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. Thats how I interpret it. I did put in my preorder for BAD ACTORS this week and am counting down until it arrives. Herron does leave open the potential of a rescue (and I am really anxious to get the next book so that I can see how it plays out) but on past form, I cant say that Im hopeful. Charles Partner was, in fact, a double agent at the top of MI5, and had been getting away with selling Britain's secrets for years thanks to the befuddled ignorance of his alcoholic assistant, Catherine Standish. Those consigned there are known as "Slow Horses". At the same time Ho has hacked into the Parks computer system and discovered that all traces of Slough House have been expunged from the records. It wasnt really him, he knew that. Also interesting in this context are the continued allusions to Lambs poor health, which seems to be worsening, and does not bode well for future books, although we also see more of Lambs ruthless side here as well as his loyalty to his joes and to those who help his joes (one scene at the end where a side character who said something revolting to Molly gets his dues is particularly satisfying). So they all get to stay put at Slough House, no prizes, no pats on the back, just a dismal career under Jackson Lamb's nicotine-stained thumb. Cokehead Shirley Dander's been send to a sanitarium to dry out; narcissist Roddy Ho is creating avatar girlfriends for himself as a distraction; River Cartwright, the most potentially sane of the Slough House discards, isn't even around, presumed dead or permanently missing. At the height of the war on terror, a British subject is abducted by a terror cell and his beheading is to be streamed live on the internet, but the young man is a British Asian Muslim and the terror cell part of a far-right splinter group. The group have links to a disgraced journalist that Slough House have been investigating. I also really wanted to see Rivers mum make an appearance and will feel cheated if its just at his funeral. Gary Oldman as Jackson Lamb? Slough House's cyber expert Roddy Ho discovers he cannot hack Hobden's laptop as it is air gapped, furthering everybody's suspicions. She offers him a way out that will result in him being fired but not charged, but also threatens Standish and tells him Sid has died in hospital. The main series development is the return of Sid Baker, which was first teased in LONDON RULES but finally Herron reveals that yes, she did survive SLOW HORSES and has spent the last few years recuperating in a Service facility in the Lake District. 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. But is the victim who he first appears to be? Apple liked it so much that it made two seasons back-to-back. That means Slough House would normally be a safe book for the characters. In the dilapidated offices of Slough House, these files spooks spend their time on various pointless tasks, designed to break their will and bring about their resignations, avoiding the hassle, expense and bad publicity of employment tribunals. You can buySLOUGH HOUSE by Mick Herron fromAmazon UK,WaterstonesorBookshop.org UK. Digital Spy participates in various affiliate marketing programs, which means we may get paid commissions on editorially chosen products purchased through our links to retailer sites. Slough House is Mick Herrons seventh novel about his team of unloved, incompetent though often marvellously effective MI6 spies. In this case, it's learning the truth to a story Dornan has found in her precious archives. He used to break down doors and carry a gun before his gambling problems compromised him. As far as Catherine is concerned, Charles shot himself, an event that apparently led to her renouncing alcohol and being sent to Slough House. figure, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II - Xbox cross-gen bundle (EU & UK), Anker PowerCore Essential 20,000 PD Power Bank, Nope explained: Jean Jacket, Gordy's Home and more. Does Unforgotten work without Nicola Walker? Cartwright, having copied the contents of Hobden's USB drive before delivering it to Regent's Park, realises it contains no information and manipulates a rival, James 'Spider' Webb, into confirming the same. The website's critics consensus reads, "Slow Horses refreshes the espionage genre by letting its band of snoops be bumbling, with Gary Oldman giving a masterclass in frumpy authority. She was in comms at The Park before she laid out a co-worker, and also has addiction issues. Lamb and Taverner will have to work together to maintain MI5s independence, but can they put their history of betrayal and revenge behind them? . one of the things always on the mind of any reader of the series is whether all the characters will make it out alive. 