discuss the plot, but there certainly is one and it’s up-to-date, post-Brexit but pre-Covid.
Fans will enjoy seeing favourite characters.
Drinker and coke user Shirley Dander: “Shirley could handle criticism as well as the next guy, but the next guy was a touchy bastard.
. . .
. . . a thing about Shirley Dander’s partners was that they tended to die; their brains misted against an office wall, or their insides spilt on snowy Welsh hillsides.”
Kinda takes the shine off wanting to work with her.
Roddy Ho, about himself: “ Roddy Ho was the Duke of Digital; everyone knew that. He was Master of the Monitor, Lord of the Laptop, but that was only half the story. Take him away from his screens and he was also King of the Kerb, Sultan of the Streets, the something of the Pavements.”
Roddy does know how to hack into almost everything, but that’s where it stops, long before the kerb or the streets. His boss has no filters. “‘It’s like having my own personal Yellow Pages,’ said Lamb. ‘Or, you know. Just Pages in his case’”
I am not cherry-picking quotable quotes. If you went through Herron’s books with a rake you’d end up with an enormous pile of excellent, quirky phrases, put-downs and descriptions.
I was delighted to see River Cartwright back, the first Slow Horse we ever met, I think, but he is in terrible peril, and the tension builds. I will warn you only that Herron does kill people off – see the reference to Shirley’s past partners.
Such good writing, such memorable characters, and such timely stories. Loved it! Thanks to NetGalley and John Murray Press for the preview copy. More please!
p.s. Great interview with the author titled: "Mick Herron: 'I look at Jackson Lamb and think: My God, did I write that? My mother reads this stuff!'"
https://www.theguardian.com/books/202...
“For a city is an impermanent thing, its surface ever shifting, like the sea. And like the sea, a city has its sharks.”
London is full of sharks and spooks and, in this case, hit squads. There is a war going on between Russian and English spies, and as the book opens, the Russians are retaliating against the assassination of one of theirs.
There’s a fair bit of politics in this one, where Peter Judd, a former Parliamentary minister, “a politician whose greed for power was so naked it required a parental advisory sticker” has plans to raise his public profile by stirring up the Yellow Vests behind the scenes. You know, fuelling the fires of dissent. Brexit is never named but is occasionally referred to only in phrases such as “budgetary fallout from You-Know-What”.
“Even unelected, Judd remained a big beast in the political jungle. But Diana had done her growing up on Spook Street, where big beasts numbered among the daily kill.”
Judd and Diana Taverner have had a longstanding acquaintance. Possibly an earlier affair? I don’t remember. She is First Desk at “Park”, which is Regent’s Park, Secret Service headquarters. She is the supreme boss – except when her budget is at stake, when she may resort to outsourcing “funding”.
Judd is applying pressure and telling her how he wants her to appear and what he wants her to say on a TV broadcast that he hopes will rattle some cages for his benefit.
“‘You hardly need me to write your script.’
‘I’m starting to get the impression that that’s exactly what you think I need,’ Diana said.
‘If you prefer, we could shoot you behind a screen.’
‘I could probably arrange something similar for you.’”
And we know she could. In fact, we almost wish she would. But Herron doesn’t keep us in one scene for very long. The action moves between Slough House, the Park, Diana Taverner and her crew, Judd and a TV guy, River out in the field, Shirley drunk and drugged, and weird, funny Roddy Ho.
But – just as we’re in a dark alley with a torch flickering at the other end or on a back road at night with headlights suddenly appearing – BOOM! We are moved to the club where Judd and Taverner are conversing or back to Jackson Lamb, being his disgusting self somewhere.
Lamb is the boss of Slough House, theoretically working for Taverner, but even she doubts it. In each book he becomes more repugnant and more clever. He seems to appear without apparently arriving. More like the apparition of a homeless man from a dumpster. In one scene, at a kind of party where he is smoking a particularly fragrant Russian cigarette:
“Lamb had found a bottle of malt and was in a corner smoking, looking like a bin someone had set fire to.”
He smokes constantly, farts, throws butts on the floor, lighters out the window, and demeans his people.
“Lamb rolled his eyes. ‘God, you’re a drag to have around. Moan moan moan. It’s like being shackled to the ghost of Bob Marley.’
‘I think you mean Jacob.’
‘Depends,’ said Lamb. ‘Which was the one surrounded by wailers?’”
He is protective of his joes – his spooks – when they’re on missions, but he gets his money’s worth.
“ ’And if you’re now serving two purposes instead of one, it’s like I’ve just halved all your salaries.’ He beamed. ‘Win win.’”
You get the idea. I’ll make no attempt to discuss the plot, but there certainly is one and it’s up-to-date, post-Brexit but pre-Covid.
Fans will enjoy seeing favourite characters.
Drinker and coke user Shirley Dander: “Shirley could handle criticism as well as the next guy, but the next guy was a touchy bastard.
. . .
. . . a thing about Shirley Dander’s partners was that they tended to die; their brains misted against an office wall, or their insides spilt on snowy Welsh hillsides.”
Kinda takes the shine off wanting to work with her.
Roddy Ho, about himself: “ Roddy Ho was the Duke of Digital; everyone knew that. He was Master of the Monitor, Lord of the Laptop, but that was only half the story. Take him away from his screens and he was also King of the Kerb, Sultan of the Streets, the something of the Pavements.”
Roddy does know how to hack into almost everything, but that’s where it stops, long before the kerb or the streets. His boss has no filters. “‘It’s like having my own personal Yellow Pages,’ said Lamb. ‘Or, you know. Just Pages in his case’”
I am not cherry-picking quotable quotes. If you went through Herron’s books with a rake you’d end up with an enormous pile of excellent, quirky phrases, put-downs and descriptions.
I was delighted to see River Cartwright back, the first Slow Horse we ever met, I think, but he is in terrible peril, and the tension builds. I will warn you only that Herron does kill people off – see the reference to Shirley’s past partners.
Such good writing, such memorable characters, and such timely stories. Loved it! Thanks to NetGalley and John Murray Press for the preview copy. More please!
p.s. Great interview with the author titled: "Mick Herron: 'I look at Jackson Lamb and think: My God, did I write that? My mother reads this stuff!'"
https://www.theguardian.com/books/202...
August 18, 2021
EXCERPT: The study remained like a showroom in a vacant property - books, chairs, curtains; the shelf with its odd collection of trophies: a glass globe, a hunk of concrete, a lump of metal that had been a Luger; the desk with its sheet of blotting paper, like something out of Dickens, and the letter opener, which was an actual stiletto, and had once belonged to Beria - and if David Cartwright had left secrets in his wake they'd be somewhere in that room, on those shelves, among a billion other words. River didn't know if he really believed that, but he knew for sure that he didn't know he didn't, and if River thought that way others might too, and act upon the possibility. Spook secrets were dangerous to friends and foes alike, and the old man had made plenty of both down the years. He could see one of either breed breaking a lock, finessing a window; could see them working round the study, looking for clues. If that was happening, River needed to stop it. Any trail his dead grandfather had left, no one was going to follow but him.
ABOUT 'SLOUGH HOUSE': Slough House - the crumbling office building to which failed spies, the 'slow horses', are banished - has been wiped from secret service records.
Reeling from recent losses in their ranks, the slow horses are worried they've been pushed further into the cold, and fatal accidents keep happening.
With a new populist movement taking a grip on London's streets, the aftermath of a blunder by the Russian secret service that left a British citizen dead, and the old order ensuring that everything's for sale to the highest bidder, the world's an uncomfortable place for those deemed surplus to requirements. The wise move would be to find a safe place and wait for the troubles to pass.
But the slow horses aren't famed for making wise decisions.
MY THOUGHTS: I have never read Mick Herron previously, although I had heard a lot of great things about his writing, and they are all true. I am not known for enjoying spy thrillers, but Slough House is not your traditional spy thriller. Its characters are misfits, those who have failed in some way, who the hierarchy would prefer to forget even exist. Slough House could best be described as a halfway house, but the question would be, halfway to where?
