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4.07 AVERAGE
4.07 AVERAGE
This was my first Slough House book to read after watching the series and I don't think it was the best to start out with. The Slough House gang is hardly in it and a couple stories read as prequels to a book I haven't read yet. Enjoyable enough but really only for fans who have the other books.
The Slow Horses anthology collection of novellas and short stories.
London Street from Solly’s Flat, Marylebone Drop (Slough House, #5.5)
My dead pixels edition was a modest 269-pages long. The original UK copyright was 2022.
Mick Herron is a British mystery and thriller novelist. He has more than 20-books published, in two series and standalone. This was a supplementary book in his Slough House series. This was also the ninth book I’ve read by the author. The previous being Bad Actors (Slough House, #8) (my review).
Its strongly recommended that several of the previous books in the series be read before this one. Otherwise, the important, long-term Slow Horses, series plotlines will not be easily understood. Also, if you're not completely caught-up, to at least Slough House (Slough House, #7) this book contains spoilers.
Full disclosure, I’m a fan of both the Slow Horses books and TV Series, although the books are better. I'm 'caught-up' and waiting for [b:The Secret Hours|123727738|The Secret Hours|Mick Herron|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1679675916l/123727738._SX50_.jpg|145108210] (Slough House, #9), which is hinted at in the ending short story of this book.
This book took me by surprise. I was just looking for a quick read by a fave author. Normally, I stay away from the Point releases within a series. I have a hard enough time keeping-up with the main series. I didn't realize there was a blissfully short, Slow Horses anthology like this, until if fell into my lap. I found this to be the ideal, short ‘fresher to be reading before the release of both The Secret Hours and the third season of the TV show.
Included in this book were:
+ [b:The List|23636636|The List (Slough House, #2.5)|Mick Herron|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1453497408l/23636636._SY75_.jpg|43241398] (Slough House #2.5)
+ [b:The Marylebone Drop|38452197|The Marylebone Drop (Slough House, #5.5)|Mick Herron|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1550245790l/38452197._SY75_.jpg|59413629] (Slough House, #5.5)
+ [b:The Catch|48550232|The Catch (Slough House, #6.5)|Mick Herron|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1574334687l/48550232._SX50_.jpg|73871959] (Slough House #6.5)
+ The Last Dead Letter (Slough House #6.4/6(?))
+ [b:Standing by the Wall: A Slough House Interlude|63214507|Standing by the Wall A Slough House Interlude|Mick Herron|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1667505952l/63214507._SX50_.jpg|99095393] (Slough House #8.5)
All the stories were wedged into the long-term plot lines of the series. Note The Last Dead Letter was an exclusive addition found only in the Waterstones signed copy of [b:Joe Country|38751779|Joe Country (Slough House, #6)|Mick Herron|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1549054031l/38751779._SY75_.jpg|60343291] (Slough House #6) and this book. Also, its unclear where this story lies with respect to The Catch and Joe Country, before or after?
Prose and narrative in the novellas were quite good. (They're typically good.) I had a few laugh-out-loud moments with the narrative. For example:
Typically I ear-read the series' books. Interestingly, having read this as an ebook, Herron's (over)use of his extensive vocabulary was easily remedied with Searches. For example, a banquette was the unknown name for a piece barroom furniture familiar to me. (I'd always thought of it as a "corner booth".)
The majority of characters were taken directly from the series. Familiar characters received very minor development. However, you get a good, dose of: Catherine Standish, Molly Doran, Jackson Lamb and Diana 'Lady Di' Taverner. Given the way Herron goes through the Slow Horse agents, it was pleasant to re-visit, familiar and now deceased characters. One new character, John Bachelor, a milkman for The Park was introduced. He was the protagonist in the first three stories in the book. He's a tangential character for the series. His late career and life were a long, alcoholic, slide down the greasy pole, of MI5. I was disappointed when he disappeared from the series' narrative. I hope he reappears?
The book contained both novellas and short stories. With serial fiction, many times less is more, since character development is a narrative sunk cost. I found the short stories to be a bit too compressed. Frankly, I came to think that Herron was better at the novella format than the novel format. Its too bad, there isn't a lot of money in novellas, even as serial fiction?
I had two minor problems with this anthology. The Snow White agent long-term plot line that stretched through three of the stories starting with The List didn’t end . This short works plot line was better than some of the main series plot lines. The second was that Standing by the Wall was a prelude to the yet-unpublished The Secret Hours (Slough House, #9). While it didn't contain any spoilers, it reeked of Publisher Marketing.
If you have a keen interest in The Slow Horses, this is a book to read. In a single, modestly-sized volume, it gives you an interstitial Slow Horses fix outside of the main series. I was pleased I found it.
Recommended for Slow Horses Fan-bois and grrls
London Street from Solly’s Flat, Marylebone Drop (Slough House, #5.5)
My dead pixels edition was a modest 269-pages long. The original UK copyright was 2022.
Mick Herron is a British mystery and thriller novelist. He has more than 20-books published, in two series and standalone. This was a supplementary book in his Slough House series. This was also the ninth book I’ve read by the author. The previous being Bad Actors (Slough House, #8) (my review).
