Novella a Day in May 2025: No.31

/ madamebibilophile

The Catch – Mick Herron (2020) 105 pages

For the final post of this year’s Novella a Day in May project: a bit of a departure for me, as it’s a spy thriller.

I don’t read spy novels at all really, but a million years ago, Lady Fancifull who sadly no longer blogs, recommended the Mick Herron Slough House series to me, and she was absolutely right. They are evocative, pacy, politically engaged, and funny. They are gaining even more attention now due to the wonderful Slow Horses adaptation with Gary Oldman in the lead (a casting I wasn’t sure about until the first moment he appeared on screen and all doubts immediately dissipated.) I highly recommend the series both in book and television formats.

The Catch is a standalone novella, part of the world of Slow Horses but only featuring the formidable Diana ‘Lady Di’ Taverner from MI5 as a familiar character (“reaching Desk level required drive, ambition, contacts, dress sense and at least a glimmer of sociopathy”.)

John Bachelor may not be a Slow Horse but he’d fit right in – a washed-up spy, trying to keep his head down. “Squeezing his feet into socks produced the kind of hyperventilation that running upstairs once triggered.”

He’s employed by the service as “a milkman”, which means he does the rounds of other old spies, checking in on them and keeping track. Except he’s lost one of his charges: Benny Manors, who has a history of blackmail.

One day John wakes up to find two Service agents in the flat he’s been living in illegally, and – he thought – under the radar.

“It was all very alarming. If they’d been thugs, he’d have known he was in for a kicking. But they were suits, which suggested a more vicious outcome.”

For reasons they refuse to divulge, they want Benny found. John is inept, out of practice, and he has two days.

I can’t say much more except it is just so impressive how Herron manages to weave a pacy spy novella, complete in itself, in so few pages. All his usual commentary and humour was evident, as well as a plot that piled machination upon machination.

Somehow Herron always evokes a recognisable London too, which so few novelists seem to achieve. He does it while writing about a side of life I know nothing about (and never will, I’d be the world’s most useless spy):

“Seven Dials. He seemed to recall an Agatha Christie with that in the title, which suggested he might encounter the usual suspects in the usual places: spinsters in the kitchen, colonels in the bar. Maybe a vicar or two in the library. As it was, Monmouth Street was just another London thoroughfare, cheerful in the sunshine and grubby round the edges, and peopled by the usual young, the usual old, the former acting like they owned the place while the latter actually did.”

To end, the trailer for the first series of Slow Horses, an absolutely pitch-perfect adaptation:

21 thoughts on “Novella a Day in May 2025: No.31”

  1. Just love this series of books and the TV. Like you I wasn’t sure about Oldman until the moment I saw him! I haven’t read the novellas yet, I have the 7th novel lined up as one of my #20BooksofSummer though. A new 9th one is due out in Sept, along with the latest TV series too (worth having Apple TV just for Slow Horses).

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  2. Just love this series of books and the TV. Like you I wasn’t sure about Oldman until the moment I saw him! I haven’t read the novellas yet, I have the 7th novel lined up as one of my #20BooksofSummer though. A new 9th one is due out in Sept, along with the latest TV series too (worth having Apple TV just for Slow Horses).

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    • It’s one of the few times the adaptation is as good as the books, isn’t it? Gary Oldman is just fantastic as Jackson Lamb.

      I’ve only read up to book four, but I have five and six lined up for the summer! I hope you enjoy number seven.

      Completely agree about Apple tv – I didn’t have any subscriptions but took that one out just for Slow Horses and it was definitely worth it 🙂

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  3. I adore the Slough House series, both books & TV; have read all the books several times & the novellas at least once. As for the TV series, it’s close to perfect — great writing and perfect casting; I’m eagerly awaiting the new season as well as the new novel this fall.

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    • Great to hear how much you love this series! I’ve got books five and six lined up to read soon. I’m really looking forward to the new series of the TV adaptation too – as you say, pretty perfect!

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  4. Way hay hay!! You have completed the challenge! Party poppers and champagne for you tonight!

    I don’t read spy thrillers but this one has a strange appeal based on your review. I see the library has it too, so I have added yet another of your novellas to my list. Perhaps I could book a retreat one day to tackle mount tbr and the wish list; thank you for not only reading some great books this month but also taking the time to write about them.

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    • Thank you! It was good fun (mostly!)

      I hope you enjoy this – if you do I can recommend the main series books. It’s not turned me into a reader of spy thrillers but I do really enjoy these, they’re so well done.

      I dread to think how long a retreat I’d have to book to truly tackle Mount TBR but the idea is so appealing 🙂

      Thanks so much for all your comments and taking the time to read the posts. I hugely appreciate it.

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  5. It’s never occurred to me to read Mick Herron, although I have at least two friends who are keen fans, but one with your endorsement is well worth a try. And congratulations on completing a month of novellas! Much appreciated!

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  7. Congratulations, Madame B – I salute you! I can only manage a week of daily posts, a month would defeat me.

    And an interesting title to finish on. I’ve heard good things about the Slow Horses books, mainly from Annabel, and although they’re not necessarily my thing, you almost have me convinced… 🤣

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  9. I haven’t watched or read this series but you’ve convinced me and I’ll start tonight (with the watching!) Many congratulations, I’m always amazed by this challenge and on top of the commitment your reviews are always so thoughtful as well! Now for a rest I hope?!

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  10. A rest would be appropriate, but, also…a reward.

    What bookish reward do you (and Simon) receive, from yourselves, for your stellar month of reading?

    Thanks for reminding me that I was really enjoying this series (viewing, I mean); I’ll have to resume. (I paused to finish something else that might have landed with a spoiler in my feed while it was airing, and then I forgot to return to my previous project!)

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