Bad actors

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Average Rating
Series
Slough House volume 8
Publisher
Varies, see individual formats and editions
Publication Date
Varies, see individual formats and editions
Language
English

Description

THE EIGHTH BOOK IN THE SERIES BEHIND SLOW HORSES, AN APPLE ORIGINAL SERIES NOW STREAMING ON APPLE TV+ Mick Herron, “the le Carré of the future” (BBC), expands his world of bad spies with an even shadier cast of characters: the politicians, lobbyists, and misinformation agents pulling the levers of government policy. “Confirms Mick Herron as the best spy novelist now working.”—NPR's Fresh AirIn London's MI5 headquarters a scandal is brewing that could disgrace the entire intelligence community. The Downing Street superforecaster—a specialist who advises the Prime Minister's office on how policy is likely to be received by the electorate—has disappeared without a trace. Claude Whelan, who was once head of MI5, has been tasked with tracking her down.  But the trail leads him straight back to Regent's Park itself, with First Desk Diana Taverner as chief suspect. Has Taverner overplayed her hand at last? Meanwhile, her Russian counterpart, Moscow intelligence's First Desk, has cheekily showed up in London and shaken off his escort. Are the two unfortunate events connected?Over at Slough House, where Jackson Lamb presides over some of MI5's most embittered demoted agents, the slow horses are doing what they do best, and adding a little bit of chaos to an already unstable situation . . . There are bad actors everywhere, and they usually get their comeuppance before the credits roll. But politics is a dirty business, and in a world where lying, cheating and backstabbing are the norm, sometimes the good guys can find themselves outgunned.

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Contributors
Doyle, Gerard Narrator
Herron, Mick Author
ISBN
9781641293372
9781705063156
9781641293389

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Similar Series From Novelist

NoveList provides detailed suggestions for series you might like if you enjoyed this book. Suggestions are based on recommendations from librarians and other contributors.
Though Slough House stars intelligence agents and Martini Club follows a retired spy, these intricately plotted thrillers both feature suspenseful plots peppered with surprising humor. -- Stephen Ashley
While the Detective Inspector Callanach series is much grittier and more gruesome than the witty Slough House series, these suspenseful and intricately plotted books feature protagonists who, despite their outsider status, make impressive headway with their distinct crime-solving capabilities. -- Basia Wilson
These intricately plotted and suspenseful spy fiction series star former (Ingrid) and demoted (Slough House) MI5 agents who continue to investigate conspiracies and crimes for the British government. Both are banter-filled and humorous, though Slough is more cynical than Ingrid. -- Andrienne Cruz
Though Slough House is wittier than the more incisive Red Widow, readers looking for a suspenseful and intricately plotted spy thriller with complex protagonists should check out both intriguing series. -- Stephen Ashley
These witty and suspenseful novels star well-developed unconventional leads -- nursing home retirees (mystery series Thursday Murder Club) and washed-up MI5 agents (thriller series Slough House) who dig up clues in suspicious murders and government intelligence, respectively. -- Andrienne Cruz
Readers looking for suspenseful stories led by sardonic and sympathetic protagonists will find them in noir fiction Happy Doll and spy fiction Slough House. Both deliver an entertaining blend of violence and dark humor. -- Andrienne Cruz
These series have the appeal factors suspenseful, stylistically complex, and intricately plotted, and they have the genres "spy fiction" and "thrillers and suspense"; the subjects "spies," "intelligence service," and "espionage"; and characters that are "complex characters."
These series have the genres "spy fiction" and "thrillers and suspense"; and the subjects "spies," "intelligence service," and "women spies."
These series have the genres "spy fiction" and "thrillers and suspense"; and the subjects "spies," "intelligence service," and "international intrigue."

Similar Titles From NoveList

NoveList provides detailed suggestions for titles you might like if you enjoyed this book. Suggestions are based on recommendations from librarians and other contributors.
These books have the genre "spy fiction"; and the subjects "espionage," "spies," and "political intrigue."
These books have the genre "spy fiction"; the subjects "espionage," "spies," and "intelligence service"; and characters that are "well-developed characters" and "likeable characters."
These books have the genre "spy fiction"; and the subjects "missing persons," "espionage," and "spies."
These books have the appeal factors suspenseful and intensifying, and they have the genres "spy fiction" and "thrillers and suspense"; and the subjects "espionage," "spies," and "women spies."
NoveList recommends "Red widow" for fans of "Slough House". Check out the first book in the series.
These books have the appeal factors suspenseful, and they have the genre "spy fiction"; the subjects "missing persons," "espionage," and "spies"; and characters that are "well-developed characters."
NoveList recommends "Thursday Murder Club novels" for fans of "Slough House". Check out the first book in the series.
These books have the appeal factors intensifying, and they have the genres "spy fiction" and "thrillers and suspense"; and the subjects "espionage," "spies," and "intelligence service."
NoveList recommends "Happy Doll" for fans of "Slough House". Check out the first book in the series.
These books have the appeal factors intricately plotted, and they have the genres "spy fiction" and "thrillers and suspense"; the subjects "spies," "missing persons investigation," and "intelligence service"; and characters that are "well-developed characters" and "likeable characters."
NoveList recommends "Martini Club" for fans of "Slough House". Check out the first book in the series.
These books have the appeal factors intricately plotted, and they have the genres "spy fiction" and "thrillers and suspense"; the subjects "espionage," "spies," and "intelligence service"; and characters that are "well-developed characters."

