Books
9 must-read books for Slow Horses fans
We’ve been hooked on the latest series of the Apple TV+ drama, Slow Horses. The fourth series of the espionage drama saw the return of our favourite characters – including the lacklustre boss we love to hate, Jackson Lamb (Gary Oldman), and River (Jack Lowden), as they investigate a London bombing.
If you’ve just finished the series and now have a Slow Horses-shaped hole in your evenings, we recommend losing yourself in a spy thriller with similar themes. Think: fast-paced plots, a ramshackle group working together and former spies desperate to prove themselves. The following are our top recommendations…
Books like Slow Horses
The Spy Coast by Tess Gerritsen
The Spy Coast by Tess Gerritsen
Fifteen years ago, Maggie Bird made a mistake that ended her career as a spy and cost her more than her job. Now, she lives a quiet life in a seaside town – until an unidentified body is left on her driveway. Maggie knows this is a calling card from her former life and rallies the Martini Club, her ‘book club’ (to anyone who asks) of former spies, to help her solve the case.
Secret Service by Tom Bradby
Secret Service by Tom Bradby
Senior MI6 officer Kate Henderson has received intelligence that the British Prime Minister has cancer and that one of his potential replacements is a Russian spy. But who is it? Finding herself in a race against time, Kate risks her reputation and career to find the Russian mole, in this gripping, imaginative and fast-paced thriller.
The Trap by Ava Glass
The Trap by Ava Glass
British intelligence is made aware of a planned assassination at the upcoming global G7 summit in Edinburgh – but they don’t know the target. To find out, agent Emma Makepeace visits the city and sets a trap, using herself as bait. But as the world leaders descend, and the city becomes gridlocked, can she find the target before it’s too late?
Agent Running in the Field by John le Carré
Agent Running in the Field by John le Carré
Nat thought his time as a British agent was over. But MI6 has one last role for him: to lead The Haven, a defunct department of a rag-tag band of spies (not quite as hopeless as Slough House, but not miles away from it either). Nat’s new team aims to tackle the growing threat from Moscow Centre, but they are gradually drawn into political matters closer to home.
The Scarlet Papers by Matthew Richardson
The Scarlet Papers by Matthew Richardson
Historian Max Archer has been handed a manuscript that would have catastrophic consequences if it landed in the wrong hands, thanks to the Cold War secrets it contains. The document is known as the Scarlet Papers. As Max finds himself on the wrong side of the law, and on the run, it’s not just his life that’s on the line… The Scarlet Papers was named The Times’ Thriller of the Year for 2023 – and, with its slick pacing and intricate plot, we can see why.
Illegal Action by Stella Rimington
Illegal Action by Stella Rimington
When MI5 agent Liz Carlyle learns of a Russian plot to kill one of Putin’s most vocal critics, she must go undercover to find and stop the killer. But as Liz gets caught up in the high-octane world of oligarchs, she soon finds herself in grave danger… This spy thriller was written by the former head of MI5, Stella Rimington, and it’s as realistic as they come.
A Spy Alone by Charles Beaumont
A Spy Alone by Charles Beaumont
Cynical former spy Simon Sharman is making a living in the private sector when he is asked to investigate the finances of a mysterious Russian oligarch. He is puzzled by his findings, including regular, unexplained trips to Oxford and payments from an offshore account that suddenly dry up. Everyone has heard of the Cambridge spy ring of the ‘50s, but could there have been a similar operation in Oxford? Simon is determined to find out.
Creation Lake by Rachel Kushner
Creation Lake by Rachel Kushner
“Imagine Slow Horses’ Jackson Lamb in the body of Jodie Comer’s character in Killing Eve.” That’s how The Sunday Times describes Rachel Kushner’s Booker-shortlisted novel. Sharp-witted American spy Sadie Smith has been sent to rural France to infiltrate a group of eco-activists and their enigmatic leader, Bruno Lacombe, who believes the path to enlightenment requires humanity’s return to a primitive state. While Sadie initially thinks she holds the power, she slowly learns not to underestimate her opponent…
Slow Horses by Mick Herron
Slow Horses by Mick Herron
Of course, no list of books for fans of Slow Horses would be complete without mention of the book that originally inspired the TV series. In Mick Herron’s first book in the celebrated series, we are introduced to Slough House, the unofficial dumping ground for former spies who have made career-ending mistakes. But when a young man is kidnapped and held hostage, the team prove they are ready to be back at the centre of the action.
What did you think of the new series of Slow Horses? Let us know in the comments below…
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