The EI Podcast

The Slow Horses are Britain’s perfect spies

Oct 2, 2025
Dive into the fascinating world of Mick Herron’s Slough House series. Explore how spy fiction artfully blends reality and invention. Discover the compelling details that create suspense, alongside the peculiar lives of MI5's misfits. Unpack the meaning of betrayal in the realm of espionage and the moral weight of loyalty embodied by Jackson Lamb. Learn how Herron’s narrative resonates with modern British life, revealing societal flaws while showcasing the surprising competence of the so-called 'slow horses' when given real missions.
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INSIGHT

Real And Imagined In Spy Fiction

  • Spy fiction mixes real and imagined elements in variable proportions to create plausibility and wonder.
  • Mick Herron's Slow Horses uses petty, out-of-kilter details to drive major plots and atmosphere.
ANECDOTE

Small Detail That Toppled A Mole

  • In Tinker Tailor a small chronological slip reveals Bill Hayden as the mole and unravels a web of deceit.
  • A tiny broken thread exposes a vast tapestry of lies and betrayal.
INSIGHT

Picky Details Drive Punishment And Plot

  • Slough House houses MI5 rejects punished for trivial mistakes that reveal larger conspiracies.
  • River Cartwright's career collapses over a petty ID mix-up that later proves to be a deliberate frame-up.
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