Find all previous and future episodes listed here or in your podcast app under "Barbican Station”. We are here to recap episode 8 the season finale of the show Down Cemetery Road. We talk all about this season ender. Bus frustrations! Multiple gun standoffs! Church fires! Plus we discuss all those endings, Chekhov's grenade and …
Continue reading Barbican Station – Down Cemetery Road Season 1 Episode 8 – Recap
Find all previous and future episodes listed here or in your podcast app under "Barbican Station”. I've got a special Down Cemetery Road interview episode for you. I was lucky enough to get some time with both Fehinti Balogun who plays Amos and Darren Boyd who plays C. I thought both were really fascinating conversations …
Continue reading Barbican Station – Down Cemetery Road Interviews – Fehinti Balogun and Darren Boyd
Find all previous and future episodes listed here or in your podcast app under "Barbican Station”. We are here to recap episode 7 of the show Down Cemetery Road. I welcome Matthew Bradford back to the show. We talk about whether Amos is more Jason Bourne or Michael Meyers. Plus we discuss those great locations, …
Continue reading Barbican Station – Down Cemetery Road Season 1 Episode 7 – Recap
Find all previous and future episodes listed here or in your podcast app under "Barbican Station”. We are here to recap episode 6 of the show Down Cemetery Road. We talk about the joys of train travel, boat travel and helicopter travel. Plus we discuss why this episode would not be sponsored by the Scottish …
Continue reading Barbican Station – Down Cemetery Road Season 1 Episode 6 – Recap
Find all previous and future episodes listed here or in your podcast app under "Barbican Station”. The links to donate to Literally Healing are tinyurl.com/teame25 for the amazon wishlist of books and tinyurl.com/giveteame for a monetary donation. We are here to recap episode 5 of the show Down Cemetery Road. I’m joined by computer expert …
Continue reading Barbican Station – Down Cemetery Road Season 1 Episode 5 – Recap
Find all previous and future episodes listed here or in your podcast app under "Barbican Station”. We are here to recap episode 4 of the show Down Cemetery Road. We talk about the pluses and minuses of juggling, whether Amos and Axel grew up as theater kids and proper neighbor etiquette. Plus we discuss nosey …
Continue reading Barbican Station – Down Cemetery Road Season 1 Episode 4 – Recap
Find all previous and future episodes listed here or in your podcast app under "Barbican Station”. We are here to recap episode 3 of the show Down Cemetery Road. We talk about whether assassins make the best handymen, proper crime scene clean up and the best way to view CCTV. Plus we discuss dinners with …
Continue reading Barbican Station – Down Cemetery Road Season 1 Episode 3 – Recap
Find all previous and future episodes listed here or in your podcast app under "Barbican Station”. This episode I have an interview with Nick Mohammed who plays Mayor Jaffrey on SLOW HORSES. We talk about his playing a politician on show and why we're interested in spies behaving badly. Plus what's it like joining the …
Continue reading Barbican Station – Nick Mohammed Interview and Season 5 wrap-up
Find all previous and future episodes listed here or in your podcast app under "Barbican Station”. We are here to recap all the action in the new series Down Cemetery Road based on the book by Mick Herron. I'm pleased to welcome back Keir Graff to talk all the action and changes from the book …
Continue reading Barbican Station – Down Cemetery Road Season 1 Episode 1 and 2 – Recap
Find all previous and future episodes listed here or in your podcast app under "Barbican Station”. Welcome back as we look at season finale of season 5 of SLOW HORSES. I'm pleased to welcome back Matthew Bradford to the show for his traditional role of clean up man on the finale episode of the season. …
Continue reading Barbican Station – Season 5 Episode 6 – Recap
Find all previous and future episodes listed here or in your podcast app under "Barbican Station”. This episode I have an interview with Hiba Bennani who plays Tara on SLOW HORSES. We talk about this season and the surprising turn we see in episode 5. Plus how she integrated into the cast and that nightclub …
Find all previous and future episodes listed here or in your podcast app under "Barbican Station”. Welcome back as we look at season 5 episode 5 of SLOW HORSES. I'm pleased to welcome author and podcaster Keir Graff to the show to talk through this penultimate episode of the season. We talk about track suits, …
Continue reading Barbican Station – Season 5 Episode 5 – Recap
Find all previous and future episodes listed here or in your podcast app under "Barbican Station”. Welcome back as we look at season 5 episode 4 of SLOW HORSES. I'm pleased to welcome back author Frank Sennett to the show to break down everything we saw in this episode. We talk about a the proper …
Continue reading Barbican Station – Season 5 Episode 4 – Recap
Find all previous and future episodes listed here or in your podcast app under "Barbican Station”. This episode I have an interview with James Callis who plays Claude Whelan on SLOW HORSES. We talk about this season and Claude's role as First Desk, Claude's wife and his inability to take control. We also get into …
Find all previous and future episodes listed here or in your podcast app under "Barbican Station”. Welcome back as we look at season 5 episode 3 of SLOW HORSES. I'm pleased to welcome back Gary to the show to break down everything we learned in this episode. We talk about a lockdown that isn’t COVID …
Continue reading Barbican Station – Season 5 Episode 3 – Recap
Find all previous and future episodes listed here or in your podcast app under "Barbican Station”. This episode I have an interview with Ruth Bradley who plays Emma Flyte on SLOW HORSES. We talk about this season and Emma's relationship with Diana Taverner. Ruth talks about that epic fight from season four, acting with Christopher …
Find all previous and future episodes listed here or in your podcast app under "Barbican Station”. Welcome back as we look at season 5 episode 2 of SLOW HORSES. I'm pleased to welcome back Dr. Mary to the show to break down all the details of this episode. We talk about the Roddy's apartment, that …
Continue reading Barbican Station – Season 5 Episode 2 – Recap
Find all previous and future episodes listed here or in your podcast app under "Barbican Station”. This episode I have an interview with Christopher Chung who plays Roddy Ho on SLOW HORSES. We talk about this season and how Roddy is living his best life. Christopher goes into how the collaboration with the many different …
Continue reading Barbican Station – Christopher Chung Interview
