• The Secret Hours

  • By: Mick Herron
  • Narrated by: Sean Barrett
  • Length: 12 hrs and 41 mins
  • 4.6 out of 5 stars (41 ratings)

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The Secret Hours  By  cover art

The Secret Hours

By: Mick Herron
Narrated by: Sean Barrett
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Publisher's summary

A new standalone novel from 'Britain's greatest living thriller writer' and author of the bestselling Slough House series, now a TV series starring Gary Oldman.

An Instant Sunday Times Bestseller

*A gripping standalone thriller with a riveting reveal about a disastrous MI5 mission in Cold War Berlin - a dazzling entry-point to Mick Herron's writing and an unmissable listen for Slough House fans.*

A BBC Radio 4 Book at Bedtime

Two years ago, the Monochrome inquiry was set up to investigate the British secret service. Monochrome's mission was to ferret out misconduct, allowing the civil servants seconded to the inquiry, Griselda Fleet and Malcolm Kyle, unfettered access to confidential information in the service archives.

But with progress blocked at every turn, Monochrome is circling the drain . . . Until the OTIS file appears out of nowhere.

What classified secrets does OTIS hold that see a long-redundant spy being chased through Devon's green lanes in the dark? What happened in a newly reunified Berlin that someone is desperate to keep under wraps? And who will win the battle for the soul of the secret service - or was that decided a long time ago?

Spies and pen-pushers, politicians and PAs, high-flyers, time-servers and burn-outs . . . They all have jobs to do in the daylight. But what they do in the secret hours reveals who they really are.

©2023 Mick Herron (P)2023 Hodder & Stoughton Limited

Critic reviews

'I doubt I'll read a more enjoyable novel all year' Paula Hawkins

'Pitch-perfect' Lee Child

'Terrific' The Times

What listeners say about The Secret Hours

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Expertly fleshes out the Slow Horses backstory!

Great plot, pulling so many streams off the Slow Horses background together in one gripping plot!

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Best one yet!!

I love the slow horses world, and this gave you a glimpse of the stuff around the edges that world is built on

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Mick Herron At His Best

From the master of the modern spy story, comes another hit-out-of-the-Park. I loved this ‘Slough House’ offshoot. Whip-smart, very funny, and a riveting (back) story for fans of the series. No-one can describe the mood of a city quite like Mick Herron can. And no one can be Jackson Lamb quite like Sean Barrett can. Bravo! 👏

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1 person found this helpful

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Great story but partially recycled?

Really enjoyed this but at times I knew what was coming. Some of the paragraphs/scenarios were familiar as if I had read them before. I’ll have to go back to his other books to check…

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Clever af

Although it is billed as a 'standalone' novel, if you haven't read the Slough House series you wouldn't catch a bunch of the references and jokes. And you want to catch them because they are clever and illuminating. This is a fabulous story, perhaps my favourite of the series. I loved getting to meet Jackson Lamb when he was young, I want more! And of course the narration is first class, as always.

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Well paced spy thriller

Beautifully read, giving life to characters who are recognizable in current UK politics and in prior novels by Mick Herron. Well paced, with current context and past alternating to build intrigue and engage the reader. I loved every minute of this audiobook

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Best ever

Though it need you've read some of the earlier books to get a grip of some of the other spooks. It got me laughing out loud, which a can't remember the other books really did.

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Superb

Intricate story, extremely elegantly told, amazingly performed. Masterstroke being it possesses you to read the whole series again from the beginning.

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Always a pleasure!

Halfway through the book- I’m prying there will be next instalment before I’m done - alas…

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Slow house prequel

A must read for all slow house fans. Best read if you are familiar with the previous Slough house books.

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