I can't get enough of these books - funny, so very well plotted, and great characters. English crime at it's very best.

#netgalley #spookstreet

The unlovely, cunning Jackson Lamb is the head of Slough House, where "slow horses", the dregs and stuff-ups of the secret service, have been relegated to. A body is discovered in the residence of a former top spymaster of the Cold War, now suffering from dementia who has been revealing state secrets.

Mick Herron is a great writer. His plots and cast of characters are intimately and clinically portrayed. Sarcasm and biting humour abounds. The writing is cinematic, with a mix of action and understated tension, this is espionage writing at its best.

I love how the books begin with an intimate and filmic roving description of Slough House house itself, as an office, a living space, or from the perspective of an animal or insect.

Suffice to say that I went out and bought the all the available published books that is how much I loved these books in the "Slough House" series.

A breath of fresh air in the noirish espionage genre - for there are certainly elements of noir in Jackson Lamb, our anti-hero and Cold War leftover.

A meandering story the leaves you wondering where you will end up - and not always at the conclusion you think you are heading towards.

I would love to see this as a TV series!

Mick Herron does it again with another highly readable modem day espionage tale. He has the plotting of Le Carre mixed with a very dark streak of humour. His plots are very current and newsworthy, this time a group of rogue agents needs reigning in and the Slow Horses come to the rescue, well as best they can.

Highly recommended series and looking forward to the next book.

My favourite instalment of this first-rate series, so far.

A few months have passed since the goings-on of Real Tigers, and the fallout from those events, in terms of personnel, is massive. In the intervening months the slow horses haven't seen much of their boss, Jackson Lamb, and nothing at all of their colleague, Catherine Standish. But Moira Tregorian has taken over Standish's office with a view to straightening out Slough House's administration, and a basically mute JK Coe from The List: A Novella is sharing River's office. Elsewhere in the Service, new characters Whelan and Flyte have been brought in to take over key roles.

The action begins with a BANG! - a suicide bomber in a crowded London shopping centre. But from then on, the intrigue becomes very internally focussed, hinging on the exploits of David Cartwright 20 years earlier when he was First Desk in all but name. This is most unfortunate, because as River confides in Louisa, there is a fear that the senior Cartwright's mind and memory are failing him.

As the deceptions pile up and the body count rises, readers might wonder if anyone is going to make it through to the end!

So this time the slow horses aren't just roped into the action; it's actually about them, and I think this is why I enjoyed the book even more than the previous instalments. I am totally invested in their story, so I was on the edge of my seat, trying not to chew my nails, turning the pages as quickly as I could (are you getting the picture?) to see how this was going to be resolved.

A thoroughly satisfying addition to the Slough House series.

Loved it. Mick Herron has excelled again. Think humourous John Le Carre. Well recommended. Can't wait for the next instalment.

Another top quality read from Mr Herron. This time around things are a lot closer to home for one of the Slow Horses.
Jackson Brown is his usual obnoxious self (and an absolute joy to read as a character), there are new members of the Slough House team to meet and a story that tears along to the last page.

Full review on www.ebookwyrm.blogspot.com soon but until then, if you haven't discovered the Slough House books take my word for it and start now

Another brilliantly entertaining book in this great series - although the author dealt me a very severe shock early 0n. Luckily I recovered and then everything went really well:)

Jackson Lamb reached new heights in his lack of political correctness and was as appalling as ever in his general hygiene. On the other hand he was very, very funny and despite every appearance to the contrary, very caring of his staff. His best asset though is that he always seems to know everything before anyone else does which comes in very useful when a trained assassin arrives to take down every one at Slough House.

I hope the author realises that he has written such a masterful character in Lamb that when he is not on the page things seem a little less interesting. Herron is always so ready to kill off even his main characters - let's hope he never does it to this particular one!

And as luck would have it there's another book out already and it's waiting on my kindle. Bliss.

4.5★

“‘So you were letting him do your dirty work? That doesn’t sound like you.’
‘A good boss provides opportunities for personal growth and development. I think we were all winners, on the day.’ ”

Boss Jackson Lamb always has plenty of dirty work and plenty of so-called opportunities for the Slow Horses of Slough House, loosely referred to as an arm of the Secret Service at Regent Park.

