Standing by the Wall

Slough House #8.5

by Mick Herron

A Slough House Christmas short story from the Sunday Times number one bestseller of BAD ACTORS.*

Here in Slough House, the intelligence service's home for inept spies, it's beginning to feel a lot like Christmas.

Roddy Ho is used to being the one the slow horses turn to when they need miracles performed, and he's always been Jackson Lamb's Number Two. So when Lamb has a photograph that needs doctoring, it's Ho he entrusts with the task. Christmas is a time for memories, but Lamb doesn't do memories - or so he says. But what is it about the photo that makes him want to alter it? How would the slow horses cope if Roddy Ho didn't exist? And most importantly of all, are the team having Christmas drinks, and if so, where?

Standing by the Wall offers a glimpse into the kind of seasonal merriment you might expect at Slough House, where the boss generally marks the festive season with an increase in hostilities. But then, this is the secret service, not Secret Santa. And the slow horses aren't here to enjoy themselves.

Roddy Roddy Roddy? Ho Ho Ho!

Genres: Fiction, Thriller, Espionage, Mystery, Short Stories, Audiobook, British Literature

56 pages, Paperback

First published November 1, 2022

About the author

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

Reviews

[Beata · Rating 5 out of 5]

The novellas reveal a lot about the background of some of the main actors in The Slough House series to which I have been addicted for several years now, and I must say novellas they may be but they lack nothing of the main books. I would not recommend starting reading TSH books with this one, a reader may get a little confused or feel disconnected and abandon the thought of picking up the series. All I can say is that if you have read at least three or four books with joes in the Slough House, you will learn more about Lech, Molly and, yes, Lamb as well.
OverDrive, thank you!

[Fred Jenkins · Rating 4 out of 5]

There are five novellas in this volume; all intersect with the Slough House novels at various points. The first three all feature John Bachelor, a minor character from the recent novels. I am not all that fond of Bachelor, who is by turns pathetic, annoying, and sleazy. The stories do provide some interesting background to the larger Slough House saga. Two feature Jackson Lamb, along with various other characters from Slough House. The second is a take-off on It's A Wonderful Life, with Roddy Ho having Christmas reflections on his role at Slough House. Roddy Ho in a Jimmy Stewart role? Well, the dead can't sue for slander.

Entertaining, but I really prefer the novels.

[Barbara K · Rating 4 out of 5]

The last of the Slough House novellas, this is a snapshot of the Slow Horses on Christmas Eve. They all make an appearance, but the main focus is on Roddy Ho as he works cosmetic surgery on a photo sent to Jackson Lamb by Molly Doran. It manages to be poignant without losing the typical acerbic tone. Enjoyable.

[Dave Schaafsma]

I've made my way through the designated Slough House books by Mick Herron as of 8/24, and three of the novellas that are within the world, including The List, The (Marylebone) Drop, and The Catch, all of which I reviewed here. I also recently read The Secret Hours, which is part prequel, going back to when Jackson Lamb was in Berlin.

So what to do? I decided, thanks to a comment by Rosemary to read the other two novellas found in this volume, The Last Dead Letter and Standing by the Wall. The Last Dead Letter is basically a report Slough House archivist Molly Dornan gives of her findings to Jackson Lamb that reveals the meaning behind a photograph she found of Lamb and a woman in Berlin some years before. One idea here is to find out why Lamb--the hard-drinking, heavy-smoking, farting, darkly wisecracking cynical head of Slough House--is like this? What makes him tick? And in The Secret Hours and in this book you begin to get a few answers. Some insight. And again, it’s an expansion/backstory of the Slough House world. It’s really a short story, not a novella, that Molly tells of “Dominic Cross.” But in case you think you
can guess what this relationship is, think again. Writers such as Herron promise twists, and deliver.

