LBI doesn’t have rules about what to feature in Staff Picks, but it’s generally understood to go with frontlist or recently published material, so why have I picked the 2014 title, Slow Horses, by Mick Herron? Full transparency: because I was given an apple TV subscription at Christmas and I promptly binged FIVE seasons of a show based on books I’d not even read.
Earlier in my life I was a snob who would have never knowingly watched something without reading the book first. Which would have been a shame in this instance. Once I’d watched all available seasons, I determined which books had not yet been covered and have been working through them, and they’re all the richer for having the voices of the actors in the widely acclaimed TV series in my head while doing it.
The series names of Slough House refers to the setting where disgraced MI5 agents spend out the remainder of their botched careers in mind numbing tasks of tediousness, directed by a chain smoking, flatulent alcoholic who treats his staff worse than an eagle with a bunny rabbit. The title of book one, Slow Horses, refers to the slang name for this miserable group of rejects that plod towards their pensions with the resigned air of Sisyphus with a boulder. While months pass like sludge, the slow horses do occasionally find themselves called to action (misadventure might be a better term), which provides plots for each book or TV season. I began reading from book six forward, Joe Country, and have just picked up the most recent, Clown Town, which was published in Sept 2025. The books do not disappoint. I’d strongly recommend them to anyone that appreciates droll and dark humor mixed with action, espionage, and British sarcasm and snark, whether or not you’ve seen the show. If you came to this series as I did, via the screen, you’ll enjoy every line you read from Jackson Lamb, played by Gary Oldman, whose voice you’ll hear in your mind’s eye, along with the wind he’s constantly passing and the pained expressions of those around him. I realize I’m spoiling the surprise but by the time Season six rolls around this fall, I’ll have read at least 75 books and it’ll likely present as near new. I’ve nothing but praise for the books, and think the 97% score for the series on Rotten Tomatoes is justly deserved.
(Sorry, way too long, but tough to cut it much more when talking about a nine book and five season series)
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