Slough House

Synopsis

*Soon to be a major TV series starring Gary Oldman*

*THE INSTANT SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER*
**THE TIMES THRILLER BOOK OF THE YEAR**

'A gripping thriller' Ian Rankin

Slough House - the crumbling office building to which failed spies, the 'slow horses', are banished - has been wiped from secret service records.

Reeling from recent losses in their ranks, the slow horses are worried they've been pushed further into the cold, and fatal accidents keep happening.

With a new populist movement taking a grip on London's streets, the aftermath of a blunder by the Russian secret service that left a British citizen dead, and the old order ensuring that everything's for sale to the highest bidder, the world's an uncomfortable place for those deemed surplus to requirements. The wise move would be to find a safe place and wait for the troubles to pass.

But the slow horses aren't famed for making wise decisions.

'The most completely realised espionage universe since that peopled by George Smiley' The Times

'An absolute tour-de-force' Sunday Express

Summary

Chapter 1: "The Orphanage"

* Introduces Slough House, a dumping ground for MI5 agents who have made mistakes or fallen out of favor.
* Focuses on Jackson Lamb, the gruff and cynical head of Slough House.
* Example: Lamb assigns failed agents River Cartwright and Catherine Standish to a surveillance mission, despite their doubts about the target's importance.

Chapter 2: "The Honorable Boy"

* Reveals the target of the surveillance, Alexander "Alex" Lester, a charismatic young politician with a troubled past.
* Example: River and Catherine follow Alex to a meeting with a mysterious woman, which raises their suspicion about his activities.

Chapter 3: "The Messenger's Boy"

* Introduces Sid Baker, a former MI5 recruit who is recruited by a rogue agent claiming to have evidence of a major conspiracy.
* Example: Sid is tasked with delivering a message to Slough House, but is intercepted by a rival agency.

Chapter 4: "The Spider's Web"

* Slough House's investigation into Alex's activities leads them to uncover a web of corruption and political intrigue.
* Example: River and Catherine discover that Alex is connected to a group planning to destabilize the government.

Chapter 5: "The Fool's Errand"

* Sid's message reveals that the rogue agent is actually a double agent working for Russia.
* Example: Slough House races against time to stop the agent from carrying out a deadly plot.

Chapter 6: "The Reckoning"

* The climax of the investigation confronts Alex and his co-conspirators.
* Example: River and Catherine stage an ambush to apprehend Alex and his associates, leading to a violent shootout.

Chapter 7: "The Aftermath"

* The aftermath of the operation reveals the extent of the conspiracy and its impact on the intelligence community.
* Example: Jackson Lamb is forced to answer for his team's involvement in the incident, while River and Catherine grapple with the consequences of their actions.

Chapter 8: "The Future"

* The book concludes with a glimpse into the future of Slough House and its agents.
* Example: Sid is promoted to a prestigious position, while River and Catherine continue to work together in the shadows, navigating the treacherous landscape of espionage.