Similar Authors From NoveList

NoveList provides detailed suggestions for other authors you might want to read if you enjoyed this book. Suggestions are based on recommendations from librarians and other contributors.
These authors write intricately-plotted and gritty suspense and mystery. Along with complex characters and a strong sense of place, both employ some graphic violence, Dennis Lehane more than Mick Herron, and a fast pace. Readers will enjoy plot twists and red herrings and finally, a satisfactory conclusion. -- Melissa Gray
Mick Herron and Jeffery Deaver's suspense and mystery stories are known for their twisty plots and complex characters. Both take the time to help the reader get to know their characters' psychology and motivations, and put acidic and witty dialogue in their mouths. Deaver tends more towards violence than Herron. -- Melissa Gray
These authors' works have the genre "spy fiction"; the subjects "spies," "intelligence service," and "espionage"; and characters that are "complex characters."
These authors' works have the genre "spy fiction"; the subjects "spies," "intelligence service," and "espionage"; and characters that are "complex characters" and "flawed characters."
These authors' works have the genres "thrillers and suspense" and "spy fiction"; and the subjects "spies," "intelligence service," and "espionage."
These authors' works have the genre "spy fiction"; and the subjects "spies," "intelligence service," and "espionage."
These authors' works have the genres "thrillers and suspense" and "spy fiction"; the subjects "spies," "intelligence service," and "espionage"; and characters that are "complex characters."
These authors' works have the genre "spy fiction"; and the subjects "spies," "intelligence service," and "espionage."
These authors' works have the genre "spy fiction"; and the subjects "spies," "intelligence service," and "espionage."
These authors' works have the genre "spy fiction"; and the subjects "spies," "intelligence service," and "espionage."
These authors' works have the appeal factors intensifying, and they have the genres "thrillers and suspense" and "spy fiction"; and the subjects "spies," "intelligence service," and "espionage."
These authors' works have the appeal factors stylistically complex, and they have the genres "thrillers and suspense" and "spy fiction"; the subjects "spies," "intelligence service," and "espionage"; and characters that are "complex characters."

Published Reviews

Booklist Review

Herron's Slough House series, starring a group of MI5 rejects written off to the deep minors of British espionage, has long been a critics' favorite, but this eighth installment, buoyed by a new TV series, may be the one to launch it to the genre stratosphere. The "slow horses" of Slough House are mired in busywork as usual ("You could spend all day shoveling sand, but if you were standing on a beach, the results weren't noticeable"), but their foul-mouthed, ill-kempt leader, Jackson Lamb, both the biggest reject of all and an eccentric genius, has a plan to get some of his own back while bedeviling one of his many antagonists, MI5 chief Diana Taverner. "Superforecaster" Sophie de Greer, the prodigy of the PM's chief advisor, has disappeared amid rumors that she may be a Russian spy. Can Lamb turn the slow horses loose to find de Greer, simultaneously embarrassing Taverner and bringing down the power-hungry chief advisor? Lamb on the rampage is a joy to behold ("Get the bit between my teeth," he explains, "I'm like a dog with a boner."), and Taverner's enlarged role here is an additional delight, as she fights against becoming a high-level slow horse herself. If le Carré brought moral ambiguity to the spy novel in place of Bondian glamour, Herron one-ups the master by showing us that ambiguity has its uncouth comedic side. HIGH-DEMAND BACKSTORY: The recently launched Apple TV series Slow Horses, starring Gary Oldman as Jackson Lamb, will bring Herron an avalanche of new readers.