“Slough House was a branch of the Service, certainly, but ‘arm’ was pitching it strong. As was ‘finger’, come to that; fingers could be on the button or on the pulse. Fingernails, now: those, you clipped, discarded, and never wanted to see again. So Slough House was a fingernail of the Service: a fair step from Regent’s Park geographically, and on another planet in most other ways.”

The personnel are all failed spies (“joes” when they’re on an op and active in the field), but have been sidelined rather than terminated following some unforgivable mistake.

River Cartwright was the main character in the last instalment, “Real Tigers”, and we met his grandfather, David Cartwright, fondly referred to by all as the OB, the Old Bastard, who was a seriously high spook in the service in his day. River’s mother left him in his grandparents’ care when he was a little boy, and he loved listening to the old stories, always carefully edited for his ears. When River joined the service, the OB shared more stories, but certainly not all.

But he’s in his 80s now, lives alone in the country, and River is more and more worried about his grandfather’s increasing forgetfulness and wondering what the likelihood is of the OB “reminiscing” and revealing state secrets to neighbours or shopkeepers. He also wonders what steps the Service might do to deal with this risk.

The OB, on the other hand, knows he’s forgetful, but he has retained his lifelong suspicion of everyone. He keeps an eye out for “stoats”, as he refers to “the watchers” who may be sent to spy on him. He knows he’s superfluous to requirements and a bit of a loose cannon, and he’s determined not to be eliminated by either side.

I never thought about how dangerous life would be for old spies getting dementia. What do you do with them? These were the people who have kept us feeling safe. Whether we were or not or whether their methods were “acceptable” or not is beside the point. The OB is a decided risk, and while he may forget his trousers, he doesn’t forget to look for evidence he’s being watched.

And he still has a gun. Oops. This could get serious.

Meanwhile, things have changed at Slough House, with nerdy-beyond-belief Roddy Ho sporting “cool” clothes and bragging about a girlfriend. He’s always thought he follows all the rules he’s read in magazines and that he is irresistible. Unbelievable is more like it.

“‘Jesus. And this is an actual relationship? Not an abduction? Well well well.’
Lamb dropped the appalled expression, and beamed round at the company. ‘See what you can achieve with a little application?’
He patted Ho on the shoulder. ‘It does me good to see you rise above your disability.’

‘I don’t have a disability,’ Ho said.

‘That’s the spirit. . .

Jackson Lamb, a glorious slob, a brilliant but disreputable head of this strange bunch of has-beens, is a master of the back-handed “compliment”.

The book starts off with a bang, literally, kept me anxious to see what was next, and then it crossed into a whole different area and I didn’t know where it was going. It lost some of the sarcastic tone and the story got bleaker by the rain-soaked minute. Less banter, less sarcasm, more plot, which for a mystery is hardly a bad thing. I wondered what Herron was up to.

But it wasn’t until he began tying up some of the threads so i could see why he digressed that I got fascinated again. More action, more surprises (and yes, more banter and character development), and all-in-all, another great read in the series.

Thanks to NetGalley and Hachette Australia for the preview copy from which I’ve quoted (not nearly as much as I’m tempted to, I have to say). Love the series!

Hmmm.... I think I’ve figured out the author, Mick Herron.

When he’s writing "a book" and focused that, he's superb. His descriptions of places and people are wonderful, his prose is very, very good, and the pacing is nice too. His "book" plots can be a bit overly complex. At least, to start.

However, due to perhaps his delusions of Hollywood blockbusters, he slips into writing screenplays, which are truly awful. He has NO TALENT for writing screenplays. Cartoon plots and characters, choppy POV from characters, sometimes so fast you get motion sickness.

This unfortunately happens at about halfway through most of his books (sadly after you are already invested). Then you slog through the second half of the book, slapping your forehead and wondering why this clearly talented author should take a giant dump on his own work and readers. Very sad. 😢

The first book in the series Slow Horses (my review) was so exciting, with such good prose and flawed but sympathetic characters. This continued in book #2 (Dead Lions, my review)up to the halfway point, and then degenerated into cartoon silliness. Ugh. Book #3 Real Tigers was stooopid from almost page one.