There is a lot of dialogue in Slough House, which I usually don't like, but Herron's wonderful one-liners had me almost hysterical at times. His dialogue is also clever in other ways. He has used reasonably recent events as a background for the plot in Slough House, although it was completed prior to the advent of Covid, so there's no reference to social distancing or the pandemic.
Slough House is #7 in the series, so I had no knowledge of any of the characters going into this book, something I intend to remedy. I became quite fond of this bunch of misfits who, although they outwardly show disdain and contempt for one another, have an underlying and undeniable deep loyalty. I need to know how they got to where they are, what has shaped, or misshapen them. They are a fascinating bunch for whom I feel great affection, and therefore I am going to start this series from the beginning. In fact, I am going to read everything this author has written.
Herron writes with wicked imagery, sardonic wit and black humour, which I love. I rank him right up there with Adrian McKinty and Ken Bruen.
⭐⭐⭐⭐.5
#SloughHouse #NetGalley
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T: @johnmurrays
#contemporaryfiction #crime #humour #spythriller
THE AUTHOR: Mick Herron was born in Newcastle and has a degree in English from Balliol College, Oxford. He is the author of seven books in the Slough House series as well as a mystery series set in Oxford featuring Sarah Tucker and/or P.I. Zoë Boehm. He now lives in Oxford and works in London.
DISCLOSURE: Thank you to John Murray Press via Netgalley for providing a digital ARC of Slough House by Mick Herron for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
For an explanation of my rating system please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the about page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com
This review and others are also published on Twitter, Amazon, Instagram and my webpage https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...
ABOUT 'SLOUGH HOUSE': Slough House - the crumbling office building to which failed spies, the 'slow horses', are banished - has been wiped from secret service records.
Reeling from recent losses in their ranks, the slow horses are worried they've been pushed further into the cold, and fatal accidents keep happening.
With a new populist movement taking a grip on London's streets, the aftermath of a blunder by the Russian secret service that left a British citizen dead, and the old order ensuring that everything's for sale to the highest bidder, the world's an uncomfortable place for those deemed surplus to requirements. The wise move would be to find a safe place and wait for the troubles to pass.
But the slow horses aren't famed for making wise decisions.
MY THOUGHTS: I have never read Mick Herron previously, although I had heard a lot of great things about his writing, and they are all true. I am not known for enjoying spy thrillers, but Slough House is not your traditional spy thriller. Its characters are misfits, those who have failed in some way, who the hierarchy would prefer to forget even exist. Slough House could best be described as a halfway house, but the question would be, halfway to where?
There is a lot of dialogue in Slough House, which I usually don't like, but Herron's wonderful one-liners had me almost hysterical at times. His dialogue is also clever in other ways. He has used reasonably recent events as a background for the plot in Slough House, although it was completed prior to the advent of Covid, so there's no reference to social distancing or the pandemic.
Slough House is #7 in the series, so I had no knowledge of any of the characters going into this book, something I intend to remedy. I became quite fond of this bunch of misfits who, although they outwardly show disdain and contempt for one another, have an underlying and undeniable deep loyalty. I need to know how they got to where they are, what has shaped, or misshapen them. They are a fascinating bunch for whom I feel great affection, and therefore I am going to start this series from the beginning. In fact, I am going to read everything this author has written.
Herron writes with wicked imagery, sardonic wit and black humour, which I love. I rank him right up there with Adrian McKinty and Ken Bruen.
⭐⭐⭐⭐.5
#SloughHouse #NetGalley
I: @johnmurrays
T: @johnmurrays
#contemporaryfiction #crime #humour #spythriller
THE AUTHOR: Mick Herron was born in Newcastle and has a degree in English from Balliol College, Oxford. He is the author of seven books in the Slough House series as well as a mystery series set in Oxford featuring Sarah Tucker and/or P.I. Zoë Boehm. He now lives in Oxford and works in London.
DISCLOSURE: Thank you to John Murray Press via Netgalley for providing a digital ARC of Slough House by Mick Herron for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
For an explanation of my rating system please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the about page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com
This review and others are also published on Twitter, Amazon, Instagram and my webpage https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...
June 1, 2024
So many loose ends when this book concluded. Only one more to go in the series, and I wonder how it's going to wrap up. Fingers crossed in the hopes that Mr. Herron may have more planned.
October 1, 2021
4.5 ☆
Brexit is rearranging the economic chessboard. Inspired by the French gilets jaunes, a populist movement called the "Yellow Vests" has gathered for several weeks on the London streets. Meanwhile, the moneyed elites are looking to consolidate wealth and power (in other words, no change there), but perhaps areas once off-limits offer new possibilities. Because for government agencies, "austerity" has been the buzzword of the past couple of years thanks to "You-Know-What." And Slough House with its disgraced MI5 agents has never been regarded as a top tier asset, which increases its vulnerability during these belt-tightening times.
The denizens of Slough House realize that Jackson Lamb is their sole level of protection.
Egads. Yet, Lamb lives by one immutable code -- do not f*ck with my joes. So the other observations aren't necessarily inconsistent but they sure do paint a blurry portrait of Jackson Lamb. At the same time, the opacity in Herron's depiction of Lamb contributes to making him a compelling figure.
Of course, not everyone is convinced.
Slough House is in mortal danger. But will the slow horses find out the reason and source of the threats before it's too late?
The other mystery to me is why the readership numbers aren't larger for this fantastic series. Although the beginning of the series appeared as a spoof of the spy genre, Herron has said that he was most interested in office culture and these ensemble-cast stories are very character driven. It just happened that he used spies because this set-up allowed for national topics. The plotlines have been a bit wild but it's one of Jackson Lamb's saws - we're spies, all sorts of outlandish sh*t happens! Herron's other attribute is his boldness, for he does not shy away from grim realities. The plots may sometimes veer on the cartoon-ish edge but the "good guys" have very bad things happen to them, including violent deaths. Finally, Herron's skewering of the political milieu has grown sharper with each installment and yet the satire is softened by his humor. This series is freshly imaginative, clever, and sardonically witty - a winning combination for me.
To those who buy and sell and own and build, the past is simply a shortcut to what's yet to come, and what's yet to come offers magpie riches to those prepared to embrace the changes demanded. Or so the promises run.
Brexit is rearranging the economic chessboard. Inspired by the French gilets jaunes, a populist movement called the "Yellow Vests" has gathered for several weeks on the London streets. Meanwhile, the moneyed elites are looking to consolidate wealth and power (in other words, no change there), but perhaps areas once off-limits offer new possibilities. Because for government agencies, "austerity" has been the buzzword of the past couple of years thanks to "You-Know-What." And Slough House with its disgraced MI5 agents has never been regarded as a top tier asset, which increases its vulnerability during these belt-tightening times.
He thought: And this is the world I move in now. Where decisions are based, not on the greatest good or the most just cause, but simply on f*cking up the opposition, even if the opposition's your own side.
The denizens of Slough House realize that Jackson Lamb is their sole level of protection.
... [Lamb] looked like an exhausted tramp... His shoes were scuffed lumps, the hems of his trousers frayed, and his overcoat might have been stitched from the tattered sail of a pirate ship. And she had little doubt that the odor of cigarettes and scotch would grow apparent the nearer she came ...
Egads. Yet, Lamb lives by one immutable code -- do not f*ck with my joes. So the other observations aren't necessarily inconsistent but they sure do paint a blurry portrait of Jackson Lamb. At the same time, the opacity in Herron's depiction of Lamb contributes to making him a compelling figure.
...little doubt, too, that for all his repose he knew damn well she was approaching...
And for half a second she had a troubling glimpse of another Lamb inside the shell of this one; one who had posed for the image in front of her, and whose carefully composed decrepitude was a sculptor's trick.