Find all previous and future episodes listed here or in your podcast app under "Barbican Station”. Welcome back as we return to look at season 5 of SLOW HORSES. This season is an adaptation of the Mick Herron novel London Rules. I'm pleased to welcome back Scott Hardy from the SpyHards podcast to the show. …
Continue reading Barbican Station – Season 5 Episode 1 – Recap
Find all previous and future episodes listed here or in your podcast app under "Barbican Station". In this episode we discuss Mick Herron's second novel in the Oxford series, The Last Voice You Hear, with prolific author, Antony Johnston. We start with some spoiler free discussion of the book before getting into the novel's take …
Continue reading Barbican Station – The Last Voice You Hear by Mick Herron – Explored
Find all previous and future episodes listed here or in your podcast app under "Barbican Station". Donate to #TeamEvie and the Literally Healing program at the Children's Hospital of Los Angeles. Go to either TinyURL.com/giveTE for a monetary donation or TinyURL.com/TeamE24, pick a book and make sure to pick Team Evie as the shipping location. …
I missed it last year, but I’m back with my end of year reading wrap up. I read just over 90 books this year, but only about 11 or 12 books that actually came out in 2024. I’ll hit some of the highlights before touching on my favorite recent releases. Best recommendation from an 11 …
Find all previous and future episodes listed here or in your podcast app under "Barbican Station". Donate to #TeamEvie and the Literally Healing program at the Children's Hospital of Los Angeles. Go to either TinyURL.com/giveTE for a monetary donation or TinyURL.com/TeamE24, pick a book and make sure to pick Team Evie as the shipping location. …
I recently had the pleasure of speaking with playwright David Eldridge about his adaptation of The Spy Who Came in from the Cold. We also had a chance to discuss his newly announce ITV series Betrayal. David was kind enough to give us a sneak peek of what to expect from the show. This conversation …
Continue reading Exclusive: David Eldridge on ITV’s Betrayal
Find all previous and future episodes listed here or in your podcast app under "Barbican Station". Donate to #TeamEvie and the Literally Healing program at the Children's Hospital of Los Angeles. Go to TinyURL.com/giveTE to make a monetary donation to the Literally Healing program or go to TinyURL.com/TeamE24, pick a book and make sure to …
Continue reading Interview – Duane & Meredith Swierczynski on #TeamEvie
Find all previous and future episodes listed here or in your podcast app under "Barbican Station". Donate to #TeamEvie and the Literally Healing program at the Children's Hospital of Los Angeles. Go to TinyURL.com/TeamE24, pick a book and make sure to pick Team Evie as the shipping location. I'll have more ways to donate soon, …
Continue reading Barbican Station – SLOW HORSES Season 4 Finale Recap
Find all previous and future episodes listed here or in your podcast app under "Barbican Station". Go on a tour of the real locations seen in SLOW HORSES. Go to https://www.squaremilesecrets.com/slow-horses and enter the coupon code SLOUGH for 20% off your tour. We are back to break down all the excitement of the season four …
Continue reading Barbican Station – SLOW HORSES Season 4 Episode 5 Recap
Find all previous and future episodes listed here or in your podcast app under "Barbican Station". Go on a tour of the real locations seen in SLOW HORSES. Go to https://www.squaremilesecrets.com/slow-horses and enter the coupon code SLOUGH for 20% off your tour. We are back to break down all the excitement of the season four …
Continue reading Barbican Station – SLOW HORSES Season 4 Episode 4 Recap
Find all previous and future episodes listed here or in your podcast app under "Barbican Station". Go on a tour of the real locations seen in SLOW HORSES. Go to https://www.squaremilesecrets.com/slow-horses and enter the coupon code SLOUGH for 20% off your tour. We are back to break down all the excitement of the season four …
Continue reading Barbican Station – SLOW HORSES Season 4 Episode 3 Recap
Find all previous and future episodes listed here or in your podcast app under "Barbican Station". We are back with a special treat for all the SLOW HORSES fans - a interview with Gary Oldman about the latest season. We get into his showdown with David Cartwright that's been building since season one and how …
Continue reading Barbican Station – Gary Oldman on SLOW HORSES Season 4
Find all previous and future episodes listed here or in your podcast app under "Barbican Station". Go on a tour of the real locations seen in SLOW HORSES. Go to https://www.squaremilesecrets.com/slow-horses and enter the coupon code SLOUGH for 20% off your tour. We are back to break down all the excitement of the season four …
Continue reading Barbican Station – SLOW HORSES Season 4 Episodes 1 and 2 Recap
Find all previous and future episodes listed here or in your podcast app under "Barbican Station". Go on a tour of the real locations seen in SLOW HORSES. Go to https://www.squaremilesecrets.com/slow-horses and enter the coupon code SLOUGH for 20% off your tour. This episode is a review of the book Spook Street, which this season …
Continue reading Barbican Station – SLOW HORSES Preview – SPOOK STREET Review
Find all previous and future episodes listed here or in your podcast app under "Barbican Station". This week we are back to talk about Mick Herron's latest book - The Secret Hours! I’m pleased to welcome The Sunday Times Senior Political Commentator Tim Shipman to the show. In the first half of the show we …
Continue reading Barbican Station – The Secret Hours by Mick Herron – Review with Tim Shipman
Find all previous and future episodes listed here or in your podcast app under "Barbican Station". Donate to Room to Read here or share the link - http://tinyurl.com/spiesread We're back to discuss the third season finale of the Apple TV Plus adaptation of Mick Herron's Slow Horses titled Footprints. This episode guest Matthew Bradford returns …
Continue reading Barbican Station – SLOW HORSES Season Three Finale Recap
Find all previous and future episodes listed here or in your podcast app under "Barbican Station". Donate to Room to Read here or share the link - http://tinyurl.com/spiesread We're back to discuss fifth episode of the third season of the Apple TV Plus adaptation of Mick Herron's Slow Horses titled Cleaning Up. This episode author …
Continue reading Barbican Station – SLOW HORSES Season Three Episodes 5 Recap
Find all previous and future episodes listed here or in your podcast app under "Barbican Station". Donate to Room to Read here or share the link - http://tinyurl.com/spiesread We're back to discuss fourth episode of the third season of the Apple TV Plus adaptation of Mick Herron's Slow Horses titled Uninvited Guests. We talk about …
Continue reading Barbican Station – SLOW HORSES Season Three Episodes 4 Recap
