Real Tigers (Slough House)

The novel begins in a choppy way, jumping from sub-plot to sub-plot; but quickly turns into a smooth page turner.

Enjoyed this. But can’t get past the image of Gary Oldham playing the role of Jackson Lamb. Oldham’s Lamb is brilliant. And better than as written.

…a nod to a John LeCarre - however, updated & with a sly sense of humor.

If you aren’t reading Mick Herron’s books, why are you wasting so much of your life on the pap that you are.

Real Tigers (Slow Horses #3) is better than Dead Lions (#2), which was better than Slow Horses (#1). Terrific plotting as before, but as the series goes on, better and deeper characterizations emerge. I can hardly wait to read Spook Street (#4).

This one allows us to look deeper into some much loved characters from the previous ones and discover more answers. In spook novels you generally expect less focus on character’s internal thoughts and rumination and more on the details of the intrigue and the unfolding of the plot, but here I liked reading the PoV of a character that essentially saw no action throughout most of the book, as it gave valuable insights into their personality. Also, grudging respect to Taverner. Love her dance with Lamb. A breezy read!

There is nothing to dislike about this at times spooky, exciting and hilarious "spy" series. I liked John Le Carre largely because of his sense of atmosphere and hints of cracks in the system and the individuals who inhabit it. These features are present in spades in this series, which creates a world all its own. If some of the jokes tend to be a little sophomoric, it's not exactly a drawback. It is clear that The author loves his characters, and so do I!

The second, better even than the first. Jackson Lamb and his rag tag mess ups of a crew manage to get themselves in deep trouble this time. Can they possibly recover? Will the Slow Horses figure a way out? I thoroughly enjoyed finding out, and I confidently sure you will as well.

This is the third in the Slough House series, where the ‘Slow Horses’ reside – those M15 operatives who have made mistakes and have been shunted off to do administrative tasks; either because of personal failures or embarrassing mistakes. Slough House is presided over by Jackson Lamb, who, although now he appears to be slovenly, unkempt and interested only in himself, was once an undercover operative during the Cold War and, despite his appearances, is not only still quite capable of out manoeuvring those at the Park, but he is fiercely loyal to those he is responsible for and anyone he considers to be one of his own.One of the members of Lamb’s team is recovering alcoholic, Catherine Standish. Although it is difficult to say that Lamb is fond of any of the inhabitants of Slough House; Catherine acts as something of a buffer between him and everyone else and, as such, he at least notices she is gone. The reason for her sudden absence is that she is snatched in what appears to be a straightforward kidnap. However, as with all of these novels, nothing is straightforward and the Slow Horses may soon be heading back into the field and into danger as they become involved in a complicated and complex plot .I would really suggest that these books be read in order – the first being “Slow Horses,” followed by “Dead Lions.” This is a very believable world of spooks, politics, double dealing, conspiracy, intrigue and naked ambition; all wrapped up with very British concerns of saving money, muddling through, often with no discernable plan, and wrapping the intention to win at all costs in the politest language possible. Savagery, but all done with a smile, and very dark humour. At the centre of every web is the magnificent Jackson Lamb, who suddenly emerges from his seeming stupor to take on his superiors and take back what he considers to be rightfully his.Despite the fact that Slough House is seen very much as the place where the losers of the Secret Service are made to regret the way their career has collapsed, it is also, very obviously, a thorn in the side of those in power. These include new Home Secretary Peter Judd (who bears more than a little resemblance to a current politician), the head of the Park, Ingrid Tearney and her second in command, Diana Taverner. However, all of these political, and power players, have their own agenda and, in order to gain the upper hand, Lamb must outmanoeuvre them all. This series has been my first great series discovery of 2017 and I am so glad that I finally got around to reading the first novel.