As usual with my reviews, please first read the publisher’s blurb/summary of the book. Thank you.

Here in book #4, after an uneven start, we again get the fine, spy-story craftsmanship we love .... ... until halfway, and then *blam* silly cartoon screenplay garbage again. A tragedy.


Notes:
Herron sometimes shows a long-smouldering anger about the abuses of politicians and the government. It's worth noting. For example:

....the decades-long sexual abuse of children by Members of Parliament... has been swept under the carpet.

2.0% ... I'm beginning to wonder if Mick Herron wrote Slow Horses. Or the first half of Dead Lions. Everything else is either cartoon or ponderous horse manure.

6.0% ... it's like halfway through book #2, Herron started dreaming about Hollywood and writing silly screenplays.

9.0% ... lots of blather and padding here that fails to advance the plot or characters. And making the Slow Horses ever more unsympathetic is surely not good for Herron's misguided Hollywood ambitions. He can kiss those goodbye.

17.0% ... whomever wrote book #1 is back now. Strange, isn't it?

18.0% "...
Sighing, he got down to floor level and tied his laces. That done, the paper boots went on easily. When he regained his feet, his face was red and he was breathing heavily.
‘I’d say you’re out of shape,’ she told him. ‘But I’m not sure what shape you’re aiming for.’

26.0% ... once again Herron withholds information known to the narrator. Bite me, Herron

27.0% ... I really hope Taverner dies a horrible death soon. Lamb was stupid not to burn her to the ground.

40.0% Book #1 "Slow Horses" was great. The first half of book #2 was very good, then collapsed in the second half. Book #3 was an awful joke. Book #4 "Spook Street" is a bit clumsy in the first few chapters, then becomes quite good again. I suspect Mick Herron had dreams of Hollywood after "Slow Horses" and started writing silly screenplay-books. Very silly horse manure. I'm glad he’s back with Spook Street.

48.0% ... this is good, much like book #1.

51.0% STILL BEING DELAYED. A THOUSAND children were systematically abused.
... the decades-long cover-up of the sexual abuse of children by Members of Parliament –this had been quietly swept under the carpet....

67.0% ... I call bull guano here: I really hate that "super-powered bad guy" that's always just where he needs to be down to the second. I hate the omniscient, omnipresent bad guy. It's LAZY WRITING

75.0% ...and let me add, the bad guy is an Magic Man Marvel comicbook ultrafast super-spy. I hate this.

79.0% .... STOOPID. The blood work would show a familial match, you know.? What a load of bat droppings.

I need more Slough House books. You guys don't understand: I <b><i>need</i></b> them (she says, tapping her veins.) It's so unfair that Book 5, London Rules, isn't out yet in the US.

ANYWAY, with Spook Street, the Slough House series has officially become my favorite spy series. Aside from being smart and topical, these novels are funny as hell. And you know I like my stories to be liberally sprinkled with empathy and kindness, which these definitely have. Since we're talking about books chronicling exploits in modern espionage, there's also going to be a lot of nastiness, but in Mick Herron's hands, none of it is gratuitous and all of it is heartbreaking (or at the very least hilarious.)

So yeah one of my favorite characters died in these pages and I'm still mad as hell about it, but I trust what Mr Herron has done with his writing to respect that narrative choice, because it was clear that Mr Herron respected that death and gave it the writing it deserved. I also loved his pacing: there is nothing so thrilling as coming to the "oh shit" realization just a handful of pages before the author masterfully reveals the truth.

My only criticism is that I'm getting rather tired of River, who is starting to be the mediocre white dude who manages to sail through life as the extremely boring hero of the piece (also, duh, Jackson Lamb is the hero here and I will brook no competition, especially from bland young white men from privileged backgrounds.) I am, however, intrigued by the addition of Coe to Slough House after what happened in <a href="https://www.criminalelement.com/blogs/2015/02/fresh-meat-nobody-walks-by-mick-herron-doreen-sheridan">Nobody Walks</a>, especially since I want Bettany back on the streets now that Taverner is on the outs. But who knows if the bleak, tragic Bettany has a place in a world that uses often inappropriate drollery to cope with the horrors modern life flings at our security services ? I wouldn't put it past Mr Herron to manage that integration with both skill and panache, honestly, and I CANNOT WAIT for London Rules.