Find all previous and future episodes listed here or in your podcast app under "Barbican Station". Donate to Room to Read here or share the link - http://tinyurl.com/spiesread We're back to discuss third episode of the third season of the Apple TV Plus adaptation of Mick Herron's Slow Horses titled Negotiating with Tigers. We talk …
Continue reading Barbican Station – SLOW HORSES Season Three Episodes 3 Recap
Find all previous and future episodes listed here or in your podcast app under "Barbican Station". Donate to Room to Read here or share the link - http://tinyurl.com/spiesread We're back to discuss the premiere of the third season of the Apple TV Plus adaptation of Mick Herron's Slow Horses. We talk about the mini movie …
Continue reading Barbican Station – SLOW HORSES Season Three Episodes 1 and 2 Recap
By George Smiley, as told to Chat GPT As a former spy, I know all too well the toll that stress and danger can take on one's health. In my line of work, I've had to deal with everything from betrayals and infidelities to high-stakes espionage and assassination attempts. But through it all, I've managed …
Over the years we've had Muppet Christmas Carol and Muppet Treasure Island, but what if we got, Muppet Slow Horses? In this post we'll fan cast our favorite Muppets as members of Slough House. To make it work I've pulled from both The Muppet Show and Sesame Street. Jackson Lamb - Oscar the Grouch Let's …
Find all previous and future episodes listed here or in your podcast app under "Barbican Station". The le Carré Cast - https://lecarrecast.com/ Frank Sennett joins the show to talk about political thrillers and Mick Herron and John le Carré. We talk about US versus UK spy novels, Matt Helm, and favorite Herron and le Carré …
Continue reading Secret And Beyond – Political Thrillers with Frank Sennett
Special to the blog: Chat GPT explains what makes Jackson Lamb a good boss and what tips employers should use to manage their employees. From the Pages of Slough House: Leadership Tips from Jackson Lamb, The Perfect Boss Leadership is an essential element of successful business management. While there are many successful business leaders who …
Continue reading From the Pages of Slough House: Leadership Tips from Jackson Lamb, The Perfect Boss
More information and a US cover for The Secret Hours have arrived. Here's the latest book description via Amazon - Two years ago, a hostile Prime Minister launched the Monochrome inquiry, an auditing of the British Secret Service “to investigate historical over-reaching.” Monochrome’s mission was to ferret out any hint of misconduct by any MI5 …
Continue reading The Secret Hours – Cover and description revealed
Spy Write is hosting the exclusive debut of the new trailer for SHADOW STATE, out Feb. 21 from Crooked Lane and distributed by Penguin Random House. Frank Sennett's thriller is one of the first novels to explore the implications of the January 6 insurrection, and the infiltration of Oath Keepers and Proud Boys into law …
Find all previous and future episodes listed here or in your podcast app under "Barbican Station". Donate to Room to Read here or share the link - http://tinyurl.com/spiesread We're back to discuss the finale of the second season of the Apple TV Plus adaptation of Mick Herron's Slow Horses - Old Scores. We talk about …
Continue reading Barbican Station – SLOW HORSES Season Two Finale Recap
Find all previous and future episodes listed here or in your podcast app under "Barbican Station". Donate to Room to Read here or share the link - http://tinyurl.com/spiesread We're back to discuss the fifth episode of the second season of the Apple TV Plus adaptation of Mick Herron's Slow Horses - Boardroom Games. We talk …
Continue reading Barbican Station – SLOW HORSES Season Two Episode 5 Recap
Find all previous and future episodes listed here or in your podcast app under "Barbican Station". Donate to Room to Read here or share the link - http://tinyurl.com/spiesread We're back to discuss the fourth episode of the second season of the Apple TV Plus adaptation of Mick Herron's Slow Horses - Ciacada. We talk about …
Continue reading Barbican Station – SLOW HORSES Season Two Episode 4 Recap
Find all previous and future episodes listed here or in your podcast app under "Barbican Station". Donate to Room to Read here or share the link - http://tinyurl.com/spiesread We're back to discuss the third episode of the second season of the Apple TV Plus adaptation of Mick Herron's Slow Horses. We talk about bike safety, …
Continue reading Barbican Station – SLOW HORSES Season Two Episode 3 Recap
Find all previous and future episodes listed here or in your podcast app under "Barbican Station". Donate to Room to Read here or share the link - http://tinyurl.com/spiesread We're back to discuss the first and second episodes of the second season of the Apple TV Plus adaptation of Mick Herron's Slow Horses. We talk about …
Continue reading Barbican Station – SLOW HORSES Season Two Premiere Recap
Find all previous and future episodes listed here or in your podcast app under "Barbican Station". I talk with guest Matthew Bradford about Mick Herron's latest short story - Standing By The Wall. This story is a crucial follow up to both Slough House and Bad Actors and fans of River and Roddy won't want …
Continue reading Barbican Station – Standing By The Wall by Mick Herron Review and more
Find all previous and future episodes listed here or in your podcast app under "Barbican Station". This week we are back to talk all things Bad Actors! I’m pleased to welcome Slate Book and Culture critic Laura Miller. In the first half of the show we stay spoiler free of Bad Actors as we talk …
Continue reading Barbican Station – Bad Actors by Mick Herron – Review with Laura Miller
Just as we are seeing the release of Herron’s holiday themed short story Standing by the Wall and with season two of SLOW HORSES right around the corner, we have a glimpse of Herron’s next book - The Secret Hours. Here’s the description from Amazon - Monochrome is a busted flush - an inquiry into …
Continue reading The Secret Hours – New Mick Herron book title revealed!
In the publicity around the release of Bad Actors, Mick Herron revealed he is working on a non-Slough House novel before starting on his next visit with the slow horses. This means that fans will likely face a more extended break before the ninth book comes along. However Soho Press is bridging the gap with …
Continue reading New Mick Herron Book in November 2022 – Standing By The Wall
The first season of SLOW HORSES ended with a literal bang and gave us a teaser for the second season. Since then, fans have eagerly awaited news of when that season would be released. Well, some information is starting to leak out there. On the UK Amazon site, there is a listing for a new …
Continue reading When does season two of SLOW HORSES come out?
