The Catch: A Slough House Novella 2

5 stars The Catch is a novella in the popular Slough House series by award-winning best-selling British author, Mick Herron. A “retirement needs evaluation counsellor” is how John Bachelor refers to himself. But to the suits at Regent’s Park, he’s a milkman: “a term of contempt, of course. Agents were joes; desk jockeys were suits. They were different ways of fighting the same battles, and while each had been known to look down on the other, like characters inhabiting the same Escher staircase, they shared a commonality neither would deny; a sense of purpose. A milkman, though, had failed to make a mark in either endeavour, and could be trusted to do no more than his weekly round: touching base with the pensioners and the walking wounded; those who’d served behind whatever lines had been drawn in their day, and now required support in their evening. Not that all were elderly, or, if the truth mattered, entirely honourable.”

Lately, though, he’s been a bit distracted, what with being divorced, then homeless and taking a cut in hours and pay. No one could blame him for taking advantage of Solly Dortmund’s empty apartment, surely. But now the Park needs to locate one of their retired assets, and Bachelor is meant to know where he is. Two years ago, Benny Manors had had no intention of checking in with Bachelor once a month… Why does Benny need to be found? Another excellent little dose of spy fiction from Mick Herron, showing Di Taverner at her nasty best: twisty and very topical.