From the Bookshelf of Reading the Detectives…

Joe Country (Slough House, #6)

Mick Herron

Start date: July 14, 2019

Finish date: August 5, 2019

Discussion: Buddy reads

Why we're reading this: Members have been reading the very popular Slough House thrillers, and this is the latest in the series.
[close] Members have been reading the very popular Slough House thrillers, and this is the latest in the series.

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What Members Thought

May 25, 2019 Susan rated it it was amazing

Without doubt, this is currently my favourite series at the moment. Mick Herron has created an intelligent, darkly humorous, world of spooks and outsiders, which are enriched, and linked to, the novellas, which he ties into this book. This is very much part of a series though, so do not start with this book and imagine you can jump right in, or you will be lost. Instead, head back to, “Slow Horses,” and I envy you discovering Herron’s world from the start.

There is a new Slow Horse in this book, Without doubt, this is currently my favourite series at the moment. Mick Herron has created an intelligent, darkly humorous, world of spooks and outsiders, which are enriched, and linked to, the novellas, which he ties into this book. This is very much part of a series though, so do not start with this book and imagine you can jump right in, or you will be lost. Instead, head back to, “Slow Horses,” and I envy you discovering Herron’s world from the start.

There is a new Slow Horse in this book, Alex Wicinski, who begins life at Slough House like so many before him – confused, bewildered, and in denial. This will all be sorted, he will soon be back at the Park and his life will soon be back on track. Those who have already been side-lined to the world of the Slow Horses avoid him, as though his despair is contagious. They know the score and are aware the road from the Park to Slough House, is one way.

However, the mindless, numbing tasks that the group are usually involved in, are soon forgotten, as, some of the Slow Horses, find themselves, once again in Joe Country. Louisa is asked to help Min Harper’s wife and, out of guilt, and a sense of responsibility, finds herself on a mission that should be fairly simple and soon isn’t. Meanwhile, River is enraged when his long missing father appears back in the picture and, as he so often does, reacts without thinking things through.

From Mick Herron’s sly portraits of current politicians, to his recognition of the casual cruelty still deemed acceptable by those with money and power, through to his wonderful recognitions of the weaknesses and strengths of the country (including London grinding to a halt after a few snowflakes) and we are back in his world. Beneath the humour there is darkness, and danger, and death. Fans will be smitten, concerned, and emotionally wrung out by the end of this book. As it should be, we long to read more. I (gratefully) received a copy of this book from the publishers, via NetGalley, for review. ...more

46 likes · Like · see review

Jun 05, 2019 Maine Colonial rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: espionage, favorite-authors, british

I received a publisher's free advance review copy.

Val McDermid’s blurb says “Mick Herron is the John le Carré of our generation.” Well, sort of, I guess, in that Herron’s Slough House series is about the British intelligence services, whose deeply cynical agents operate in a political environment that hardly deserves protecting. But the tone is different from le Carré’s. It reminds me of the late Reginald Hill’s Dalziel and Pascoe series, with Herron’s Jackson Lamb playing the Dalziel part. But ...more

6 likes · Like · see review

Jan 25, 2023 Carolien rated it really liked it

Shelves: 2023, crime

Another excellent instalment in the Slough House series. An indiscrete incident involving a member of the Royal Family ensnares Min Harper's son and his widow calls on Louisa to help find the missing teen. This soon turns into a race against time between members of the Slough House team and a group of mercenaries including River's estranged father.

This is a series to be read in order including the novellas. One of the threads in this book focuses on the arrival of Alec Wicinski in the team whic ...more

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Jul 04, 2019 AngryGreyCat rated it really liked it

Joe Country by Mick Herron is book 6 in the Slough House series. I generally try to space out books in a series to not read them to close together, but book 5 was so good I couldn’t wait to read this one. There is a new “recruit” to Slough House, Lech Wicinski, a man who can’t quite believe that he is ending up there. Jackson Lamb is still his usual disagreeable self. River’s grandfather, the OB, dies and River’s father shows up at the funeral causing a scene. Finally, most of the team finds the ...more

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Sep 04, 2023 Marcella rated it liked it

Shelves: fiction, 2023-75-book-challenge

"It’d be like choosing between Jeremy Clarkson and Piers Morgan in a bare-knuckle death match. There ought to be a way both could lose."

There's a bit too much "men writing women" nonsense in this one. Women jealous over each other's looks, even if those women are bad-ass spies, is an annoying way to write a character, and the only lesbian character being paranoid about male attention and stereotypically angry all the time isn't a good look either. Yes, all the characters are supposed to have fla ...more

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Oct 18, 2024 Louise Culmer rated it really liked it · review of another edition

The Slow Horses are galloping off to Wales this time, in pursuit of Min Harper’s errant son, whom someone is trying to kill( but, as we know, being a Slow Horse is really boring, nothing ever happens to them etc.). And there is dirty work going on in London as well. This is full of thrills as usual, with much dark humour, including a riotous funeral. There is not as much of Jackson Lamb as in previous books though, and as he is by far the most entertaining character this is a bit disappointing. ...more

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Jul 06, 2019 Jill rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: jill-s-fifth-year-challenge-plan, mick-herron

Yet again Herron has maintained his high standard. This book is written slightly differently, as there are only two real chapters, but we readers are left with constant "cliff-hangers" all the way through. We are introduced to a character who appeared in a former book, who's luck has dramatically changed, thus him being a new Joe under Jackson Lamb at Slough House. One that the "horses" are giving a wide berth. Meanwhile, Louisa is asked to help a former colleague's wife find her son who has gon ...more

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