Kirkus
Copyright © Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

As if its tendency to self-destruct werent efficient enough, the British establishments last depository for spies too old, compromised, or incompetent to defend queen and country is under attack from every side.While the slow horses of Slough House gradually remove themselves from further embarrassment by dying off, their personal information is being methodically purged from government computers, except for the names and addresses that allow the survivors to keep getting paid. At the same time, someone who doesnt think theyre dying fast enough has slimmed their rolls by executing veteran members Kay White and Struan Loy, reportedly as revenge for the killing of a murderous Russian agent on the orders of Diana Taverner, the First Chair at Regents Park. In the face of slashed budgets, power-hungry politician Peter Judd offers Slough House an exemption from the funding cuts, but theres a catch: He expects them to invite millionaire news princeling Damien Cantor to a closer relationship than Jackson Lamb or any of his loyalists is comfortable with. Oh, and the money men Judd maintains he speaks for would like you to ease off on your infiltration of the Yellow Vest movement. Just asking, of course, he smoothly assures Diana. One way or the other, it seems certain that somebodythe Russians, the accountants, the press, the Grim Reaperis coming for regulars Louisa Guy, River Cartwright, Lech Wicinski, and Catherine Standishnot to mention Shirley Dander, whose partners have already displayed a disconcerting habit of dying in harness.Once again, Herron captures the dramedy of the battle between spies and bureaucrats better than anyone else on either side. Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Kirkus
Copyright © Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

As if its tendency to self-destruct weren’t efficient enough, the British establishment’s last depository for spies too old, compromised, or incompetent to defend queen and country is under attack from every side. While the slow horses of Slough House gradually remove themselves from further embarrassment by dying off, their personal information is being methodically purged from government computers, except for the names and addresses that allow the survivors to keep getting paid. At the same time, someone who doesn’t think they’re dying fast enough has slimmed their rolls by executing veteran members Kay White and Struan Loy, reportedly as revenge for the killing of a murderous Russian agent on the orders of Diana Taverner, the First Chair at Regent’s Park. In the face of slashed budgets, power-hungry politician Peter Judd offers Slough House an exemption from the funding cuts, but there’s a catch: He expects them to invite millionaire news princeling Damien Cantor to a closer relationship than Jackson Lamb or any of his loyalists is comfortable with. Oh, and the money men Judd maintains he speaks for would “like you to ease off on your infiltration of the Yellow Vest movement.” Just asking, of course, he smoothly assures Diana. One way or the other, it seems certain that somebody—the Russians, the accountants, the press, the Grim Reaper—is coming for regulars Louisa Guy, River Cartwright, Lech Wicinski, and Catherine Standish—not to mention Shirley Dander, whose partners have already displayed a disconcerting habit of dying in harness. Once again, Herron captures the dramedy of the battle between spies and bureaucrats better than anyone else on either side. Copyright © Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.