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. You & Me ending What happens to Ben and Emma? Plus he was the normal one. The first season received critical acclaim. Will one of the slow horses die this book? Over the course of the Slough House series, there have been a number of plot threads that have been left open for future stories. Your email address will not be published. (SH) Cartwright, River - Young, white, fair hair, grey eyes and a mole on his upper lip. Hes a serious young man, and of all the slow horses the most upset at his demotion. Finnish crime drama Man in Room 301 coming to BBC Four, Fans of realistic spy fiction will enjoy David McCloskeys debut thriller Damascus Station, newly available in paperback in the UK. Duncan and Kelly find and untie River, and he is eventually able to convince them of Alexs true identity. Haunted office manager Catherine is seen attending AA meetings and is regularly taunted by Lamb about alcohol. Ambitious, backslapping government toff Peter Judd (Samuel West), aka 'PJ', is definitely not supposed to be identified with any Boris Johnsons who may or may not have been Foreign Secretary at the time Slow Horses was written. With the 2022 release of the Apple TV+ series Slow Horses, however, it's come onto the radar of an entirely new set of people - many of them addicted to the twists and turns and delightful subterfuge . This series is perfect for those that want their humor dark and smart. Wannabe free spirit. Well, that would be another book spoiler that could affect future seasons, so LOOK AWAY NOW. Like the previous novels, it was shortlisted for a number of prestigious wards.Buy now on Amazon, A private funding deal, worked out in secret between Diana Taverner and Peter Judd, gives the Park the resources to strike back at Putin, sending a hit team into Russia to rub out the Novichok poisoners. Not crucial questions but worth thinking about . $380-932/person per day, plus sea transport from Cartwright $200-400/person (return). The book ends with what was for me, a truly devastating development and even though you know what no one in Slough House is safe, I wasnt expecting it to hit that character. My reason for four stars is the "blankety blank" cliffhanger ending. What would be the point?. Where to start with Roddy? Slough House is the seventh book in the Slough House/Jackson Lamb series by award-winning British author, Mick Herron. 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. Given what Reeses boyfriend was doing, theres clearly some potential for him to pop up in future books and if so, I would like to have him get more to do than being the butt of the joke. Lamb theorises that Slough House is going to be blamed for whatever operation Regent's Park is running and be disavowed if it fails. He tried to leverage his former acquaintance with Judd into calling off the kidnapping because Judd, it turns out, has a secret, extremist past and connections to the Sons of Albion's financial backer. Slough House isnt the strongest novel of the series that remains Joe Country, a high-watermark which may never be matched but it is most definitely worth your time and money. His kidnapping and intended rescue is an unsanctioned false flag operation masterminded by herself to potentially increase cooperation with Pakistan as well as neutralise and intimidate the far-right. The title track "Strange Game" was performed by Rolling Stones frontman Mick Jagger, who wrote the song exclusively for the show[15] together with the shows composer Daniel Pemberton. It still rankled, his fall from grace, and why shouldnt he take some matter of revenge? River discovers the bomb left at the airfield and realizes the attack was a hoax, calling Taverner to have the Code September retracted. Sid in the books remains 'dead' for several books, and returns in Slough House, where it emerges that she suffered permanent brain damage and has been living in a safe house all along. [11] It was originally intended to film earlier in 2020 but was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Cartwright, David - Known as the power behind the throne in his time at MI5 in the 70's and 80's. Now known as the "OB", Old Bastard. Katinsky specifically requested Lamb's team to be involved. He talks to a team which guides him, telling him to look for an Asian male. Taverner has her own problems to occupy her. All that remains is to dive in & find out what fresh hell Jackson Lamb (AKA Mick Herron) & his crew stumble into this time. Please let River live. I was very disappointed in the ending of this novel. (Perhaps with the offensive "socially inept Asian tech nerd" clich, which really should have been long buried by now.). Diana Taverner 18 episodes, 2022-2023 Saskia Reeves . At base, Louisa Guy reports that she was tailed by an MI6 spy from Regents Park, the centre of MI6 operations and the hallowed turf to which all slow horses want to return. He is due to be accompanied by Nick Duffy, leader of 'The Dogs', for added security, but demands Taverner join him instead. These are such fun books that I have to drop everything and read them as soon as each one comes out. Ah yes, and that I am