Of course, not everyone is convinced.
She preferred to hold to a more fundamental verity: that villains were arseholes who needed locking up ...
Here on Spook Street, the option of arresting the bad guys wasn't open to her.
If it had been, Jackson Lamb would have been on her list. She didn't care that he used to be a joe--didn't buy into that whole romantic notion of the bruised survivor of an undercover war--and wasn't impressed by his apparent determination to bully or alienate everyone around him. She simply thought him a bastard, and the best way of dealing with bastards was to cut them off at the knees.
Slough House is in mortal danger. But will the slow horses find out the reason and source of the threats before it's too late?
The other mystery to me is why the readership numbers aren't larger for this fantastic series. Although the beginning of the series appeared as a spoof of the spy genre, Herron has said that he was most interested in office culture and these ensemble-cast stories are very character driven. It just happened that he used spies because this set-up allowed for national topics. The plotlines have been a bit wild but it's one of Jackson Lamb's saws - we're spies, all sorts of outlandish sh*t happens! Herron's other attribute is his boldness, for he does not shy away from grim realities. The plots may sometimes veer on the cartoon-ish edge but the "good guys" have very bad things happen to them, including violent deaths. Finally, Herron's skewering of the political milieu has grown sharper with each installment and yet the satire is softened by his humor. This series is freshly imaginative, clever, and sardonically witty - a winning combination for me.
April 13, 2022
Mick Herron has done it again. This series is perfect for those that want their humor dark and smart. It’s the kind of humor that catches you unaware, in a “did he really just say that?” style. In fact, listening to this has made me even more curious to see the tv series. So much of the story is the thoughts of the characters and I wonder how that will be conveyed.
The story has moved into Brexit and once again, Herron takes aim at the politicians, as well as the idiot rabble whose brains they twist.
Diana Taverner has made a deal with the devil and she’s on a slippery slope downwards. Regents Park and the Russians are in a contest and she’s opted to finance her revenge with “outside money”. The slow horses of Slough House have been erased from Regent Park’s database. And now they appear to be being targeted. The story moves at a fast pace, with not everyone making it out alive.
I highly recommend this book and the entire series for fans of dark thrillers that depend more on character depth than Mission Impossible style action.
Again, I am so impressed with Gerard Doyle as the narrator.
The story has moved into Brexit and once again, Herron takes aim at the politicians, as well as the idiot rabble whose brains they twist.
Diana Taverner has made a deal with the devil and she’s on a slippery slope downwards. Regents Park and the Russians are in a contest and she’s opted to finance her revenge with “outside money”. The slow horses of Slough House have been erased from Regent Park’s database. And now they appear to be being targeted. The story moves at a fast pace, with not everyone making it out alive.
I highly recommend this book and the entire series for fans of dark thrillers that depend more on character depth than Mission Impossible style action.
Again, I am so impressed with Gerard Doyle as the narrator.
August 22, 2025
EXCERPT: The study remained like a showroom in a vacant property - books, chairs, curtains; the shelf with its odd collection of trophies: a glass globe, a hunk of concrete, a lump of metal that had been a Luger; the desk with its sheet of blotting paper, like something out of Dickens, and the letter opener, which was an actual stiletto, and had once belonged to Beria - and if David Cartwright had left secrets in his wake they'd be somewhere in that room, on those shelves, among a billion other words. River didn't know if he really believed that, but he knew for sure that he didn't know he didn't, and if River thought that way others might too, and act upon the possibility. Spook secrets were dangerous to friends and foes alike, and the old man had made plenty of both down the years. He could see one of either breed breaking a lock, finessing a window; could see them working round the study, looking for clues. If that was happening, River needed to stop it. Any trail his dead grandfather had left, no one was going to follow but him.
ABOUT 'SLOUGH HOUSE': Slough House - the crumbling office building to which failed spies, the 'slow horses', are banished - has been wiped from secret service records.
Reeling from recent losses in their ranks, the slow horses are worried they've been pushed further into the cold, and fatal accidents keep happening.
With a new populist movement taking a grip on London's streets, the aftermath of a blunder by the Russian secret service that left a British citizen dead, and the old order ensuring that everything's for sale to the highest bidder, the world's an uncomfortable place for those deemed surplus to requirements. The wise move would be to find a safe place and wait for the troubles to pass.
But the slow horses aren't famed for making wise decisions.
MY THOUGHTS: I have never read Mick Herron previously, although I had heard a lot of great things about his writing, and they are all true. I am not known for enjoying spy thrillers, but Slough House is not your traditional spy thriller. Its characters are misfits, those who have failed in some way, who the hierarchy would prefer to forget even exist. Slough House could best be described as a halfway house, but the question would be, halfway to where?
There is a lot of dialogue in Slough House, which I usually don't like, but Herron's wonderful one-liners had me almost hysterical at times. His dialogue is also clever in other ways. He has used reasonably recent events as a background for the plot in Slough House, although it was completed prior to the advent of Covid, so there's no reference to social distancing or the pandemic.
Slough House is #7 in the series, so I had no knowledge of any of the characters going into this book, something I intend to remedy. I became quite fond of this bunch of misfits who, although they outwardly show disdain and contempt for one another, have an underlying and undeniable deep loyalty. I need to know how they got to where they are, what has shaped, or misshapen them. They are a fascinating bunch for whom I feel great affection, and therefore I am going to start this series from the beginning. In fact, I am going to read everything this author has written.
Herron writes with wicked imagery, sardonic wit and black humour, which I love. I rank him right up there with Adrian McKinty and Ken Bruen.
⭐⭐⭐⭐.5
#SloughHouse #NetGalley
I: @johnmurrays
T: @johnmurrays
#contemporaryfiction #crime #humour #spythriller
THE AUTHOR: Mick Herron was born in Newcastle and has a degree in English from Balliol College, Oxford. He is the author of seven books in the Slough House series as well as a mystery series set in Oxford featuring Sarah Tucker and/or P.I. Zoë Boehm. He now lives in Oxford and works in London.
DISCLOSURE: Thank you to John Murray Press via Netgalley for providing a digital ARC of Slough House by Mick Herron for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
For an explanation of my rating system please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the about page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com
This review and others are also published on Twitter, Amazon, Instagram and my webpage
ABOUT 'SLOUGH HOUSE': Slough House - the crumbling office building to which failed spies, the 'slow horses', are banished - has been wiped from secret service records.
Reeling from recent losses in their ranks, the slow horses are worried they've been pushed further into the cold, and fatal accidents keep happening.
With a new populist movement taking a grip on London's streets, the aftermath of a blunder by the Russian secret service that left a British citizen dead, and the old order ensuring that everything's for sale to the highest bidder, the world's an uncomfortable place for those deemed surplus to requirements. The wise move would be to find a safe place and wait for the troubles to pass.
But the slow horses aren't famed for making wise decisions.
MY THOUGHTS: I have never read Mick Herron previously, although I had heard a lot of great things about his writing, and they are all true. I am not known for enjoying spy thrillers, but Slough House is not your traditional spy thriller. Its characters are misfits, those who have failed in some way, who the hierarchy would prefer to forget even exist. Slough House could best be described as a halfway house, but the question would be, halfway to where?
There is a lot of dialogue in Slough House, which I usually don't like, but Herron's wonderful one-liners had me almost hysterical at times. His dialogue is also clever in other ways. He has used reasonably recent events as a background for the plot in Slough House, although it was completed prior to the advent of Covid, so there's no reference to social distancing or the pandemic.
Slough House is #7 in the series, so I had no knowledge of any of the characters going into this book, something I intend to remedy. I became quite fond of this bunch of misfits who, although they outwardly show disdain and contempt for one another, have an underlying and undeniable deep loyalty. I need to know how they got to where they are, what has shaped, or misshapen them. They are a fascinating bunch for whom I feel great affection, and therefore I am going to start this series from the beginning. In fact, I am going to read everything this author has written.
