the Mick Herron novels - the slough house collection

[Ken Gargett]

for the first time this year, a chance to finally catch up on a bit of reading.

i'd seen all sorts of rave reviews about Mick Herron and his spy novels. lots of comparisons to john le carre (big call)!! but the first in the series is called 'slow horses' and that put me off. i had/have no interest in crime/spy novels about horses, jockeys, trainers etc. just not my thing. turns out it has absolutely nothing to do with any of those.

loved it. absolutely loved it. just a fabulous read. wondering if anyone else reading these? i can see where the comparisons with le carre come in but these are less intricate and not as dour and complex. but still terrific. and they are much, much funnier. there is, and this is not a spoiler, a bit where the office geek is hassled by a tosser in a BMW so he takes the number plate down and then decides to interfere with the bloke's life. can't remember laughing so much. had stuff come out my nose i laughed so hard. 

i had one or two more but not in order so i have ordered the entire series so far - 7 plus a couple of novellas. can't wait. 

the other was a cuban novella - 'grab a snake by the tail' which is in the mario conde sderies by leonardo padura. his quartet are a fabulous crime series (havana blue, black, gold, red - not sure of the order). really nails the atmosphere and culture in havana so well. great reads.