The last novella, “Standing by the Wall” takes place at Slough House on Christmas Eve, beginning with Lamb telling Roddy Ho that he has to eliminate somebody asap. Christmas? Bah Humbug for Lamb, but Roddy Roddy Roddy! Ho Ho Ho! For the Rodster, of course, this might be an opportunity to shine! A chance for real action! But it turns out not to be about actual murder, but about altering the photograph Molly Foran had found. Get rid of this woman. What happens is part of the story, a Christmas story, after all, where the other slow horses try to ditch Roddy to get drinks in the bar at end of shift, Christmas Eve. Ho ho ho, indeed!

[Alan (The Lone Librarian) Teder · Rating 4 out of 5]

Roddy Ho Ho Ho!
Review of the Soho Crime Kindle eBook edition (November 1, 2022)


The annual Christmas angels on Regent Street, London, England, one of which is used in the cover image photograph for "Standing by the Wall". Image sourced from Pinterest.

Here I am only reviewing the new Slough House story "Standing by the Wall" which is included in this new collection of 5 Slough House novellas. The reviews of the earlier stories/novellas are linked below.

Standing by the Wall continues the cat-and-mouse game between Slough House head Jackson Lamb and the MI-5 Chief Archivist Molly Doran, which was also the theme of the previous short The Last Dead Letter (2021). This new story takes place on Christmas Eve with Jackson Lamb playing his usual Scrooge-like cantankerous self while taking jabs at Catherine Standish and tasking Slough House tech guru Roddy Ho with a last minute photoshop job before he is allowed to leave for the holiday.

Doran sets off the game by sending Lamb a 'Christmas present' of an old photo from the Cold War era when she and Lamb were working 'Joes' in Berlin, Germany. There is a third man in the photo as well and in a turnabout, Lamb asks Roddy Ho to erase him from the photo before sending it back to Doran. The background story is not explained of course. We can only speculate about what the meaning of the photo is to Doran and Lamb. The implication is that the third man is likely deceased and that his fate was perhaps due to an espionage operation. The story title alludes to the Berlin Wall while also referencing that the photograph was shot in front of a brick wall.

There is the regular comic relief of Roddy Ho thinking of himself as Lamb's No. 2 and the key player of Slough House with his technological wizardry and other tools such as his car the Roddymobile aka The Rodster. The rest of the gang are of course ready to ditch him while heading out for an annual Christmas Eve pub drink. Roddy otherwise plans an evening of watching the films "Die Hard", "Die Hard 2" and "Elf".

The story also marks the return of [redacted due to spoiler implications] to Slough House in a cameo appearance which likely signals a complete return in the next full length Slough House novel (#9 - 2023?). There is no cameo appearance by John Bachelor from the List/Drop/Catch trilogy of novellas, so no new milkman* and/or milkrun* intrigues are involved.

Trivia and Links
* A 'milkman' is Mick Herron's spy-speak for a “retirement needs evaluation counselor” otherwise known as a babysitter of former spies living out their remaining lives wherever MI5 resettled them. The 'milkrun' is the 'milkman's' regular monthly series of check-ins with his assigned retirees. Definition from a Slough House Glossary at SpyWrite.

Standing by the Wall can also be read as a single story as published by Baskerville in the UK. You can read their version of the plot summary at its Goodreads page Standing by the Wall: A Slough House Interlude.

This collection of Slough House aka Slow Horse novellas includes my previously read The List (Slough House #2.5 - 2015) reviewed as A Slow Horse Novella, The Drop (Slough House #5.5 - 2018) reviewed as Another Slow Horse Novella, The Catch (Slough House #6.5 - 2020) reviewed as Bachelor Caught in the Catch and The Last Dead Letter (Slough House #6.4 - 2021) reviewed as part of the Dolphin Junction: Stories collection of short stories as Six Stand-Alones, Four Oxfords & One Slough House Short.

[Marianne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Standing By The Wall is a Slough House interlude by award-winning British author, Mick Herron. Late in the afternoon of Christmas Eve, and as fans impatiently await the ninth full-length Slough House novel, Mick Herron checks us in with the slow horses, and drops a hint about that next book...