Find all previous and future episodes listed here or in your podcast app under "Barbican Station". I talk with previous guests Matthew Bradford and Dr. Mary Quest about their guesses for what we might see in Mick Herron's next Slough House book - Bad Actors. My post on the top burning questions ahead of Bad …
Continue reading Barbican Station – Burning Questions ahead of Bad Actors
As I did before the release of Slough House, I look at some of the burning questions ahead of the next book. With Bad Actors just a few short days away, I’m ponder what we might see. Read the book and then laugh at my incorrect guesses! Warning – Spoilers ahead for all books in …
Find all previous and future episodes listed here or in your podcast app under "Barbican Station". We talk about the sixth and final episode of the first season of the new Apple TV Plus adaptation of Slow Horses. In the first part we talk about impressions of the first few episodes before taking a break …
Continue reading Barbican Station – SLOW HORSES Season Finale Recap
Find all previous and future episodes listed here or in your podcast app under "Barbican Station". Catch up on episode five before the sixth and final episode of the first season drops of the new Apple TV Plus adaption of Slow Horses. In the first part we talk about impressions of the first few episodes …
Continue reading Barbican Station – SLOW HORSES Fifth Episode Recap
Find all previous and future episodes listed here or in your podcast app under "Barbican Station". Catch up on episode four before the fifth episode drops as we continue to discuss the new Apple TV Plus adaption of Slow Horses. In the first part we have some updates and impressions of the first few episodes …
Continue reading Barbican Station – SLOW HORSES Fourth Episode Recap
Find all previous and future episodes listed here or in your podcast app under "Barbican Station". Catch up on episode three before the forth episode drops as we continue to discuss the third episode of the new Apple TV Plus adaption of Slow Horses. In the first part we discuss impressions of the first couple …
Continue reading Barbican Station – SLOW HORSES Third Episode Recap
Find all previous and future episodes listed here or in your podcast app under "Barbican Station". In this episode we discuss the premiere of the new Apple TV Plus adaption of Slow Horses. The first part is spoiler free before we take a break and come back to talk in depth about the first and …
Continue reading Barbican Station – SLOW HORSES Premiere/Second Episode Recap
In this episode we discuss Mick Herron's novel Reconstruction. Although the book is a standalone, there are a striking number of connections to the Slough House series, both in cross over characters and stylistically. We talk generally about the book before diving into spoiler territory for what I consider essential reading for any Herron fan. …
Continue reading Barbican Station – Reconstruction by Mick Herron – Episode 13
Publishers are always looking to refresh the backlist of authors and sell more copies. In the 70’s the beautiful painted book covers went out of fashion and photo covers came into vogue. The UK publisher Fontana had paperback rights to many of the well known thriller writers of the time like Desmond Bagley, Alastair Maclean, …
Continue reading Broken Covers – John Creasey, The Baron edition
I’ve always been fascinated with the history of the cold war spy novel. I had previously considered Atomsk, released in 1949 and written by Carmichael Smith, the first but it appears to only be the first US Cold War novel. The UK’s Humphrey Slater wrote Conspirator and beat Atomsk by a year. Conspirator follows a …
Continue reading Conspirator by Humphrey Slater – The first Cold War novel?
After being teased by Nick Harkaway, one of le Carré's sons, during book events surrounding the release of Silverview we now have additional details on a book of John le Carré/David Cornwell correspondence. The book, currently titled A Private Spy: The Letters of John le Carré, 1945-2020, has a UK release date of November 3rd, …
In 2022 my goal is to write brief reviews of all the books I read. Here's to a good year of reading! Dolphin Junction by Mick Herron I'd read most of these stories previously in various other places but enjoyed dipping back into them in this collection. Diving into some dark places, Herron explores broken …
Continue reading Dolphin Junction & The Eighth Detective – Book Review Quick Takes
In this episode we give some updates on Barbican Station, the Slow Horses AppleTV+ show, Bad Actors - the eighth book in the series and give some hints of what to expect in Barbican Station "Season Two"! We'll be back in a couple weeks with a discussion on Mick Herron's short fiction collection - Dolphin …
After an off year of reading in 2020, I had a return closer to form in 2021. Below I’ve highlighted some of my favorite spy related novels in no particular order. Slough House by Mick Herron - Herron continues to fire on all cylinders with his seventh book in the Slough House series. This one …
I've made a few recent appearances on some podcasts that I wanted to let everyone know about. First, I was a guest on the Spy Hards podcast talking about the film The Day of the Jackal. It was a lot of fun and I hope folks check it out. I also was recently on the …
Continue reading Spy Hards, Cinema Junkies and le Carré Cast – Several new podcast appearances
I’m pleased to welcome guest writer Jeff Gelb to the site for this interview with author Robert Randisi. ROBERT RANDISI REFLECTS ON HIS NICK CARTER NOVELS By Jeff Gelb I was very fortunate to be a child of the 1960s. I grew up in the era when the Beatles changed the face of music forever, when the Marvel Universe …
Continue reading Robert Randisi on his Nick Carter novels – Interview
I’m pleased to welcome guest Dick Woodgate to the site for the below book review. ‘I don’t like killing, but I’m good at it.’A Kill in the Morning by Graeme Shimmin As opening lines go, it’s a good one by any standard. It’s memorable too – I read Graeme Shimmin’s novel, A Kill in the Morning a few years ago now, yet I didn’t need …
UPDATE: Both US and UK covers for Bad Actors have now been released. The book will be released via John Murrays new thriller imprint Baskerville. We see some slight adjustments from the style we've seen for the past several books. The US cover via Soho Press stays simliar to what we've seen previously. The book …
In this episode we take a look at the latest book with the slow horses, Slough House, with guest Professor Penny Fielding. We discuss what people will think of the books in 20 years, how this book is similar to Slow Horses and that ending. All that and more in this episode. Find Penny Fielding …
Continue reading Barbican Station – Slough House – Episode 11
Surprising news broke this morning that a final complete novel from John le Carré would be published in October titled Silverview. According to his agent Jonny Geller, via The Guardian, le Carré had been working on the novel on and off before The Pigeon Tunnel and had recently completed it, giving permission for its publication …
I’ve recently been asked a couple of times for authors I would recommend to read after folks have finished all the Slough House novels and novellas. My first suggestion would be to make sure you’ve read some of Herron’s other novels, like Down Cemetery Road, Reconstruction, Nobody Walks and even This is What Happened. If …
Continue reading Mick Herron’s Slough House – What to read next?