What a top series this is turning out to be. Mick Herron once again takes us into the world of modern day spooks, albeit those who didn't quite make it at MI5 and have been relegated to paper pushing in the backwaters of Slough House under the bleary eye of Jackson Lamb.

It's the start of a new year and most of our old friends, the Slow Horses are back, having survived the underground shoot-out in their last outing. Marcus is busy digging himself a huge financial hole with his gambling addiction, Shirley is attending anger management counseling and Roddy Ho is positively gloating as has finally found himself a girlfriend. There is a mysterious new boy, J.K Coe remaining slient and aloof in his hoody and earphones. Catherine Standish has put in her discharge papers and been replaced by 'The Moira' who has plans to make Slough House more efficient (she has no idea what she's up against). River is worried about his grandfather who seems to be slipping into dementia and concerned about what MI5 might do with old cold war spies to stop them leaking secrets in their dotage.

Meanwhile a British suicide bomber blows up a group of teenagers in a mall for no apparent reason and then a few days later someone tries to kill River's grandfather. Both these events have deep roots in the past and while the new guard at Regent's Park is busy trying to cover their backs the Slow Horses are once again operational trying to unravel a 20 year old plot and stop further carnage.

Another excellent, well plotted thriller full of suspense and action from Mick Herron with sprinklings of wry humour, great characters, not all of whom survive this outing, and some unexpected revelations regarding River's history. Can't wait to get my hands on the next episode, due out soon.

The fourth in the Slough House series on the trot and probably my favourite yet.

I really feel attached to the colourful Slough House (insert Lamb adjective for service personnel here), to the point that certain events in the book were a bit emotionally taxing. Another great story relayed in the satirical and almost poetic prose that has become a trademark of this great Mick Heron series.

Thank you NetGalley and John Murray for a review copy

Spook Street, the fourth novel in the series featuring the occupants of Slough House sees Mick Herron in outrageous form. Somewhat darker than the previous three, in that the body count is extravagantly high, and that the villainy is perpretated an enemy, whose avowed intent is to protect our society from extremist action, it nevertheless produces moments of sparkling humour.
All of our previous heroes return to action. River Cartwright, worried about the OB’s seeming descent into cerebral oblivion. Roderick Ho, with chick in tow, Louisa Guy, starting to reconstruct her life, and saving life in the process. Catherine Standish, who though she handed in her notice, plays a central role in proceedings, Marcus Longridge, who cannot escape his gambling addiction, but finds a way in the end of bringing financial security to his family. And then there’s Jackson Lamb, taking care of his joes, as only he is able. Still as foul and as loveable as well used toilet paper.
Wonderful , page turning suspense, immaculate, witty writing and a cleverly conceived plot. What more can one ask ?

Gosh you need tone up early and wide awake to keep up with the dialogue! It fizzes and pops through the book and unless you pay attention to what’s going on it will leave you baffled! First time with this author for me, it will not be the last. The Slow Horses are a queer bunch, no mistake. That said this is a book I really could not put down. If you like your spooks on the quirky side this is an author for you !

Thank you Netgalley for allowing me to read this book. My views are my own and are not influenced by others

Another outstanding thriller, in this exceptional series. I didn’t mean to go straight from book 3 to book 4, I have so many others to read, although the need to get to book 5 to review it for NetGalley is a fabulously convenient excuse, I just couldn’t help myself.

Six months after the events of Real Tigers, and not much has changed at Slough House, although Louisa is recovering from her grief, River has a new office-mate, the post-traumatically stressed JK, Marcus’ gambling is out of control, and Shirley is going for Anger Fucking Management classes. Rather more has changed at Regents Park, with a new First Desk, and a new Head Dog learning how slippery the ropes are, in the aftermath of a terror attack in a London mall, with sinister Lady Di working the angles as ever.
River’s main concern is his grandfather’s slide into dementia, but the Old Bastard is not as helpless as he seems, and when River goes to visit him one evening, the retired spook takes shocking action.