Herron writes with wicked imagery, sardonic wit and black humour, which I love. I rank him right up there with Adrian McKinty and Ken Bruen.
⭐⭐⭐⭐.5
#SloughHouse #NetGalley
I: @johnmurrays
T: @johnmurrays
#contemporaryfiction #crime #humour #spythriller
THE AUTHOR: Mick Herron was born in Newcastle and has a degree in English from Balliol College, Oxford. He is the author of seven books in the Slough House series as well as a mystery series set in Oxford featuring Sarah Tucker and/or P.I. Zoë Boehm. He now lives in Oxford and works in London.
DISCLOSURE: Thank you to John Murray Press via Netgalley for providing a digital ARC of Slough House by Mick Herron for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
For an explanation of my rating system please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the about page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com
This review and others are also published on Twitter, Amazon, Instagram and my webpage
May 27, 2024
This is the 7th book in Mick Herron's 'Slough House' (Slow Horses) series, about British MI5 agents who've made a serious mistake and are relegated to working in a dilapidated building called Slough House. The novels in this series are best read in order because of the continuing story arc.
*****
The man in charge of Slough House is former spy master Jackson Lamb, an offensive slob who slings insults at people, smokes too much, eats too much, and has terrible hygiene. Regardless, Lamb feels compelled to look out for his 'joes' (agents), even if he thinks they're idiots.
By now Diana Taverner has been first chair at Regents Park for a while, and she's a force to be reckoned with. Unfortunately, Lady Di's ambition, hubris, and impatience led her to make a big mistake.
The Russians had used the nerve agent Novichok to kill a person on British soil, so Diana retaliated by engineering an assassination in Russia.
To finance the hit, Diana (secretly) took money from a cabal of wealthy British citizens, and two members of the syndicate, politically ambitious Peter Judd.....
.....and media tycoon Damien Cantor, seem to think Diana owes them - and they're not shy about asking for favors.
Diana has pulled another shady stunt as well. She's 'disappeared' Slough House and all its personnel from Regents Park's records, and hasn't explained why. Meanwhile, some of the slow horses notice they're being followed, and two former slow horses have been murdered. It's clear Jackson Lamb and his joes need to take some action.
In the meantime, the slow horses stay true to form. Catherine Standish hands out/organizes the boring assignments created by Lamb - like making lists of people who borrow 'suspicious' library books;
River Cartwright ditches his paperwork, but races into action when necessary;
Louisa Guy tries to follow the rules more than most of the slow horses;
Lech Wicinski makes it his business to suss out who's following him;
Shirley Dander's cocaine addiction and hot temper cause trouble;
and Roddy Ho makes us laugh with his deluded narcissism, but does good work with his computer hacking skills.
There's plenty of action in this book, and some big surprises. This thriller is a must read or fans of the series.
You can follow my reviews at https://reviewsbybarbsaffer.blogspot.com
February 22, 2023
I won't go into the storyline since that can be found elsewhere.
The first six books in the Slough House series have been just wonderful but number seven, to my fragment of a mind, did not measure up. Herron has a very quirky writing style and an equally quirky way to create a plot. In this book, he got a tad carried away with his quirkiness and the result, in my not-too-humble opinion was a very mediocre book. I also would have preferred it if the book had an ending.
I just changed my rating from three stars to two after reading my own review. It damn sure did not read like a three-star review and who am I to argue with me?
Clearly not recommended although I will most certainly read further books in the series because I have so thoroughly enjoyed some of Herron's earlier books. If you like really quirky espionage stories written in an unusual and very tongue-in-cheek manner, I suggest that you start with Book #1 in this series and, if you enjoy it enough, read books two through six but give seven a miss.
Finito
The first six books in the Slough House series have been just wonderful but number seven, to my fragment of a mind, did not measure up. Herron has a very quirky writing style and an equally quirky way to create a plot. In this book, he got a tad carried away with his quirkiness and the result, in my not-too-humble opinion was a very mediocre book. I also would have preferred it if the book had an ending.
I just changed my rating from three stars to two after reading my own review. It damn sure did not read like a three-star review and who am I to argue with me?
Clearly not recommended although I will most certainly read further books in the series because I have so thoroughly enjoyed some of Herron's earlier books. If you like really quirky espionage stories written in an unusual and very tongue-in-cheek manner, I suggest that you start with Book #1 in this series and, if you enjoy it enough, read books two through six but give seven a miss.
Finito
June 16, 2024
4 stars
This instalment of the hugely enjoyable Slough House series is far more based in current British politics than previous instalments.
The Salisbury novichok attack, the rise of right-wing yobbo movements, media giants wanting a say in government policy, Putin not playing by the long-established espionage rules, the utter and complete washout that is Brex...sorry, "you-know-what"...all shuffle for prime story real estate.
It works, but it's also a cacophony of various voices and themes which don't always gel into a harmonious whole. Unfortunately, this is also the first instalment where I skimmed sections and that's what lost it a star.
Specifically, whenever ex-politician and arch-manipulator Peter Judd showed his ugly face. His convos with 1st Desk Diana Taverner are eye-rolling snooze fests compared to what Slough House is up to and up against. Judd is even more annoying than Roddy Ho...and I didn't think that was possible.
On to the 8th and (currently) final instalment!!
This instalment of the hugely enjoyable Slough House series is far more based in current British politics than previous instalments.
The Salisbury novichok attack, the rise of right-wing yobbo movements, media giants wanting a say in government policy, Putin not playing by the long-established espionage rules, the utter and complete washout that is Brex...sorry, "you-know-what"...all shuffle for prime story real estate.
It works, but it's also a cacophony of various voices and themes which don't always gel into a harmonious whole. Unfortunately, this is also the first instalment where I skimmed sections and that's what lost it a star.
Specifically, whenever ex-politician and arch-manipulator Peter Judd showed his ugly face. His convos with 1st Desk Diana Taverner are eye-rolling snooze fests compared to what Slough House is up to and up against. Judd is even more annoying than Roddy Ho...and I didn't think that was possible.
On to the 8th and (currently) final instalment!!
February 12, 2025
Herron continues to poke fun at Brexit, Boris and Farage. Even Putin - ‘The Kremlin’s Gay Hussar. And with Jackson Lamb having no redeeming features except perhaps his support for his team…his Joes.
The story is based around the Salisbury Novichok poisoning. With retribution for one of the perpetrators being hit in Russia ostensibly sanctioned by MI6. However, Diana Taverners support of this unsanctioned act backfires badly. Some Slow Horses from the past are being killed. One from the past returns. I will say no more.
Lamb’s non pc banter with a vertically challenged gay American whose boyfriend he believes has been murdered in Russia is sublime.
‘You’re a spy.’
‘If you are one of those 007 nerds, hoping the glamour rubs off, you’re in for a disappointment.’ He farted, and produced another cigarette. ‘Class takes practice.’
‘Please don’t light that.’
‘Your growth’s already been stunted. Where’s the harm.’
We are left hanging on the fate of one of the team at the end but am hoping they perk up. Even if it was Roddy Ho I would want him back…annoying as he is.
Berengaria I am hunting more books.
The story is based around the Salisbury Novichok poisoning. With retribution for one of the perpetrators being hit in Russia ostensibly sanctioned by MI6. However, Diana Taverners support of this unsanctioned act backfires badly. Some Slow Horses from the past are being killed. One from the past returns. I will say no more.
Lamb’s non pc banter with a vertically challenged gay American whose boyfriend he believes has been murdered in Russia is sublime.
‘You’re a spy.’
‘If you are one of those 007 nerds, hoping the glamour rubs off, you’re in for a disappointment.’ He farted, and produced another cigarette. ‘Class takes practice.’
‘Please don’t light that.’
‘Your growth’s already been stunted. Where’s the harm.’
