Slow Horses

Praise for Mick Herron: "Mick Herron never tells a suspense story in the expected way. . . . In Herron's book, there is no hiding under the desk."— The New York Times Book Review "Stylish and engaging."— The Washington Post "[A] masterful thriller. . . . The intricate plot, coupled with Herron's breezy writing style, results in superior entertainment that makes most other novels of suspense appear dull and slow-witted by comparison."— Publishers Weekly , starred review "Like a good movie . . . grabs the reader from the first page."— Booklist , starred review Slough House is a dumping ground for British intelligence agents who’ve screwed up a case in any number of ways—by leaving a secret file on a train or blowing a surveillance. River Carter, one such “slow horse,” is bitter about his failure and about his tedious assignment transcribing cell phone conversations. When a young man is abducted and his kidnappers threaten to broadcast his beheading live on the Internet, River sees an opportunity to redeem himself. Is the victim who he first appears to be? And what’s the kidnappers’ connection with a disgraced journalist? As the clock ticks on the execution, River finds that everyone has his own agenda.