Real Tigers (Slough House #3) by Mick Herron

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Mick Herron was born in Newcastle and has a degree in English from Balliol College, Oxford. He is the author of three 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.

DESCRIPTION:

London’s Slough House is where disgraced MI5 operatives are reassigned to spend the rest of their spy careers pushing paper. But when one of these “slow horses” is kidnapped by a former soldier bent on revenge, the agents must breach the defenses of Regent’s Park to steal valuable intel in exchange for their comrade’s safety. The kidnapping is only the tip of the iceberg, however, as the agents uncover a larger web of intrigue that involves not only a group of private mercenaries but also the highest authorities in the Security Service. After years spent as the lowest on the totem pole, the slow horses suddenly find themselves caught in the midst of a conspiracy that threatens not only the future of Slough House, but of MI5 itself.

REVIEW:

I was really looking forward to encountering the failed 'slow horses' spooks of Slough House. I  love this smart and compelling series so much. I am beyond in love with the whole bunch: Marcus is a gambling addict, Shirley has her cocaine habit, River likes going into action, and Roddy Ho, whilst an internet marvel, lacks social skills, has bizarre fantasies and is a loser in the romance stakes. The iconic head of Slough House is the repulsive, grotesque and brilliant Jackson Lamb who despite his abrasive exterior is going to support and protect his spies.Who can resist the slow horses, the failed MI-5 agents, these anti-Bonds?

If you’re tired of professional spies wearing slick clothes and drinking sophisticated cocktails, give the Slough House bunch a try. I think you’ll be totally entertained. I definitely was!

Real Tigers brings you layered plotting, topicality, lyrical descriptive prose, efficient action sequences, and above all fantastic characterisation... all with a Shot of with black humour. Marvellous read! This action-filled Machiavellian spy versus spy novel won my heart from the first few pages.
Anyway, to sum up: intelligent, spiky entertainment.