We have some news about upcoming Mick Herron releases book releases. December 7th will live in infamy for being the date Mick Herron’s short story collection Dolphin Junction will be released, according to Amazon US and UK. The description says - CWA Gold and Steel Dagger-winner Mick Herron's short fiction, collected for the first time. …
In this episode we conclude our two parter with a look a the Slough House novella, The Catch, and the short story, The Last Dead Letter, with returning guest Matthew Bradford. We discuss whether whether Di Taverner is like Mission: Impossible's Jim Phelps, get into determinism vs. free will and what effect the TV show …
Continue reading Barbican Station – The Catch and The Last Dead Letter – Episode 10
Publishers are always looking to refresh the backlist of authors and sell more copies. In the 70’s the beautiful painted book covers went out of fashion and photo covers came into vogue. The UK publisher Fontana had paperback rights to many of the well known thriller writers of the time like Desmond Bagley, Alastair Maclean, Hammond Innes, Helen MacInnes and Eric …
In this episode we take a look at two of the Slough House novellas, The List and The Drop, with guest Matthew Bradford. We discuss whether there's a sadder sack than John Bachelor, what the worst thing Herron has done to one of his characters and Matthew shares a piece of Hollywood advice he got …
Continue reading Barbican Station – The List and The Drop – Episode 9
Listen to Barbican Station, our podcast dedicated to the slow horses, here or in all podcast apps. From the opening pages of Slow Horses, it's been something all spy fans have wondered. Where is Slough House located at? Herron gave a rather detailed description and from that and a little Google mapping, on my visit …
I’ve spread the word elsewhere but passing on the word to all you Quiller fans. Although it's been rumored to have been lost forever, a Michael Jayston fan has uploaded all thirteen episodes of the Quiller TV series to YouTube! The show has been slightly shrouded in mystery as it has been seen since it …
Every so often I’ll be highlighting some of the spy games I’ve picked up from various second hand stores over the years. I haven’t played most of these yet, as finding willing spy game participants can be tricky, but I’m hoping to road test some of these as the kids get older. HOMELAND was the …
AppleTV+'s original offerings have been a bit slim as of yet, no doubt complicated by the coronavirus which has slowed all movie and television production to a crawl. They have had a couple high profile successes, THE MORNING SHOW and MYTHIC QUEST: RAVEN'S BANQUET, but of most interest to spy fans will be the show …
In this episode we change things up with a look at some burning questions ahead of the release of the seventh book in the series, Slough House, with guests Shane Whaley and Matthew Bradford. We discuss who's in our Dead Pool, who might rise from the dead and what the political situation of the Slough …
Continue reading Barbican Station – Slough House Burning Questions – Episode 8
Very minor spoilers below. What do you do when that thing from your past you’ve moved on from, or at least tried to bury deep inside, comes back? Do you embrace it? Reject it? Run from it as fast as possible? Perhaps all of the above and more. That’s part of what River and the …
In this episode I take a closer look at the sixth book in the Slough House series, Joe Country, with guest Shane Whaley of the Spybrary podcast. We discuss working conditions for mercenaries, Jackson Lamb's toenails, and most importantly, Wales! We also talk about Peter Johnson, or is that Boris Judd? Plus Shane gives us …
With all the disruption of this past year, things have been a bit quieter on the site than normal. I’ve been focusing on podcasts over some of my longer written pieces which has taken a healthy chunk of time. That said, the year did have some highlights and in what is becoming a yearly tradition …
This is a hard one. In a year that has seen many, many losses, for lovers of literature, the loss of David Cornwell aka John le Carré is a difficult one to handle. Jonny Geller, his agent and friend, posted this note as well as a note from le Carré's family. https://twitter.com/JonnyGeller/status/1338239733638508547 On a personal …
In this episode I take a closer look at the fifth book in the Slough House series, London Rules, with guest Ayo Onatade. We talk about British politicians, whether Slough House should switch to an open office plan, hackers with girlfriends, and the high death toll in Slough House. Plus a special treat, Ayo's recommendation …
Continue reading Barbican Station – London Rules – Episode 6
In honor of the 10th anniversary of the release of Slow Horses in 2010 Soho Press has put out an updated edition of the paperback edition with new cover art, a new preface written by Mick Herron, a list of discussion questions and a short story previously unreleased in the United States. The cover art …
In this episode I take a closer look at the fourth book in the Slough House series, Spook Street, with Clarissa Aykroyd. We talk about hipsters in Shoreditch, literary references, corporate-speak and Herron's love for London transport mayhem. Each month we’ll be exploring a different book in the series. All leading up to the release …
Continue reading Barbican Station – Spook Street – Episode 5
We are getting closer and closer to the release of the seventh book, Slough House. As such, bookstores are putting up preorders for their signed copies. The wonderful Goldsboro Books has a signed copy available here. The book selling behemoth Waterstones is also offering a signed edition with an essay by Herron and a endpapers …
In 1964, just after The Spy Who Came in from the Cold came out, Mademoiselle Magazine ran a mystery issue and asked Rex Stout to interview the newly famous author John le Carré.
Every so often I'll be highlighting some of the spy games I've picked up from various second hand stores over the years. I haven't played most of these yet, as finding willing spy game participants can be tricky, but I'm hoping to road test some of these as the kids get older. The way most …
Continue reading Spy Games – Robert Ludlum’s Game of Counter-Espionage
In this episode I take a closer look at the third book in the Slough House series, Real Tigers, with Gary Dexter. We talk about Chekov's Double Decker bus, why getting kidnapped DOESN'T make you want a drink, and the truth about the Thunderbirds.
Whether it's the streets of London or the dusty roads of Afghanistan, you’ll want to join Rahman on this ride. His unique characters continue to provide a fresh take on the modern spy thriller.
Over the course of the Slough House series, there have been a number of plot threads that have been left open for future stories. Below are some of the ones I’m most interested in seeing addressed. Warning - Spoilers ahead for all books in the series! Sid Baker - One of the most shocking reveals …
Continue reading Top 9 Burning Questions going in to Slough House
These were released a couple of months ago, but still worth highlighting. Book seven of the series is titled Slough House, I'm guessing to coordinate with the, now COVID delayed, TV series. No major redesign to the covers on offer. Publisher John Murray makes a minor adjustment by adding a splash of color to their …
Rarely am I shocked while reading a book, but this was the exception. As I perused my latest purchase, a binded transcript of a speech John le Carré gave at John Hopkins University in 1986 titled The Clandestine Muse, I had a shocking revelation. John le Carré had won Blistex lip balm’s 1985 “Most Beautiful …
Continue reading Secret Lip Services – The honor John le Carré doesn’t want you to know about
In this episode I take a closer look at the second book in the Slough House series, Dead Lions, with Alice Dryden. We explore the truth behind a dickie bow, melting cars, whether all small English villages contain hidden evil and Dorset knob throwing.