Third in the Jackson Lamb/Slough House series after Slow Horses and Dead Lions, and preceding Spook Street. Possibly some of the best material I've ever read in the so-called espionage genre. I won't go into detail and I won't individually review all 4 books. All I would say is that if you buy all 4 at once, you'll end up reading all 4 very quickly with virtually no breaks in between. I know it's cliché-issimus, but they really are that good and totally refreshing compared to everything else out there. They are gritty, realistic, credible, satirical, humorous, politically incorrect....and any other superlative you care to imagine. The covers and reviews all wax on about being compared to Le Carre, Deighton etc., but I've read all that stuff and more, and there's simply no comparison. No disrespect to esteemed 'spy' authors, but Mick Herron has taken the art form to a different and unique level. I recently bought another series starting of with a book called Night Heron....heavily plaudited as 'superior espionage' and a mention of Le Carre. I won't be going any further than the first few chapters....I've been spoilt by the Slough House series. Buy them all, read them in sequence, and then try to figure out a way to lose some memory so that you can read them over again.

Last year I read and reviewed the first in Mick Herron's Slough House books, "Slow Horses", and was underwhelmed, or to put in horsey terms I nearly fell at the first fence. I had really wanted to enjoy this series, the idea was good, but the plot was only OK, and the execution was disappointing with too many similar characters, too much little-does-he-know-that-I-know-that-he-knows and an uneven pace leaving me feeling undecided about whether to give the spooks from Slough House another go. And then "Real Tigers: Jackson Lamb Thriller 3" popped-up on a daily, and I thought given the hype surrounding these books it had to be worth a flutter.I didn't know whether swerving around book 2 and going straight to book 3 was going to make it easy going, but it didn't handicap the story in book 3 and while book 1 turned out to be an immature foal this is now at least a yearling and better than book 1.But the writing is still laboured although this time the humour is more measured and works better; I do though remain unseated over who's who in the crowded field of runners and riders (and sorry but the Boris-Johnson-alike Home Secretary showed a complete lack of imagination); and again the plot was relatively simple but complicated by the little-does-he-know-that-I-know-etc.So better than book 1, I haven't fallen yet but I am still trying to decide whether I really like this series, books 4 and 5 await me but there's no guarantee that I'll stay the course even if Jackson Lamb is developing nicely into the anti-hero I could really love to hate.

My first advice to any potential reader of 'Real Tigers' is don't do so unless you have read the first two instalments in Mick Herron's series starring the obnoxious, but highly effective, Jackson Lamb. Although each instalment is a stand-alone story, it is necessary to read them sequentially in order to understand the main characters and why they behave they way they do. My other advice would be to warn any potential reader that these books by Mick Herron are a bit like Marmite - some people will find them very much to their taste, while others will probably dislike them so much that they won't finish the first one. Personally, I love these tales of devious behaviour by senior MI5 officers, who seem to spend most of their time and energy plotting against each other. I also like the sharp, crackling dialogue and can't help smiling at Jackson Lamb's ability for highly offensive insults. It's great fun and highly enjoyable.

The author has clearly read the memo about the kind of politics you have to show in order to get ahead in publishing these days. So it's time for yet another round of arrogant men being routinely, instantly bested by strong, wise women, given a sharp physical or verbal clip round the ear to keep them in their place, and generally taught an Important Lesson about Respecting Women.In every chapter we are lectured that women work harder, shoot straighter, are better verbal jousters, more considerate and astute, and can easily out-manoeuvre men in every way.5 foot tall Mary Sue lesbians beat up gangs of much bigger men single-handed while their specially-trained, larger male colleagues lie unconcious, incapacitated by a single blow. Female characters' imperfections make them rounded and human; they wear their flaws with dignity and maturity or unrepentant, kick-ass confidence. The men's imperfections just make them weak, immature and pathetic. Women's contempt for men is justified and appropriate, men's contempt for women is misogynistic and juvenile.The author's wider political views intrude too, with repeated sideswipes about class privilege copied straight from a 1970s Student's Union manifesto. The chief political bad guy is a very thinly disguised Boris Johnson (revived from the first book) whose main purpose is a crude attempt at character assassination of the real thing. I'm surprised there isn't a sub-plot about Why Brexit Must Be Stopped.It's a shame these tiresome, cliched tropes intrude so much, because the plot is very well constructed, satisfyingly intricate and engagingly developed. That is what kept me reading to the end. But when I got there, I didn't care anymore. There's only so much of this "politics dressed up as entertainment" stuff you can stomach. It was just about tolerable in books 1-2 but I've had enough now. I bought 3 and 4 together but won't bother reading 4.Mysteries are supposed to keep you guessing, but this is getting predictable in too many ways.