From the Bookshelf of Reading the Detectives…

London Rules (Slough House, #5)

Mick Herron

Start date: May 16, 2019

Finish date: June 5, 2019

Discussion: Archive: Mick Herron Buddy Reads

Why we're reading this: Our Mick Herron fans are buddy reading the Slough House series together.
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Archive: Mick Herron Buddy Reads

Slow Horses by Mick Herron - SPOILER Thread
By Susan · 58 posts · 146 views

last updated Apr 02, 2022 12:23AM

Slow Horses by Mick Herron
By Susan · 42 posts · 64 views

last updated Aug 06, 2021 09:37PM

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What Members Thought

Jan 29, 2018 Susan rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Without doubt, Mick Herron has created the best, modern spy series, in his Slough House books and this, latest instalment, is a wonderful addition. It begins with what seems to be a terrorist outrage, with us readers falling into line and imagining we know who is behind it. However, this is Mick Herron, these are the Slow Horses, and plots do not go in straight lines here – they meander, double back, peer around corners and call your bluff.

So, things are not what they seem and our current batch Without doubt, Mick Herron has created the best, modern spy series, in his Slough House books and this, latest instalment, is a wonderful addition. It begins with what seems to be a terrorist outrage, with us readers falling into line and imagining we know who is behind it. However, this is Mick Herron, these are the Slow Horses, and plots do not go in straight lines here – they meander, double back, peer around corners and call your bluff.

So, things are not what they seem and our current batch of Slow Horses are eager to be involved with events. Except, without even realising it, they are, in fact, already involved. If not central, to what is going on. At least Roderick Ho (‘the Rodster’) is. However, so deluded is he – so blindly self assured – that he is not questioning much, including the fact that he has a beautiful new girlfriend; even if she does make excuses at the end of the evening, but too much of a good thing, right? Oh, nor does he realise that someone is trying to kill him. For Roddy Ho is up to his neck in trouble and it is up to Jackson Lamb, who, whatever his faults, will always do his best to protect his Slow Horses, to work out what is going on.

The real joy about Mick Herron is his writing. He makes all his characters human and sympathetic; even those who are doing very bad things. His books are full of deft plotting, dry one liners and bizarre events (the ‘paint’ scene will stay with me forever). Along the way, we have ambitious politicians with secrets, the wonderful Diana Taverner, longing to be in power and, central to everything, Jackson Lamb. Lamb, who rarely moves from his shadowy lair, but who everyone is wary of, and always seems to be around at the right moment – we see some of his impeccable timing in this novel.

This series is a joy. The latest instalment is intelligent, witty, and will make you long to read more by Mick Herron. He is an author on top of his game and, like Jackson Lamb, he can do no wrong in my eyes. I received a copy of this book from the publisher, via NetGalley, for review. ...more

43 likes · Like · see review

May 11, 2019 Susan rated it it was amazing

Without doubt, Mick Herron has created the best, modern spy series, in his Slough House books and this, latest instalment, is a wonderful addition. It begins with what seems to be a terrorist outrage, with us readers falling into line and imagining we know who is behind it. However, this is Mick Herron, these are the Slow Horses, and plots do not go in straight lines here – they meander, double back, peer around corners and call your bluff.

So, things are not what they seem and our current batch Without doubt, Mick Herron has created the best, modern spy series, in his Slough House books and this, latest instalment, is a wonderful addition. It begins with what seems to be a terrorist outrage, with us readers falling into line and imagining we know who is behind it. However, this is Mick Herron, these are the Slow Horses, and plots do not go in straight lines here – they meander, double back, peer around corners and call your bluff.

So, things are not what they seem and our current batch of Slow Horses are eager to be involved with events. Except, without even realising it, they are, in fact, already involved. If not central, to what is going on. At least Roderick Ho (‘the Rodster’) is. However, so deluded is he – so blindly self assured – that he is not questioning much, including the fact that he has a beautiful new girlfriend; even if she does make excuses at the end of the evening, but too much of a good thing, right? Oh, nor does he realise that someone is trying to kill him. For Roddy Ho is up to his neck in trouble and it is up to Jackson Lamb, who, whatever his faults, will always do his best to protect his Slow Horses, to work out what is going on.

The real joy about Mick Herron is his writing. He makes all his characters human and sympathetic; even those who are doing very bad things. His books are full of deft plotting, dry one liners and bizarre events (the ‘paint’ scene will stay with me forever). Along the way, we have ambitious politicians with secrets, the wonderful Diana Taverner, longing to be in power and, central to everything, Jackson Lamb. Lamb, who rarely moves from his shadowy lair, but who everyone is wary of, and always seems to be around at the right moment – in fact we see some of his impeccable timing in this novel.

This series is a joy. The latest instalment is intelligent, witty, and will make you long to read more by Mick Herron. He is an author on top of his game and, like Jackson Lamb, he can do no wrong in my eyes.

...more

21 likes · Like · see review

Feb 19, 2018 Maine Colonial rated it it was amazing

Shelves: british, novel, police-procedural

There are so many excellent reviews already posted that I’m not going to go into a lot of detail here. What I do want to say is that this is my favorite of the Slough House series since the first book—and none of them is a dud.

