Slow Horses
Sidelined spies find self-worth and a shot at redemption.
Mick Herron’s 2010 novel Slow Horses is a spy story that’s about more than spies and spying. If Len Deighton’s The Ipcress File is about class, Slow Horses is about misfits surviving organisational politics.
Where The Office poked fun at workplace politics, Slow Horses explores the full cynical glory of witnessing it in action. There’s plenty of dark humour to go around with an assortment of eccentric characters, including a disheveled departmental boss who eats heart-attack food, exhibits disgusting personal habits, and makes politically incorrect comments.
There are twelve published Slow Horses novels and an Apple TV series with five completed seasons.
The Housemaid
An explosive psychological mystery with a twist.
Freida McFaddens’s The Housemaid is a tense psychological mystery with an interesting plot twist. It’s an accessible, fun read. The movie is out and it is equally engrossing.
The story works within genre conventions and also subvert them with a fresh take that feels compelling and authentic. There’s a flavour of The Girl on the Train meets 90s psychological mystery, along with a contemporary #metoo vibe.
The Dog Stars
A novel with a reassuring message for our troubled times.
Peter Heller’s The Dog Stars is a beautifully written literary fiction quality novel with genre style action. The story is an interesting thematic mix of the American outdoors and survivalism combined with the protagonist’s inner reflection and search for meaningful connection.
I listened to the audio book version, read by Mark Deakins, and his narration is superb. The reading is effortlessly convincing. When I reached the end, I wanted to start it again. Both the physical book and the Audible audio book are highly recommended.
The movie adaptation of The Dog Stars is slated for an August 2026 release. The movie is directed by Ridley Scott, director of Blade Runner.