Mick Herron’s Slow Horses presents a Fun House version of John Le Carre’s world of spies. When spies screw up in Herron’s London, they’re sent to Slough House, a run-down building run by Jackson Lamb–a burned out secret agent. The disgraced spies spend their time at the intelligence dumping ground performing routine tasks and transcribing cell phone conversations.
But when a young man is kidnapped and his captors threaten to televise his beheading in real time online, MI5 decides to include the “slow horses” of Slough House in the manhunt. The band of misfits track the victim and reveal a plot with national repercussions. If you’re in the mood for a twisty spy novel that blends The Spy Who Came In From the Cold and The Dirty Dozen, Slow Horses delivers. I’ll be reading the rest of the series in the months ahead. Do you enjoy spy novels? GRADE: B+
SLOUGH HOUSE SERIES:
Slow Horses (2010)
Dead Lions (2013)
The List (2015 novella)
Real Tigers (2016)
Spook Street (2017)
London Rules (2018)
The Drop (US title: “The Marylebone Drop”) (2018 novella)
Joe Country (2019)
I have read all the Slough House books. I enjoy them but I had a rough time getting into the last one. I love a good spy novel-LeCarre, Ambler Alan Furst, Olen Steinhauer, Deighton, Greene, and Robert Littell are among my favorites.
Steve, I’ll be reading the SLOUGH HOUSE series over the next few months. I’ve read and liked books by all the spy novel writers you list.
Yes, I do. Just read SECRET SERVICE by Tom Bradby. I’ve read the first three or four of these and, with one exception, liked them all. Will catch up on the others at some time. I agree with Steve on Olen Steinhauer.
Jeff, I have some Steinhauer that I need to read soon.
Not really. I don’t seem to have the instinct for following the plot.. Also they are too little about character for me. Phil loved them.
Patti, I remember talking with Phil about spy novels. He was certainly a fan.
Nope, don’t care that much for them, though I did read Spy Who Came In From the Cold and liked it well enough. That was a long time ago. I except the James Bond novels, which I do like.
Rick, I usually associate spy novels with Summer Beach Books. But I read a strong review of Mick Heron’s spy novels so I plunged in.
I don’t chaw and I don’t read spy books!
Bob, I always thought you were a James Bond guy.
I am, but he’s more of an adventurer to me.
Bob, but you can out dance James Bond any day of the week!
Same here!
In the 60s already found them boring, 007 even left me cold.
Wolf, I’m more of an IMPOSSIBLE MISSIONs guy than a James Bond guy.
I don’t read spy novels nearly as much as I used to, but when I did I mostly preferred the Brits. But the one American who can stand with the Brits, or anyone, is Charles McCarry, especially his Paul Christopher novels. If I had to recommend just one, it would be “The Tears of Autumn”. I’ve been considering the Herron novels but haven’t gotten to them yet.
Michael, I’m a fan of Charles McCarry, too. THE TEARS OF AUTUMN is very good!