doing, but unfortunately not enough e-copies at the library, so have ended up in the most recent book (Bad Actors). The Strays stars explain Netflix thriller's finale, Alice in Borderland season 2 ending explained. Sid Baker - One of the most shocking reveals in Slow Horses was the fate of Sid Baker who a fellow agent sent to spy on Slough House but who River slowly got to know throughout the course of the book. Desperate Measures reaches nailbiting conclusion. Below are some of the ones Im most interested in seeing addressed. Catherine Standish is a middle-aged recovering alcoholic whose misfortune it was to be the personal assistant to a traitor. On the other hand, having waited so bloody long to find out what happened to Sid and have her come back I would be pissed off if the two couldnt resume a friendship just to see where it goes. I am not sure I can read any more. Better Call Saul ending What happened to Saul? Any trail his dead grandfather had left, no one was going to follow but him. But Lady Di is slowly learning that the patriotism doesnt mean they dont have demands and YouTube billionaire-turned-new-channel owner Damien Cantor in particular would like Lady Di to come on his show and do an interview. However, Larry frees Ahmed and attacks Curly with an axe, but flees which enables an injured Curly to recapture Hassan. Molly Dornan is there waiting to extract her pound of flesh from Jackson Lamb for an earlier favor. Since Ashley is as paranoid as any other spy, and clueless as well, shes baffled by the interactions around her in Slough House. This novel is a series highlight for me, and went on to win the CWA Ian Fleming Steel Dagger Award as well as being shortlisted for the CWA Gold Dagger Award, The British Book Awards and The Theakston Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year Award.Buy now on Amazon, A North Korean hit squad is conducting a terror operation on British soil, and one particular fly in the ointment is that the plan they are working to is one of the Parks own. River Cartwright, who is also ambitious but doesn't get the same favor from their grumpy boss, is often jealous of the fact that Sid gets (relatively) more glamorous assignments than him. True, Ho and Standish managed to retroactively track the movements of Alan Black's alias and locate the van he had hired for the kidnapping. Alongside that are running gags, observational humour and the vulgar insults Jackson Lamb regularly spits at his team. Such events, on home turf, require a response and Taverner is keen enough to make that happen to allow Judds involvement. . His deft and sympathetic characterisation affords the reader a connection with the slow horses (the Parks nickname for their castoffs) which grows with every triumph, every obstacle overcome, and their losses are felt keenly. Slough House has been wiped from Service records, and fatal accidents keep happening. So, what connects the oligarch with an old rumour of Russian sleeper agents? (SPOILER) I was very sorry at the departure of two in Joe Country, though one seemed to me less of a loss. Jackson Lamb investigates, finding Bough's hidden phone under the seat with the message cicada, and gets the team to look deeper. Herron won the prestigious CWA Gold Dagger for this novel, though for my money his debut is a better book.Buy now on Amazon, Catherine Standish is abducted by a disgraced soldier with service connections in his past. 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 narrators range of voices. Its the kind of humor that catches you unaware, in a did he really just say that? style. printed out and left in a dead drop in . So much of the story is the thoughts of the characters and I wonder how that will be conveyed. Washed-up and paranoid far-right journalist Robert Hobden deduced, after Taverner sent Moody to steal his laptop, that MI5 were behind the kidnapping and kicking over their traces. I have waited patiently for this seventh book in the series to be released and, yes, I did zip right through it because I didn't dare put it down. Sadly it wasn't enough to prevent her from being shot by her colleague Jed Moody, who she interrupted when he was trying to clean up Taverner's operation. Some crime series can be read in no particular order but this is not the case here. River Cartwright was sent to Slough House after a training exercise left King's Cross crashed. The series premiered on Apple TV+ on 1 April 2022. maybe it will. Lamb meets with Nikolai Katinsky, an ex-KGB agent and defector. Theyre not allowed anywhere near MI5 HQ, which is referred to as Regents Park although the organisation is no longer based there. Louisa Guy, perhaps, has most focus but this novel felt much more like a genuine ensemble cast - and benefited from that, too. River speaks with his grandfather about Bough's death. He was nobodys idea of an avenging knight. Warning - Spoilers ahead for all books in the series! Rotten Tomatoes reports a 100% approval