I'm back with yet another spy game; a card game called Ace of Spies. The game is very similar in concept to the blockbuster game, Ticket to Ride, but with a World War I spy theme.
Every so often I'll be highlighting some of the spy games I've picked up from various second hand stores over the years. I haven't played most of these yet, as finding willing spy game participants can be tricky, but I'm hoping to road test some of these as the kids get older.
I guest hosted a couple of recent episodes of the Spybrary podcast that I thought folks might want to check out.
In the second episode of Barbican Station we welcome spy author Tim Stevens to talk about the first book in the series, Slow Horses. We discuss the vileness of Jackson Lamb, the real Slough House location, and a certain foppish bike riding politician. Each month we'll be exploring a different book in the series and …
In the first episode of Barbican Station we take a closer look at Mick Herron, the author of the Slough House series. What makes him write these books?
Future episodes will explore the books in the series.
I’m always excited to find a new spy novel series by an author that does something fresh in the genre. I was lucky enough to have the pleasure of reading one such series recently. Thanks to the recommendation of the excellent Spybrary discussion group, I listened to the audiobook for Khurrum Rahman’s debut novel East …
Continue reading East of Hounslow & Homegrown Hero by Khurrum Rahman – Review
I posted previously about the book description for the next book in Mick Herron's Slough House series and it looks like it might now have a title. According to Amazon and Barnes and Noble the next book is titled - Slough House. It's a title that's appropriately full circle from the first novel Slow Horses, …
Antony Johnston introduced us to his new spy, Brigitte Sharp, in The Exphoria Code. Sharp is an elite hacker who also has the special training that allows her to go into the field on special missions. The first book took his hero on a roller coaster ride of ups and downs. Ups: She got to …
Continue reading The Tempus Project by Antony Johnston – Review
A production timeline and news about the upcoming AppleTV+ show, Slow Horses, an adaption of the Mick Herron spy series.
If you’re lucky enough to find success as a novelist, I imagine there is no greater feeling than having your work translated into a whole new language. Knowing that your book is now available to people all across the world has to feel very empowering. However, the work of a translator is more of an …
It’s been 8 years since we’ve had a novel dedicated to the trials and tribulations of Milo Weaver, Olen Steinhauer’s former spy turned spymaster. Milo was a member of a secretive CIA department called Tourism, it’s agents tasked with cleaning up messes that the government didn’t want to have to acknowledge. Members of the department, …
Continue reading The Last Tourist by Olen Steinhauer – A Review
Matthew Bradford and Jeff Quest recap and give their opinions on episode 8, the season finale, titled The Final Mission of Bravo's new reality TV show - Spy Games.
Who was crowned the ultimate spy?
FYI - We had a little audio wackiness for the first couple minutes before it cleared up.
5/24/2020 UPDATE: The book's title appears to have been released. We've got a long wait ahead of us before the next Slough House book, currently scheduled for release on February 4, 2021. However, there is a bit of news to tide us over until then, with the release of the book description for the next …
Matthew Bradford and Jeff Quest recap and give their opinions on episode 7 of Bravo's new reality TV show - Spy Games.
Who will will be crowned the ultimate spy?
Matthew Bradford and Jeff Quest recap and give their opinions on episode 6 of Bravo's new reality TV show - Spy Games.
Who will will be crowned the ultimate spy?
Matthew Bradford and Jeff Quest recap and give their opinions on episode 5 of Bravo's new reality TV show - Spy Games.
Who will will be crowned the ultimate spy?
In this post we look at some of the alternative book titles that John le Carré debated using for some of his biggest successes.
I debriefed the latest agent eliminated from the safe house on Spy Games.
We got all of the secrets, learned all the backstory and here who was nearly on Survivor!
Listen hear or search for Spy Write in your favorite podcast!
Matthew Bradford and Jeff Quest recap and give their opinions on episode 4 of Bravo's new reality TV show - Spy Games.
Who will will be crowned the ultimate spy?
Matthew Bradford and Jeff Quest recap and give their opinions on episode 3 of Bravo's new reality TV show - Spy Games.
Who will will be crowned the ultimate spy?
Matthew Bradford and Jeff Quest recap and give their opinions on episode 2 of Bravo's new reality TV show - Spy Games. Who will be crowned the ultimate spy? Find previous episodes here. Links - Matthew Bradford's site Bravo's page for Spy Games Cast List Mia Kang Website Doug Laux book Left of Boom Evy Poumpouras …
Continue reading Spy Games – The Bravo TV Reality Show – Episode 2 Recap
Matthew Bradford and Jeff Quest recap and give their opinions on Bravo's new reality TV show Spy Games.
Who screws up and who completes their mission?
Matthew Bradford and Jeff Quest recap and give their opinions on the premiere episode of Bravo's new reality TV show - Spy Games.
Who will will be crowned the ultimate spy?
For more on Mick Herron's Slough House series go here. Mick Herron has seemed to enjoy playing in the expanded sandbox of the Slough House universe, writing a novel adjacent to the series, multiple novellas and with The Last Dead Letter, his first short story in the world of the Slow Horses. This story was …
Over the past few years I have been looking at versions of The Spy Who Came in from the Cold, particularly ones that had artwork created for the story. Previous posts looking at various editions and collectibles related to le Carré’s most famous novel The Spy Who Came in from the Cold can be found …
Publishers are always looking to refresh the backlist of authors and sell more copies. In the 70’s the beautiful painted book covers went out of fashion and photo covers came into vogue. The UK publisher Fontana had paperback rights to many of the well known thriller writers of the time like Desmond Bagley, Alastair Maclean, …
This is the time of year when I take a look back at some of the best things I've experienced this year. It may be spy book related or it may not, but it's things I recommend checking out yourself if you have the time and inclination. I continue with part two that leans more …
This is the time of year when I take a look back at some of the best things I've experienced this year. It may be spy book related or it may not, but it's things I recommend checking out yourself if you have the time and inclination. Hamilton - I'm a bit behind the curve …
Charles McCarry, who passed away this past February at the age of 88, wrote what might be the most intriguing and enjoyable spy novels ever in his first novel The Miernik Dossier. The 1973 book is in the epistolary format, told through 89 different documents that make up the file looking at the suspected Polish …
Continue reading The Miernik Dossier by Charles McCarry – Review
A man who is able to seamlessly blend in with the native cultures of Siberia is sent by the US to infiltrate a hidden Russian base and escape with crucial information on what the Russians are up to. Can you guess the title? If you guessed Kolymsky Heights, you’d be correct. But if you said …
My regular posts have been a bit more sporadic of late as I've been working on a couple of special projects. First was hosting a two part podcast panel on Spybrary looking at Adam Hall's famous spy creation - Quiller. This resulted in a fair bit of research as I reread a bunch of the …
The Mick Herron news continues! On the heels of the announcement of a tv adaption of the Slough House series, Slow Horses, details of a new novella have been released. News first appeared on twitter and a full description of the book can now be found on Amazon. The Catch is described as follows - …
Continue reading The Catch by Mick Herron – a Slough House novella coming soon
I happened to be in London at the same time that John le Carré's latest, Agent Running in the Field, was released. The appearance of his latest book was a much more muted affair than the fanfare over A Legacy of Spies. Whereas Legacy had giant displays in every bookshop window, book release parties and …
Continue reading Collecting Agent Running in the Field by John le Carré – Signed Editions
Slough House gets a TV adaption.