We are left hanging on the fate of one of the team at the end but am hoping they perk up. Even if it was Roddy Ho I would want him back…annoying as he is.
Berengaria I am hunting more books.
November 9, 2024
The penultimate book in the series, and a good one it is. If you know the series, you know what to expect.
Although the series is decidedly British, this book called to mind many of the indignities suffered by the American political system since 2016 (and before, actually, but who's counting?). All that "lying down with strange bedfellows" to get what you think you want, and the unpleasant repercussions of having done that.
Although the tone and the plot of the book are consistent with what has come before, a couple of things were worth noting for me. Readers of the series will be aware of how each book begins with a description of Slough House, the building, presented from an omniscient perspective. I found that section of this book to be especially well done; refreshing after all the previous iterations.
At the other end of the story, the conclusion had more than the usual number of twists and surprises, and a great cliffhanger for the final volume. And Alan was right - Roddy Ho did have the best line in the book, surprising as that may be. :-)
Two last things. I've listened, rather than read, all but one of the series books, and I can't say enough wonderful things about Gerard Doyle's narration. Some narrators just get the story across, occasionally one actually detracts from the book, and others enhance what the author has created. Doyle definitely falls into the last category with the Slough House series. He manages to individualize all the characters without resorting to parody (his women are especially good), and his overall tone makes Jackson Lamb's world come alive.
Finally - I can't resist, I'm moving right on to the last book in the series. I know I'll be sad when it's over, but Herron has set me on a mission!
Although the series is decidedly British, this book called to mind many of the indignities suffered by the American political system since 2016 (and before, actually, but who's counting?). All that "lying down with strange bedfellows" to get what you think you want, and the unpleasant repercussions of having done that.
Although the tone and the plot of the book are consistent with what has come before, a couple of things were worth noting for me. Readers of the series will be aware of how each book begins with a description of Slough House, the building, presented from an omniscient perspective. I found that section of this book to be especially well done; refreshing after all the previous iterations.
At the other end of the story, the conclusion had more than the usual number of twists and surprises, and a great cliffhanger for the final volume. And Alan was right - Roddy Ho did have the best line in the book, surprising as that may be. :-)
Two last things. I've listened, rather than read, all but one of the series books, and I can't say enough wonderful things about Gerard Doyle's narration. Some narrators just get the story across, occasionally one actually detracts from the book, and others enhance what the author has created. Doyle definitely falls into the last category with the Slough House series. He manages to individualize all the characters without resorting to parody (his women are especially good), and his overall tone makes Jackson Lamb's world come alive.
Finally - I can't resist, I'm moving right on to the last book in the series. I know I'll be sad when it's over, but Herron has set me on a mission!
December 20, 2024
4.5 Stars
Herron once again quickly pulls me in with his twisty plot, the machinations of Diana Taverna, and Lamb's defense of his own. These characters jump off the page, the dialogue snaps, and the humor snarks.
" 'All that just to get Taverner’s attention?' said Catherine. . . 'Well, I considered leaving a horse’s head in her bed,' said Lamb. 'But the logistics are insane.' ”
Herron conveys his thoughts on politics and politicians.
“The paths to power of current world leaders—paths including conspiracy to assault, knee-jerk racism, indeterminate fecundity and cheating at golf—were so askew from the traditional routes that only an idiot would have dared forecast future developments.”
The themes of betrayal, survival, and redemption play out in a propulsive storyline.
This penultimate book of the series ends without conclusion, drawing me into Book 8 to finish the series. Definitely sometime in the beginning of the new year!
Publication 2021
Herron once again quickly pulls me in with his twisty plot, the machinations of Diana Taverna, and Lamb's defense of his own. These characters jump off the page, the dialogue snaps, and the humor snarks.
" 'All that just to get Taverner’s attention?' said Catherine. . . 'Well, I considered leaving a horse’s head in her bed,' said Lamb. 'But the logistics are insane.' ”
Herron conveys his thoughts on politics and politicians.
“The paths to power of current world leaders—paths including conspiracy to assault, knee-jerk racism, indeterminate fecundity and cheating at golf—were so askew from the traditional routes that only an idiot would have dared forecast future developments.”
The themes of betrayal, survival, and redemption play out in a propulsive storyline.
This penultimate book of the series ends without conclusion, drawing me into Book 8 to finish the series. Definitely sometime in the beginning of the new year!
Publication 2021
May 16, 2023
I'm *beyond excited* to have received an ARC from those lovely people at John Murray (thank you!) but it also leaves me in a quandary as I don't want to say anything that will give even the slightest spoilers for the delights between these covers... so I'm just going to say that if you're not a Herron fan, do yourself a favour and start this series from the beginning; and if you are, you'll need no urging from me to get your hands on this as soon as you possibly can. Just get ready for a jaw-dropping development at the start - and a poignant ending.
As much as the political intelligence, the leap-off-the-page characters and the unpredictable plotting, I love these books for their finger-on-the-pulse of contemporary UK politics in all its horror (Brexit is 'You-Know-What') and this book is especially attentive to the narcissistic self-interest of PJ who just happens to bear more than a passing resemblance to our revered PM, BJ...
So rather that a review, this is a whet your appetite sneaky preview of top lines:
'If you're going to tell a lie, tell a big one. Stick it on the side of a bus.'
'The paths to power of current world leaders - paths including conspiracy, knee-jerk racism, indeterminate fecundity and cheating at golf - were so askew from the traditional routes that only an idiot would have dared forecast future developments.' ~ a line especially pertinent today November 7 2020 as the US election is finally called for Joe Biden.
'There were those who'd said of Peter Judd, during his years as a contender for the highest office in the land, that his clowning masked a laser-like focus on his own best interests'
Sharp, smart, hilarious, scathing, acute, and *that ending* - unmissable!
As much as the political intelligence, the leap-off-the-page characters and the unpredictable plotting, I love these books for their finger-on-the-pulse of contemporary UK politics in all its horror (Brexit is 'You-Know-What') and this book is especially attentive to the narcissistic self-interest of PJ who just happens to bear more than a passing resemblance to our revered PM, BJ...
So rather that a review, this is a whet your appetite sneaky preview of top lines:
'If you're going to tell a lie, tell a big one. Stick it on the side of a bus.'
'The paths to power of current world leaders - paths including conspiracy, knee-jerk racism, indeterminate fecundity and cheating at golf - were so askew from the traditional routes that only an idiot would have dared forecast future developments.' ~ a line especially pertinent today November 7 2020 as the US election is finally called for Joe Biden.
'There were those who'd said of Peter Judd, during his years as a contender for the highest office in the land, that his clowning masked a laser-like focus on his own best interests'
Sharp, smart, hilarious, scathing, acute, and *that ending* - unmissable!
March 7, 2023
Oh my heart! I don't think I'll be able to bear the suspense for very long, and will be picking up the next instalment pretty soon to find out what happens after that cliffhanger ending. This reaffirms my personal rule to read this series one book behind the latest release, so I'll always have something to look forward to.
After 7 full length novels and several novellas, Slough House has just become my equal favourite, along with Spook Street. Analysing this feeling, it didn't take me long to see what the connection was - both are stories where the slow horses are front and centre of the intrigue. Not just caught up in it, but central to it. This time around, Jackson Lamb's crew have been mistakenly (???) characterised as an elite squad of assassins, and are being targeted by the Russians. Of course, it takes a couple of hits before they realise this and swing into action to save themselves and each other. I query whether it was mistaken because - as usual - there are strings being pulled left, right and centre by the Park. And why the Russians? Well, I will say up front they have NOT time travelled back to the Cold War era! This is a very contemporary story, with the finishing touches being made just as we began to don our masks in 2020. I can't say much more about the plot without spoiling, so I'll just say it was edge-of-the-seat thrilling.