From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
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Publisher's Weekly Review

The disappearance of Sophie de Greer, a "superforecaster" who predicts voter reactions to British government policies, drives Herron's terrific eighth Slough House novel (after 2021's Slow Horses). Since de Greer might be a Russian plant, two important people want her found: Anthony Sparrow, the prime minister's slimy enforcer, because he hired de Greer and wants to spare the government humiliation, and Diane Taverner, MI5's ruthless chief, because she knows Sparrow will blame her if de Greer turns out to be a spy. The actual work of finding de Greer falls to the so-called slow horses of Slough House, "the fleapit to which Regent's Park consigns failures, and where would-be stars of the British security service are living out the aftermath of their professional errors." Every piece counts in the intricate jigsaw puzzle of a plot, but the book's main strength is its dry, acerbic wit (Sparrow is "a homegrown Napoleon: nasty, British and short"). The result is an outstanding mix of arch humor, superb characterizations, and trenchant political observations. The forthcoming Apple TV adaptation of the series is sure to win Herron new fans. Agent: Juliet Burton, Juliet Burton Literary (U.K.). (May)

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Kirkus Book Review

The screw-ups, has-beens, and never-weres who've been shunted off to Slough House are upstaged by incompetent spies at far higher pay grades in this eighth series installment. Swiss native Dr. Sophie de Greer, whom hard-charging bureaucrat Anthony Sparrow brought to the U.K. to work on Rethink#1, his think tank, may be a superforecaster at predicting trends, but one development she doesn't seem to have anticipated is her own sudden disappearance. When ex--MI5 chief Oliver Nash, acting at Sparrow's behest, asks his former colleague Claude Whelan to shake a few trees and see if she falls out, Whelan can see nothing but downsides--especially if, he frets, "someone triggered the Waterproof protocol" Whelan himself set up. If de Greer did come to grief, after all, the most obvious suspect is none other than Diana Taverner, who holds down the First Desk at MI5. Diana, for her part, is busy trying to figure out the agenda of her smirking Russian counterpart, Vassily Rasnokov, who's popped up in London from behind a false identity that wouldn't have fooled a child but fooled the spooks who were supposed to be following him. Although Diana takes time out for a meeting with her regular sparring partner, Slough House zookeeper Jackson Lamb, the problems here go far beyond Lamb's slow horses, as she realizes when someone does trigger the Candlestub protocol, transforming her instantly from the head of MI5 into a woman on the run. Once again, Herron summons a witches' brew of double talk, petty rivalries, and professional paranoia, this time less John le Carré than George V. Higgins, to demonstrate that any talk of the intelligence community outside Slough House is nothing but an oxymoron. More proof that the enemies of the state are no more than a pretext for infighting to the death among the agencies. Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
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Booklist Reviews

*Starred Review* Herron's Slough House series, starring a group of MI5 rejects written off to the deep minors of British espionage, has long been a critics' favorite, but this eighth installment, buoyed by a new TV series, may be the one to launch it to the genre stratosphere. The "slow horses" of Slough House are mired in busywork as usual ("You could spend all day shoveling sand, but if you were standing on a beach, the results weren't noticeable"), but their foul-mouthed, ill-kempt leader, Jackson Lamb, both the biggest reject of all and an eccentric genius, has a plan to get some of his own back while bedeviling one of his many antagonists, MI5 chief Diana Taverner. "Superforecaster" Sophie de Greer, the prodigy of the PM's chief advisor, has disappeared amid rumors that she may be a Russian spy. Can Lamb turn the slow horses loose to find de Greer, simultaneously embarrassing Taverner and bringing down the power-hungry chief advisor? Lamb on the rampage is a joy to behold ("Get the bit between my teeth," he explains, "I'm like a dog with a boner."), and Taverner's enlarged role here is an additional delight, as she fights against becoming a high-level slow horse herself. If le Carré brought moral ambiguity to the spy novel in place of Bondian glamour, Herron one-ups the master by showing us that ambiguity has its uncouth comedic side. HIGH-DEMAND BACKSTORY: The recently launched Apple TV series Slow Horses, starring Gary Oldman as Jackson Lamb, will bring Herron an avalanche of new readers. Copyright 2022 Booklist Reviews.

Copyright 2022 Booklist Reviews.
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Publishers Weekly Reviews

The disappearance of Sophie de Greer, a "superforecaster" who predicts voter reactions to British government policies, drives Herron's terrific eighth Slough House novel (after 2021's Slow Horses). Since de Greer might be a Russian plant, two important people want her found: Anthony Sparrow, the prime minister's slimy enforcer, because he hired de Greer and wants to spare the government humiliation, and Diane Taverner, MI5's ruthless chief, because she knows Sparrow will blame her if de Greer turns out to be a spy. The actual work of finding de Greer falls to the so-called slow horses of Slough House, "the fleapit to which Regent's Park consigns failures, and where would-be stars of the British security service are living out the aftermath of their professional errors." Every piece counts in the intricate jigsaw puzzle of a plot, but the book's main strength is its dry, acerbic wit (Sparrow is "a homegrown Napoleon: nasty, British and short"). The result is an outstanding mix of arch humor, superb characterizations, and trenchant political observations. The forthcoming Apple TV adaptation of the series is sure to win Herron new fans. Agent: Juliet Burton, Juliet Burton Literary (U.K.). (May)

Copyright 2022 Publishers Weekly.

Copyright 2022 Publishers Weekly.
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