Its strongly recommended that several of the previous books in the series be read before this one. Otherwise, the important, long-term Slow Horses, series plotlines will not be easily understood. Also, if you're not completely caught-up, to at least Slough House (Slough House, #7) this book contains spoilers.
Full disclosure, I’m a fan of both the Slow Horses books and TV Series, although the books are better. I'm 'caught-up' and waiting for [b:The Secret Hours|123727738|The Secret Hours|Mick Herron|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1679675916l/123727738._SX50_.jpg|145108210] (Slough House, #9), which is hinted at in the ending short story of this book.
This book took me by surprise. I was just looking for a quick read by a fave author. Normally, I stay away from the Point releases within a series. I have a hard enough time keeping-up with the main series. I didn't realize there was a blissfully short, Slow Horses anthology like this, until if fell into my lap. I found this to be the ideal, short ‘fresher to be reading before the release of both The Secret Hours and the third season of the TV show.
Included in this book were:
+ [b:The List|23636636|The List (Slough House, #2.5)|Mick Herron|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1453497408l/23636636._SY75_.jpg|43241398] (Slough House #2.5)
+ [b:The Marylebone Drop|38452197|The Marylebone Drop (Slough House, #5.5)|Mick Herron|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1550245790l/38452197._SY75_.jpg|59413629] (Slough House, #5.5)
+ [b:The Catch|48550232|The Catch (Slough House, #6.5)|Mick Herron|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1574334687l/48550232._SX50_.jpg|73871959] (Slough House #6.5)
+ The Last Dead Letter (Slough House #6.4/6(?))
+ [b:Standing by the Wall: A Slough House Interlude|63214507|Standing by the Wall A Slough House Interlude|Mick Herron|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1667505952l/63214507._SX50_.jpg|99095393] (Slough House #8.5)
All the stories were wedged into the long-term plot lines of the series. Note The Last Dead Letter was an exclusive addition found only in the Waterstones signed copy of [b:Joe Country|38751779|Joe Country (Slough House, #6)|Mick Herron|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1549054031l/38751779._SY75_.jpg|60343291] (Slough House #6) and this book. Also, its unclear where this story lies with respect to The Catch and Joe Country, before or after?
Prose and narrative in the novellas were quite good. (They're typically good.) I had a few laugh-out-loud moments with the narrative. For example:
Sex and drugs and rock and roll were all hard currency. But hardest of all was information.
“Like many millennials. Some of them find punctuation aggressive.” (Catherine Standish)
“You just have to not care that other people are doing so much better.” (John Bachelor)
Typically I ear-read the series' books. Interestingly, having read this as an ebook, Herron's (over)use of his extensive vocabulary was easily remedied with Searches. For example, a banquette was the unknown name for a piece barroom furniture familiar to me. (I'd always thought of it as a "corner booth".)
The majority of characters were taken directly from the series. Familiar characters received very minor development. However, you get a good, dose of: Catherine Standish, Molly Doran, Jackson Lamb and Diana 'Lady Di' Taverner. Given the way Herron goes through the Slow Horse agents, it was pleasant to re-visit, familiar and now deceased characters. One new character, John Bachelor, a milkman for The Park was introduced. He was the protagonist in the first three stories in the book. He's a tangential character for the series. His late career and life were a long, alcoholic, slide down the greasy pole, of MI5. I was disappointed when he disappeared from the series' narrative. I hope he reappears?
The book contained both novellas and short stories. With serial fiction, many times less is more, since character development is a narrative sunk cost. I found the short stories to be a bit too compressed. Frankly, I came to think that Herron was better at the novella format than the novel format. Its too bad, there isn't a lot of money in novellas, even as serial fiction?
I had two minor problems with this anthology. The Snow White agent long-term plot line that stretched through three of the stories starting with The List didn’t end . This short works plot line was better than some of the main series plot lines. The second was that Standing by the Wall was a prelude to the yet-unpublished The Secret Hours (Slough House, #9). While it didn't contain any spoilers, it reeked of Publisher Marketing.
If you have a keen interest in The Slow Horses, this is a book to read. In a single, modestly-sized volume, it gives you an interstitial Slow Horses fix outside of the main series. I was pleased I found it.
Recommended for Slow Horses Fan-bois and grrls
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
challenging
reflective
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
emotional
funny
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
What was the point of that last novella? Just because you write something doesn’t mean it’s worth reading
This entry is just for reading the one novella here—The Last Dead Letter—which I have seen classified as 6.25 in the Slow Horses series. I have read the first 3 novellas from the series in other entries here on Goodreads. That leaves the titular novella for the future because it is 8.5.
“The Last Dead Letter” is basically a conversation between Molly Duran and Jackson Lamb. It takes place after “Joe Country” mostly because they share the same location, so to speak. Molly tells Jackson a story, and we learn “some more background information”. The writing and construction of the novella is good and deserves 4 stars. I am biased by the length, I think, which means I won’t go to 5 stars.
“The Last Dead Letter” is basically a conversation between Molly Duran and Jackson Lamb. It takes place after “Joe Country” mostly because they share the same location, so to speak. Molly tells Jackson a story, and we learn “some more background information”. The writing and construction of the novella is good and deserves 4 stars. I am biased by the length, I think, which means I won’t go to 5 stars.