Reading order · 9 books · 2010 to 2025 · Set in London
Slough House Books in Order
Slough House is a shabby office in London where MI5 sends its failures, the “slow horses”, to push paper until they quit. They are run by Jackson Lamb, a slovenly, rude, flatulent and brilliant former Cold War agent. Funny, sharp spy thrillers that became the television series Slow Horses.
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Series facts
- Books
- 9
- Published
- 2010 to 2025
- First book
- Slow Horses
- Latest
- Clown Town (2025)
- Setting
- Set in London
The reading order
Every Slough House book in publication order. Choose a title for its cast and summary.
9 books · Set in London
- 1Slow Horses2010With Jackson Lamb and River CartwrightRiver Cartwright, a promising young MI5 agent, botched a training exercise at King’s Cross and was banished to Slough House.Buy on Amazon
- 2Dead Lions2013With Jackson LambAn old Cold War spy is found dead on a bus in Oxford, and Jackson Lamb is convinced it was murder, and that it is linked to a network of Soviet sleeper agents.Buy on Amazon
- 3Real Tigers2016With Jackson LambCatherine Standish, Slough House’s administrator, is kidnapped, and her captor demands that River steal a secret file from MI5 headquarters.Buy on Amazon
- 4Spook Street2017With Jackson Lamb and River CartwrightRiver’s grandfather, the retired spymaster known as the O.B., is losing his memory, and when a man is found dead in his bathroom, River is drawn into his grandfather’s secrets.Buy on Amazon
- 5London Rules2018With Jackson LambSomeone is trying to kill Roddy Ho, Slough House’s computer expert, while a series of terror attacks spreads fear across England.Buy on Amazon
- 6Joe Country2019With Jackson LambLouisa Guy is asked to find a missing teenage boy, and the trail leads the slow horses into the snowbound hills of Wales.Buy on Amazon
- 7Slough House2021With Jackson LambThe slow horses have been wiped from MI5’s records, and someone seems to be coming after them.Buy on Amazon
- 8Bad Actors2022With Jackson LambA government adviser goes missing, and Jackson Lamb’s slow horses are drawn into a political scandal at the heart of power.Buy on Amazon
- 9Clown Town2025With Jackson LambRiver Cartwright digs into his late grandfather’s library after a book goes missing, while Diana Taverner turns a blackmail threat linked to an operation during the Troubles to her advantage.Buy on Amazon
Do you need to read them in order?
Read in order, starting with Slow Horses. Each book has its own case, but the slow horses’ lives, and losses, carry on from book to book.
Who appears in which book
The series’ main characters, book by book. Lead means the book is told around them; minor covers cameos.
| Book | Jackson Lamb | River Cartwright | Catherine Standish | Roddy Ho | Louisa Guy | Diana Taverner | Shirley Dander | Marcus Longridge |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Slow Horses | LLead | LLead | MMajor | ·Minor | MMajor | MMajor | ||
| 2 Dead Lions | LLead | MMajor | MMajor | ·Minor | MMajor | MMajor | ||
| 3 Real Tigers | LLead | MMajor | MMajor | ·Minor | MMajor | MMajor | ·Minor | ·Minor |
| 4 Spook Street | LLead | LLead | MMajor | ·Minor | MMajor | MMajor | ·Minor | ·Minor |
| 5 London Rules | LLead | MMajor | MMajor | ·Minor | MMajor | MMajor | ·Minor | ·Minor |
| 6 Joe Country | LLead | MMajor | MMajor | ·Minor | MMajor | MMajor | ·Minor | ·Minor |
| 7 Slough House | LLead | MMajor | MMajor | ·Minor | MMajor | MMajor | ·Minor | |
| 8 Bad Actors | LLead | MMajor | MMajor | ·Minor | MMajor | MMajor | ·Minor | |
| 9 Clown Town | LLead | MMajor | MMajor | ·Minor | MMajor | MMajor | ·Minor |
Characters in the Slough House books
10 characters from Mick Herron’s chart, with the number of Slough House books each appears in.
| Character | Books | First in this series |
|---|---|---|
| Jackson LambHead of Slough House, a former Cold War field agent | 9 | Slow Horses 2010 |
| River CartwrightAgent exiled to Slough House after a training exercise goes wrong | 9 | Slow Horses 2010 |
| Catherine StandishSlough House’s administrator, a recovering alcoholic | 9 | Slow Horses 2010 |
| Roddy HoSlough House’s self-regarding computer expert | 9 | Slow Horses 2010 |
| Louisa GuySlow horse | 9 | Slow Horses 2010 |
| Diana TavernerSecond desk at MI5, later First Desk | 9 | Slow Horses 2010 |
| Shirley DanderSlow horse with a temper | 7 | Real Tigers 2016 |
| Marcus LongridgeSlow horse, a former tactical officer | 4 | Real Tigers 2016 |
| David CartwrightRiver’s grandfather, a retired spymaster known as the O.B. | 3 | Slow Horses 2010 |
| Min HarperSlow horse, Louisa’s partner | 2 | Slow Horses 2010 |