As you know, I like a Mick Herron spy novel. As I was reading this one, I couldn’t understand why River wasn’t in it – and then I released I have skipped Slough House, but I finished this one anyone.
Here’s the blurb …
In London’s MI5 headquarters a scandal is brewing that could disgrace the entire intelligence community. The Downing Street superforecaster–a specialist who advises the Prime Minister’s office on how policy is likely to be received by the electorate–has disappeared without a trace. Claude Whelan, who was once head of MI5, has been tasked with tracking her down. But the trail leads him straight back to Regent’s Park itself, with First Desk Diana Taverner as chief suspect. Has Taverner overplayed her hand at last? Meanwhile, her Russian counterpart, Moscow intelligence’s First Desk, has cheekily showed up in London and shaken off his escort. Are the two unfortunate events connected?
I love the writing, particularly the descriptions, there is a sly wit to it all. The scenarios are terrifying do the intelligence services really spend all of their time manipulating each other? There is mayhem and violence (Shirley Dander is on the loose), Lady Di is fighting for her spy life, and Lamb, disgusting as ever, seems to be the only one who knows what is going on.
A review.