Publishers are always looking to refresh the backlist of authors and sell more copies. In the 70’s the beautiful painted book covers went out of fashion and photo covers came into vogue. The UK publisher Fontana had paperback rights to many of the well known thriller writers of the time like Desmond Bagley, Alastair Maclean, …
John le Carré’s first spy novel appeared in 1961 and nearly 60 years and 25 books later, he’s still at it. Compared to his last novel, Agent Running in the Field is full on modern day spy story. His hero, Nat, is a spy on his way out pulled back in for what is likely …
Continue reading Agent Running in the Field by John le Carré – Review
Every so often I'll be highlighting some of the spy games I've picked up from various second hand stores over the years. I haven't played most of these yet, as finding willing spy game participants can be tricky, but I'm hoping to road test some of these as the kids get older. Although it is …
Over time many authors have sung the praises of the Quiller books. I found authors as varied as a spy novelist who writes from a Christian perspective to a writer of Florida based pulp novels. I found quite a few examples of writers expressing their admiration online. Among them was Shane Black screenwriter of Lethal …
An occasional feature highlighting spy related things found in the everyday world.
Night Heron by Adam Brookes is a spy novel with China as its focus. It manages to pull off the hat trick of teaching you something new, creating realistic characters and being a thrilling adventure. The story follows the stories of three people caught up in the web of modern espionage. The first is Peanut, …
In the run up to the release of Agent Running in the Field I'll be highlighting some le Carré tidbits I've collected over time. As a celebrity, you are always more likely to get your letters to the editor published than most of the public. Bonus points if it's humorous or picking a fight with …
Publishers are always looking to refresh the backlist of authors and sell more copies. In the 70’s the beautiful painted book covers went out of fashion and photo covers came into vogue. The UK publisher Fontana had paperback rights to many of the well known thriller writers of the time like Desmond Bagley, Alastair Maclean, …
I've read a few spy related books recently and thought I'd offer a quick round up of some recent releases. The Bayern Agenda - Dan Moren I've always thought that spies and scifi can be a good fit. By setting your book in the far future you can play with some of the spy tropes without …
I was recently asked to write about various filming locations used in film adaptions of John le Carré movies by Discovery, the in flight magazine for Cathay Pacific Airlines. It was fun to hit some of the highlights, even if I couldn't touch on of his film adaptations as well as see it translated into …
Continue reading Filming locations of John le Carré adaptations
Every so often I'll be highlighting some of the spy games I've picked up from various second hand stores over the years. I haven't played most of these yet, as finding willing spy game participants can be tricky, but I'm hoping to road test some of these as the kids get older. Shifty Eyed Spies …
For episode two I dig back in the archives for an article about the time a number of ex-spies and writers met in secret. Why? For the answer you'll have to listen in.
Visit SpyWrite.com for the full list of references and links.
When I first heard of a television adaptation of the movie Three Days of the Condor, itself an adaptation of James Grady's novel Six Days of the Condor, I was slightly skeptical but willing to give it a chance. The book is a classic, what spy fiction fan doesn’t love a book about a guy …
In addition to spies, I'm very much a political junkie. For those who are aware of his work that should make it no surprise that the writer Ross Thomas is one of my favorite authors. Although he rose to prominence with a spy story - his first book The Cold War Swap which he banged …
Continue reading Ross Thomas rarities – Brown Paper and Some String and Spies, Thumbsuckers, Etc.
Every so often I'll be highlighting some of the spy games I've picked up from various second hand stores over the years. I haven't played most of these yet, as finding willing spy game participants can be tricky, but I'm hoping to road test some of these as the kids get older. Initially set to …
I'm always on the hunt for new bits of history or trivia about the Circus. I've made a new find and I think you'll find it to be quite the treat. I was digging through some archives at the library and found one of Control's commencement addresses to the graduates of the Sarrett training camp. …
In this episode I provide an introduction to the world's most famous spy writer. John le Carré began writing novels as a way to relieve the boredom of his duties as an upper-class raised British diplomat. That was what the world was told. The reality was that he wrote under a pseudonym; in truth he was a spy for MI6. His ability to live two lives at once was what made him both a successful spy as well as one of the most famous espionage novelists of all time.
Much of the research came from Adam Sisman's essential biography of le Carré.
James Olson's book Fair Play was also quite helpful along with the collection of le Carré interviews called Conversations with John le Carré edited by Matthew J. Bruccoli and Judith S. Baughman.
In the history of spy novels, Mick Herron’s Slough House is becoming as memorable a location as le Carré’s spy headquarters the Circus. Compared to London Rules, which took off like an out of control car, Joe Country is a more sedate affair. In a narrative shift from previous books, the first pages reveal that not all of our slow horses will be returning to the stable, leaving a sense of impending doom hanging over all the characters.
Is this the best spy reality show? Yes.
Every so often I'll be highlighting some of the spy games I've picked up from various second hand stores over the years. I haven't played most of these yet, as finding willing spy game participants can be tricky, but I'm hoping to road test some of these as the kids get older. Once upon a …
The 2002 book Spy’s Fate is one of those novels you’d never discover unless you went into a bookstore. A recommendation by one of the staff and only stocked because of their passion for it, I picked it up on a whim after seeing it several times on visits to a local bookstore called The …
I debated putting this out there, but decided that today is the day and not to wait. I received a huge surprise in the mail over the weekend. A package sent from Cornwall arrived on my doorstep. I've been eagerly awaiting the October release of Agent Running in the Field and in early April what …
Every so often I'll be highlighting some of the spy games I've picked up from various second hand stores over the years. I haven't played most of these yet, as finding willing spy game participants can be tricky, but I'm hoping to road test some of these as the kids get older. Spies! is a …
An occasional feature highlighting spy related things found in the everyday world.