rating with an average rating of 8.4/10, based on 25 critic reviews. Theyre still getting paid but no longer formally exist and things get more sinister when Louisa Guy discovers that someone from the Service is trailing her and the other slow horses find that they are also being followed. Lamb really is an appalling character and I can easily understand those who don't like him but he is bloody funny too! Sandy *The world could end while I was reading and I would never notice*. Im also worried about one or more Slow Horses dying in the next installment (my fingers are crossed so hard that it wont be River), but Louisas mourning Min/her continued engagement with his family gives me hope that even if we lose another Slow Horse or two, theyll be remembered. If you aren't reading the Slough House spy novels yet, what are you waiting for? When a young man is abducted and his kidnappers threaten to broadcast his beheading live on the Internet, River sees an opportunity to redeem himself. Shortlisted for the CWA Gold Dagger, Ian Fleming Steel Dagger and the Theakston Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year Award.Buy now on Amazon. River Cartwright aliases River Cartwright MI-5 agent in London, in his early 30s; grandson of MI-5 legend David Cartwright. A Russian oligarch is visiting London and elements of The Park want to turn him because a potential future Russian president who owes British Intelligence would be a massive coupe. With a new populist movement taking a grip on Londons streets, and the old order ensuring that everythings for sale to the highest bider, the worlds an uncomfortable place for those deemed surplus to requirements. Hassan then has to fight the urge to kill Curly himself, which he ultimately doesn't. Plus it would be interesting if the focus moved onto Louisa who has never really reckoned with taking those diamonds and who is also quietly competent at the back. I won't go into the storyline since that can be found elsewhere. His colleague Sidonie 'Sid' Baker has also been assigned to Hobden, discreetly copying the contents of his USB flash drive in a cafe. Not that Mick Herron pays the slightest attention to what his fans want, but I for one would love to see the return of Sid, and would welcome possible Sid-River interactions, but I guess thats not in the cards. Im hopeful well get some closure on that dangling Sid plot line. River is tempted to reveal that it's really very obviously because he's "an insufferable prick". I am currently well into Bad Actors desperate to know if certain casualties from this book survived, and even hoping for a tiny spoiler so as to prepare myself for the worst, if that is to be the outcome. David Walmsley as Larry, a member of the Sons of Albion. Hes also ruthlessly effective. Herron uses the plot to make some biting comments about the use of private money in security operations and the importance of standing up to bullies. When I receive the latest in this series, there is zero chance its going to sit there patiently waiting its turn. But there's more to the story than he reveals to Standish: we discover at the end of Slow Horses that Lamb in fact murdered Partner on the orders of David Cartwright, River's grandfather. English crime author Mick Herron didnt begin his writing career with the Slough House series, but theres no doubt these novels represent his most successful work. I agree. He confronts her, and she confesses she was paid off. I particularly liked one scene between Lamb and Lady Di that showed the frustration she feels towards him but also the grudging respect she also has for his opinion and how that comes with Lambs utter contempt for what she stands for. River Cartwright is a main character played by Jack Lowden in in Season 1 and Season 2 of Apple TV+ 's Slow Horses . Involving themselves in the drama, the slow horses soon realise that the machinations of The Park are even more twisted than they could ever have imagined. Roderick, a self-anointed master of online information with a blind spot big enough to encompass all human interactions, spends his days wondering just what he did wrong to end up in Slough House. *Puts feet up on desk, lights ciggie, farts*. She used to assist Charles Partner, who was First Desk at Regents Park until his suicide something its rumoured Lamb might have had a hand in arranging. Because I already know that lurking inside is an intricate plot wrapped around plenty of wit & humour. (LogOut/ The end of Joe Country saw Rivers father/nemesis Frank Harkness dead. , calling Taverner to have the Code September retracted with his grandfather about Bough 's hidden phone the. Just say that and Kelly find and untie river river cartwright dead and she confesses she paid... Office manager Catherine is seen attending AA meetings and is regularly taunted by Lamb about.... Walmsley as Larry, a member of the things always on the mind of any reader of characters! 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