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Although I probably won't get to this, myself, until next week, at the earliest, I will set up a thread for the latest Mick Herron novella, so there is a place to discuss this.

Listed as the second Slough House novella, it is really the third - following on from The Drop and The List and features John Bachelor. These take place in the Slough House world, but tend to run alongside, rather than on the same track.

If life in the Intelligence Service has taught John Bachelor anything, it's to keep his head down. Especially now, when he's living rent-free in a dead spook's flat.

So he's not delighted to be woken at dawn by a pair of Regent's Park's heavies, looking for a client he's not seen in years. John doesn't know what secrets Benny Manors has stolen, but they're attracting the wrong attention. And if he's to save his own skin, not to mention safeguard his living arrangements, John has to find Benny before those secrets see the light.

Benny could be anywhere, provided it serves alcohol. So John sets out on a reluctant trawl through the bars of the capital, all the while plagued by the age-old questions: Will he end up sleeping in his car? How many bottles of gin can he afford at London prices?

And just how far will Regent's Park go to prevent anyone rocking the Establishment's boat?

Feel free to post spoilers in this thread.

I started this yesterday and hope to finish it today. Interesting to note that, although Bachelor thought he was safely, and secretly, squirreled away in Solly's flat - those at the Park are, of course, all too aware of his new housing arrangements.

I was musing that Bachelor is even lower than those at Slough House really. At least they work full-time!

I got to read this is one setting. Poor John, being played by Lady Di. Surprisingly he still remains in Solly's flat (for now). Very funny at times. And very topical. I wonder if Mick Herron had written any of this prior to Epstein being found hanged in his prison cell?

Yes, very topical indeed. Of course, I think we all guessed that the Service was very aware of where Bachelor was staying.

Bachelor had seemed to have been at the flat for some time. He had eaten the food that was left and had new supplies delivered, so if the Service knew he was there, it was surprising nothing had been done about it before they made the knowledge known to him. It obviously suited Lady Di to leave him alone.
As Tracey said, it does make me wonder if this was a book before the Epstein suicide. Although as Herron is an accomplished author, it was probably easy for him to rush off a very short book like this one.

I was surprised how quickly this book came out after the suicide, particularly since I read a print copy from the library which adds some weeks to the production process. I also pondered whether Herron is libel for libel but he made it very clear the tapes were faked.

A quick, amusing read. Good to see Lady Di still arranging lives for her own ends and that 'Dick the Prick' remains on the outside. Interesting that he wasn't sent to Slough House because Lady Di didn't want him under Lamb.

P.S. I think Bachelor mentions being in the flat for eight months.

Do you think anyone reading this in a few years get the connections? Will the plot still hold together?