Continuing my way through Mick Herron's Slough House novels, Real Tigers (2016) is the third book in the series and the subject of season three of the Slow Horses TV series.
The slow horses are soon off in different directions, tracking down leads, trying to identify the captors and find Standish. Lamb is more interested in the broader machinations at play involving First and Second Desk, and the ethically challenged Home Secretary Peter Judd. What is in this file that the captors want so badly?
I won't say more about the plot to avoid spoilers, but suffice it to say the slow horses go to great lengths to rescue Standish. There is a lot of action, humour and intrigue in this novel. Herron keeps the plot moving forward at a cracking pace to an epic conclusion.
I really like Herron's writing style - the way he constructs the story, his poetic choice of words, and the humorous dialogue. Herron's tradition of taking readers on a walkthrough of Slough House at the start and end of the novel, creatively continues with an apparition's view of the site and its inhabitants. These characters have really grown on me. They are all so deeply flawed and yet they use their shortcomings to great advantage.
After reading Real Tigers I rewatched part of season three as I had remembered various scenes differently. In fact, the book is different to the TV series in many ways. The book allows for a deeper dive into the spy world and the characters whereas the television show makes the most of visual effects and large action sequences. I appreciate the adaptation not being too tied down to being a direct reproduction. It also gives me confidence to read ahead and not worry about either book or show being spoiled.
My reviews of other books in Mick Herron's Slough House series can be found on this blog:- Slow Horses (2010)
- Dead Lions (2013)