As Shirley, Lech and Louisa argue about the best place to go for drinks, a visiting, still-on-sick-leave-for-a-month River, whose recovery from Novichok poisoning is much slower than he’d hoped, promises to join them later. He warns Ashley Khan he’ll soon be back to claim his desk. Catherine Standish has observed Lamb’s strange mood since the receipt of an envelope from Molly Doran and warns River off poking his head in.

Roddy Ho, self-importance intact despite Lamb’s insults, is summoned, with a nod to the season: Ho! … Ho! … HO!! by Lamb sounding like an angry Santa. Ho’s digital expertise is required to doctor a black-and-white photo of three figures standing by the wall.

Despite the mood, Lamb is in fine form:
“Are you still here?”
“I was asking if you wanted more tea.”
“Well don’t talk to me when I’m not listening. It’s a waste of everyone’s time.”
A delightful Christmas flavoured morsel of Slough House.

[Andrea · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a collection of all of the Slough House novellas, and I had already read most of them, so my focus was on the last two.

The Last Dead Letter
There's some disagreement about where this one sits, but it's somewhere between #6-7. I don't really think it matters exactly where, as it's a self-contained story, but it definitely needs to be read before #8.5. Molly Doran meets up with Jackson Lamb at St Leonard's, the place spooks are honoured in death, after she has apparently summoned him there to talk. The talk is of Lamb's time in Berlin, when he was an active joe. It's not exactly a story Doran's telling, or an accusation, but more of a question. There's a real feeling of melancholy about this one, and the end took me by surprise as I thought I had predicted where it was going.

Standing by the Wall #8.5
As has happened before in this offshoot series, there is a definite thread running between this story and The Last Dead Letter. It's Christmas, and Jackson Lamb has received a gift from Molly Doran. Kind of. It's a photograph that unbalances Lamb and spins him off into a rather contemplative mood. To pull himself out of it, he commands Roddy Ho to alter the image during the final stretch of the Christmas Eve shift before everyone slinks off to the pub. Elsewhere in the building, a sidelined officer makes a welcome appearance prior to their official return to work. This story was a bit more fun/funny, and it was nice to have a bit of Christmas spirit with the Slow Horses.

[Kate O'Shea · Rating 4 out of 5]

A nice little Christmas tie-in involving all the usual suspects plus a little nod to Secret Hours.

Roddy is in sparkling form and one has to wonder how far his delusions will be allowed to spiral before either Shirley/Lech/Louisa thump him, Lamb throws him through a window or Mr Herron feels the need to delete a character or two.

Either way this short story is fun and witty with all the Slough House despondency compacted into 100 pages.

So Roddy Ho Ho Ho. Merry Christmas everybody.

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

The first thing to say is that, 'Standing by the Wall' is exactly what it is listed as - an interlude in the Slough House world. Yes, it is also a short story set partly during Christmas Eve, but festivity is always in short supply in the world of the Slow Horses. This is not for the casual reader. It does not act as an introduction to the characters and that is something to be aware of. If you consider any of the novellas (my version had only the title story in it, but assuming you have the collected version) as a road into the main series, you will be disappointed. If, however, like me, you have read all the books associated with the series many times and are familiar with the characters, then this is a teaser into the next novel, complete with title and release date, but no spoilers from me.

It is Christmas Eve and Roddy Ho had plans. True enough, they consisted of three vaguely linked Christmas movies (one being, 'Elf,' which, having sat through once I firmly intend never to revisit) and possibly going to the pub, although his colleagues may have other ideas about that one. However, his plans are about to be interrupted. Molly Doran has sent Jackson Lamb a festively wrapped gift and he has spent the day contemplating it, before finally deciding on a response. Our deluded computer whizz imagines himself as Lamb's right-hand man and so answers his summons swiftly - nothing to do with Lamb's undercurrent of menace. Meanwhile, there is a visitor to Slough House, and so Christmas has arrived, but will pass and the New Year beckon. At Regents Park, Molly Doran reflects on her past, as rumours swirl and we, the reader, look forward to the next adventure with some of the trepidation we always feel as danger lurks. A teaser, full of hints and secrets of the past, this is definitely worth reading for those who love this fictional world and an enjoyable seasonal treat from Mick Herron.