I highlighted the first lines from Eric Ambler and John le Carré novels awhile back and I thought it would be interesting to do something similar for Mick Herron. Will we see any changes or discover heretofore undiscovered trends? Hard as it was, I tried to stick with just the first sentence, although I couldn’t …
Every so often I'll be highlighting some of the spy games I've picked up from various second hand stores over the years. I haven't played most of these yet, as finding willing spy game participants can be tricky, but I'm hoping to road test some of these as the kids get older. A game that …
In anticipation of Mick Herron’s US release of London Rules, the fifth book in his Slough House series, I did a re-read of his Slough House related work. Reconstruction came out in 2008 and is in many ways the proto-Slough House novel. Read more I've written on Herron and other Slough House books here. For as …
I wrote last year about the Chicago outpost of the SafeHouse, the Milwaukee institution that has been in existence since 1966. Overall I greatly enjoyed it. Recently I had the opportunity for a return visit to the Milwaukee original, this time bringing my family along for the ride. We visited in the midst of a …
Spies and romance. They go together like hand to fingerprint disguising glove. But how do we rank some of fictions greatest spies in the romance department? Well, if you’re looking to romance a spy, buyer beware. Let’s take a closer look - James Bond - Pros - Frequently wears a tuxedo. Dines in the best …
A complete list of all of my Mick Herron related writing is here. And that was her own true self talking, or the person she liked to believe was her own true self; the decent liberal who'd be the first to flare up when ignorant bigotry was aired. Although it was also true that the …
Continue reading All the livelong day and other stories – Mick Herron
Publishers are always looking to refresh the backlist of authors and sell more copies. In the 70’s the beautiful painted book covers went out of fashion and photo covers came into vogue. The UK publisher Fontana had paperback rights to many of the well known thriller writers of the time like Desmond Bagley, Alastair Maclean, …
It's been over two years but I've laid hands on yet another abridged version of The Spy Who Came in from the Cold. We've seen two previous abridged versions, one in a magazine called True and the next in Reader's Digest. Over three issues of Show - The Magazine of the Arts, October through December …
It's been over two years but I've laid hands on yet another abridged version of The Spy Who Came in from the Cold. We've seen two previous abridged versions, one in a magazine called True and the next in Reader's Digest. My latest find ran in a magazine called Show - The Magazine …
Wilkinson kicks off 2019 right with her excellent novel American Spy.
Every so often I'll be highlighting some of the spy games I've picked up from various second hand stores over the years. I haven't played most of these yet, as finding willing spy game participants can be tricky, but I'm hoping to road test some of these as the kids get older. I'm excited to …
Looking back at Spy Write in 2018 I had a lot of fun trying to keep up with posting something once a week. This post will look back at some of the high points. Author interviews It was a good year for talking with authors. I traded questions with Toby Manning on his look at …
As is becoming a bit of a tradition, I’m rounding out the year with a couple of posts looking at some of my favorite things from the year. Some are spy related, some are not but all were memorable experiences. Following up on my previous post focusing on some things that I did here's the …
As is becoming a bit of a tradition, I'm rounding out the year with a couple of posts looking at some of my favorite things from the year. Some are spy related, some are not but all were memorable experiences. I'll be breaking this up over two posts with the first focusing on some things …
Every so often I'll be highlighting some of the spy games I've picked up from various second hand stores over the years. I haven't played most of these yet, as finding willing spy game participants can be tricky, but I'm hoping to road test some of these as the kids get older. Before I Kill …
I had a feeling! As soon as I read the term "joe country" in Mick Herron's novel Spook Street, I knew that was a book title. Well, information is now out there on the next Slough House book and it's called Joe Country. Reading the description, things are sounding even more dire for the slow horses than usual. …
Continue reading Joe Country – Jackson Lamb 6 / Slough House 6 news
The Literary Review, a quarterly publication by Fairleigh Dickinson University, dedicated their Winter issue in 2015 to fiction and poems that the editors felt in some way invoked the writings of John le Carré. Minna Proctor, the issue’s editor, refers to the issue as an experiment, and as such, I'd mark it as an interesting …
Every so often I'll be highlighting some of the spy games I've picked up from various second hand stores over the years. I haven't played most of these yet, as finding willing spy game participants can be tricky, but I'm hoping to road test some of these as the kids get older. Now here's a …
Publishers are always looking to refresh the backlist of authors and sell more copies. In the 70’s the beautiful painted book covers went out of fashion and photo covers came into vogue. The UK publisher Fontana had paperback rights to many of the well known thriller writers of the time like Desmond Bagley, Alastair Maclean, …
As fall and Halloween are a spooky time of the year, I had to share this creepy spy story I read. A couple of years back the BBC posted a really fascinating article on a shortwave radio station that has been broadcasting since the Cold War. It plays a mysterious droning noise which is only …
It's the time of year when everyone is raiding their closet to come up with a great costume for Halloween. In order to help everyone out in this endeavor I've come up with the following list of characters and tips to make a great last minute costume. James Bond - The classic spy costume. Just …
In anticipation of Mick Herron’s US release of London Rules, the fifth book in his Slough House series, I did a re-read of his Slough House related work. Herron's short story/novella The Drop was released a few months after London Rules in the fall of 2018. Read more I've written on Herron and other Slough House …
The Spybrary Spy Film Hall of Fame voting is in full swing and voters are furiously combing their dvd shelves and streaming platforms to catch up on movies they haven't seen. To assist in the process the full voting ballot sorted by year is below. Print out this page and check them off as you …
In cooperation with Shane Whaley of the Spybrary podcast I am running a "Top Ten Spy Films" poll. Vote below for your favorites and the results will be revealed on an upcoming episode of Spybrary. Go here to find the films on the ballot. Print out the full list to check off the ones you've …
My kids have enjoyed Mac Barnett’s books for awhile now, most recently with his The Terrible Two series, and we recently read his latest - Mac B., Kid Spy. As a teen Barnett would tell tall tales of his adventures when he was younger to the kids he worked with at summer camp and that's …