When it comes to spy novels I am big fan of Len Deighton, in particular the “Bernard Samson” series. The stories are great but the novels shine because of the strength of the characters and the glorious dialogue, all laced with some dark humour.

In my original review of the first novel in the series – Berlin Game – I wrote:

Such a simple premise is possible because the book is totally driven forward by character. Conversations are perfectly pitched. The characters have their own individuality, mannerisms and moods. The importance of this cannot be overlooked. We are not dealing with the bright young things that appear in today’s thrillers. We are dealing often with a group of old men who increasingly feel bitter because they are no longer seen as relevant and are being sidelined. Cranky and set in their ways, they have had to ensure suffering. They also have to face their own mortality.

So these stories should be right up my street.

Well, mostly…

A while back I read the first two “Slough House” novels (Slow Horses and Dead Lions) and whilst Mick Herron has created some fantastic characters, each highly individual with their own flaws, I think the stories could have been stronger particularly in the second book.

I’ve finally managed to watch the first 2 seasons of Slow Horses on AppleTV+ and I think that this is one of those rare occasions where the TV series is better than the books.

Gary Oldman makes the main character Jackson Lamb utterly repulsive. He must have a blast making someone so vile. In fact, every character is perfectly cast and performances are all excellent.

The series has made some changes to the books but they fit in perfectly, adding to the depth of the characters, especially that of Jackson Lamb. You get to find out more about his murky background, the moral ambiguity of the actions he has had to take in his career, the sacrifices he has made, the personal danger he has put himself in for the good and the security of the nation. I love the way the old realities of the Cold War still bubble up to shape the modern day (indeed, as it does in real life). The desire to move on and cast a new world view after the fall of the Berlin Wall led to a lot of people who risked everything beforehand being cast out as relics of a bygone era. That backstory gives Jackson Lamb a lot more depth, someone who you can lend compassion to – rather than just the disgusting, obnoxious old bastard he intially comes across as.

I also love the way London is a character in itself – the way that Berlin is in Deighton’s novels. I often drive through the Barbican and recognise many of the places I see onscreen. It anchors the stories in reality and specifically in England as they venture further out of the city and into the country.

The only thing I am not so keen on is the amount of swearing. I don’t take offence at the language used but I think it is overused. We get the point.

Apart from that, this is a wonderful adaptation. I’m looking forward to the next couple of seasons and I hope that they don’t take too long to appear.

Also:

• Spybrary: Mick Herron interview

• The Guardian: Mick Herron: ‘I look at Jackson Lamb and think: My God, did I write that? My mother reads this stuff!’

• Spare Cycles Mini review: The IPCRESS File (2022 TV adaptation)