[Nigeyb · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's impossible not to enjoy anything Mick Herron writes about Slough House. That said, Standing by the Wall: A Slough House Interlude is very low key, so not much for the reader to get their teeth into.

We do get plenty of Roddy Ho's deluded inner monologues which are always a treat. We get an update on characters whose status was unclear until the arrival of this book. We also get more hints about Jackson and Molly's past and, perhaps, some storm clouds that will burst in the next book.

It's essential reading for everyone who loves the series, but ultimately a little unsatisfying? It's a mere 64 pages so about 30 minutes to read in its entirety.

Reread in September 2025 in readiness for Clown Town

3/5

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s Christmas and the gang’s all here, even River who will be returning to the fold in a matter of weeks after a long recuperation, and has popped in to say, “hello,” and get caught up on any developments.

Catherine Standish is described as being a “touchstone” as since River’s memory served, she “had dressed the same way, moved on the same rails, transmitted on the same frequency: one of measured calm despite the daily aggravations,” and you can imagine there are many of those working for Lamb.

Standish thinks of Lamb’s office as “a synaesthete’s daydream: tobacco, sweat and alcohol, along with the fug of unshared secrets, which had discoloured over the years, adding a rank shade to the spectrum.”

Roddy Ho, Lamb’s “computer munchkin” ponders “If Lamb had a fault, it was his occasional inability to put a joke aside before he’d squeezed every last drop out of it.”

Lamb gives Ho a special job to complete on Christmas Eve, which we learn the significance of at the end of the tale.

Lamb’s idea of Christmas – “pretending none of you exist,” however underneath that gruff exterior beats a warm and caring heart, which we glimpse from time to time.

[Ray · Rating 3 out of 5]

A palate cleanser at 55 pages.

Roddy Ho is working on Christmas Eve, weighing up his options for the holidays - mainly this involves deciding which festive film to watch first. It is always going to be Die Hard.

Then he gets an urgent assignment from his boss, Jackson Lamb. He has to digitally alter a photograph to remove one of three people in the shot. All very easy for the Rodster, but what is the back story to the image from long ago? And why edit it now?

Whilst Roddy works the office is winding down for the holiday.

NOTE: this is about the novella, not the collection of short Slough House fiction by the same name. Goodreads has them under the same heading. If a LIBRARIAN sees this can you sort it out. I used to be able to do this but my librarian status was revoked along with many others as part of a Goodreads "improvement" a while back.

Hell in a handcart.

[Albert · Rating 4 out of 5]

Standing by the Wall is one of Herron’s novellas that he provides between the Slough House novels. River makes a visit; we hear about what he is going through and what is happening between him and Sid. Crucial to this novella, we get a glimpse into Lamb’s past and a hint that he may have to deal with that past soon. In that process, a character named Otis is introduced.

[Philip · Rating 3 out of 5]

As the subtitle says, this is just a compilation of Herron's previous Slough House novellas/short stories, with the slim and sole addition of what is basically "A Slow Horses Christmas Special," (which you should NOT read unless you have read at least both Slough House and Bad Actors, as it contains MAJOR spoilers). That said, I enjoyed re-reading The List, as it introduced several characters who subsequently played larger roles in later books.

[Nick Brett · Rating 5 out of 5]

It’s a short but important part of the Slough House saga. At a top level, Roddy Ho is given a job by Jackson Lamb but this short story also delivers a key pointer to the next book that fans will not want to miss (no spoilers).
Lots of Slough House banter and interaction and the clever and cutting dialogue you would expect.
Less than the price of a coffee and well worth it.