This one had more twists, and a more threatening edge of suspense, keeping me wondering which of the Slow Horses may not survive with every action sequence. There’s a classic reveal, wickedly executed, and a lot of the threads are weaved neatly back into place, probably completing Cartwright senior’s story. I’m now torn between relief at still having one to go, and despair that I’ll then have another year or two before the next one comes out. The BBC seriously need to get to work making a series out of this, surely it’s only a matter of time.

The fourth in the Slough House / Jackson Lamb series by Mick Herron introduces a couple of new characters. And if Herron keeps killing the regulars off, I guess we'll continue to see new faces. Although the dour Moira is a poor replacement for Catherine Standish, I quite liked JK Coe and his quiet, unassuming, v.smart but also v.traumatised way.

There have also been some changes at the top of MI5 after the double and triple crossing catastrophes of the third book in the series.

I'm still really enjoying Herron's clever writing and Jackson Lamb is getting both more loveable and offensive at the same time. I realised his bad-taste / droll / bitter put-downs and commentaries remind me of two of my favourite TV bosses... Bernard Black (from the TV show Black Books) and Dr House, from House....

"Jesus. And this is an actual relationship? Not an abduction? Well well well."
Lamb dropped the appalled expression, and beamed round at the company. "See what you can achieve with a little application?" He patted Ho on the shoulder. "It does me good to see you rise above your disability."
"I don't have a disability," Ho said.
"That's the spirit. You should bring her into the office, introduce her."
"Really?"
"Christ no, not really. It's not a fucking coffee bar. And speaking of the fairer sex, our new lady friend settling in? Where is she, anyway?"
Marcus said, "Did you just call her a lady?"
"Of course. Always be polite when referring to a woman of a certain age," Lamb said, "In case the mad old cow turns vicious."

He inexplicably knows exactly what his team is up to; knows of their weaknesses and pushes those buttons as hard and often as he possibly can.

I was slightly disappointed by the overly complex plot in the third book in the series... not caring particularly about the outcome of the team's investigations and involvement, but Herron's back on track with Spook Street and it might be my favourite yet. (And that's not just cos it's centred around my favourite 'slow horse', River Cartwright!) Although... be warned, there's a rather shocking event early in the book which devastated me!

With new players at the top, some new additions to Slough House and Lamb's usual extraordinarily-savvy understanding of the way things play out, this book steams along at a great pace. I read it in a sitting.

Another thing I've noticed in this series that I very much appreciate is that Herron gets to the point once the mystery is uncovered. There's no great 'reveal' or eked out a-ha moment. He doesn't play we readers for fools who need everything explained and tension built beyond tedium.

Thankfully the fifth book in the series is sitting awaiting my attention.

Thank you Netgalley and John Murray Press for the eARC.
This 4th in the Slough House series starts with a bang, literally. A bomb goes off in a shopping mall, causing a massive loss of life.
We meet 2 new characters that have joined the remaining slow horses after the unfortunate loss of past members, led by the irascible, smart and repugnant Jackson Lamb - the best and most interesting character of them all.
River's grandfather, a formidable former spook, seems to be suffering from Alzheimer's, which is a dangerous problem. He loves sharing 'war' stories with River,but what happens when he starts telling them to all and sundry?
The slow horses may be considered losers, but they always prove themselves. Jackson, although he would never admit it, is loyal to his team. All in all, the group is one you can't help but love. I enjoy the humor sprinkled throughout this series even though the sad loss of life is a reality check. So is the backstabbing, self serving behavior of the members of the Service and the politicians.
This is an addictive series which I think should be read in order.

Is there a sentence in this novel that has less than six commas? Well, yes, but there are way too many sentences that seem to just go on and on, Imagine the task of diagramming them for school. You would go nuts! And it's not that the sentences contain literary gems. It's more that the author doesn't seem to stop running at the mouth. Okay, well, I didn't use an audio version! Those lengthy sentences kept me trapped trying to figure them out, rather than awed or thrilled at the story. Too bad. Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC.