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The Secret Hours
Two years ago, a hostile Prime Minister launched the Monochrome inquiry, investigating "historical over-reaching" by the British Secret Service. Monochrome’s mission was to ferret out any hint of misconduct by any MI5 officer—and allowed Griselda Fleet and Malcolm Kyle, the two civil servants seconded to the project, unfettered access to any and all confidential information in the Service archives in order to do so.
But MI5’s formidable First Desk did not become Britain’s top spy by accident, and she has successfully thwarted the inquiry at every turn. Now the administration that created Monochrome has been ousted, the investigation is a total bust—and Griselda and Malcolm are stuck watching as their career prospects are washed away by the pounding London rain.
Until the eve of Monochrome’s shuttering, when an MI5 case file appears without explanation. It is the buried history of a classified operation in 1994 Berlin—an operation that ended in tragedy and scandal, whose cover-up has rewritten thirty years of Service history.
The Secret Hours is a dazzling entry point into Mick Herron’s body of work, a standalone spy thriller that is at once unnerving, poignant, and laugh-out-loud funny. It is also the breathtaking secret history that Slough House fans have been waiting for.
But MI5’s formidable First Desk did not become Britain’s top spy by accident, and she has successfully thwarted the inquiry at every turn. Now the administration that created Monochrome has been ousted, the investigation is a total bust—and Griselda and Malcolm are stuck watching as their career prospects are washed away by the pounding London rain.
Until the eve of Monochrome’s shuttering, when an MI5 case file appears without explanation. It is the buried history of a classified operation in 1994 Berlin—an operation that ended in tragedy and scandal, whose cover-up has rewritten thirty years of Service history.
The Secret Hours is a dazzling entry point into Mick Herron’s body of work, a standalone spy thriller that is at once unnerving, poignant, and laugh-out-loud funny. It is also the breathtaking secret history that Slough House fans have been waiting for.
384 pages, ebook
First published September 14, 2023
3750 people are currently reading
35793 people want to read
About the author
Mick Herron
54 books5,369 followersMick Herron was born in Newcastle and has a degree in English from Balliol College, Oxford. He is the author of six books in the Slough House series as well as a mystery series set in Oxford featuring Sarah Tucker and/or P.I. Zoë Boehm. He now lives in Oxford and works in London.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,833 reviews
July 21, 2023
The heart pounding first chapter set the scene beautifully for this spy thriller, however it quietened down considerably after that, but was, nevertheless, a fascinating read.
The subsequent chapters took the reader right into the heart of The British Secret Service, where two years previously the ‘Monochrome’ inquiry was set up to investigate misconduct within the service, and it gave civil servants Griselda Fleet and Malcolm Kyle unrestricted access to confidential information in the service archives.
This isn’t as simple as it sounds, as their progress has been blocked at every turn. That is until the OTIS file is given to Kyle by persons unknown.
Spies and politicians in the highest corridors of government, all these and more have day jobs, but what do they get up to in the secret hours?
A well plotted spy novel that includes lots of humorous dialogue to help lighten the mood. Herron gives his characters whip-crack dialogue that is both cruel and funny in the same sentence.
Dual timelines from the present back to 1994 Berlin, have been skilfully executed to produce a gripping and ultimately satisfying tale.
*Thank you to Netgalley and John Murray Press, Baskerville for an ARC in exchange for an honest unbiased review *
The subsequent chapters took the reader right into the heart of The British Secret Service, where two years previously the ‘Monochrome’ inquiry was set up to investigate misconduct within the service, and it gave civil servants Griselda Fleet and Malcolm Kyle unrestricted access to confidential information in the service archives.
This isn’t as simple as it sounds, as their progress has been blocked at every turn. That is until the OTIS file is given to Kyle by persons unknown.
Spies and politicians in the highest corridors of government, all these and more have day jobs, but what do they get up to in the secret hours?
A well plotted spy novel that includes lots of humorous dialogue to help lighten the mood. Herron gives his characters whip-crack dialogue that is both cruel and funny in the same sentence.
Dual timelines from the present back to 1994 Berlin, have been skilfully executed to produce a gripping and ultimately satisfying tale.
*Thank you to Netgalley and John Murray Press, Baskerville for an ARC in exchange for an honest unbiased review *
July 2, 2023
I am a totally devoted fan of the Slow Horses series and although it seems at first glance that The Secret Hours is not continuation of the series, there are links to some characters who appear in the Slow Horses books, especially one is easily recognizable by the sounds they make.
The background of the plot is the fall of the Berlin Wall and the seemingly changing world of spooks and agents in the fields. Years after this historic event, there is an internal investigation into the tragedy that struck in 1994 and actions undertaken in order to take revenge.
Absolutely loved The Secret Hours, one of the best openings written by Mr Herron in my opinion. And Mr Doyle reads as masterfully as ever!
*A big thank-you to Mick Herron, RB Media, and NetGalley for arc in exchange for my honest review.*
The background of the plot is the fall of the Berlin Wall and the seemingly changing world of spooks and agents in the fields. Years after this historic event, there is an internal investigation into the tragedy that struck in 1994 and actions undertaken in order to take revenge.
Absolutely loved The Secret Hours, one of the best openings written by Mr Herron in my opinion. And Mr Doyle reads as masterfully as ever!
*A big thank-you to Mick Herron, RB Media, and NetGalley for arc in exchange for my honest review.*
August 4, 2023
The Secret Hours is billed as a stand-alone story. And it does work as a stand-alone, but those familiar with the Slough House series will appreciate it all the more.
The story takes its own sweet time getting set up. But given the snarky humor in almost every scene, I didn’t mind the meandering path it took. The premise is that two years prior, a prime minister set up the Monochrome internal inquiry, a look into “historical overreach” by MI5. But in typical government bureaucracy, the two individuals, Griselda Fleet and Malcolm Kyle, tasked with leading the inquiry, have no power and are thwarted at every turn by MI5’s First Desk. Now, the PM has been ousted and Monochrome is on its last legs. And then…Malcolm receives a folder outlining a classified operation in 1994 Berlin that went horribly wrong. The story then goes back and forth between the present day and the time in Berlin. Oh, and there’s also a side story in the present day about an ex-joe who awakes to his house being broken into and is forced to go on the run.
All the characters are perfectly presented and fleshed out. And Herron makes no secrets of his thoughts about politics. The original PM is a thinly veiled portrait of Boris Johnson and Griselda’s career has gotten off track by attending one of the Covid parties. This is a book filled with dark, acerbic humor. It’s an intelligent, convoluted story designed to keep the listener on their toes. And the ending is bloody perfect!
I listened to this and Gerard Doyle is again the perfect narrator.
My thanks to Netgalley and RB Media for an advance copy of this audiobook.
The story takes its own sweet time getting set up. But given the snarky humor in almost every scene, I didn’t mind the meandering path it took. The premise is that two years prior, a prime minister set up the Monochrome internal inquiry, a look into “historical overreach” by MI5. But in typical government bureaucracy, the two individuals, Griselda Fleet and Malcolm Kyle, tasked with leading the inquiry, have no power and are thwarted at every turn by MI5’s First Desk. Now, the PM has been ousted and Monochrome is on its last legs. And then…Malcolm receives a folder outlining a classified operation in 1994 Berlin that went horribly wrong. The story then goes back and forth between the present day and the time in Berlin. Oh, and there’s also a side story in the present day about an ex-joe who awakes to his house being broken into and is forced to go on the run.
All the characters are perfectly presented and fleshed out. And Herron makes no secrets of his thoughts about politics. The original PM is a thinly veiled portrait of Boris Johnson and Griselda’s career has gotten off track by attending one of the Covid parties. This is a book filled with dark, acerbic humor. It’s an intelligent, convoluted story designed to keep the listener on their toes. And the ending is bloody perfect!
I listened to this and Gerard Doyle is again the perfect narrator.
My thanks to Netgalley and RB Media for an advance copy of this audiobook.
October 21, 2025
The Secret Hours is my first Mick Herron novel and it will most certainly not be by last. I already have the first two books in the Slough House series lined up.
I love it when a book is not only highly entertaining, but also teaches me new things about the world and its history. Even though this is fictional there are many historical references. The complexities and hardships which came with the process of reunification after the Berlin Wall fell. The city was in chaos as it tried to adjust to its new way of life. Berlin became known as the party city, where anything went while the politicos tried to dust themselves off and get reoriented.
Learning more than I ever knew about espionage and the people tapped to perform this occupation was eye-opening and left me in disbelief much of the time. No one trusted anyone and everyone had a back (or ten) they were stabbing. There was no limit to the lengths taken in the quest to settle old scores, enact revenge or weasel one's way into more prestigious positions of power.
On that note, I highly recommend the standalone for an exciting and very smart espionage/ historical thriller. Mick Herron most definitely has a new few fan in me.
I love it when a book is not only highly entertaining, but also teaches me new things about the world and its history. Even though this is fictional there are many historical references. The complexities and hardships which came with the process of reunification after the Berlin Wall fell. The city was in chaos as it tried to adjust to its new way of life. Berlin became known as the party city, where anything went while the politicos tried to dust themselves off and get reoriented.
Learning more than I ever knew about espionage and the people tapped to perform this occupation was eye-opening and left me in disbelief much of the time. No one trusted anyone and everyone had a back (or ten) they were stabbing. There was no limit to the lengths taken in the quest to settle old scores, enact revenge or weasel one's way into more prestigious positions of power.
On that note, I highly recommend the standalone for an exciting and very smart espionage/ historical thriller. Mick Herron most definitely has a new few fan in me.
April 19, 2025
Amidst the ongoing jealousy and rivalry between the British government and the British Intelligence Service, the Prime Minister, who nurses a huge grudge against the spy service, institutes a program called Monochrome.
Monochrome is designed to sniff out wrongdoing in the secret service, but the Prime Minister is no match for MI-5's 'First Desk' - a formidable and intelligent woman who immediately (and hilariously) neuters Monochrome.
Thus the Monochrome panel, whose members are Griselda Fleet, Malcolm Kyle, and others, spends years interviewing people, to no avail.
The 'witnesses' blather on and on, but know nothing useful about the spy service, and their testimonies are never intended for the 'final report.'
Sadly, Malcolm - a young man with lofty ambitions - sees his career going down the drain while he languishes on the Monochrome panel.
Then one day, while Malcolm is ambling around the supermarket with a shopping cart, a young woman crashes into him, upending Malcolm's groceries.
Several people come over to help, and when everything is back in place, Malcolm finds a file under his food. The file turns out to contain information about a top secret intelligence operation called OTIS. The supermarket incident freaks Malcolm out, but - after much rationalizing - Malcolm and Griselda Fleet decide Monochrome will investigate OTIS.
OTIS turns out to be a spy operation in Berlin, after the fall of the Berlin Wall. The Monochrome panel is beginning to interview the first OTIS witness when Monochrome is shut down hard, for good. It's clear the government does not want OTIS to become public knowledge. Nevertheless, Griselda and Malcolm fabricate a loophole so they can hear the witness's whole story, which is riveting.
Meanwhile, a sixtysomething former spy called Max Janacek is on the run after an attempted abduction in the middle of the night. Max, who has some skills, manages to evade his kidnappers, retrieve his flight kit, and embark on a quest to find out who's after him.
In case you ever need to make a fast getaway, here are the contents of a flight kit: a passport with a fake name; a grand in cash; two prepaid credit cards worth 5,000 Euros; one change of clothing; a basic toiletries kit that includes hair dye and tinted contact lenses; and a pair of insoles that will alter your gait enough to fool a computer. (You're welcome. 🙂)
All of the threads come together at the book's climax, and the ending made me smile. I just love that First Desk.
Good espionage thriller, highly recommended.
I listened to the audiobook, narrated by Gerard Doyle, who does an excellent job.
Thanks to Netgalley, Mick Herron, and RB Media for a copy of the book.
You can follow my reviews at http://reviewsbybarbsaffer.blogspot.com
February 5, 2024
5★
“The lane lit up: the car had made its decision, and was coming to collect him. Easier to conquer that steep hill on four wheels: his own legs were trembling now, partly the cold, mostly with all this effort. Not so long ago his worst problem had been insomnia.”
Retired academic Max Janáček, is running from those who broke into his country cottage where he’s lived quietly for the past 20 years. He needs not only to escape them but to make it back to his home to get his flight kit.
“His passport – the word ‘his’ designating ownership rather than identity, but it was a passport he’d paid for, and definitely bore his photograph – plus a grand in cash…”
You get the idea. The little old lady next door will have to find another neighbour to cut her firewood. It’s no spoiler to say he gets his flight kit and goes.
“There were hotels where they gave you a robe, hotels where they didn’t give you a robe, and hotels where, if they did give you a robe, you wouldn’t want to wear it, and Max found one of these…”
Max is the first of the characters in this intricately tangled story of the British secret service from before and after the Berlin Wall came down (1989) to today. We don’t know why ‘Max’ is being hunted, but he does.
When the story moves to a Secret Service HQ at Regent’s Park in London, the Park, we find an investigation into evidence of the Park’s misdoings underway. If only Malcolm and Griselda, who are running Monochrome (the investigation), could actually get at the old archives. New data gets uploaded to the cloud (hello hackers), but the old stuff is still on paper, in folders, down in the guarded basement archives, where they can’t go.
“ . . . the digital cloud, where newer secrets are stored holding more pixels than actual clouds hold raindrops, and while this is turning out to present security problems of a kind previously unencountered, things haven’t yet reached the pass where wise minds decide that old ways are best. So for the moment the future is allowed to unravel at precisely the speed of time, while the past continues to brood in its chambers, yielding up secrets only when forced to do so by those brave enough to confront the archive’s warder.”
Of course, it seems Monochrome is expected to report “nothing to see here”, but when a file drops almost literally in Malcolm’s lap, the action heats up.
They begin interviewing witness #137 and learn about activities that took place in Berlin, which we eventually understand leads to what’s happening today, including the attack on Max.
A bright new recruit to the service was interviewed, and as her account moves from her first interviews to the current day, readers of the Slough House series will begin to recognise some names and events. It isn’t necessary to know any of this to enjoy the story – it’s more like small Easter egg surprises for fans, I think.
Here’s one. She is going for an interview, and I apologise to the author for editing phrases here to piece this together. She is startled to see the man behind the table. He asks her to call him David, not Sir. (Fans should recognise the OB, the Old Bastard, River's grandfather, and the author actually uses the term later, in case we missed the reference.)
“Because this was David Cartwright, who had once been pointed out to her in the lobby at the Park. ‘There’s the man who drives the whole shebang.’
. . .
Like any large organisation, Regent’s Park ran on rumour, except when it was flying on legend.
. . .
A mixture of Rasputin and Robespierre, it was said, though in person he looked kindlier than either description suggested.
. . .
More importantly, a man who was immensely busy, what with being a legend. So what on earth was he doing here, gracing her send-off with his presence?
. . .
‘And I,’ he said, ‘will call you Alison.’
Which was when she understood that the whole thing was an embarrassing mistake. He thought she was someone else, and she would now have to explain this to him while somehow maintaining the fiction that it was her fault, not his; … then a single thought. ‘Work name. ’
He was watching her, expectantly.
‘I’m already used to it.’
‘Good. Good.’
And Alison North, as she now was, and would remain for some while, smiled her agreement.
‘Now, Berlin. Been there before?’ ”
She’s a great character, and her time in Berlin was eye-opening for her. The door on the house the Service has for offices is in a shabby part of the city and has a big ghost painted on the door. So much for “secret” service.
“‘Looking for the spooks, baby?’ someone called, in English. ‘Three houses down. With the fancy door.’
Laughter accompanied this.
Alison was too British to respond.
. . .
The Spooks’ Zoo, Berlin was called. And a thing about zoos was, the animals were on display.”
They sure are, and Alison’s work with Brinsley Miles is especially interesting, because he keeps insisting she go out with him night after night, often to cheap bars, strip clubs, all kinds of dives for drinks and or meals. He doesn’t hit on her, but through him she meets “Otis” and others. Finally, one night on her own, walking down Berlin’s main avenue, she sees the better places.
“On the Kurfürstendamm, she passed a bar, and was so grateful for the strength of mind that prevented her walking in and ordering a drink that she stopped at the next one to celebrate.”
Seems silly, but drinking on her own probably seemed like a relief.
The author explains the difference between work names and code names - the difference between an alias and the insulting nickname you all called the teacher you disliked.
“It boils down to this: an agent has a work name, and will of course be absolutely aware of what that name is. An asset, however, or a target, or even an innocent, unwittingly involved in a Service operation, will have a code name, of which they are entirely ignorant, and which will never be used in their presence.”
At the very end of the book, we can piece together who some of these people are today. There were a few places where I thought it was moving slowly – more fool me. Everything was necessary – the political climate, the intrigue, the revenge sought.
Another terrific book which I especially enjoyed because I understood the background, but it would be excellent as a standalone, too.
I loved Sean Barrett's audio narration, too. When I first tried it, some time ago, I think I was annoyed because I didn't have the text to refer to. Sometimes, I need to see names and phrases. But I got a copy of the book, and now I think his gravelly voice is perfect.
“The lane lit up: the car had made its decision, and was coming to collect him. Easier to conquer that steep hill on four wheels: his own legs were trembling now, partly the cold, mostly with all this effort. Not so long ago his worst problem had been insomnia.”
Retired academic Max Janáček, is running from those who broke into his country cottage where he’s lived quietly for the past 20 years. He needs not only to escape them but to make it back to his home to get his flight kit.
“His passport – the word ‘his’ designating ownership rather than identity, but it was a passport he’d paid for, and definitely bore his photograph – plus a grand in cash…”
You get the idea. The little old lady next door will have to find another neighbour to cut her firewood. It’s no spoiler to say he gets his flight kit and goes.
“There were hotels where they gave you a robe, hotels where they didn’t give you a robe, and hotels where, if they did give you a robe, you wouldn’t want to wear it, and Max found one of these…”
Max is the first of the characters in this intricately tangled story of the British secret service from before and after the Berlin Wall came down (1989) to today. We don’t know why ‘Max’ is being hunted, but he does.
When the story moves to a Secret Service HQ at Regent’s Park in London, the Park, we find an investigation into evidence of the Park’s misdoings underway. If only Malcolm and Griselda, who are running Monochrome (the investigation), could actually get at the old archives. New data gets uploaded to the cloud (hello hackers), but the old stuff is still on paper, in folders, down in the guarded basement archives, where they can’t go.
“ . . . the digital cloud, where newer secrets are stored holding more pixels than actual clouds hold raindrops, and while this is turning out to present security problems of a kind previously unencountered, things haven’t yet reached the pass where wise minds decide that old ways are best. So for the moment the future is allowed to unravel at precisely the speed of time, while the past continues to brood in its chambers, yielding up secrets only when forced to do so by those brave enough to confront the archive’s warder.”
Of course, it seems Monochrome is expected to report “nothing to see here”, but when a file drops almost literally in Malcolm’s lap, the action heats up.
They begin interviewing witness #137 and learn about activities that took place in Berlin, which we eventually understand leads to what’s happening today, including the attack on Max.
A bright new recruit to the service was interviewed, and as her account moves from her first interviews to the current day, readers of the Slough House series will begin to recognise some names and events. It isn’t necessary to know any of this to enjoy the story – it’s more like small Easter egg surprises for fans, I think.
Here’s one. She is going for an interview, and I apologise to the author for editing phrases here to piece this together. She is startled to see the man behind the table. He asks her to call him David, not Sir. (Fans should recognise the OB, the Old Bastard, River's grandfather, and the author actually uses the term later, in case we missed the reference.)
“Because this was David Cartwright, who had once been pointed out to her in the lobby at the Park. ‘There’s the man who drives the whole shebang.’
. . .
Like any large organisation, Regent’s Park ran on rumour, except when it was flying on legend.
. . .
A mixture of Rasputin and Robespierre, it was said, though in person he looked kindlier than either description suggested.
. . .
More importantly, a man who was immensely busy, what with being a legend. So what on earth was he doing here, gracing her send-off with his presence?
. . .
‘And I,’ he said, ‘will call you Alison.’
Which was when she understood that the whole thing was an embarrassing mistake. He thought she was someone else, and she would now have to explain this to him while somehow maintaining the fiction that it was her fault, not his; … then a single thought. ‘Work name. ’
He was watching her, expectantly.
‘I’m already used to it.’
‘Good. Good.’
And Alison North, as she now was, and would remain for some while, smiled her agreement.
‘Now, Berlin. Been there before?’ ”
She’s a great character, and her time in Berlin was eye-opening for her. The door on the house the Service has for offices is in a shabby part of the city and has a big ghost painted on the door. So much for “secret” service.
“‘Looking for the spooks, baby?’ someone called, in English. ‘Three houses down. With the fancy door.’
Laughter accompanied this.
Alison was too British to respond.
. . .
The Spooks’ Zoo, Berlin was called. And a thing about zoos was, the animals were on display.”
They sure are, and Alison’s work with Brinsley Miles is especially interesting, because he keeps insisting she go out with him night after night, often to cheap bars, strip clubs, all kinds of dives for drinks and or meals. He doesn’t hit on her, but through him she meets “Otis” and others. Finally, one night on her own, walking down Berlin’s main avenue, she sees the better places.
“On the Kurfürstendamm, she passed a bar, and was so grateful for the strength of mind that prevented her walking in and ordering a drink that she stopped at the next one to celebrate.”
Seems silly, but drinking on her own probably seemed like a relief.
The author explains the difference between work names and code names - the difference between an alias and the insulting nickname you all called the teacher you disliked.
“It boils down to this: an agent has a work name, and will of course be absolutely aware of what that name is. An asset, however, or a target, or even an innocent, unwittingly involved in a Service operation, will have a code name, of which they are entirely ignorant, and which will never be used in their presence.”
At the very end of the book, we can piece together who some of these people are today. There were a few places where I thought it was moving slowly – more fool me. Everything was necessary – the political climate, the intrigue, the revenge sought.
Another terrific book which I especially enjoyed because I understood the background, but it would be excellent as a standalone, too.
I loved Sean Barrett's audio narration, too. When I first tried it, some time ago, I think I was annoyed because I didn't have the text to refer to. Sometimes, I need to see names and phrases. But I got a copy of the book, and now I think his gravelly voice is perfect.
July 16, 2023
How we act in the light of day is largely for other people's benefit, but what we do in the secret hours reveals who we really are.
What a clever book this is! Herron has done a masterful job of creating something that devoted fans will see as a continuation, if from a slightly oblique - and long anticipated - angle, of the ongoing story (especially the Christmas teaser, Standing by the Wall), but which can also be read productively by Herron newbies without feeling lost. I'm the former and loved this!
The publishers have been pretty taciturn in the blurb so I don't want to give away anything that will be even a hint of a spoiler for other readers. I'll say though that the political commentary is at its harshest (loaded public enquiries that are stymied from the start for political reasons, the continued Tory ideological privatisation i.e. sell-off of public services for money to cronies, the legacy of the PJ/BJ premiership), and there is none of the slapstick antics that mediate the seriousness of the usual plots.
I'm assuming that the gesture to A Legacy of Spies by John le Carré is self-conscious and deliberate (another enquiry into past Cold War operations hampered by the mole uncovered in Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy) and I suspect some people might be upset by the dark showing of a previous character , though those of us who've always have our reservations will be vindicated.
One of the smart moves is to conceal names: so 'First Desk' and cover/field names are used throughout, though Herron aficionados will spot our people immediately.
Overall, then, a sharp and elegant insertion into a long-running series that doesn't rest on its laurels and keeps things fresh and biting - one of my reads of the summer!
Huge thanks to Baskerville/John Murray Press for an ARC I was desperate to receive :))
October 29, 2023
Mick Herron’s latest novel returns to the realm of cryptic innuendo, jealously guarded information and serpentine intrigue.His secret world blurs the line between fiction and reality and is populated by sharply drawn characters that have a surfeit of political acumen and an abundance of waspish repartee.
The novel has been described as a standalone spy thriller but in fact is a companion piece that stands alongside his revered Slough House series, deepening the characters’ backstories without specifically calling their names.Herron has effectively provided an origin story for the Slow Horses,adding nuggets of character nuance to some of the players in the parent series.
The intrigue starts immediately.A retired academic, leading a quiet life in a remote North Devon village,is forced to shed his contemplative exterior in order to thwart an unexpected attempt to abduct him from his home. On the previous day in London, a file laden with damaging information mysteriously surfaces and gives new momentum to the Monochrome Inquiry that is investigating past missteps by the Secret Service.The file recounts events from a failed operation in 1994 Berlin that has been covered up for decades. The fallout from the file’s reappearance prompts a level of intrigue and internal defense that is as vigorous in repelling bureaucratic insiders as any response defending outside threats to the body politic. The unraveling of the newly discovered file provides the perfect medium for the rapier ripostes and observational acuity that have become signature elements of a Herron novel.He delivers scathing views of politics and bureaucratic foibles, highlighting corruption, surveillance and private incursions into the public sphere.
It has always been my opinion that plot, no matter how well done, is secondary to the emotional shadings that permeate Herron’s novels. A journey in this world is laden with the romance and seductiveness that courses through the human psyche. The machinations and “ legends” unleashed by these secret world characters fall within the range of human frailties recognizable to many readers. One begins to suspect that the deceptions and rationalizations in the clandestine world are eerily similar to the justifications and equivocations that ordinary people create to cope with the obstacles encountered in their everyday world.
The novel has been described as a standalone spy thriller but in fact is a companion piece that stands alongside his revered Slough House series, deepening the characters’ backstories without specifically calling their names.Herron has effectively provided an origin story for the Slow Horses,adding nuggets of character nuance to some of the players in the parent series.
The intrigue starts immediately.A retired academic, leading a quiet life in a remote North Devon village,is forced to shed his contemplative exterior in order to thwart an unexpected attempt to abduct him from his home. On the previous day in London, a file laden with damaging information mysteriously surfaces and gives new momentum to the Monochrome Inquiry that is investigating past missteps by the Secret Service.The file recounts events from a failed operation in 1994 Berlin that has been covered up for decades. The fallout from the file’s reappearance prompts a level of intrigue and internal defense that is as vigorous in repelling bureaucratic insiders as any response defending outside threats to the body politic. The unraveling of the newly discovered file provides the perfect medium for the rapier ripostes and observational acuity that have become signature elements of a Herron novel.He delivers scathing views of politics and bureaucratic foibles, highlighting corruption, surveillance and private incursions into the public sphere.
It has always been my opinion that plot, no matter how well done, is secondary to the emotional shadings that permeate Herron’s novels. A journey in this world is laden with the romance and seductiveness that courses through the human psyche. The machinations and “ legends” unleashed by these secret world characters fall within the range of human frailties recognizable to many readers. One begins to suspect that the deceptions and rationalizations in the clandestine world are eerily similar to the justifications and equivocations that ordinary people create to cope with the obstacles encountered in their everyday world.
July 22, 2023
I am ashamed to say this is my first Mick Herron therefore obviously not one of the Slough House series. I am delighted to say that I absolutely loved it. And now I can get stuck into all the Slough House books knowing I've hours of joy to look forward to.
The book centres around The Park (aka secret service), the history of the Berlin Station, an enquiry named Monochrome looking into dodgy dealings at The Park and the secretive lives of various agents and "admin" staff. Suffice it to say that if I even attempt to describe the plot I will quickly lose you (and probably myself) so I won't - read the synopsis.
What I can tell you is that Mick Herron has created some exceptionally likeable (though murderous, foul-mouthed and inherently broken) characters whose names are quite frequently not their real names or their code names. Every single one of them has an acerbic wit but "Brinsley", "Otis" and "Alison" have to be favourites. The one-liners are to die for and I'm not sure there have been many spy novels I've snorted with laughter at. Mick Herron certainly has a unique voice.
I listened to the audio version of this book which was masterfully read by Gérard Doyle. I was utterly glued to it and frequently went back and forth just to enjoy it a second or third time.
Funny, smart, great ploy, immensely satisfying end. What more do you wish for in a book.
Very highly recommended.
Thankyou to Netgalley and RB Media for the advance review copy.
The book centres around The Park (aka secret service), the history of the Berlin Station, an enquiry named Monochrome looking into dodgy dealings at The Park and the secretive lives of various agents and "admin" staff. Suffice it to say that if I even attempt to describe the plot I will quickly lose you (and probably myself) so I won't - read the synopsis.
What I can tell you is that Mick Herron has created some exceptionally likeable (though murderous, foul-mouthed and inherently broken) characters whose names are quite frequently not their real names or their code names. Every single one of them has an acerbic wit but "Brinsley", "Otis" and "Alison" have to be favourites. The one-liners are to die for and I'm not sure there have been many spy novels I've snorted with laughter at. Mick Herron certainly has a unique voice.
I listened to the audio version of this book which was masterfully read by Gérard Doyle. I was utterly glued to it and frequently went back and forth just to enjoy it a second or third time.
Funny, smart, great ploy, immensely satisfying end. What more do you wish for in a book.
Very highly recommended.
Thankyou to Netgalley and RB Media for the advance review copy.
September 20, 2023
sheer, undiluted genius
It’s immensely good to be back at the Park, and to explore some of the back history of people we’d got to know at Slough House. To tell you anything at all about the narrative would be to blow huge spoiler-shaped holes in your fun; suffice to say that the writing is as slickly, brilliantly beautiful as ever, the political edge as sharp and the overall effect is glorious. It’s times like this I wish we had 10 stars. Totally essential reading.
It’s immensely good to be back at the Park, and to explore some of the back history of people we’d got to know at Slough House. To tell you anything at all about the narrative would be to blow huge spoiler-shaped holes in your fun; suffice to say that the writing is as slickly, brilliantly beautiful as ever, the political edge as sharp and the overall effect is glorious. It’s times like this I wish we had 10 stars. Totally essential reading.
August 21, 2024
This is described as a standalone from the author of the Slough House series. The name might be different but I recognized one major character from the series. Mick Herron is a wonderful writer and I enjoyed this complex story very much.
Favorite quotes:
"He noticed he was holding the bunch of Freesia's out as if he were offering a cross dog a biscuit."
"When the past meets the present the present always wins, but the victories are fleeting, mere technical knockouts, the present wins every battle, but the past always wins the war."
"He'd either lost a little weight or found a better tailor and either way wasn't enjoying it as much as he ought to. Never a good sign in a man who steered a budgetary oversight committee."
"The committee as a whole wasn't exactly composed of free thinkers. One or two were capable of independent thought, but when the whip came down, none would throw themselves in front of a foregone conclusion."
"a sly smile buttering his face."
"Her heart was beating again, no mistake about it, was making a break for freedom."
"It was a carrier bag of a face, she'd decided since, sometimes it was empty, waiting to be filled. At other times it bulged here and there, never in the same place twice."
"You know who the Park sends on these bean counting missions - some gargoyle with bad breath and brogues who eats fried onion sandwiches at his desk and spend lunch time in the pawn shops."
"Happiness takes on a different shade in the light of its consequences."
"Of course I'm glad you're not dead."
"Thank you, Oliver, perhaps we can work that into a sampler, I could hang it on the Hub."
Favorite quotes:
"He noticed he was holding the bunch of Freesia's out as if he were offering a cross dog a biscuit."
"When the past meets the present the present always wins, but the victories are fleeting, mere technical knockouts, the present wins every battle, but the past always wins the war."
"He'd either lost a little weight or found a better tailor and either way wasn't enjoying it as much as he ought to. Never a good sign in a man who steered a budgetary oversight committee."
"The committee as a whole wasn't exactly composed of free thinkers. One or two were capable of independent thought, but when the whip came down, none would throw themselves in front of a foregone conclusion."
"a sly smile buttering his face."
"Her heart was beating again, no mistake about it, was making a break for freedom."
"It was a carrier bag of a face, she'd decided since, sometimes it was empty, waiting to be filled. At other times it bulged here and there, never in the same place twice."
"You know who the Park sends on these bean counting missions - some gargoyle with bad breath and brogues who eats fried onion sandwiches at his desk and spend lunch time in the pawn shops."
"Happiness takes on a different shade in the light of its consequences."
"Of course I'm glad you're not dead."
"Thank you, Oliver, perhaps we can work that into a sampler, I could hang it on the Hub."
March 21, 2025
Mick Herron delivers this mix of spy and historical thriller that pulls the reader into the middle of the action. A prime ministerial investigation seeks to cull overstepping, but turns into something a great deal more intense. The story rushes from issue to conclusion, with a gripping story that pulls the reader along. Herron provides a well-paced thriller that will have the reader flipping pages and wondering well into the night!
It’s been two years since the British prime minister opened an inquiry into Operation: Monochrome. The purpose is to look at overreaching by MI5 and determine where things ought to be tightened up. Included in the review team are two civilians, which provides them unfettered access to security measures many could only wish to see.
Griselda Fleet and Malcolm Kyle might feel lucky, but their access is being tightly monitored by MI5’s First Desk, the premier monitoring arm of the spy agency. Monochrome is soon compromised and closed down, which ensures heads will roll. While Fleet and Kyle are left to wonder what this means for them, they begin feeling the heat. Can what they’ve seen be kept under wraps without taking drastic measures?
All of a sudden, a Monochrome file turns up and provides the civilians with some insight they could not imagine. A 1994 mission in Berlin uncovered some damning evidence and could make things highly uncomfortable for those involved. Now, time is of the essence and no one is safe. Herron weaves a strong story that is sure to tap into both history and duplicity, as the reader is caught in the middle.
I enjoy discovering new authors who write about topics that have piqued my interest. Mick Herron delivers a string thriller that engages the mind and provides the reader with something entertaining. A strong narrative keeps the reader hooked from the early chapters and weaves a solid set of ideas. While the story gains momentum, the reader is pulled into the middle of the various angles of espionage that Herron develops. Characters are well placed and provide intriguing perspectives that advance the story on numerous levels. Plot points are constant in this piece and the surprises never end, all while a thrilling undertone emerges for all to enjoy. I hope to read other books by Mick Herron when time permits.
Kudos, Mr. Herron, for a thriller that stirs up many issues from the Cold war era!
Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
It’s been two years since the British prime minister opened an inquiry into Operation: Monochrome. The purpose is to look at overreaching by MI5 and determine where things ought to be tightened up. Included in the review team are two civilians, which provides them unfettered access to security measures many could only wish to see.
Griselda Fleet and Malcolm Kyle might feel lucky, but their access is being tightly monitored by MI5’s First Desk, the premier monitoring arm of the spy agency. Monochrome is soon compromised and closed down, which ensures heads will roll. While Fleet and Kyle are left to wonder what this means for them, they begin feeling the heat. Can what they’ve seen be kept under wraps without taking drastic measures?
All of a sudden, a Monochrome file turns up and provides the civilians with some insight they could not imagine. A 1994 mission in Berlin uncovered some damning evidence and could make things highly uncomfortable for those involved. Now, time is of the essence and no one is safe. Herron weaves a strong story that is sure to tap into both history and duplicity, as the reader is caught in the middle.
I enjoy discovering new authors who write about topics that have piqued my interest. Mick Herron delivers a string thriller that engages the mind and provides the reader with something entertaining. A strong narrative keeps the reader hooked from the early chapters and weaves a solid set of ideas. While the story gains momentum, the reader is pulled into the middle of the various angles of espionage that Herron develops. Characters are well placed and provide intriguing perspectives that advance the story on numerous levels. Plot points are constant in this piece and the surprises never end, all while a thrilling undertone emerges for all to enjoy. I hope to read other books by Mick Herron when time permits.
Kudos, Mr. Herron, for a thriller that stirs up many issues from the Cold war era!
Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
February 12, 2025
The worst smell in the world is dead Badger and so opens the story.
Finishing the Slow Horses series have taken Berengaria’s advice to hunt out more books by Mick Herron. This one I found in my local library and immediately joined again to take it out.
This standalone work starts with a great opening chapter of an ex spook being hunted in Devon. A current day Inquiry into the Secret Service - Monochrome. Initiated by an unhappy PM (Boris Johnson). Then takes us back to Berlin in the ‘90’s. With Jackson Lamb with a different name hunting for the Stasi agent responsible for the death of one his Joes. We even find out how Molly Doran lost her legs.
The story didn’t have same impact without the Slow Horses characters and quick wit and repartee. But it was a cracker anyway. With First Desk continuing to be a dangerous character.
More books to find until a new Slow Horses comes out.
Finishing the Slow Horses series have taken Berengaria’s advice to hunt out more books by Mick Herron. This one I found in my local library and immediately joined again to take it out.
This standalone work starts with a great opening chapter of an ex spook being hunted in Devon. A current day Inquiry into the Secret Service - Monochrome. Initiated by an unhappy PM (Boris Johnson). Then takes us back to Berlin in the ‘90’s. With Jackson Lamb with a different name hunting for the Stasi agent responsible for the death of one his Joes. We even find out how Molly Doran lost her legs.
The story didn’t have same impact without the Slow Horses characters and quick wit and repartee. But it was a cracker anyway. With First Desk continuing to be a dangerous character.
More books to find until a new Slow Horses comes out.
September 12, 2025
Slow Horses Prequel
Review of the Recorded Books audiobook edition (September 12, 2023) narrated by Gerard Doyle, released simultaneously with the Soho Crime hardcover.
Cover image of the Baskerville (UK) edition released September 14, 2023. Image sourced from Goodreads.
By now I have become especially addicted to hearing series regular Gerard Doyle's narration of the Slough House books, so I couldn't resist picking up the audiobook edition. Doyle's narration in all voices is excellent as always. His voicing of a certain Slough House character will even give SH audiobook veteran listeners an early heads-up as to that person's identity 😉 .
Other Reviews
Review at The Guardian Secrets and Spies by Nicholas Wroe, September 8, 2023.
Trivia and Links
Author Mick Herron is interviewed about the book by fellow author John Sandford (the Lucas Davenport "Prey" series & others) on the Poisoned Pen Bookstore YouTube channel,
in early September, 2023.
Review of the Recorded Books audiobook edition (September 12, 2023) narrated by Gerard Doyle, released simultaneously with the Soho Crime hardcover.
"I had a leather jacket once," he said. "Made me look like Van Morrison."Although The Secret Hours is being marketed as a standalone and not as a Slough House aka Slow Horses novel, it acts as both a prequel and a parallel to the main series. The pleasure of each reader's discovery of which series characters make cameo appearances in the new book precludes discussing spoilerish details. All I can say is that regular Slow Horses fans will not be disappointed. In fact they will be sometimes even shocked by the revelations (at least I certainly was in one case). Most of the character names are actually disguised under their old tradecraft names for the longest time, as the book contains flashbacks to when they were in "Joe Country" (i.e. Herron's name for being in the field and not at head office) back in Berlin in 1994.
"Well, that’s not so – "
"Now. Like Van Morrison looks like now."
"Oh. I’m sorry."
Cover image of the Baskerville (UK) edition released September 14, 2023. Image sourced from Goodreads.
By now I have become especially addicted to hearing series regular Gerard Doyle's narration of the Slough House books, so I couldn't resist picking up the audiobook edition. Doyle's narration in all voices is excellent as always. His voicing of a certain Slough House character will even give SH audiobook veteran listeners an early heads-up as to that person's identity 😉 .
Other Reviews
Review at The Guardian Secrets and Spies by Nicholas Wroe, September 8, 2023.
Trivia and Links
Author Mick Herron is interviewed about the book by fellow author John Sandford (the Lucas Davenport "Prey" series & others) on the Poisoned Pen Bookstore YouTube channel,
in early September, 2023.
October 6, 2023
This one of those few books that I disliked in so many ways that I gave it one star even though I read it to where it quit (Not end, it had no decent ending). I did not enjoy the authors writing, his plot (?) was horrible. I did not like any of the characters. I am not going to tell you anything about them, I am just going to suggest you don't waste your time reading it.
September 24, 2023
If you enjoy books about paperwork and mundane activities and work issues and tedious activities of soul destroying proportions then here it is and then 68% in some action. Well written and painful.
November 17, 2023
This isn't part of the Slough House series, but is entwined with it nonetheless. The beginning was gripping, with unknown thugs pursuing a older, retired intelligence asset. I liked Max immediately and wanted to know WTF? just as much as he did.
Multiple strands of this complex story were carried throughout the novel, present and past timelines. The espionage practice of taking job names allowed Herron to muddy the waters enough to keep me in the dark about who was who until the last pages. Only one stood out clearly, with his prestidigitation of cigarettes and matches plus one well placed fart, just in case you weren't catching on quickly enough.
I now have a whole new perspective on River's grandfather, David Cartwright, the Old Bastard. Not a term of endearment, although that's how River interprets it. But the moral of the story (at least from my vantage point) is this: do not fuck with an archivist.
Multiple strands of this complex story were carried throughout the novel, present and past timelines. The espionage practice of taking job names allowed Herron to muddy the waters enough to keep me in the dark about who was who until the last pages. Only one stood out clearly, with his prestidigitation of cigarettes and matches plus one well placed fart, just in case you weren't catching on quickly enough.
I now have a whole new perspective on River's grandfather, David Cartwright, the Old Bastard. Not a term of endearment, although that's how River interprets it. But the moral of the story (at least from my vantage point) is this: do not fuck with an archivist.
October 1, 2023
I didn’t enjoy this as much as the Slough House series. It is a clever prequel but took too long to get going, I thought.
February 12, 2025
An easy 5 stars. Not part of the main Slow Horses/Slough House series but a must read for fans of those books, giving background into several of the main characters and how they came to be where they are. A slow start, but once the story arrives in Berlin in the early 1990s, it all comes together to a very satisfying conclusion.
September 12, 2025
3 Twice-Blessed Stars
I'm now twice-blessed with a 3-star read from this author. The first having been Slow Horses (Slough House #1). If you like, you can read my review here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
The Secret Hours, a Slough House-adjacent thriller, opens with Max, a 63yo retired academic living in remote Devon, on the run after awaking during a home invasion. We don’t know who he is and why he’s being chased, or by whom.
Two years previous a hostile Prime Minister launched the Monochrome inquiry, an investigation into “historical over-reaching” by the British Secret Service. Monochrome’s mission: to ferret out any hint of misconduct by any MI5 officer. The Monochrome committee's time is wasted interviewing members of the public who come in to testify nonsense. These interviews are hilarious! Many of the interviewees are merely attention seeking – as in the case of Witness No. 116 who “works at” HQ.
Others are attempting to use the committee to eke out revenge on people they don’t like – as in the case of Witness No.86, a mother of two, previously involved with MAO (Millennials Against Oppression), jilted by her exBF/father of her children; or Witness No. 68, a “porn addicted” ex-agent.
Alas, the hilarity of these interviews does not a novel make.
In spite of the captivating premise, intriguing plot, interesting characters (loved Max!), insightful reflection and speculation, and the London/Berlin setting I just couldn't connect with this author's writing style.
I do plan to give Herron one last go with Down Cemetery Road in anticipation of the upcoming TV series featuring Emma Thompson and Ruth Wilson, thanks for the heads-up Alan 🧚♀️🙋🏼!
I'm now twice-blessed with a 3-star read from this author. The first having been Slow Horses (Slough House #1). If you like, you can read my review here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
The Secret Hours, a Slough House-adjacent thriller, opens with Max, a 63yo retired academic living in remote Devon, on the run after awaking during a home invasion. We don’t know who he is and why he’s being chased, or by whom.
Two years previous a hostile Prime Minister launched the Monochrome inquiry, an investigation into “historical over-reaching” by the British Secret Service. Monochrome’s mission: to ferret out any hint of misconduct by any MI5 officer. The Monochrome committee's time is wasted interviewing members of the public who come in to testify nonsense. These interviews are hilarious! Many of the interviewees are merely attention seeking – as in the case of Witness No. 116 who “works at” HQ.
Others are attempting to use the committee to eke out revenge on people they don’t like – as in the case of Witness No.86, a mother of two, previously involved with MAO (Millennials Against Oppression), jilted by her exBF/father of her children; or Witness No. 68, a “porn addicted” ex-agent.
Alas, the hilarity of these interviews does not a novel make.
In spite of the captivating premise, intriguing plot, interesting characters (loved Max!), insightful reflection and speculation, and the London/Berlin setting I just couldn't connect with this author's writing style.
I do plan to give Herron one last go with Down Cemetery Road in anticipation of the upcoming TV series featuring Emma Thompson and Ruth Wilson, thanks for the heads-up Alan 🧚♀️🙋🏼!
April 24, 2023
You can depend on Mick Herron to supply a lot of things: bleak humor, skulduggery in the corridors of power, oddball sad-sack characters, taut plotting. This newest thriller has all of these in more than sufficient quantities, but it has something else: something resembling, dare I say it, a beating heart.
This heart won't be apparent to readers new to the "Slow Horses" universe. They will have to content themselves with relishing a supremely funny, well written, culturally knowing, and expertly plotted novel that weaves together a long retired spook forced on the run, a plodding government inquiry into the spy service, and an op gone wrong in the newly unified Berlin of the 1990s. Those of us steeped in the lore of Slough House will quickly discern how that piece of history reverberates through the lives of characters we know well, despite only ever being referred to by code names here. Easter eggs abound and provide hours upon hours amusement -- the enjoyment is deeply satisfying.
Never fear, any faint aroma sentimentality never congeals into an odor sickly sweetness. Herron hasn't gone soft, his elbows and his wit are as sharp as they've ever been. How he connects the betrayals in Berlin in the 1990s to the government's assault on Regent Park's autonomy is brilliant; cynical enough to insure that even diehard misanthropes will have to reassess their worldviews downwards.
It's all tied up into a nice neat little box, but rest assured, there will be reverberations and, I expect, characters, that will be oozing into Slough House operations in the near future.
This heart won't be apparent to readers new to the "Slow Horses" universe. They will have to content themselves with relishing a supremely funny, well written, culturally knowing, and expertly plotted novel that weaves together a long retired spook forced on the run, a plodding government inquiry into the spy service, and an op gone wrong in the newly unified Berlin of the 1990s. Those of us steeped in the lore of Slough House will quickly discern how that piece of history reverberates through the lives of characters we know well, despite only ever being referred to by code names here. Easter eggs abound and provide hours upon hours amusement -- the enjoyment is deeply satisfying.
Never fear, any faint aroma sentimentality never congeals into an odor sickly sweetness. Herron hasn't gone soft, his elbows and his wit are as sharp as they've ever been. How he connects the betrayals in Berlin in the 1990s to the government's assault on Regent Park's autonomy is brilliant; cynical enough to insure that even diehard misanthropes will have to reassess their worldviews downwards.
It's all tied up into a nice neat little box, but rest assured, there will be reverberations and, I expect, characters, that will be oozing into Slough House operations in the near future.
November 4, 2023
The Secret Hours is a stand-alone novel by award-winning, best-selling British author, Mick Herron. This audio version is brilliantly narrated by Sean Barrett. When the government initiates its inquiry into historical overreaching by the intelligence services, First Desk is dismissive with her PA about its impact, but is nonetheless making contingency plans. One of the civil service staff seconded as secretary to the inquiry believes it will be a launchpad for his career; the other is under no such illusion. First Desk leaves them in no doubt that access to files will be extremely challenging.
Two years on, by day 371 and after 136 witnesses, secretary second chair, Malcolm Kyle is fully resigned to the knowledge that Monochrome, fed only volunteered information from the public, is “a toothless committee, which has wasted all these months chewing empty mouthfuls”, when a highly classified file appears in his shopping trolley, a file concerning something that happened in Berlin in 1994. The right thing to do is to send it back to Regents Park, but he and Griselda Fleet, secretary first chair, are just disgruntled enough to put the file before the committee. On whose behalf they are poking this sleeping tiger remains a guessing game.
After two decades in his cottage in North Devon, Max Janacek is almost exactly what he pretends to be, a retired academic. When he disarms the woman breaking into his kitchen, and narrowly escapes her associates, he knows his cover has been blown, but by whom, and why? Certainly not the Park, and the inept effort rules out other intelligence services. And living under the radar all this time means the why must relate to his past.
In early 1994, a smart young civil service officer going under the name of Alison North was sent to Berlin, supposedly a routine secondment, but tasked by David Cartwright with covertly observing the activities of the 2IC in the Berlin Station house, Brinsley Miles. With barely nine months’ experience at the Park, Alison was unlikely to uncover anything that might taint a seasoned former joe like Miles. And yet…
While not a Slough House book, fans of the series must read this one, it has important back story on several key characters and will surely be relevant in the next book of the series. The story behind a certain photograph that features in Herron's short story, Standing By The Wall is revealed, and the transcripts of Monochrome sessions, all boring and irrelevant, demonstrate that Herron has a firm grasp on how British government bureaucracy really works.
It takes but a few lines to conclude that First Desk is still Diana Taverner. It is eventually clear just who Alison North is, and even if he is never mentioned by that name, the guy with the mysteriously appearing cigarette who punctuates his speech with farts and tells off colour jokes could be none other than Jackson Lamb, a deduction reinforced by “This monster hasn’t the manners of a zoo-bred warthog. Though he does have the looks and the charm, as you’ve doubtless discovered already” and “Miles can be abrasive. A bit of a foul-mouthed pig. He was trying this identity on for a joke once, and the wind changed, so he stayed like that.”
Herron’s tightly-plotted tale features political machinations around privatisation, a Regent’s Park mole, an executed asset, betrayals, blackmail and a trap to catch a murderer. As always, he gives the reader plenty of dark humour, some marvellous turns of phrase and a very satisfying conclusion. Topical, funny and very clever.
Two years on, by day 371 and after 136 witnesses, secretary second chair, Malcolm Kyle is fully resigned to the knowledge that Monochrome, fed only volunteered information from the public, is “a toothless committee, which has wasted all these months chewing empty mouthfuls”, when a highly classified file appears in his shopping trolley, a file concerning something that happened in Berlin in 1994. The right thing to do is to send it back to Regents Park, but he and Griselda Fleet, secretary first chair, are just disgruntled enough to put the file before the committee. On whose behalf they are poking this sleeping tiger remains a guessing game.
After two decades in his cottage in North Devon, Max Janacek is almost exactly what he pretends to be, a retired academic. When he disarms the woman breaking into his kitchen, and narrowly escapes her associates, he knows his cover has been blown, but by whom, and why? Certainly not the Park, and the inept effort rules out other intelligence services. And living under the radar all this time means the why must relate to his past.
In early 1994, a smart young civil service officer going under the name of Alison North was sent to Berlin, supposedly a routine secondment, but tasked by David Cartwright with covertly observing the activities of the 2IC in the Berlin Station house, Brinsley Miles. With barely nine months’ experience at the Park, Alison was unlikely to uncover anything that might taint a seasoned former joe like Miles. And yet…
While not a Slough House book, fans of the series must read this one, it has important back story on several key characters and will surely be relevant in the next book of the series. The story behind a certain photograph that features in Herron's short story, Standing By The Wall is revealed, and the transcripts of Monochrome sessions, all boring and irrelevant, demonstrate that Herron has a firm grasp on how British government bureaucracy really works.
It takes but a few lines to conclude that First Desk is still Diana Taverner. It is eventually clear just who Alison North is, and even if he is never mentioned by that name, the guy with the mysteriously appearing cigarette who punctuates his speech with farts and tells off colour jokes could be none other than Jackson Lamb, a deduction reinforced by “This monster hasn’t the manners of a zoo-bred warthog. Though he does have the looks and the charm, as you’ve doubtless discovered already” and “Miles can be abrasive. A bit of a foul-mouthed pig. He was trying this identity on for a joke once, and the wind changed, so he stayed like that.”
Herron’s tightly-plotted tale features political machinations around privatisation, a Regent’s Park mole, an executed asset, betrayals, blackmail and a trap to catch a murderer. As always, he gives the reader plenty of dark humour, some marvellous turns of phrase and a very satisfying conclusion. Topical, funny and very clever.
October 4, 2023
Some of my friends with similar taste have been raving about this author. Earlier this year I read Slow Horses but wasn't blown away - I though maybe this was because it was the first book in a series and most of the book was just an introduction to the cast of characters.
When I heard that Mick Herron is releasing a stand alone novel I hoped that I would enjoy this one more. But although the writing is good, the characters are interesting and the story full of twists and turns, I've just come to the realisation that I really do not enjoy spy novels at all.
When I heard that Mick Herron is releasing a stand alone novel I hoped that I would enjoy this one more. But although the writing is good, the characters are interesting and the story full of twists and turns, I've just come to the realisation that I really do not enjoy spy novels at all.
November 30, 2023
The first chapter is good, and after that it’s a completely different book. You know how Seinfeld is a show about nothing but is still great and funny. This is a book about nothing but isn’t funny. I only continued reading until the end because we had picked it for our book club. It was the first book in our long-running book club to be unanimously disliked by every attendee.
October 3, 2024
A Slow Horses adjacent novel, with the supporting characters from the series' stable as the protagonists. They're involved in flashbacked, Spook Stuff from 1994 Berlin that wends its way back to present day London.
My audio edition was about 13 hours long. A dead tree copy would be about 384 pages. The original UK copyright was 2023.
Mick Herron is a British mystery and thriller novelist. He has more than 20-books published, in two series and standalone. This book is set in the Slow Horses series universe, but not strictly part of the series. I’ve read many books by the author. The most recent being Standing by the Wall: The Collected Slough House Novellas (my review).
Gerard Doyle being the Slough House long-time series narrator. He does a very able job, to the point where I was annoyed the characters in the Slow Horses (2022- ) television mini-series don’t speak with his voice.
It’s recommended that the previous books in the Slow Horses series be read before this one. Otherwise, long-term Slow Horses, series plotlines will not be easily understood. In particular, this book had its seed planted in Standing by the Wall: A Slough House Interlude (Slough House #8.5).
30-years ago shortly after Die Mauer fell, there was an intelligence free for all. Stazi (East German Intelligence) ex-agents and ‘files’ were for sale. Berlin was the marketplace. Many Stazi agents wanted to disappear, and took extreme measures to do so. A tenacious Joe (MI5 Field Agent), wouldn’t let one get away. The collateral damage was significant to the service. In the present, a politically motivated government inquiry into improprieties within the secret service gets leaked the old file on what happened at the MI5 Berlin Station in 1994. Old secrets find new life.
In this story Herron switches-up his characters. The supporting characters from several books in the series became the protagonists. His traditional main characters were either left-out or made to serve as the supporting characters. It was brilliant! Especially, for us that are invested in the series. In addition, he obscured the identities of these familiar characters. He did so by: flashing back to Berlin 30-years ago, using code names, ambiguous descriptive prose, and also flashing forward into the present to disorient the reader. Herron was only partially successful with this in my audio book version. (See spoiler above.) However, I could see where the obfuscation would have held-up longer in print.
Note, a favorite character of mine, John Bachelor, a milkman for The Park (MI5 HQ) appears. He was the protagonist in several of the novellas found in Standing by the Wall: The Collected Slough House Novellas . His late career and life continue to be a long, alcoholic, slide down the greasy pole, of MI5. I appreciated his reappearance in this book's narrative, even it’s minor part.
The writing was on-par with the previous books by the author. Herron has a vaguely florid writing-style that demands attention. I never fail to be amused by his wit. However, this book was quiet funny in places, if you have an ear for understated British humor. It has to be Herron’s funniest novel, when it’s not being serious?
This story continues the author’s familiar theme of the dysfunctional power struggles within HMG. Herron has ground the ax of, "the enemies of the state have become a pretext for HMG’s branches to cripple each other through infighting, which just abets the efforts of the real foreign threat" in every book. This one adds privatization of traditionally government bureau functions to that litany.
The story flips back and forth between present-day London, Devon , and 1994 Berlin. Readers of the Slow Horses series will be familiar with most of the London locales. I’ve never been to Devon, just passed through. Although, I assume it’s similar to Cornwall? Most interesting was the 1994 Berlin. I’ve been to Berlin several times, although not in the mid-90’s, but in the early ought’s. I vividly remember back then, the down-on-its heels look that Friedrichshain of Herron's descriptions had compared to Spandau . Berlin has since been thoroughly cleaned-up. Although, even recently, you can still find some of the now patched wartime damage to a few buildings as Herron mentions. There is still a lot of graffiti.
The theme of this book was nothing new, from Herron’s previous work. It’s still heavily invested in the MI5 bureaucracy and threats against the state, with a significant amount of them internal, or just the government cannibalizing itself. This book also contains a lot of the, Slow Horses series’ plot of Joe’s vs. MI5 Bureaucrats. However the switch-up between Jackson Lamb’s usual cast of misfits outperforming the professional spies of MI5’s Regents Park, for HMG’s civil servants and Park characters who have only previously had walk on parts, doing the right thing, was refreshing. Herron successfully Mixed it Up. The story was also very funny in places. This was the best Slow Horses-like book I’ve read in a while by the author.
Recommended for fans of the series, if only for the important origin stories from the Slow Horses universe.
My audio edition was about 13 hours long. A dead tree copy would be about 384 pages. The original UK copyright was 2023.
Mick Herron is a British mystery and thriller novelist. He has more than 20-books published, in two series and standalone. This book is set in the Slow Horses series universe, but not strictly part of the series. I’ve read many books by the author. The most recent being Standing by the Wall: The Collected Slough House Novellas (my review).
Gerard Doyle being the Slough House long-time series narrator. He does a very able job, to the point where I was annoyed the characters in the Slow Horses (2022- ) television mini-series don’t speak with his voice.
It’s recommended that the previous books in the Slow Horses series be read before this one. Otherwise, long-term Slow Horses, series plotlines will not be easily understood. In particular, this book had its seed planted in Standing by the Wall: A Slough House Interlude (Slough House #8.5).
30-years ago shortly after Die Mauer fell, there was an intelligence free for all. Stazi (East German Intelligence) ex-agents and ‘files’ were for sale. Berlin was the marketplace. Many Stazi agents wanted to disappear, and took extreme measures to do so. A tenacious Joe (MI5 Field Agent), wouldn’t let one get away. The collateral damage was significant to the service. In the present, a politically motivated government inquiry into improprieties within the secret service gets leaked the old file on what happened at the MI5 Berlin Station in 1994. Old secrets find new life.
In this story Herron switches-up his characters. The supporting characters from several books in the series became the protagonists. His traditional main characters were either left-out or made to serve as the supporting characters. It was brilliant! Especially, for us that are invested in the series. In addition, he obscured the identities of these familiar characters. He did so by: flashing back to Berlin 30-years ago, using code names, ambiguous descriptive prose, and also flashing forward into the present to disorient the reader. Herron was only partially successful with this in my audio book version. (See spoiler above.) However, I could see where the obfuscation would have held-up longer in print.
Note, a favorite character of mine, John Bachelor, a milkman for The Park (MI5 HQ) appears. He was the protagonist in several of the novellas found in Standing by the Wall: The Collected Slough House Novellas . His late career and life continue to be a long, alcoholic, slide down the greasy pole, of MI5. I appreciated his reappearance in this book's narrative, even it’s minor part.
The writing was on-par with the previous books by the author. Herron has a vaguely florid writing-style that demands attention. I never fail to be amused by his wit. However, this book was quiet funny in places, if you have an ear for understated British humor. It has to be Herron’s funniest novel, when it’s not being serious?
This story continues the author’s familiar theme of the dysfunctional power struggles within HMG. Herron has ground the ax of, "the enemies of the state have become a pretext for HMG’s branches to cripple each other through infighting, which just abets the efforts of the real foreign threat" in every book. This one adds privatization of traditionally government bureau functions to that litany.
The story flips back and forth between present-day London, Devon , and 1994 Berlin. Readers of the Slow Horses series will be familiar with most of the London locales. I’ve never been to Devon, just passed through. Although, I assume it’s similar to Cornwall? Most interesting was the 1994 Berlin. I’ve been to Berlin several times, although not in the mid-90’s, but in the early ought’s. I vividly remember back then, the down-on-its heels look that Friedrichshain of Herron's descriptions had compared to Spandau . Berlin has since been thoroughly cleaned-up. Although, even recently, you can still find some of the now patched wartime damage to a few buildings as Herron mentions. There is still a lot of graffiti.
The theme of this book was nothing new, from Herron’s previous work. It’s still heavily invested in the MI5 bureaucracy and threats against the state, with a significant amount of them internal, or just the government cannibalizing itself. This book also contains a lot of the, Slow Horses series’ plot of Joe’s vs. MI5 Bureaucrats. However the switch-up between Jackson Lamb’s usual cast of misfits outperforming the professional spies of MI5’s Regents Park, for HMG’s civil servants and Park characters who have only previously had walk on parts, doing the right thing, was refreshing. Herron successfully Mixed it Up. The story was also very funny in places. This was the best Slow Horses-like book I’ve read in a while by the author.
Recommended for fans of the series, if only for the important origin stories from the Slow Horses universe.
June 9, 2024
****5/27/24**** Finished this serious spy thriller over Memorial Day weekend. It is a very le Carre-esque writing style, very intense espionage/spy dialog and twisty plot. I actually got a bit lost in the last 10% as the loose ends were being tied up, which I find can happen in spy books with deep character sets with multiple names - real names, spy cover names, and names handlers use to refer to assets. But a serious modern day (not historical fiction) spy thriller for those who love them. 4-stars.
****5/25/24**** Just got this ebook via the Libby app, and it is very good 15% in for lovers of intellectual spy thrillers. Released fall of 2023 and clocking in at just under 400 pages, this will be a good one to lose a few hours in over Memorial Day weekend.
****5/25/24**** Just got this ebook via the Libby app, and it is very good 15% in for lovers of intellectual spy thrillers. Released fall of 2023 and clocking in at just under 400 pages, this will be a good one to lose a few hours in over Memorial Day weekend.
October 6, 2024
QUICK BUT IMPORTANT UPDATE: Only after finishing this did I realize something sounded oddly familiar here; and so I went back to the title story in 2022's Standing by the Wall: The Collected Slough House Novellas, and sure enough, there it was. So if you haven't already read Standing, DO NOT read it before reading Secret Hours, as that story contains MAJOR spoilers for this entire book.
ORIGINAL REVIEW: Not a genuine "Slough House" book, but definitely set in the SH world with a couple of recognizable characters, (some named, others not), and providing some long-missing backstory on same.
That said, this one got off to a REALLY slow start, with just way too much British government bureaucracy; and then, when the story really did kick in, was set in just-post-Cold-War Berlin of all places, which not only do I personally have ZERO interest in, but which has also been totally covered already by le Carré, Adam Hall and others (including the graphic novel The Coldest City, which was the source material for the movie "Atomic Blonde").
But then, at about the…halfway? two-thirds?...mark, everything just totally picks up and kicks in, multiple plot threads start coming together, and the whole thing just becomes GREAT. So go figure—a generous 3 stars to begin with, but then surprisingly wrapping up with the full 5 by the end. Point being, I guess, stick with it—it'll be worth it.
ORIGINAL REVIEW: Not a genuine "Slough House" book, but definitely set in the SH world with a couple of recognizable characters, (some named, others not), and providing some long-missing backstory on same.
That said, this one got off to a REALLY slow start, with just way too much British government bureaucracy; and then, when the story really did kick in, was set in just-post-Cold-War Berlin of all places, which not only do I personally have ZERO interest in, but which has also been totally covered already by le Carré, Adam Hall and others (including the graphic novel The Coldest City, which was the source material for the movie "Atomic Blonde").
But then, at about the…halfway? two-thirds?...mark, everything just totally picks up and kicks in, multiple plot threads start coming together, and the whole thing just becomes GREAT. So go figure—a generous 3 stars to begin with, but then surprisingly wrapping up with the full 5 by the end. Point being, I guess, stick with it—it'll be worth it.
October 6, 2023
This story will certainly appeal to all the Slough House fans, of which I am most definitely one of. It's one of my favorites, one of the few I want to reread.
In this book, there's some overlap with the Slough House series. In one story, David Cartwright appears (aka O.B., he's River Cartwright's grandfather, and was apparently a legend in the secret service. He seems to get a message from a woman named Diana, who may be The Lady Di of the Slough House series).
And I just came across, under a different name, Jackson Lamb, or a clone. They don't mention the name Jackson Lamb in the book, but if you're a fan of that series, I think it will be obvious which one he is.
I've finished the book now. I liked it a lot, but then, I expected to; Mick Herron is one of my favorites and this book was very similar to his Slough House series. Gerard Doyle did an excellent job narrating the audiobook, but having the ebook available helps a lot because some of the names got a bit confusing at times to me. For one thing, some characters had more than one name, depending on time and place. It was interesting, though temporarily disconcerting, when a character from the past turned out to be a character in the present. But that's to be expected from this author. He keeps you on your toes. This is why I will probably reread at least the first two or three of the Slough House series, to catch all the parts I probably missed.
In this book, there's some overlap with the Slough House series. In one story, David Cartwright appears (aka O.B., he's River Cartwright's grandfather, and was apparently a legend in the secret service. He seems to get a message from a woman named Diana, who may be The Lady Di of the Slough House series).
And I just came across, under a different name, Jackson Lamb, or a clone. They don't mention the name Jackson Lamb in the book, but if you're a fan of that series, I think it will be obvious which one he is.
I've finished the book now. I liked it a lot, but then, I expected to; Mick Herron is one of my favorites and this book was very similar to his Slough House series. Gerard Doyle did an excellent job narrating the audiobook, but having the ebook available helps a lot because some of the names got a bit confusing at times to me. For one thing, some characters had more than one name, depending on time and place. It was interesting, though temporarily disconcerting, when a character from the past turned out to be a character in the present. But that's to be expected from this author. He keeps you on your toes. This is why I will probably reread at least the first two or three of the Slough House series, to catch all the parts I probably missed.
April 15, 2024
An excellent, convoluted spy tale. Herron is so good at this. I listened to the audiobook and sometimes had to go back and make sure I understood what was going on. Little by little it all becomes clear. Well done!
July 6, 2023
The narration was excellent with a nice mixture of gravitas, this is an espionage novel, but also managing to deliver the funny dialogue and humour with some comic flair. At times I though he sounded a little bit like Alec Guinness in his George Smiley role. A first-rate performance.
The beginning is memorable for the part played by a dead badger, that retired spook Max Janáček almost stumbles over as he flees for his life. This sort of sets the tone for the novel, a mixture of espionage, slightly bizarre incidents and plenty of laughs on the way.
The storyline is split between two distinct timelines, the current being the last couple of years and past being what happened in Berlin during 1994. The current strand is dominated by the Monochrome Enquiry, which is intended as a political sleight of hand, a cover up, a whitewash intended to come up with nothing, except a figure from the past thinks differently. The Berlin section covers an unofficial operation that profoundly changes the lives of those involved. The two eventually coalesce and reveal a myriad of surprises.
The activity in Berlin is during the period when Charles Partner was in charge and betraying secrets to the Russians. His righthand man was of course David Cartwright, River Cartwright’s worshipped grandfather, the true power behind the throne and more devious than Machiavelli. There are schemes within schemes and though not quite a prequel it answers some of the questions that may have been nagging readers of the Slough House series. It is beautifully summed up by Brinsley Miles, in espionage eventually everyone is betrayed.
The plot has complexity, is skilfully crafted and beautifully executed as all the disparate parts come together in the final quarter. The final set-piece is cleverly conceived and coldly executed, despite all the wonderful humour there is a spine of steel running through these stories.
The characters are beautifully formed, often a little larger than life but certainly never boring. They are put into entertaining situations and even the ‘crap’ fights scenes that proved the action possesses a charm all their own. The unnamed Prime Minister is mendacious, feckless and reckless, so there are no prizes for guess who he is modelled on. The businessmen who are trying to skim off profits from the security services are disturbingly realistic, hopefully the real life ‘first desk’ will be their match. Whilst over in Berlin the men (and women) at the sharp end of intelligence work are a wonderful combination of secrets, deceit and sleaze. There are the dodgy sellers of secrets, like Dickie Bow and ex Stasi men with ears to the ground. The station chief Robin Bruce is mid breakdown following affairs of the heart, which is convenient for Brinsley Miles a former Joe who by night trawls the strip clubs for secrets and daytime makes dubious expense claims.
The Secret Hours is simply a sublime amalgam of espionage writing of the highest quality and bawdy comedy that is beautifully balanced between the two.
The beginning is memorable for the part played by a dead badger, that retired spook Max Janáček almost stumbles over as he flees for his life. This sort of sets the tone for the novel, a mixture of espionage, slightly bizarre incidents and plenty of laughs on the way.
The storyline is split between two distinct timelines, the current being the last couple of years and past being what happened in Berlin during 1994. The current strand is dominated by the Monochrome Enquiry, which is intended as a political sleight of hand, a cover up, a whitewash intended to come up with nothing, except a figure from the past thinks differently. The Berlin section covers an unofficial operation that profoundly changes the lives of those involved. The two eventually coalesce and reveal a myriad of surprises.
The activity in Berlin is during the period when Charles Partner was in charge and betraying secrets to the Russians. His righthand man was of course David Cartwright, River Cartwright’s worshipped grandfather, the true power behind the throne and more devious than Machiavelli. There are schemes within schemes and though not quite a prequel it answers some of the questions that may have been nagging readers of the Slough House series. It is beautifully summed up by Brinsley Miles, in espionage eventually everyone is betrayed.
The plot has complexity, is skilfully crafted and beautifully executed as all the disparate parts come together in the final quarter. The final set-piece is cleverly conceived and coldly executed, despite all the wonderful humour there is a spine of steel running through these stories.
The characters are beautifully formed, often a little larger than life but certainly never boring. They are put into entertaining situations and even the ‘crap’ fights scenes that proved the action possesses a charm all their own. The unnamed Prime Minister is mendacious, feckless and reckless, so there are no prizes for guess who he is modelled on. The businessmen who are trying to skim off profits from the security services are disturbingly realistic, hopefully the real life ‘first desk’ will be their match. Whilst over in Berlin the men (and women) at the sharp end of intelligence work are a wonderful combination of secrets, deceit and sleaze. There are the dodgy sellers of secrets, like Dickie Bow and ex Stasi men with ears to the ground. The station chief Robin Bruce is mid breakdown following affairs of the heart, which is convenient for Brinsley Miles a former Joe who by night trawls the strip clubs for secrets and daytime makes dubious expense claims.
The Secret Hours is simply a sublime amalgam of espionage writing of the highest quality and bawdy comedy that is beautifully balanced between the two.
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