[Antoinette · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this short story/ novella. Do not read it unless you’ve read both Slough House and Bad Actors ( # 7 and #8) as there are spoilers.
It seems that Jackson Lamb’s past may be coming back to bite him and somehow Molly Doran is part of that past. I am excited to learn more. I only have one more book in the Slow Horse series. I do hope Mick Herron will be adding more.

Published: 2022

[Christina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Here they all are—all three John Bachelor inbetweeners, and two more Slough House stories. The first three novellas can be read without being familiar with the rest of the series, but the last two work best if you are. "Standing By the Wall," in particular, should be saved for after Bad Actors.

The List (3 ✭): The first of the John Bachelor novellas. Bachelor's job is to check in on retired spooks, make sure their needs are being met and that they're staying mum. One of his charges, Dieter Hess, has died, and whoops! It turns out he has a bank account Bachelor knew nothing about, which can't mean anything good. Bachelor needs to fix things before Diana Taverner has "him peeled and eaten by fish." In the process, he finds a coded list in Deiter's flat. This story includes JK Coe's first appearance, as the newbie that Bachelor ropes into helping him.

The Marylebone Drop (3 ✭): Solomon Dortmund, retired asset and one of Bachelor's milk round clients, is sure he's seen a drop happen in a Marylebone cafe. Bachelor is sure it's nothing, but to humor the old spook, he asks Service analyst Lech Wicinski to do him a favor and check it out, since he also wants to stay off of Diana 'Lady Di' Taverner's radar. Surely it's not worth going through official channels and raising alarm bells? My review is here.

The Catch (4 ✭): Even further down on his luck than in the last two novellas, Bachelor has opened himself to blackmail, where he's ordered to track down Benny Manors. Who is ostensibly one of his charges, but one who Bachelor hasn't seen in awhile due to an "understanding" Benny insisted on the one and only time they met. Needless to say, there's a lot more going on than a sudden need to talk to Benny. My review is here.

The Last Dead Letter Drop (4 ✭): This one is named for both the act of passing info by hiding it in an agreed place for someone to grab later, and the nickname for the wall of memorial plaques for late spooks at St. Leonard's church. Molly Doran meets Jackson Lamb there to cash in a favor. She tells him a story about "Dominic Cross," a joe working in Berlin in the days of the Wall and the Iron Curtain, to see if he can shed light on how it ended. It, too, will involve a dead letter drop.

Standing By the Wall (5 ✭): The Slough House Christmas special, complete with an opening that plays on Roddy Ho's name. We get treated to plenty of Ho's running, interior monologue of heroic delusions of himself as well, so lots of humor. Plus several references to It's a Wonderful Life. Jackson Lamb is sent a black-and-white photo of two men and a woman as a Christmas present, and assigns Ho to remove the center figure—from the photo, much to Ho's disappointment of not being trusted with an assassination. There's connections with The Secret Hours, but no spoilers, so if you're planning on reading both, they can go in any order. Favorite quote: "It's an everyday expression. Like 'look before you leap,' Or 'Prince Andrew denies the allegations.'"

An enjoyable collection to whet your appetite while waiting for the next installment in Herron's series.

[Nicole]

The List: 3/5 ⭐
was foaming at the mouth when i realized Coe was in this. alas, we were given cRUMBS. this was fine. nothing to write home about.

The Marylebone Drop: 2/5 ⭐
not a fan of john bachelor. felt more indifferent about him in bad actors but i can confidently say now that he's a bad luck charm. herron thinks he's rather clever with the hannah weiss debacle but meh, i could honestly care less about her.

not really sure what the point of this novella was. if it was to be background to express how/why bachelor feels guilt over ruining lech's career, i can't say it was well done. lech as a character frustrates me so much bc he's the first example of herron picking and choosing favorites in this series. all the other characters largely have a ton of attention to detail worked out in their backgrounds, and then we're introduced to lech in book 6? and after the initial shock of why he's in slough house, he sort of becomes this half-formed being ??? not sure how else to describe it, but he's wayyyyyy too chill with the ways in which his life were ruined.

