Slow Horses

Fabulously dark drama, worryingly that it's probably based on fact! Really well cast and directed the most original drama I've seen in years, darkly credible and darkly funny, superb.

I had been looking forward to reading this book. I'd not previously heard of the author but then saw him speaking a few times recently and liked his approach to his writing.So I bought the first book in this series (ie this one!). My husband read it first and loved it.The book has 328 pages split into 19 chapters.The plot is written contemporaneously (2020 publication) but I'm reading it in 2023 so it is amusing to see how much has changed. I'm sure the author did not intend for some of the details to be nostalgic but the mention of an iPad and a DVD rental shop set the time period very clearly.This is a proper book to read and very enjoyable. It needs time and should be read carefully to pick up all the hints and subtleties. Who knows if it is anywhere near plausible but it doesn't matter to me.There is a high level of observational detail in the narrative, creating very clear pictures for the reader and supporting the characters to give a rich, atmospheric book.Obviously some events are based on fact but there is a huge amount of fiction thrown in. A particularly clever aspect to this book is that a couple of the fictional characters are based on real people (close enough to recognise but not to trigger libel action!).The plot has a sound structure and solid progression for all the characters who are going to move into the next book.Lots of action gives the story plenty of interest and I was engaged all the way through. The plot started to confuse towards the end but I slowed down and reread a few pages then it mostly made sense.I'll certainly buy the next one.

Loved the book and the writing. Had seen and loved the tv series and wanted to know what the books were like. Didn't disappoint.

I have just finished Slow Horses and I really wanted to enjoy this book, I like the idea of Slough House and the spooks that have been put out to grass. But this is a book of many parts and I can see why some reviewers fell after the first third or so, I nearly joined them. Aside from the excitement on the underground, the first part of this book is pretty slow going, scene setting, then the story gets started and proceeds at a trot, around the halfway mark it breaks into a canter, and then in the final few pages it gallops to an unbelievable conclusion.Around the course we are introduced to a very crowded field of runners and riders; there are far too many characters to keep track of, some of whom are developed but too many are under developed and with two joint favourites there were time when I forgot this was supposed to be about Jackson Lamb. Some of these characters just appear and then fade, I assume that they are going to reappear in another book, others die and a few go the distance but the book ends without a satisfactory "so what", I assume that too is left for the next book.The main plot is relatively simple, but made complex by the little-does-he-know-that-I-know-that-he-knows approach often seen in spy stories and here generally linked to the grazing spooks' back-stories which in turn leads to multiple bits of sub-plot; and unless I missed something there are bits of the story that don't quite add up, as though there is some form of off-the-page tic tac communication between the characters.So as I said, I really wanted to enjoy this book, the idea is good, the plot turned out to be OK, but the execution was disappointing, hence while I think I enjoyed this book I will not be recommending it and at the moment I am really undecided about reaching for the next volume, hence the very undecided three stars.

Mick Herron's "Slow Horses" is a gripping dive into the murky world of British intelligence, where the outcasts and misfits of MI5 find themselves relegated to the dingy corridors of Slough House, away from the action and the limelight. Despite its sluggish start, "Slow Horses" soon gains momentum and takes you on an intriguing rollercoaster ride through the world of espionage.Herron's writing is sharp and witty, and his characters are complex and flawed in the most endearing ways. Jackson Lamb, the grizzled and unconventional leader of this motley crew, is a standout character, and his irreverent humour adds a layer of dark comedy to the narrative. As the team is reluctantly drawn into a high-stakes conspiracy, the tension steadily mounts, and the plot becomes a labyrinthine puzzle that keeps you guessing until the very end.While the slow burn may not appeal to readers seeking an immediate adrenaline rush, "Slow Horses" rewards patience with a meticulously crafted plot and a deep exploration of its characters' psyches. Herron's portrayal of the underbelly of espionage is both thought-provoking and entertaining. This novel is a promising start to a series that promises to deliver more intriguing tales of the misfit spies of Slough House. If you're a fan of intelligent, character-driven thrillers, "Slow Horses" should definitely be on your reading list.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It's well written, amusing and has lots of twists and turns.

Mick Herron's Slough House series is utterly terrific. They're full of sarcasm, snide remarks, verbal abuse, politically incorrect banter, fringe characters, and great stories about the intelligence community in the UK. I have enjoyed every one of them. If you're a fan of the genre, or of writers like LeCarre, Follett, and Fleming, I expect you will like them, too.

Well written, both serious and funny. If the rest of the series is this good I'll be happy.

I've ready the first three books in the series, and I'm certainly going to go on! They are very good in characters (really interesting and not stereotyped as usual in this kind of stories) and plots, which are smooth: again, something not exactly easy to find in spy stories. A John LeCarre' for the present time.

The voice brings out the moral, technical and real dilemmas of spooks, as they navigate real politik. It’s hits home in ways you wouldn’t want politics to.

just 1/2 way through #4 of the series and felt I needed to write a review.If you haven’t started Slow Horses yet then you should. Makes a welcome change from murder mysteries, has a bunch of characters that you can associate with and feel for (Jackson Lamb is a bit questionable here), swaps the normal crime series for spy novels with a difference. Thrown into the mix is the dark Herron humour - sometimes well disguised but always under the surface.If you like your characters off the norm and want to appreciate the other side of the British Intelligence Services all mixed with great story lines & humour, this series is for you