Slough House

Slough House by Mick Herron continues the thrilling espionage series that has captivated readers and critics alike. The novel follows the members of Slough House, a dumping ground for British intelligence agents who've made career-ending mistakes. These "slow horses" are under the wary and sardonic leadership of Jackson Lamb, a disgruntled and unorthodox figure who nonetheless is fiercely protective of his crew.

A year after a disastrous blunder by the Russian secret service left a British citizen dead from novichok poisoning, tensions are running high. Diana Taverner, the determined Second Desk at MI5, is frustrated by what she sees as a gutless response from the British government. In her quest for retribution, she launches a counter-offensive, but not without making a perilous agreement with the cunning and deceitful Peter Judd. The stakes are higher than ever, and Taverner risks losing everything she has fought to uphold.

Meanwhile, the agents in Slough House are still reeling from recent losses and beleaguered by a series of fatal accidents. Their very existence has been erased from Service records, leaving them feeling more vulnerable and paranoid than ever. With danger closing in from all directions, the slow horses begin to question whether these accidents are indeed targeted attacks.

As a new populist movement takes root in London's streets and the old order trades everything to the highest bidder, the world becomes increasingly perilous for those deemed disposable. Common sense suggests that the safest course of action would be to lay low and let the storm pass. But the slow horses have never been known for wise decisions, and under Jackson Lamb's reckless and brash guidance, they might just do the opposite.

With adversaries emerging on all sides, even the resourceful Jackson Lamb may find it impossible to keep his team from harm. As they navigate a treacherous landscape filled with espionage, deceit, and betrayal, the slow horses will need every ounce of cunning and bravery to survive.

Now a major TV series starring Gary Oldman

'The best thriller writer in Britain today' Daily Express

'As a master of wit, satire, insight... Herron is difficult to overpraise' Daily Telegraph

'The greatest comic writer of spy fiction in the English language' The Times

'Kill us? They've never needed to kill us,' said Lamb. 'I mean, look at us. What would be the point?'