The Catch: 2/5 ⭐
just as indifferent about this one as the other novellas.

The Last Dead Letter: 3/5 ⭐
almost structured like a spook bedtime story. it was all right. we're never gonna get a lamb prequel, are we? just crumbs about his past?

Standing by the Wall: 3/5 ⭐
wtf, herron? you really hid river's return in the christmas special??? wtf have you done to my boi ;^; i'M LE SCARED

[Adele · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although only a novella - and at just 56 pages - it manages to pack in the drama and intrigue of any of the regular Slough House novels. This may be not only my favourite series discovered in 2022, but my favourite series EVER. However, I’m not sure this works as a standalone - you need to understand the dynamics and the backstories to fully appreciate this vignette. So if you’re new to Mick Herron’s much maligned spies, start with The Slow Horses and work your way through the 8 fantastic spy thrillers available so far.
For existing fans, all the main characters are represented and there’s a whiff of something not quite right that I can only hope will be explored at some length in a future instalment.

[Elentarri · Rating 3 out of 5]

The first two full length novels in the series just weren't working for me. The short stories were mentioned. So here we are. I'll read the stories as they fit in with the novels...
... These collected short stories don't revolve around Slough House as such, but they do provide background or filler on what else is happening at Regent's Park, which does eventually effect the people at Slough House.

🖋️-The List [Slough House #2.5] [★★★★☆]
Tightly plotted, briskly paced, an absence of whiplash-inducing scene changes, and the voyeuristic omniscient narrator sticking to information relevant to moving the narrative along, make this a more enjoyable story than the bloated previous novels. The plot was straight forward, but had a nice little twist at the end. This particular tale involves a deceased Cold War asset (Dieter Hess) who is found to be keeping a secret second bank account – and there’s only ever one reason a spy has a secret second bank account. Diana Taverner is not amused. Hess's M15 handler (John Bachelor) is in hot water and will be thrown out without a pension (he isn't good enough for Slough House) if he doesn't figure out what is going on... quickly. Features J.K. Coe (newbie M15 agent with a psychology/banking background), and cameos by Jackson Lamb, Katherine Standish and Molly Doran. I do wonder if the events in this short story will come back to bite M15 in the rear-end.

🖋️-The Marylebone Drop [Slough House #5.5] [★★★☆☆]
This is a follow up of the previous Slough House short story, 'The List', featuring down-at-heels M15 agent and walking-disaster John Bachelor. A retired spy reports witnessing a secret information "drop" in a London café, prompting a reluctant investigation that spirals into intrigue, connecting to triple agent Hannah Weiss and revealing amateur spycraft mistakes with major consequences. And analyst Alec Wicinski, who makes the unfortunate decision to help out Bachelor, learns that no good deed goes unpunished. The plot is a bit simplistic, but then again it is a short story. I'm also not sure whether to be appalled or amused at the general incompetence and back-stabbing going on at M15.

🖋️-The Last Dead Letter [Slough House #6.4] [★★☆☆☆]
This somewhat bland short story involves Molly Doran fishing about in Jackson Lamb's past as she recounts a Cold War-era espionage tale from Berlin, revealing a complex case involving double agents, betrayals, and the origin of Lamb's notorious protective instincts for his "joes."

🖋️-The Catch [Slough House #6.5] [★★⯪☆☆]
A tedious novella about down-at-heels "milkman" John Bachelor, a retired spy "tasked", in a suspicious manner, with locating a former asset who's stolen damaging secrets concerning a royal. The twist in the end might once have been novel, but these days it's a surprise if there wasn't something like that involved. Features the Wicked Witch of Regent's Park.

🖋️-Standing by the Wall [Slough House #8.5] [★★★☆☆]
This is a festive season short interlude set on Christmas Eve, focusing on a tense, cryptic exchange between Jackson Lamb and MI5 archivist Molly Doran, featuring an old photograph and Roddy Ho's photoshopping skills. Cute, in a fashion.

