Okay, so everyone calls Mick Herron the new John Le Carré. But what if he’s better than Le Carré? That’s my Mum’s verdict and since she’s been reading him way longer than me, I’m happy to go with her opinion. I’m catching her up though. On possibly the most important measure I’m in the lead because I’ve read Herron’s newest book, Bad Actors, his eighth. What’s more.. I know whether River Cartwright, last seen Novichoked at the end of book seven, is alive or dead. But if I tell you, Herron will kill me. I took a train to Oxford the other day to meet him – in person! how 2019 – to hear more about his brilliant spy creations, who are rather less brilliant at doing their jobs. That’s why they get banished to Slough House, a place so far removed from Spy HQ it might as well be in actual South. Herron’s thrillers are taut, psychological romps that stick the boot into our political leaders (“they dish the shit; they can take it”) while the slow horses try and get a sniff at some action. Jackson Lamb is the man readers keep coming back for, either because of or despite all his farting and general vileness – which belies a strong moral code, says Herron. Naturally, I quizzed Herron about whether we’ll ever get a Lamb prequel, as is prerequisite in Movieland, and he told me what he had planned. I can’t remember whether I’m allowed to print his reply but I can direct you to the bit in my interview with him where he reveals how much he hates research. And I’m guessing reconstructing life in Cold War Berlin would take quite some research, even for someone who grew up on that era’s thrillers. Anyway, please do read my interview in the ipaper. And then, if you haven’t read any MICK HERRON, head to your nearest bookshop and treat yourself. Or there’s always the Apple TV+ version, Slow Horses.

https://inews.co.uk/culture/books/slow-horses-author-mick-herron-britain-broken-government-disaster-1616443