Since reading #6, I've watched both series of the TV adaptation that are currently available, and found it interesting to see how my brain visualised the characters as a I read this book. Did I revert to my previously imagined versions? No! It must be a sign of good casting that the actors have taken over my imagination.
After 7 full length novels and several novellas, Slough House has just become my equal favourite, along with Spook Street. Analysing this feeling, it didn't take me long to see what the connection was - both are stories where the slow horses are front and centre of the intrigue. Not just caught up in it, but central to it. This time around, Jackson Lamb's crew have been mistakenly (???) characterised as an elite squad of assassins, and are being targeted by the Russians. Of course, it takes a couple of hits before they realise this and swing into action to save themselves and each other. I query whether it was mistaken because - as usual - there are strings being pulled left, right and centre by the Park. And why the Russians? Well, I will say up front they have NOT time travelled back to the Cold War era! This is a very contemporary story, with the finishing touches being made just as we began to don our masks in 2020. I can't say much more about the plot without spoiling, so I'll just say it was edge-of-the-seat thrilling.
Since reading #6, I've watched both series of the TV adaptation that are currently available, and found it interesting to see how my brain visualised the characters as a I read this book. Did I revert to my previously imagined versions? No! It must be a sign of good casting that the actors have taken over my imagination.
December 8, 2020
I was delighted to receive the latest Slough House novel – seventh in a series which is current, political, clever, witty and realistic. Diana Taverner finds herself making some bad decisions in this novel; not the least her involvement with Peter Judd, who bears more than a little resemblance to our current Prime Minister. For there has been foreign agents spreading havoc, not least poisoning civilians, in a way that actually happened. Such events, on home turf, require a response and Taverner is keen enough to make that happen to allow Judd’s involvement.
Nothing happens without consequences though and, in a strange twist of fate, Slough House finds itself under threat. Their careers already buried, the Slow Horses now find their service records have been wiped. Still, someone is aware of their existence, as there are odd deaths and even stranger resurrections. With the Slow Horses in danger it is, again, up to Jackson Lamb to shuffle out of his lair and protect those who shuffle paper under his domain.
It is hard to say how much I love this series. From the recognition of having two of the Slow Horses trail around the familiar Old Street roundabout I know well, to Ho’s wonderfully delusional behaviour, or just Jackson Lamb accidentally throwing his lighter out of a window, this has some fantastically dry humour – mostly in Lamb’s sly, cruel and extremely politically incorrect language. Still, he shows, in this book, that he is more than capable of breaking bones and breaking into buildings. Underestimate him at your peril – he is not to be fooled, or fooled with.
One thing about this series is, despite the humour, the danger is real and the ending of this novel will pull the reader up short. Despite the emotional investment I have with this series, and the characters, I (gratefully) received a copy of this book from the publisher, via NetGalley, for review.
Nothing happens without consequences though and, in a strange twist of fate, Slough House finds itself under threat. Their careers already buried, the Slow Horses now find their service records have been wiped. Still, someone is aware of their existence, as there are odd deaths and even stranger resurrections. With the Slow Horses in danger it is, again, up to Jackson Lamb to shuffle out of his lair and protect those who shuffle paper under his domain.
It is hard to say how much I love this series. From the recognition of having two of the Slow Horses trail around the familiar Old Street roundabout I know well, to Ho’s wonderfully delusional behaviour, or just Jackson Lamb accidentally throwing his lighter out of a window, this has some fantastically dry humour – mostly in Lamb’s sly, cruel and extremely politically incorrect language. Still, he shows, in this book, that he is more than capable of breaking bones and breaking into buildings. Underestimate him at your peril – he is not to be fooled, or fooled with.
One thing about this series is, despite the humour, the danger is real and the ending of this novel will pull the reader up short. Despite the emotional investment I have with this series, and the characters, I (gratefully) received a copy of this book from the publisher, via NetGalley, for review.
April 4, 2021
Slough House is the seventh book in the Slough House/Jackson Lamb series by award-winning British author, Mick Herron. Against a background of Brexit, Novichok poisonings and Yellow Vest protests, the remaining slow horses are dealing with the recent violent loss of two associates. Their boss, Jackson Lamb is still keeping his team busy with pointless and unproductive assignments: following up social media absconders (#gonequiet), failures to pay fines or potential safe-houses for non-friendlies.
The wiping of all their personal files from the Service database is puzzling, and when some notice they are being tailed, Lamb concludes First Desk at Regent’s Park, Di Taverner is using his staff as targets for trainee spooks. Catherine Standish is unconvinced, citing the recent, supposedly accidental, death of a former slow horse. But River Cartwright is distracted by living proof of another former slow horse, while Lech Wicinski is talked into dubious action on a Park tail by Shirley Dander.
Di Taverner has gone down the dangerous path of funding the Service by private donors, believing she can still control the direction of their actions; she is warned that “when you disappoint rich and powerful men, they let their displeasure be known.” And, at first, she’s dismissive of the rumour about Russian operatives exacting revenge for a certain non-Park-sanctioned killing…
As obnoxious as Lamb is, he’s protective of his own: it’s not long before a few more pennies drop and Catherine Standish sends out the message that tells the slow horses just how serious things are: “Blake’s grave. Now.”
It’s interesting to see what different device Herron uses to familiarise the reader with the Slough House building at the start of each book: this time, an estate agent walk-through. As always, the laugh-out-loud potential of Herron’s work necessitates a warning against reading whilst eating or drinking, or for those with continence issues; also that reading in the quiet carriage on public transport may disturb other travellers.
For example: when Lamb begins a staff meeting with “Sorry to keep you waiting. I was up late comforting a gay American dwarf” the slow horses are momentarily non-plussed, but they are almost reassured when he follows up a little later to Roddy Ho: “’That new, is it? The palsy shirt?’ ‘Paisley,’ said Roddy. ‘If you say so. Makes you look spastic either way.’” His parting remarks “And remember, all of us are lying in the gutter. But some of you are circling the drain” prove Lamb’s mastery of offensiveness is still intact.
Without fail, Herron has a finger on the pulse and often writes with tongue firmly in cheek. And if his readers form attachments to certain characters, Herron can never be accused of that sentimentality: the cliff-hanger ending, while it might cause a lump in a few throats, adequately demonstrates this. Slough House is Herron at the top of his game. A credible plot, clever dialogue and lots of action: British crime fiction at its best.
The wiping of all their personal files from the Service database is puzzling, and when some notice they are being tailed, Lamb concludes First Desk at Regent’s Park, Di Taverner is using his staff as targets for trainee spooks. Catherine Standish is unconvinced, citing the recent, supposedly accidental, death of a former slow horse. But River Cartwright is distracted by living proof of another former slow horse, while Lech Wicinski is talked into dubious action on a Park tail by Shirley Dander.
Di Taverner has gone down the dangerous path of funding the Service by private donors, believing she can still control the direction of their actions; she is warned that “when you disappoint rich and powerful men, they let their displeasure be known.” And, at first, she’s dismissive of the rumour about Russian operatives exacting revenge for a certain non-Park-sanctioned killing…
As obnoxious as Lamb is, he’s protective of his own: it’s not long before a few more pennies drop and Catherine Standish sends out the message that tells the slow horses just how serious things are: “Blake’s grave. Now.”
It’s interesting to see what different device Herron uses to familiarise the reader with the Slough House building at the start of each book: this time, an estate agent walk-through. As always, the laugh-out-loud potential of Herron’s work necessitates a warning against reading whilst eating or drinking, or for those with continence issues; also that reading in the quiet carriage on public transport may disturb other travellers.
For example: when Lamb begins a staff meeting with “Sorry to keep you waiting. I was up late comforting a gay American dwarf” the slow horses are momentarily non-plussed, but they are almost reassured when he follows up a little later to Roddy Ho: “’That new, is it? The palsy shirt?’ ‘Paisley,’ said Roddy. ‘If you say so. Makes you look spastic either way.’” His parting remarks “And remember, all of us are lying in the gutter. But some of you are circling the drain” prove Lamb’s mastery of offensiveness is still intact.