[Sid Nuncius · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review to follow

[Sarah Hough · Rating 5 out of 5]

Slough House has been my favorite current book series since Book 2 but I've never read the novellas because I thought they were too short to justify the investment. I regret waiting but perhaps it was better to read them all in one shot in this collection.

If you're someone who was disappointed that Mick Herron isn't releasing a Slough House book this year, read this collection to get you through the drought. And if you're someone who read all of Book 8 desperate for the information he finally revealed at the end, read this collection. It unravels a little bit more of Lamb's onion with hints of what's to come. It fleshes out a lot of the backstory for Lech's arrival at Slough House which suggests (I hope) that he may get to stick around. And without giving away any spoilers for readers who haven't made it to Book 8 yet, we get the scene we were all hoping would happen at the beginning of Book 8. And yes, he answers the other big outstanding question.

[Thom · Rating 3 out of 5]

While writing Slough House novels, Mick Herron penned the occasional novella as well. Some are loosely connected, none are integral. Three of the stories involve John Bachelor and his problematic recruit. This book collects all of them (so far?)

I found these stories okay, some even good. None great. Perhaps they individually would have been better if read while waiting for the next novel to come out, but I doubt it. The title story was the most enjoyable, even if none of the characters rose above caricature.

On to the most recently published 9th in the series. Is it the last? Unknown, but doubtful.

[doowopapocalypse · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’d somehow landed on the idea that maybe Herron’s world would be more interesting for me in smaller doses. It isn’t. Not that the writing is bad or anything, just not for me.

[Ramón Nogueras Pérez · Rating 4 out of 5]

El autor no pierde el pulso. Una serie de relatos protagonizados por gente adyacente a la Casa de la Ciénaga, bien traídos y como una película de los hermanos Cohen. La necesidad obliga a tomar decisiones de mierda. Me he reído muchísimo con esta.

[John Horrigan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Finally it was confirmed (like I suspected) that River is still alive and with Sid! It’s nice to see him coming back to Slough House despite many challenges he has to face and get through. It was also fantastic to hear about Lamb’s past creeping up on him and explaining how there are things from it that he will have to face. Very excited for Clown Town!! (8.5/10)

[Trevor · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a 'Slough House Interlude' short story, which I read at a single sitting. Time wise, it sits just after book 7, Bad Actors, and does contain spoilers, so I suggest if you read it, do so in sequence.
The book is set in a single day just before Christmas. Roddy Ho is considering how indispensable he is, most of the rest of the slow horses are considering whether they should go the pub and if yes, which one and who with. Lamb on the other hand does not seem to be particularly full of seasonal good will. He has received a photograph which quite clearly has worried him. Ho gets the job of doctoring it. Who is in the photograph and why does Lamb want one person removed?
This is not a full Slough House novel. At 56 pages of A5-ish size print it is a short stocking fuller. It does remind you however, what a clever writer Herron is.

[Starling Wilkie · Rating 2 out of 5]

The book I read was just the Standing by the Wall short story, not the full collection described here. This is less of a story, more of a short reminder of who everyone is and where they are up to, to keep readers interested in advance of the next full length novel. I can’t wait for the next ‘proper’ Slough House story but I do fear that Lamb and Ho are slipping too far towards ridiculous caricatures, and this snippet didn’t really help to allay that.

[Daniel Sevitt · Rating 3 out of 5]

A true stocking filler where nothing much happens except we learn the fate of a character whose survival was left unclear in the last book.

Roddy Ho is the butt of all the best jokes and there’s something here about Jackson Lamb and Molly’s past that May pay off in the future. Inessential but a treat for fans.

[David Evans · Rating 4 out of 5]

A highly amusing Christmas ghost story in which we get full value for the Rodster’s view of his indispensability to Jackson Lamb when he’s ordered to erase a somehow familiar figure from a black and white photo that Molly Doran has unearthed and sent to Lamb.