Where le Carré was the master of the Cold War espionage story and nailed that sense of betrayal lurking around every corner, Mick Herron writes for our era, when there is no defined enemy state, but there are mindless agents of all kinds of screwed-up organizations who cou ...more

11 likes · Like · see review

Jan 07, 2023 Carolien rated it really liked it

Shelves: 2022, crime

Roddy Ho is very impressed with himself as he has a girlfriend. Then Shirley sees him getting nearly run over. So how could this be connected to a larger plot to destabilise the country? Dark and bitingly funny.

7 likes · Like · see review

Sep 07, 2021 Roger Pettit rated it it was amazing

What a wonderful discovery this novel is! It’s the fifth in a series of humorous spy thrillers about Slough House, the name of the (fictional, I presume!) organisation in London (or, to be more accurate, the building from which they operate) where failed or enervated MI5 employees are banished to, to spend the rest of their washed-up careers. The principal character is Jackson Lamb, who leads one of the Slough House teams. Lamb is a simply wonderful creation: an astute person with an irreverent What a wonderful discovery this novel is! It’s the fifth in a series of humorous spy thrillers about Slough House, the name of the (fictional, I presume!) organisation in London (or, to be more accurate, the building from which they operate) where failed or enervated MI5 employees are banished to, to spend the rest of their washed-up careers. The principal character is Jackson Lamb, who leads one of the Slough House teams. Lamb is a simply wonderful creation: an astute person with an irreverent and sardonic sense of humour, embarrassing personal habits (he is prone to belching and farting at the drop of a hat, in front of his colleagues) and an inept approach to personal management.

In this story, a group of terrorists is trying to disrupt the UK with a string of violent attacks (one of which involves killing some penguins) and are using a strategy contained in a blueprint devised by the intelligence services themselves for potential use against a recalcitrant minor state or country. The terrorists seem to have got hold of it through one of Lamb’s team, Roddy Ho, whose girlfriend inveigled it out of him. Ho’s life is under threat, seemingly from the terrorist group, as is that of two prominent politicians. The principal branch of the intelligence services, the Park (referred to thus because they are based in Regent’s Park in central London), intervenes. The relationship between the Park and Slough House is, perhaps not surprisingly, one of mutual suspicion, mistrust and contempt.

‘London Rules’ is just what the spy novel needs to reinvigorate itself. It’s a wonderfully entertaining spoof of more traditional espionage tales. The plot is not original but it’s laid out deftly and Herron writes in a very readable style. What sets the novel apart is
the dry humour. The dialogue is brilliantly witty. Lamb is given some wonderful lines. I had to stop reading the book during one train journey. I could not stop laughing uproariously at some of Lamb’s crazily non-PC comments and the only way to stop drawing attention to myself was to stop reading!

‘London Rules’ is unquestionably the most entertaining novel I have read for a while. I most definitely now intend to read the other books in the series (and to do so chronologically, because it will be interesting to observe how, if at all, the principal characters, particularly Lamb, have developed). ...more

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Aug 01, 2023 Marcella rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: fiction, 2023-75-book-challenge

Another adeptly plotted yet constantly witty pageturner by Mick Herron. I love these fucked-up spooks with their tragic flaws and hapless incompetence. It's hard not to highlight and paste the entire book when selecting the best quotes.

"Yes yes yes, we’ll get the grammar police onto her first thing. Do they have actual powers of arrest, do you think? Or will they just hang her from the nearest participle?”

"This was nothing to do with religion or spiritual awareness, just her hard-won knowledge ...more

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Oct 17, 2024 Louise Culmer rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Another exciting adventure for the gang from Slough House, where nothing interesting ever happens (apart from murders, attempted murders, shootouts, kidnappings etc). An armed gang shoots people at a village in Derbyshire, and someone tries to kill Ho. Are those two events connected? The not so slow horses will find out. This one has the most thrilling climax yet, I do hope that when Apple TV film it they don’t mess with it as they have with some of the others.

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Apr 27, 2019 Jill rated it it was amazing

Shelves: mick-herron

This episode from Slow Horses really is captivating. As usual no one is safe, whoever they are. Some who conspire, and some who are complete innocents, get caught up once again in life or death situations. At times, you see no way out for some of the people involved, but then those who deserve it get the benefit of Jackson Lamb, as he is always true to his "Joes".
With all their troubles and foibles, Herron's characters are just so believable. Some yearning for power and others just wanting to ge ...more

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Jun 22, 2019 Frances rated it really liked it

Shelves: mystery-series

Best spy series ever-funny and clever and entertaining.

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Jul 09, 2018 Tom rated it really liked it

Another brilliant and thoroughly enjoyably entertaining addition to Slough House series. Mick Herron is without question the best thriller writer working today. As problem plagued as the Slow Horses are, I just love them. Can't wait for Slough House #6. I miss them already. If you haven't read any of the Slough House series, get started! They are a joy! And Herron is just a flat out brilliant writer. ...more

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