Without fail, Herron has a finger on the pulse and often writes with tongue firmly in cheek. And if his readers form attachments to certain characters, Herron can never be accused of that sentimentality: the cliff-hanger ending, while it might cause a lump in a few throats, adequately demonstrates this. Slough House is Herron at the top of his game. A credible plot, clever dialogue and lots of action: British crime fiction at its best.
December 2, 2022
I've long been a fan of this series and Mick Herron's writing generally. It has been a while since I read one but watching the first series on TV reminded me just how good these books are (and I do prefer them as books). The writing is so good, you feel every sentence has been worked on to get the best out of it. Drama, sadness, playfulness and great humour. Lamb really is an appalling character and I can easily understand those who don't like him but he is bloody funny too!
Herron really doesn't worry about keeping characters alive so do expect that some will not make it to the end of the book AND it ends on a cliffhanger. 4.5/5 and I will read all the books I can.1
Herron really doesn't worry about keeping characters alive so do expect that some will not make it to the end of the book AND it ends on a cliffhanger. 4.5/5 and I will read all the books I can.1
December 22, 2023
Well this is a book that's full of surprises and yet crammed full of exactly what you expect (and want) in a Slough House book.
On this occasion Slough House itself is under threat and, by default, all of its occupants. They're being followed. All of them. Some people are even following Lamb, which seems a rather insane thing to do. Did noone warn them.
So that's the first string. The next string is that someone is killing spooks. Is it sanctioned? Does anyone know who's to blame? Someone has let other dogs than those at the Park loose and its turning into a bloodbath.
Third string involves Russian spies, Novichok, a dead journalist and his partner, ex-spooks and even a surprise appearance or three. It's yet another game of guess who this person is based on - to be fair, some of the characters are so obviously based on certain people I'm amazed noone's been down their solicitors. My favourite is Judd's new best pal, Damien Cantor.
Of course the usual suspects are all behaving true to form but, at times, they are truly off the leash and it's nice to see Wicinski get a bigger role. Shirley is still teetering, Catherine is still long-suffering, Louisa is trying hard to be the most normal person around and Roddy Ho is gradually becoming more deluded as time goes on. I'm still waiting for someone to give him the slap he so clearly deserves but then Judd is just as deserving as is Lady Di Taverner. Maybe, must maybe, one of them will get their comeuppance a little in this episode.
Onto the latest (and so far, the last) in the series. Dead Actors you have a lot to live up to.
On this occasion Slough House itself is under threat and, by default, all of its occupants. They're being followed. All of them. Some people are even following Lamb, which seems a rather insane thing to do. Did noone warn them.
So that's the first string. The next string is that someone is killing spooks. Is it sanctioned? Does anyone know who's to blame? Someone has let other dogs than those at the Park loose and its turning into a bloodbath.
Third string involves Russian spies, Novichok, a dead journalist and his partner, ex-spooks and even a surprise appearance or three. It's yet another game of guess who this person is based on - to be fair, some of the characters are so obviously based on certain people I'm amazed noone's been down their solicitors. My favourite is Judd's new best pal, Damien Cantor.
Of course the usual suspects are all behaving true to form but, at times, they are truly off the leash and it's nice to see Wicinski get a bigger role. Shirley is still teetering, Catherine is still long-suffering, Louisa is trying hard to be the most normal person around and Roddy Ho is gradually becoming more deluded as time goes on. I'm still waiting for someone to give him the slap he so clearly deserves but then Judd is just as deserving as is Lady Di Taverner. Maybe, must maybe, one of them will get their comeuppance a little in this episode.
Onto the latest (and so far, the last) in the series. Dead Actors you have a lot to live up to.
January 16, 2023
Probably all that really need be said about Slough House is that it’s well up to the standard of the rest of this brilliant series. It is difficult to elaborate more without any spoilers, but…
Slough House has everything one expects from Mick Herron: a complex but comprehensible plot involving the usual political chicanery involving Diana Taverner and Peter Judd (who, disclaimers about resemblance to real people living or dead notwithstanding, is a brilliant parody of the current Prime Minister). There is genuine threat from foreign agents, too, with some very exciting passages and sometimes wholly unexpected developments. The occupants of Slough House are their customary brilliant character studies with Roddy Ho’s wonderful self-delusion and Shirley Dander’s impatient, drug-fuelled rage especially prominent this time – and, of course, Jackson Lamb is on magnificently sharp, repellent form.
In short, this is another cracker from Mick Herron. It’s gripping, involving, very funny in places and has a very shrewd take on contemporary events. Very warmly recommended indeed. (And how long until the next one…?)
(My thanks to John Murray for an ARC vis NetGalley.)
Slough House has everything one expects from Mick Herron: a complex but comprehensible plot involving the usual political chicanery involving Diana Taverner and Peter Judd (who, disclaimers about resemblance to real people living or dead notwithstanding, is a brilliant parody of the current Prime Minister). There is genuine threat from foreign agents, too, with some very exciting passages and sometimes wholly unexpected developments. The occupants of Slough House are their customary brilliant character studies with Roddy Ho’s wonderful self-delusion and Shirley Dander’s impatient, drug-fuelled rage especially prominent this time – and, of course, Jackson Lamb is on magnificently sharp, repellent form.
In short, this is another cracker from Mick Herron. It’s gripping, involving, very funny in places and has a very shrewd take on contemporary events. Very warmly recommended indeed. (And how long until the next one…?)
(My thanks to John Murray for an ARC vis NetGalley.)
May 17, 2021
Slough House is the seventh book in the brilliantly unique Slow Horses British spy thriller series - soon to be seen on TV in a star-studded adaptation. You probably do need to have read the earlier books to understand the character dynamics, and previous events are referenced throughout - we listened to the audiobook and The Cats’ Father, who hasn’t read the previous books, was able to follow but missed a lot of the jokes & plot points. There are a lot of characters and rapid changes of scene, and so you do have to pay attention - which I find harder while listening than eye-reading, but I did enjoy the narrator’s range of voices.
Something strange is happening to the remaining denizens of Slough House, the decrepit London building where failed spies are sent to wither away in career oblivion: someone has wiped their identities from the MI5 database, and former employees have started dying. Repulsive wily old Jackson Lamb - arguably the most un-PC character in modern fiction - discovers that scheming First Desk Diana Taverner is up to no good again: a revenge attack on a Russian operative in Kazan, as retaliation for the infamous Salisbury novichok poisonings. She may have gone too far though, having involved corrupt former politician Peter Judd and ambitious young media tycoon Damon Cantor in the conspiracy, and the fall-out is now beyond her control - with the Slow Horses set to pay the price. Can River, Shirley, Roddy, Lech, Catherine and Louisa survive long enough to expose the villains - and how does a door-stopping gay American dwarf fit in?
These books are certainly not for everyone - there’s dark satire, vicious political commentary, a whole cast of miserable characters being awful to one another - Shirley’s the only one who ever enjoys herself, and that’s only because she’s always drunk or on drugs - and some nasty murders, but they are also laugh out loud funny with some of the best insults ever - I might have to listen to it again to save them up. They’re set in an alternate but close version of Britain, post Brexit (which is never named but referred to frequently nevertheless) and pre-Covid.
I didn’t like this one quite as much as the earlier instalments, I’m not sure if that was the plot or the format, and I don’t like cliffhanger endings - especially as I no longer seem to be deemed worthy of ARCs for the series so have a long wait to find out what happens next - surely he wouldn’t...? It’s still a solid 4 star read/listen though, and I can’t wait to see it on the small screen.
Something strange is happening to the remaining denizens of Slough House, the decrepit London building where failed spies are sent to wither away in career oblivion: someone has wiped their identities from the MI5 database, and former employees have started dying. Repulsive wily old Jackson Lamb - arguably the most un-PC character in modern fiction - discovers that scheming First Desk Diana Taverner is up to no good again: a revenge attack on a Russian operative in Kazan, as retaliation for the infamous Salisbury novichok poisonings. She may have gone too far though, having involved corrupt former politician Peter Judd and ambitious young media tycoon Damon Cantor in the conspiracy, and the fall-out is now beyond her control - with the Slow Horses set to pay the price. Can River, Shirley, Roddy, Lech, Catherine and Louisa survive long enough to expose the villains - and how does a door-stopping gay American dwarf fit in?
These books are certainly not for everyone - there’s dark satire, vicious political commentary, a whole cast of miserable characters being awful to one another - Shirley’s the only one who ever enjoys herself, and that’s only because she’s always drunk or on drugs - and some nasty murders, but they are also laugh out loud funny with some of the best insults ever - I might have to listen to it again to save them up. They’re set in an alternate but close version of Britain, post Brexit (which is never named but referred to frequently nevertheless) and pre-Covid.
I didn’t like this one quite as much as the earlier instalments, I’m not sure if that was the plot or the format, and I don’t like cliffhanger endings - especially as I no longer seem to be deemed worthy of ARCs for the series so have a long wait to find out what happens next - surely he wouldn’t...? It’s still a solid 4 star read/listen though, and I can’t wait to see it on the small screen.
April 1, 2021
This is yet another winning book from the series featuring the "slow horses" of Britain's intelligence world. Pretty much everything extreme one can imagine happens, and it is a wild ride start to finish. There are hysterical episodes, ridiculous circumstances hard to accept and poignant moments for good measure. I love this series, but it does require starting at the beginning.
I do admit that it may not be the best choice of a book during Holy Week, but I am glad I read it and also learned that this is being turned into a series for Apple viewing sometime in future. How will the farts be treated, I wonder.
I do admit that it may not be the best choice of a book during Holy Week, but I am glad I read it and also learned that this is being turned into a series for Apple viewing sometime in future. How will the farts be treated, I wonder.
December 18, 2021
In the seventh installment of this series, Mick Herron returns to the convoluted and devious world of the British Secret Service and the inhabitants of Slough House.These “Joes” are the disgraced of the secret world, shunted aside and relegated to meaningless tasks that underscore their irrelevance. At the head of this seeming hodgepodge of debris stands the Falstaffian Jackson Lamb. He rules his group with invective, coarseness and vituperation yet is protective as a mother hen when they are threatened.
Currently, the “ Slow Horses” have had their personnel files erased from the digital data base. Additionally, their members, both past and present, are being stalked and targeted for extinction. Once the Horses become aware of their peril,they become enmeshed in a larger set of events, triggered by a misguided alliance initiated by the First Chair, Lady Di. This drama provides Herron a canvas for portraying current world political conditions and satirizing the foibles of our decision makers, bureaucratic institutions and media crazes.
Herron’s remarkable prose holds the reader in thrall.It is poetic, sparse and insightful.He portrays a world where information is guarded closely, innuendo is a deadly weapon and territory is guarded with a vengeance.He achieves these effects with an economical and rapier like wit. Describing a major power player, Herron observes,”Innocence became him like a wimple does a stripper.” This same verbal facility enables Herron to poke fun at his characters while simultaneously imbuing them with enough humanity and vulnerability that we long to know them better.
This novel is short in length but long in depth.My only challenge when reading this series is to remind myself to slow down. The texture and quality of the imagery should be savored, like a fine wine and not rushed, like a soft drink.I would encourage all readers to savor the bouquet,swirl it around and enjoy as slow a journey of consumption as possible.
Currently, the “ Slow Horses” have had their personnel files erased from the digital data base. Additionally, their members, both past and present, are being stalked and targeted for extinction. Once the Horses become aware of their peril,they become enmeshed in a larger set of events, triggered by a misguided alliance initiated by the First Chair, Lady Di. This drama provides Herron a canvas for portraying current world political conditions and satirizing the foibles of our decision makers, bureaucratic institutions and media crazes.
Herron’s remarkable prose holds the reader in thrall.It is poetic, sparse and insightful.He portrays a world where information is guarded closely, innuendo is a deadly weapon and territory is guarded with a vengeance.He achieves these effects with an economical and rapier like wit. Describing a major power player, Herron observes,”Innocence became him like a wimple does a stripper.” This same verbal facility enables Herron to poke fun at his characters while simultaneously imbuing them with enough humanity and vulnerability that we long to know them better.
This novel is short in length but long in depth.My only challenge when reading this series is to remind myself to slow down. The texture and quality of the imagery should be savored, like a fine wine and not rushed, like a soft drink.I would encourage all readers to savor the bouquet,swirl it around and enjoy as slow a journey of consumption as possible.
June 20, 2025
I first read (Slough House #7) in November 2020 prior to its official publication on 4 February 2021. I reread it in May 2023, and then for a third time in June 2025. It bears these multiple readings as there so much detail and nuance to enjoy.
Mick Herron uses contemporary events to inform his plots which gives them the feel of a highly credible parallel universe. Slough House takes place this against the backdrop of Brexit and a new populist street protest movement inspired by the French gilets jaunes. Things in the real world may be going from bad to worse but Mick Herron always manages to wring humour and drama from the worst of circumstances. Here the notion of a Public Private Partnership get a whole new meaning as the Slough House team, having been wiped from Service records, start having fatal "accidents".
The star of the show continues to be Jackson Lamb, the Slough House boss. As obnoxious as ever but underestimate him at your peril. Saying anything else about the plot might ruin the magic, suffice to say Mick Herron delivers again, as always.
4/5
Mick Herron uses contemporary events to inform his plots which gives them the feel of a highly credible parallel universe. Slough House takes place this against the backdrop of Brexit and a new populist street protest movement inspired by the French gilets jaunes. Things in the real world may be going from bad to worse but Mick Herron always manages to wring humour and drama from the worst of circumstances. Here the notion of a Public Private Partnership get a whole new meaning as the Slough House team, having been wiped from Service records, start having fatal "accidents".
The star of the show continues to be Jackson Lamb, the Slough House boss. As obnoxious as ever but underestimate him at your peril. Saying anything else about the plot might ruin the magic, suffice to say Mick Herron delivers again, as always.
4/5
April 17, 2025
Another book in the Slow Horses Slough House series book7. it's reflecting back to book 1, so familiar characters return, including the odeous Jackson Lamb who somehow is becoming less so before my eyes as the series is developed. This one involves Lady Di, who has made dangerous decisions in terms of financing the park / MI5. The occupants of Slough House have had their records wiped, and they are being followed by spies from the park. The series is brilliant, witty, funny, well observed, brilliant, well developed, and imperfect characters and full of intrigue. As usual, one of the main characters is taken off the board, but it is left as a cliffhanger, so I really hope they survive, and just as an old character resurfaces asking for help. I love how the author makes commentary on the political climate and the infamous Peter Judd is back. I spent too much time in his company. It's a great book in the series which I'd recommend to those who'd like irreverent spy thrillers with an edge.
October 13, 2025
Once again, this story served its purpose as an interlude between more challenging reads. I felt this was one of the better installments in the series. The take-off of the story was smoother; there was less build-up and groundwork at the beginning. Herron still did a good job describing the scenes and creating the vibe that he does so well, but he did it with fewer words. There were several significant twists in the plot, and the ending was different in that there were more storylines left hanging, a real cliffhanger of sorts.
I wonder if anyone has considered promoting the Jackson Lamb management techniques or the Jackson Lamb leadership style. While I jest, honestly, the guy does a lot of things right. He really cares about his Joes.
I wonder if anyone has considered promoting the Jackson Lamb management techniques or the Jackson Lamb leadership style. While I jest, honestly, the guy does a lot of things right. He really cares about his Joes.
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