John Murray Publishers Ltd The Drop & The List

Fits right in with the series and introduces an ongoing character's back story. Is a quick read and as good as the other novels.

A warning, first off, that this "novella" occupies only 71 pages of the slim 99-page paperback-version volume, the rest being padded out with a lengthy excerpt from another of Herron's "Spook Street" full-length novels. I would call this closer to a short story, but perhaps the publisher's word count for a novella is different from what I was taught when I worked in publishing. Having said that, however, I thoroughly enjoyed this little espionage anecdote about the last hurrah of a retired secret agent, being a big fan of the author's clever and comedic style and the well-rounded individuals who people his books. Even though he kills off a major (and usually sympathetic) character in each book, there are still always unexpected giggles on almost every page. (A senior agent sarcastically reprimands a junior who dismisses methods of clandestine paper-passing as old-fashioned. "You think, instead, they deliver information by drone, or just text it to each other?.........Or send it by email, perhaps, so some teenager in Korea can post it on Twitter?") I love Mick Herron's writing, and his characters, and his plots. This was an enjoyable appetizer, which made me look eagerly forward even more to his next full-length book.

Sly humour in Slough House. Works well as a novella but one can't help but wish that it were longer.

A couple of minor short stories that should be read before Joe Country which explain the sudden appearance of people like Lech Wichinski, Richard Pynne and triple agent Hannah Weiss in the main Slough House novels.

It's a book. I ordered it. Only 41 more reviews to clear.